Motorcycle caddy

[makenzie71]

Asking $100 plus shipping...weighs about 40lbs, will go UPS or FedEx from 79416...I don't get discounts or anything so if you're curious about shipping costs you can find them at ups.com or fedex.com...just be sure to add $13 if through fedex for pick-up.

Anyway...I can't remember if it's setup for a 1 3/4" receiver or a 2" receiver...whatever the most generic, common size is, but I'll double check later.  This thing lets you cradle the front wheel of your bike up and drag it around like a trailer.  I've got to do some FTP footwork to get some pictures up, but I'll get some up shortly...a lot of you have seen it.  I've put about 20,000 miles on various bikes with this thing.

That is all.

[JB848]

Kind of a guideline not necessarily a rule but

[makenzie71]

I don't have much...I'll try to get more tomorrow.



...under load (approx 225lbs).



That's the first hitch I built...was built for straight bike towing duty.  I modified that to a standard square receiver so I could swap my bike caddy out to tow a small trailer.  Basically imagine that contraption, but in two pieces.

It's setup for a 1.5"~2" receiver.

[centuryghost]

That CX is tight! 

[makenzie71]

I miss her dearly

[cboling]

McKenzie: How well does a bike tow like that. Any real drawbacks? I could put that sort of thing to good use but it's sort of a toss up between that and the hitch hauler I saw at Harbor Freight.

[makenzie71]

Pro's (over this hitch hauler)...

Smaller, easier to store.
The whole bike doesn't obstruct rear view.
Less than half the weight on your vehicle suspension.

Cons...

Strap/Cable/Chain care is much more important.
You have to disengage the bike's drivetrain (remove chain/belt/pinion gear).
Tire wear.
Limited turn radius and reverse can be tricky (like with a really short trailer).
You'll need anxiety medication until you get used to it (the bike moves around a lot).

I've used a hitch hauler like above but I didn't care much for it because of the obstructed view, the effect on my suspension (rear sag), and it was a little more difficult to load.  Mine isn't exactly cake to load up, but the most difficult thing was holding it steady until I had the side straps secured.

I think the only time I've ever had an issue with my hauler (not due to my own negligence) was coming off a road into some drives...there's a dip and then a rise and that awkward transition was too much for the thing to bike's geometry to handle.  It was only an issue at one particular driveway, and it was a really dramatic rise (it actually ripped the front lip off my car once).  the only other issues I've had with it were with failed straps...they become a working part and see varying tensions while in transport so it's crucial to have good ones and to ensure that they do not have any tears or frayed areas in the tension zone...technically, it's standard strap care.  I see a strap mishap being less damaging with my carrier than with the hitch hauler, though.  With mine, if a strap fails, the bike will lay over during the next turn, but the front wheel will remain secured...if you have sliders then damage will be minimal.  On the hauler, if your outside strap fails hopefully the bike just slams against the vehicle...if the inside strap fails I can see the resulting fall being much more damaging.

[makenzie71]

I just wanted to add...I don't know where I got the 40lbs thing.  It weighs, maybe, 20lbs.

[makenzie71]

Sold.