Anyone have a preference in bike carriers. Going to put a klx230 on the back of my f150. Just for a single bike, no trailers.
My MotoTote has been rock solid for years. The new 1Up moto option looks awesome, but pricey.
One annoying thing about the MotoTote is all of the hardware they use is freedom units rather than metric. So you have to carry wrenches just for the damn rack. 1Up as a company does the same thing.
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Can you just put it in the bed?
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No, I have a topper.
Ive got over 10k on my Versahaul VH-55. Zero regrets. Its been flawless.
Here is an old picture of it when it was pretty new.
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I hang a dirt bike in the back of my truck for camping trips regularly. I’ve had several. Ultimate MX Hauler was cool but too much hassle and wobble. Harbor Freight was predictably junk. It works but isn’t worth it to me.
I ended up with a newer Mototote I found used and can see why they’ve been so popular for so long. There are newer, more expensive options like the Rack-n-ride that look really cool but for me a used Mototote is the way to go. Lots of them out there. Versahaul has a similar reputation and can also be found used.
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Used MT is what I did too. Bought it from a dude at the Air Force base up in Cheyenne.
I did the harbor freight route but with a 700lb tilt cargo tray and a pair of aluminum ramps, bolted one ramp onto tray and added welds to all the bolts to stiffen the tray up. Still a bit ‘not great’ but for small bike locally it works for under $200 and can be used for other things.
that said, I’d suggest go as beast mode as you can so will work for bigger bikes if needed and spend as much as you can justify. You get what you pay for.
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Agree with that. Im taking it slow… might be able to buy a small trailer and keep it at my kids house.
I have the aluminum MX version of the rack n ride. It’s rock solid and super easy to load a bike and light. I especially like the footpeg attachment points. I had a Versahaul which was great but pretty heavy and I switch between MTB 1up rack and a moto on my van regularly. I have not seen or used the ADV carrier and they’re quite pricey. Adventure Motorcycle Hitch Carrier Super Heavy Duty Engineering
One more data point, I bought a used kendon single rail foldable trailer to move my 1200 GS from WA to CO.
Pros:
-How small of a footprint it has when folded, not in use. Super easy to stash in your garage.
-Towed really well
-It holds its value really well. I ended up selling it in CO for more than I bought it for.
Cons:
-Mine ate tires. I put brand new tires on it before departing, and after 1400 miles, the tires were showing significant uneven tread wear.
Interesting. I’ve done three trips to Tucson and back with mine, plus occasional local duty and still on the original tires. Must have something to do with trailer wheel/tire alignment.
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I have one of these as well. The original tires were out of round and it would hop over 50mph. I put new tires and wheels on it and have had zero problems since.
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I ran a Versahaul VH55 for a long time with zero issues. They are great carriers.
I now have the Rack N Ride dual bike carrier (can also do one bike). It’s a stout unit, little spendy.
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I am using the Rack N Ride adventure carrier on the back of half-ton truck and it works well. I picked it up off of FB marketplace over the winter for less than half of what you would pay new. Two drawbacks I have found are not being able to open the toper with the bike loaded and having the carrier extend from the back will cause it to drag into steep driveways or off-road.
I have also used two different styles of trailers. A utility trailer worked for a few years but was not nearly as stable as the folding single rail MC trailer I sold after picking up the hitch carrier. If i was to go the trailer route again I would probably pick up an enclosed utility or a three rail folding, but if you are using a smaller car you can drag the single just about anywhere you want to go. The pic below is from Clear Lake outside of Silverton.
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I have the single unit, but don’t think it’s rated for ADV type bike since the limit on the site is 370lbs. Have you carried ADV bikes with it? I’m talking like 500lbs or less.
