Motorcycle Carrier

Hi Scott,

Many thanks for your post. I purchased the HydraLift and had it installed at Eagle's Pride in Titusville, FL. They did a great job at a very reasonable price. It was worth the drive there to get it done by a competent dealer. We are spending the winter in Black Canyon City AZ.

Cheers,

Jim

FIRE UP wrote:

ScubaJim wrote:
Read the posts and love the feedback. Have a Honda Goldwing 1800 and also tow a car so am interested in getting a Hydralift installed since a trailer is not practical. Anyone know of any preventative measure to avoid the bike getting all scratched up. Any help would be appreciated.

ScubaJim,
Your 39' coach will have no issues when utilizing a Hydralift for the Wing. As you see in the pics, I did it with a 36' Itasca Horizon. I'm also going to assume you have a CAT in that Discovery until you say otherwise. The primary concern you need to take is, mounting height of the lift itself, on the coach.

The Hydralift is by far, the most superior lift/carrier on the market, without a doubt. But, it's also the costliest. They normally run around $4,500.00 plus or minus, BEFORE tax, shipping and installation. Installation can be anywhere in price. I did mine. I've got a ton of pictures of various stages of the install, if you'd like to see them, PM me and, I'd be glad to share and explain.

The primary concern with mounting the Hydralift is, it needs to be as low mounted as possible but, still allow for good ground clearance when angle of departure is acute. You don't want to scrape that Wing off the back of that coach, that's for sure.

But, when that Hydralift is mounted as low as possible, it allows for the LEAST angle of the lift arms, in relation to the floor of the lift. You see, as you well know, the GL 1800 is WIDE at low points, i.e. the front crash bars and the valve covers. So, the lower the lift is mounted, the less of an angle the lift arms are when lift is at bottom for loading/off loading the Wing.

Obviously, the higher the lift is mounted, the more acute the lift arms are when the lift is in the loading/off loading position and, that means the Wings front crash bars and valve covers are in severe danger of colliding with those lift arms, while you're trying to ride it onto the lift.

Anyway, I'd be glad to help you with questions on the lift, mounting, additional support sub-structure specifically for the Wing tie-down points (front fork) and more. PM me if you'd like to know more. By the way, to answer your original question about not scratching the Wing up either while loading/off loading or, while it's on the lift, You won't. I explained in another thread, the use of an "Ultra-gard" travel cover for it I ordered from Wingstuff.

It fits like a glove. It's about the same density of a Mummy Sleeping bag. It's thick and does not flap around like cheesy bike covers you use in your garage. But, one thing. It's a pain in the a$$ to cinch down, with all the buckles on it, while the bike is on the lift. And, it still allows for some dust and debris to collect in and on, various parts/components of the bike. So, I just write off the fact that it's going to get DIRTY, PERIOD! I take care of that dirt at the next campsite.
Scott