caymann
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Re: Motorcycle loading on a hitch
MrWizard wrote: caymann i think you should look at the 'lift' style carriers they work like the loading gate on a freight truck roll/ride the bike onto the platform tie it down then raise it to the carry position I have been thinking about an overbilt system too. It appears, for a few extra bux, it may be the way to go. There are several used overbilts on the market. At least this may take out all the guesswork.460Views0likes0CommentsRe: Motorcycle loading on a hitch
JoeH wrote: Several years ago I had made a setup similar to the one your are considering.... except I mounted it to the front of the motorhome. It was an old 454 gasser and I never had problems with weight or overheating.... but I digress. On my setup, I What I did to facilitate single handed loading was to get the bike up there in position and tied down. Then I fabricated a couple of upright angle iron pieces that were welded to the base channel and were notched out so that the front footpeg mounts fit into the notches. Now, when I slowly ride the bike up the ramp and onto the channel, it goes forward until it slides into the notches in the uprights. That holds the bike in place while you attach the tiedowns... worked like a champ for many years. The SC2000 already has something similar built in to arrest the front tire. But first, i have to get the bike up the ramp into the hauler to its end. That is what we are discussing, unless i misunderstood you. :) jim460Views0likes0CommentsRe: Motorcycle loading on a hitch
schlep1967 wrote: If you do not have a platform wide enough that you can sit on the bike with both feet down for support from ground up to load level, do not use bike power to load the bike. You may get away with it but eventually it will end ugly. Either with the bike falling and you barely getting out of the way. Or the bike falling and you ending up under it. Like stated above there are systems out there that do this safely. $2000 might seem like a lot but it looks like a really good deal when you are laying in a hospital after being pulled out from under a motorcycle. The ramp width is a little bit more than the tires, say an additional few inches. This is not wide enough to ride up on the bike and i would not try that in my sane mind. jim460Views0likes0CommentsRe: Motorcycle loading on a hitch
Dale.Traveling wrote: Concerning the height of the bike once on the stand why not used the coach levelers/jacks to raise the front end up? Considering the length of an average coach a three inch change in height at the front could amplify to 12 inches at the rear. Rasie the front end enough and you might not even need the ramp. I have thought about this and probably should try how much does the bike hauler platform comes down by raising the front end. The bad news is, i don't have hydraulic leveling - only air leveling and it doesn't have as much play as a hydraulic leveling jacks do. I do expect to gain a few inches but i may be speaking ahead of me. jim461Views0likes0CommentsRe: Motorcycle loading on a hitch
I never thought about loading the bike on its own power and was not sure of that is a good idea. One thing is, the bike handles are 44" off the ground The hauler itself is 25" off the ground So that is a total of 44+25=69" off the ground, for the bike handles. And i have the ramp, that is 72" long to help the bike load. I am 6'2" = 74" so the bike handles are literally at the eye level. Also this BMW bike is 450lbs but in future i might go for heavier BMW adventure bikes that weighs 650lbs I cannot imagine loading a 450lb bike at my eye level on its own power. That is why i was thinking a winch or something that i could possibly weld on the other end of the loader Do people load heavy bikes in gear (no throttle)? Looks like i might need a ramp for myself to walk up along side the bike. If so, what kind of ramp could i look for that i can fold and store away at the basement of the MH? thanks jim147Views0likes0CommentsMotorcycle loading on a hitch
Not sure where to post, so i thought i try here... I would like to haul a motorcycle on a Blue Ox SC2000 hitch. It takes up to 1000lbs. I am wondering how to load the motorcycle on this hitch? It is suggested, there be two people, one handling the bike and other pushing it from behind to load it up/dn the ramp. Unfortunately i mayn't have two people as sometimes i am by myself. Is there a winch mechanism i can add to this loader so that using a remote control and by myself i can load/unload the motorcycle? thank you jim PS> My MH is capable of carrying this load with no problem so let's not discuss that.5.3KViews0likes20CommentsGaspe Peninsula
I am doing the Gaspe peninsula during the first two weeks of July I start from Quebec city and take Rt 132 through coastal ways all around this peninsula, through Gaspe and Perce and Chandler in NB I was wondering about road conditions - how rough are the roads? I was also wondering about the steep grades i would be facing? I am pulling a 7200lb truck behind me. Should i sdk the wife to drive that separately where grades are bad? thanks jim2.4KViews0likes7CommentsRe: Toad + Tire Monitor + How far over/under parameters?
Gsmitty77 wrote: We had the Smart Tire II system, on 6 of our 8 RV tires. (Always made me LOL, that the factory installed Tire Monitor had capacity for 6 tires only:)!) .......... TIA, and best to all, Smitty I had the same SMARTIRE 6 wheel system on a 8 wheel MH. One day, while i was stopped at a rest stop for lunch and using my IR gun checking on tire temperature, i found it was running really hot. Turns out my brake calipers were over lubed and hence dragging tag brakes. If i had a 8 wheel TPMS i would have caught this before, from inside the MH Recently when i changed my tires, i took the SMARTIRE TPMS out and out TST for all 8+4 tires. I do have to admit that SMARTIRE was/is a superior product over anything i have experienced/seen. The batteries lasted over 13 yrs and are still working. But i wasn't sure it will last another 6-7 yrs until my next tire change so i had to take this out. Getting back to your question:- what matters is the pressure differential. This is also how SMARTIRE does it. So you may want their read their manual. Recommended cold pressure is based on the load + 5% (safety margin) Why because, chances are both sides of RV is not equally loaded. I pick the highest pressure i need and add 5%-ish to it. For my MY, I run 95psi on drive axle tires (11R/22.5)(had 295/80/22.5 before) I set cold at 90psi (must air up in this situation) and hot at 125psi. I haven't seen drive tires exceed 125psi under load. So pressure differential under load is 15psi I run 105psi on steer axle (315/80/22.5)(had 295/80/22.5 before) I set cold at 100psi(must air up in this situation) and hot at 135psi. I haven't seen drive tires exceed 125psi under load. So pressure differential under load is 20psi I run 75psi on tag axle (11R/22.5)(had 295/80/22.5 before) I set cold at 70psi(must air up in this situation) and hot at 100psi. I haven't seen drive tires exceed 85psi under load. So pressure differential under load is 10psi. Rule of thumb is, every 10F rise in temp leads to 1psi pressure increase. So if your cold pressure was (say) 100psi at 70F (morning) and now you are running under load at 120F outside temperature, just for the cold pressure it is 5psi change. Add to that the heat factor, say another 20 to 30psi higher, your net tire pressure is 135psi which is still below the danger mark of 158psi The pressure and temperature increase should taper off with time The first 30min it will rise and then should be nearly steady Having more air in tire will lead to less differential change in pressure & temperature (Boyle's law : PV=nRT or P/T = nr/V). But you may (will) get a harsher ride.97Views0likes0Comments
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