wiill post again when i have more.

thanks

That's cool. Where are you located. Shipping would be too much I think.

Thanks! Im in phoenix, AZ i not sure how much it weighs?. Ive never shipped one. ill try to go to the post office and weigh it .

David-

my zip is 52240.

How many do you have, or do you make these?? I would be interested, how much to ship to CT 06384.?   Thanks in advance, JIM

FYI

Usually there are no special rules for "towing another vehicle" but.. in some states you have to put big crazy light bars (signals and brake lights) on the (towed vehicle) 

Still a cool design but I dont know what most DMV's would think of it 

<edit>

A wiring harness to connect to the GS to use its signals and brake light would be BAD ASS! 

That's not exactly safe...there's very little contact between the wheel and the carrier and you have straps going from the top of the bike's suspension to the tow vehicle.  Those two things combined are extremely dangerous.  You hit a bump, the suspension compresses, you lose the bike into traffic.  Even if you have the suspension compressed all the way down, which is very bad for the seals and springs, should you hit a drastic change in in angle...like say a harsh off-ramp or a driveway...you still slack the straps and lose the bike.

These kinds of carriers need to be set up with a REAL wheel chock, like so:



...and the bike needs to be lashed down at the axle like so:



It should also be set up where the bike is secured to the vehicle with safety chains, which ARE required in most states and only an idiot would go with them, and the front wheel should be lashed specifically to the cradle (if done, that may provide enough time to stop and fix a loose strap before the bike falls over or off all together).

But I guess that's why my hitches are $125 and not $70.

And a bike should absolutely NEVER be towed with the wheel still connected to the tranny.  Never, never, never...the fact that you suggest that there's no wear this way should get you kicked in the nads.

Hi there,
Not to rain on your parade, but I must disagree with you on the "no transmission wear" claim you are making.
Actually, since the rear wheel is rotating the chain and both sprockets, there IS wear on the countershaft (the shaft that carries the front countershaft sprocket) bearings. And since the engine is OFF, there is NO OIL being pumped through the internal oil galleries to the countershaft.
I'm not sure if there is splash lubrication to the bearings or direct oil feed to that area, but it at least something to be wary about.
In an emergency, this might be workable for a short distance, but I personally would not recommend towing any bike for any long distance using a rig like this due to internal oil lubrication concerns.
I'd say a trailer that gets both wheels off the ground is a better option, and U-Haul does rent motorcycle trailers for cheap, like $10 to $20 a day.
It'd be a drag to trailer a bike home using this rig then have to replace the damaged countershaft due to a lack of oil pressure.
Just my thoughts on the topic.
Take care,
Trwhouse

Mak..

The extreme tie down method here deserves another look 




Thats one elaborate use of a single tie down 

There's three ties.  One of the left fork, one off the right fork, and one being used to strap the top of the cradle to a mount inside the trunk to eliminated some of the tongue weight.  BMW's were not meant to have "tongue weight".  I shut the excess of each strap in the trunk, thus it looks like something even more complex...but the straps never stay tucked into the ratchets like they're supposed to.

alright, dumb question, ( for both the OP and mak, . how do you get the bike INTO the hauler?, ( especially if youre by yourself)

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on March 28, 2008, 10:43:25 PM
alright, dumb question, ( for both the OP and mak, . how do you get the bike INTO the hauler?, ( especially if youre by yourself)

My first thought was"I think I feel my mesh pokin' through" But then looked at it again thought it looked low enough that you could jack up one end of a 2X6 and roll it on.

Still a good idea if you don't have access to truck or trailer.

I sell mine as pictured for cars and light trucks, and I make one with a two inch drop for larger vehicles.  If the bike runs you can creep up to the cradle and plant the front wheel against the metal, then careful power your way up.  If you lack good throttle control, or if you've already removed the chain, or if it doesn't run, etc, you step off the bike and, while holding it upright, you move to the front with the cradle and front wheel between your legs.  Grab both fork forks and pull.  With my TL it required very litle effort to get her up on the cradle, same with my CX.

Only God knows how you're supposed to load that first one solo or safely.  These should always be low because you don't want the front near hat high off the ground.  You want it as low as possible because when you turn the car, the bike will lean and, the higher the front, the more dramatic the lean will be.

I'll post a video of proper loading practice and of how the thing will lean in turns later.

k, cause ever since you originally posted that thing mak, ive wondered that

krew...I'm glad you pulled the ad.  I think it's a good idea, considering I sell something very similar, but yours needs a bit of refinement.

On there interstate there was a green ford escort running 75 mph or so with a un-identifiable crotch rocket strapped into the trunk. Yes, there was no trailer. Just strapped (maybe to the rear deck speakers or something otherwise strong- the taillight wires? lol) to something in the back, rear wheel on the ground, and flying along, bouncing, with chain attached.

All I could think was "Man thats going to end badly. Hope no one nice gets killed."

If ya don't own a truck, why not rent/buy a trailer ?