I would like to travel with both my Motorcycle and car, has anyone used the motorcycle hitch carriers? I see that they make a couple at a reasonable price that are not hydraulic. Right now I have a VW jetta that I'm looking to buy a tow bar for but am willing to sell and purchase a small truck to haul the motorcycle if it's more practical.

That would be more practical but what are you towing with? You need to be careful you don't exceed the towing capacity.

I'm not sure your Jetta would stand up to several hundred pounds of weight bouncing up and down on the the back while being towedMy scoot weights 300# , but it's on the back end of a 22,000# DPGo with the truck or use a trailer, unless your bike is less than 200#Do Not confuse hitch "tow weight" rating , with dead weight cargo bouncing over bumps, tt tongue weight does not have the bouncing and vibration of dead cargo which is a dynamic bouncing load

I put my R1200GS in the bed of our Silverado 1500. Works great, tow like a dream.

Looking at doing a similar thing, but my thought is putting both our Chevy Tracker and Vstar 1100 bike on a trailer. Solves all sorts of possible issues if your rig will handle the weight.

explorenorth wrote:Looking at doing a similar thing, but my thought is putting both our Chevy Tracker and Vstar 1100 bike on a trailer. Solves all sorts of possible issues if your rig will handle the weight.A friend had a custom trailer built with a 4-wheeler on the front cross ways with pull out side ramps and the car on the back, I think it was a S-10 chev pick-up 4WD with a small pop up camper. He would park the MH at a base camp, unload the truck, hook it to the trailer and take off 4-wheeling and camping to places like the Moab, etc. It was a real nice package.Hook

Towing Motorcycle and car or truck | Good Sam Community

mchero
Explorer
May 29, 2014
WOW, I must be one lucky SOB! LOL I just aquired an 07 with a Hydraulic Hydrolift. I "believe" it will hoist 1200lbs.
Might put a couple vespas on it!
Can only tow my toad with the hydrolift on. Can't hae ANY toung weight.

RM
msmith1199
Explorer II
May 29, 2014
It's called the Tandem Tow Dolly. Also I wonder if the guy in this photo realizes you are not supposed to tow 4x4 vehicles on a dolly?
msmith1199
Explorer II
May 29, 2014
There is a company also that makes a tow dolly that has an extended length. They have a couple of different models. You can put two medium size bikes and a front wheel drive car, or a large bike and a front wheel drive car. They have a rack to hold a golf cart in front of the car. With one of these you can keep your Jetta.
d0n1
Explorer
May 29, 2014
The big ruckus - Cool scooter - Basically, a naked elite 250 or helix.
Valkyriebush
Explorer II
May 29, 2014

I leave the VTX at home and take my multi task Tonka scoot when traveling[img][/img].
I see you changed up Scott.
Flanz
Explorer
May 28, 2014
JoeH wrote:
I put my Harley in the back of my Ranger with a rampage lift. I picked the ranger due to it's relatively light weight and 4 down capability.

Hi Joe,

Is that a gas coach you have? I also have a RG Ultra and a gas coach. I tow a Toyota Tacoma behind my coach. Do you use a breaking system with your truck with the RG in it? How well does your coach handle the setup?

-paul
FIRE_UP
Explorer
May 27, 2014
Paul,
Yep, we did us a "Hydralift" for almost a couple of years. It worked absolutely flawless. However, I knew going into the project that, the rear of the coach would be overloaded. The rear axle weight rating is 17,500 lbs. But, with the bike and the lift on there, I was cruising down the road at 21,000 lbs. on the rear.

There were never any adverse effects on the coach. No ill handling, no wandering, no porposing, nothing. The coach road the exact same height with the bike and lift as it did without it. The front end did very well with the added weight on the rear.

But, due to extenuating circumstances, we decided it was time for a change. So, we sold our previous toad, a 2011 Honda CRV and, purchased the 2011 GMC Sierra 4x4 and, sold the Hydralift. I packaged it all up and sold it to a gent in Tenn. The Rampage is not nearly as refined as the Hydralift but, it still does the job just fine. And, like previously stated, I've got that Rampage setup to be out of the truck in about 1-2 minutes when we return from a trip.

The wife and I have out of there, in a very short order.
Scott
Flanz
Explorer
May 27, 2014
FIRE UP wrote:
JetAonly wrote:
I put my R1200GS in the bed of our Silverado 1500. Works great, tow like a dream.

Yep, we do the same thing only with a 900 lb. Honda GL 1800 Goldwing. The toad is a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Extended Cab. The bike is carried via the "Rampage" lift/carrier. We purchased the Rampage off of Craigslist at less than half the original price and, it had been used twice. I did the install on the truck and set it up so that, the lift is removable in about 1-2 minutes.

The truck handles the weight of the lift and the bike, ultra nice. I've even got room for two bicycles too. Just some info here for the OP.
Scott

I thought you were using a Hydralift for the bike? Did you get rid of it?

-paul
JoeH
Explorer III
May 27, 2014
I put my Harley in the back of my Ranger with a rampage lift. I picked the ranger due to it's relatively light weight and 4 down capability.
d0n1
Explorer
May 26, 2014
I plan on towing a 96 tracker which has a 2" receiver on the back of it. I will put a scooter/motorcycle carrier in the hitch and load up a honda CH150 Scooter. Total tongue weight should be under 300 lbs. But the hitch & vehicle can handle 500 lbs according to the maker. This has gotta be one of the less cumbersome ways of taking along a two-wheeler AND a toad.

Scooter & carrier on our last RV.