Motorcycle on a hitch?

[OCDbikr]

So, I'm a newby here guys. My name's Rob and I haven't bought my RV yet, but it's just a very short time away, as I am getting a sizeable settlement soon. That being said, I am certainly buying one and it will MOST likely be a class C but I may explore other options. I live in a large metropolitan area and will be living in the RV full time, shortly after the acquisition. It would obviously be wise to have a secondary means of transportation to save on fuel costs and relieve myself of the difficulty of navigating a very large vehicle, through city streets on a daily basis. I plan on buying a motorcycle as my second vehicle and wish to carry it with me wherever I go... (NOTE: I won't be traveling much. I primarily plan on staying pretty close to my hometown, as it is my comfort zone and I like it here, though I may make the occasional trip several times a year for the adventure of it.) I have watched a few videos of people carrying full sized bikes on their hitches with minimal modification but have one thing that keeps popping up in my mind every time I entertain the idea or explore the concept: Do I need to or would it behoove me to strengthen my rear suspension system with a more progressive or "longer-travel" shock??? My bike will be 550lbs. That is the equivalent of two 225lb. guys in the back of the RV... Should my factory shocks be able to handle driving on a regular basis with that amount of weight welded to the tongue of my hitch? I dunno! Are there any people here that have experience (preferably not opinions) with this type of scenario? I would love to hear what you have gone through and how your actions have either helped or hurt you. Looking forward to good reading in this thread. Thanks guys and gals!

[carringb]

OCDbikr wrote:
I can't imagine this being so complicated... Do RV companies not make their vehicles to be able to have 2, 250lb men in the back bedroom?

2 250 pound men, in the bedroom or on the rear bumper, while going down the road is not something RVs were designed around. Not only that, a hitch carrier is about double the distance from the rear axle compared to the bed.

It can be done, but in the range of motorhomes you are looking at, finding one with enough rear tire capacity to do what you are looking at, will be VERY difficult.


Basically the RV industry loves to build coaches right on the brink of the chassis limits. To get around that, you have to get a smaller coach on a lighter chassis (for example, a 26' Class C on an E450 chassis) OR go to a newer Class A coach built on 19.5" or 22.5" wheels.

[DrewE]

OCDbikr wrote:
I can't imagine this being so complicated... Do RV companies not make their vehicles to be able to have 2, 250lb men in the back bedroom? I mean, other than just a few feet of disbursion difference, that's exactly what we're talking about here... Two men, standing on the rear bumper, if you will (if the rear bumper were welded in place by 3 separate mounting tubes affixed to the frame rails)

At least some RVs would have the rear axle overloaded if one were to travel with two or three comparatively heavy guys in the back bedroom. (For that matter, there are some that are overloaded with three rather skinny people and full water and nothing else, regardless of where the people sit...) The dynamic load of driving with the weight there is quite a different stress on the frame and chassis than the relatively static load of their bedding down there while camping.

Carrying around 750 pounds perhaps ten feet in back of the rear axle is not an insignificant load on the frame and chassis. It certainly would be possible to design a class C RV in which it could be done safely, with framework and so forth to suit the load; still, for a great many units actually available, it's simply not practical and in some cases would be decidedly unsafe.

[Gene_in_NE]

OCDbikr wrote:
I can't imagine this being so complicated... Do RV companies not make their vehicles to be able to have 2, 250lb men in the back bedroom? I mean, other than just a few feet of disbursion difference, that's exactly what we're talking about here... Two men, standing on the rear bumper, if you will (if the rear bumper were welded in place by 3 separate mounting tubes affixed to the frame rails)

The biggest advantage of a Class "A" is they usually do not have much overhang behind the back axle.

However, do not be too comfortable with the manufacturer making their motorhomes for the capacity you and I believe they should. They try to include so many amenities in the living quarters, that owners fill up the space with non-essentials and can load the axles to the GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating). I owned a shorter Class A that even had a covered roof top carrier. It was large enough (about 6' x 8' x 1.5' high) to overload the rear axle all by itself.

Consider your car, can it haul 500 lbs in the trunk without bottoming out? It can be done, but know your weights and how to drive.

[OCDbikr]

I can't imagine this being so complicated... Do RV companies not make their vehicles to be able to have 2, 250lb men in the back bedroom? I mean, other than just a few feet of disbursion difference, that's exactly what we're talking about here... Two men, standing on the rear bumper, if you will (if the rear bumper were welded in place by 3 separate mounting tubes affixed to the frame rails)

[carringb]

OCDbikr wrote:
Okay, Class A it is then. The motorcycle I plan on carrying is 559lbs. Toy haulers are not an option for me as they are so new to the market that the cost of a used one hasn't dropped into my price range yet. I've got a budget of only $10k for the RV, so I'm looking at 1995-1999 models.

Watch out. Many Class A's of that era were just-as or more overloaded than their Class C counterparts. Be sure to weigh anything you are considering. The big problem with that era Class A is most still rode on 16" wheels and tires, which is also the constraint for most Class Cs on the E450 chassis.

That said.... For you might be able to find one with a tag-axle, which would probably be about the only way you won't overload the rear axle.

[OCDbikr]

Okay, Class A it is then. The motorcycle I plan on carrying is 559lbs. Toy haulers are not an option for me as they are so new to the market that the cost of a used one hasn't dropped into my price range yet. I've got a budget of only $10k for the RV, so I'm looking at 1995-1999 models. I guess I'm gonna end up welding a triple hitch receiver and going the hydraulic lift route... I'm assuming because of the overwhelming amount of YouTube videos out there of people loading their bikes into these things, that there is a reasonable belief that the suspension can handle that...

[Toot_Mc]

You might check out going the Scooter direction. A Vespa 300 can be carried on most Class "C" hitch mounted carriers with out any modifications. A vespa 300 is Electric start,liquid cooled, fuel injected, with catalytic converter muffler, and will keep up with freeway traffic. They are well suited to carry two people and get very good fuel milage. You have a great dealer on the highway near Lindbergh field. in San Diego.

[Bordercollie]

I gave an aluminum hitch rack and a 188 lb Honda Trail 90 that I carry on our 27 foot Tioga Class C. A can feel some difference in steering action but no serious affects. I think that cruiser weight bike would put too much load on the hitch and bumper and make steering too light. Also with bike in place, can't open rear cargo bay door. I have tried front mount carrying with same weight trail bike and didn't like lack of access to motor and damage to hood paint from hooks on steadying straps. If you have to take a cruiser with you, a covered trailer with anti-theft locks sounds like the best bet for a mid-sized Class C. It'll keep your bike clean and safer and carry extra "stuff"

[rockhillmanor]

If you bought a Class A there are several lifts made for hauling a motorcycle.

If you decide on a Class C a small trailer is going to be your best bet. Just add a locking hitch pin if your are worried about someone taking your trailer. Hauling it off the back end is NOT an option with a Class C.

**>> Really what you should be looking at is a Toy Hauler motor home.
That way your bike will be safely tucked 'inside' your RV.
Many of my friends up North that come down to Florida for bike week all have Toy Haulers.

I looked at toy haulers for months and the nicest ones I found in both Class A and Class B was the Outlaw Toy Hauler.
https://thormotorcoach.com/outlaw/

[Gene_in_NE]

OCDbikr -
Rob,

I'll share with you an explanation to consider. Much has already been said.

This subject comes up fairly frequently. There are several things you need to verify. You will need to know what your current "ready to go" weight is on the rear axle compared to the GAWR. Next check the capacity of the receiver hitch - usually 350 or 500 lbs. Now get a good estimate of the motorcycle you wish to haul. Get an estimate of the carrier for the motorcycle. Now measure the distance from the front axle to the rear axle (the wheelbase). Need to know the distance from the rear axle to the center of your motorcycle carrier.

Ready to calculate the see-saw effect of any weight you place at some distance behind the rear axle. 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 (wheelbase). This is the amount you are lifting off the front axle of your motorhome (the see-saw effect). If for example:
1. the motorcycle weighs 525 lbs
2. the carrier weighs 75 lbs
3. the motorcycle is being carried 9 feet behind the rear axle
4. wheelbase is 17 feet.

(525+75=600 x 9 feet = 5,400 divide by 17 = 317). In this example the motorcycle would be adding 917 lbs (600 lbs plus 317 lbs) to the rear axle and the front axle would be 317 lbs lighter.

This is going to be tough to make work. Most Class C motorhomes have extended frame pieces behind the rear axle to support a longer living area. The above example is based on some very rough guesstimates.

I was going to do a similar conversion using a 230 lb scooter. Decided instead to buy an enclosed fiberglass trailer similar to this IronHorse. Provides "out of site, out of mind" storage for a motorcycle.

[OCDbikr]

Thanks for the replies so soon guys. A few things to note as addressed above to merit mentioning: I am a welder/fabricator by trade and there is no hauler on the market that I wouldn't do my own additional strengthening to. That being said, I would also weld up a more supportive receiving system for the hitch itself to increase its tongue weight capacity. I'm certainly not going into this in the dark and have a good understanding of steel and welding. I also have within one mile of my house, a free dump station for black/gray water tanks and that is a real convenience that I will surely take advantage of and part (even if a small) reason that I desire to remain in this immediate area. Another part of my reasoning is my personal experience with the RV habits in this immediate area... It certainly is against the law to park on any city street overnight here. HOWEVER, in my own neighborhood even there are dozens of RVers that frequent the curbs at night and nothing ever happens to them. There is an overwhelming population of permanent RVers in this area and it makes it extremely difficult to dedicate man hours to enforcing these regulations, when there are more urgent crimes that need attending to. So- I figure that I'm of more than average intelligence and if they can do it full time, SURELY I can do it here in my own hometown, where I personally know the area inside and out... Back to the hitch though... I have considered towing it behind on a trailer or dolly, but I want it to be lifted, to decrease the vulnerability for theft whilst sleeping. I don't wanna be an easy target and on the ground, a Harley can disappear easily if not in a garage or close to someone's front door. Assuming that I have a viable tongue weight capacity because of increased welded support, which type of carrier is best bang for the buck and reliable in its reputation and serviceability? Oh, and I have decided that because of this topic, I WILL go with a Class A, for rating and ease of installing reasons...

[Hemi_RT]

It's not the shock that does the carrying of the weight but the spring, the shock dampens the bounce of the spring. What you will need to know is the carrying capacity of the rear suspension.

[DrewE]

You're right to be concerned about the weight and balance issues. Whether or not it's practical will depend on the individual motorhome you're looking at. I think the majority of class C hitches are not rated to have more than 500 pounds tongue weight (and a good many have a lower tongue weight rating than that). You'll probably be pushing 750 pounds by the time you get a carrier and associated odds and ends to get the motorcycle up and down.

There are a few things specifically to look at. The first, as mentioned above, is the tongue weight limit of the hitch. Do keep in mind that the farther out from the back of the motorhome the motorcycle is, the greater the lever action on the hitch will be, so it would be wise to look for some cushion here. It would be wise, in my opinion, to have a qualified shop check out your ideas and probably fabricate a mount that mounts to the frame directly rather than just the receiver hitch.

The second is the gross vehicle weight rating and associated carrying capacity (basically the gross weight rating minus the weight of the motorhome with nothing in it). As a general rule, for full-timing in a class C, you'll want to look for the largest carrying capacity you can find; 1500 or 2000 pound is not atypical, and by the time you get water, your motorcycle, and yourself, you'll have used up a significant portion of that.

The third thing to check is the axle weight limits and the actual axle weights. Adding a lot of weight to the back of the motorhome will cause the front axle to be unloaded some and the rear axle to be loaded more due to the vehicle as a whole acting as a lever. You could be adding maybe 1000 pounds to the rear axle and removing 300 or so from the front axle, as a very very rough example/estimate. Of course this also depends on the wheelbase and overhang of the particular motorhome.

There are a few other alternatives to porting a motorcycle around that might work better. You may be able to create some sort of a front mount, which often works out somewhat better from a weight distribution point of view (but has its own challenges with engine ventilation and headlights and protecting the motorcycle and so forth). There are also some single-wheel dolly mounts available for the hitch where the front wheel of the motorcycle gets strapped in while the rear wheel rolls along on the road. Finally, you could always get a little trailer of some sort to carry the motorcycle, and whatever else you wished to carry.

I know you didn't ask about it, but please make sure you have reasonable plans for where you'll generally be staying/parking and how you'll handle water, sewage, electricity, and so forth. A long-term site at a campground is, of course, a viable way to do this and shouldn't cause much if any hassle. On the other hand, simply parking on the street or similar situations is not taken kindly to at all by many California cities.

[harley_hitchike]

look at a web site mightyhauler.com but I don't think it will work on a class C
I have done this with 5th wheel and class A but no experience with Cs good luck.