Hauling a motorcycle between rear bumper and trailer

I, too, use the Versa Haul for my 350 lb KLR 600 and my Scion TC. I have pulled it up and down some strong inclines with no problems. Highly recommended. No pics yet...

I wouldn't condemn the rear, just yet. Just eyeballing the pic, the 400# bike will take about 250-300# off the front. It's plenty heavy, I'm guessing you're talking about a 7% weight reduction.

I would want to know the tongue weight of the proposed boat and trailer before I made the decision.

If you're intent on putting it up front, no big deal. If you can't buy a factory front receiver for that chassis, you just need to find a local welder/fabricator to build one for you.

I have done this for over 10 years. Formerly with a 30 foot class A, and now a 28 foot class C, I have a motorcycle carrier in the hitch receiver, and I towed a 14 foot boat and trailer, or a 16 foot hovercraft on a trailer. Now I have a bass boat so I am beefing up the motorcycle carrier. Instead of square tubing for the back bone of the carrier, I am going with a 24 inch hitch extension. FYI, the motorcycle is a Honda Big Ruckus, and the boat is a Tracker 17ft. aluminum modified vee.

I have quite a bit of rear overhang, on a short wheelbase. So the rear is out. On the existing trailer, I'm going to swing the rear of the canoe to the left (closer to the bike rack) and put the bike right in front of the tool box directly over the axle. I'm thinking the bike will be centered between the fender and the hitch for the bike rack. The canoe can only scoot over about 6" before I have to start modifying things.

Great discussion guys. I'm really leaning torwards mounting it on the front. I think you guys are thinking of a 16' john boat. I'm talking about a bass boat. Around a 50 hp four stroke outboard on the rear, front and rear decks, trolling on the front.
Does anyone have any personal experience with putting one on the front. Here is the bike.

I knew a guy that wanted to carry his boat and tow his TT at the same time. What he did was install like a ladder carrier and then carried the boat inverted on it. Now on a MH wont work, but on the trailer? As noted above maybe a closed cargo with the ability to load a alum boat on top, also gives you a place to carry the motor, gas can etc. Something to think about. I have seen kits to allow loading boats on top of camper shells so this would be simular in concept.

bolivier - Nice looking trailer for the intended use. As "TyroneandGladys" stated, you could quickly run into weight problems depending on the amount of rear overhang and the hitch capacity.

There is a simple formula - Know the weight of your small motorcycle. Add the weight of the carrier for the motorcycle. Measure the wheelbase (distance front axle to the rear axle). Measure the distance from the rear axle to the center of your motorcycle carrier. Now multiply the weight of the motorcycle plus the carrier by the distance behind the rear axle. Divide this answer by the distance between the axles. This is the amount you are lifting off the front axle (the see saw effect). If for example:
1. motorcycle weighs 400 lbs
2. carrier weighs 50 lbs
3. motorcycle carrier is 6 feet behind the rear axle
4. wheelbase is 12 feet.
(400+50=450 x 6 feet = 2,700 divide by 12 feet = 225 lbs). In this example the motorcycle is lifting 225 lbs from the front axle and is adding 675 lbs to the rear axle.

As "Hank85713" suggests, I would modify the trailer to haul the bike. Either rotate the storage box to be North and South or move it under the canoe. Then move the rear end of the canoe to the left of the trailer.

To answer your question on what to do if you buy a larger boat? Instead of buying a different boat trailer, I would buy a smaller enclosed trailer for the motorcycle and figure out how to haul the 16' aluminum boat on the roof of the trailer.

As to "Robert78121" suggestions and picture, that would work if you have a Class A that has a longer wheelbase and hardly any rear overhang. Not as much of the see-saw effect.

I've seen more than one class 'C' with a motorcycle mounted to the front bumper.

A hitch mounted carrier may be a good solution to you depending on your hitch maximum tongue weight: (See signature for model name)

What's the overhang from the rear axle of the MH to the rear bumper?

Do you have published towing capacity for the MH?