Motorbikes on Van?

leehere · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:53 am Post subject: Motorbikes on Van?

I have a 2005 Pleasureway van. I'm thinking about hauling a motorbike of some kind, and so asking if anybody has done this. What kind of bike or scooter does one use, and is it better on the back or front?
Thanks
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Lee and Ira and Niki the Dirty Three always ready to hit the road!

ndflicks · Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Posts: 44

We used a 'hitch mount' motorcycle carrier in the past. If you go with one, be wary of the rated payloads for

(1) the van itself, particularly the rear end where the weight will be
(2) the hitch
(3) the carrier

Ours had a ramp hinged to it in such a way it went perpendicular while the bike was on it, and folded all the way into the ramp when it was empty. Without the ramp it would have been REALLY hard to load.

The rating was confusing. It said 500# but stamped in the carrier was 350#?!?! Either way, make sure you know you're within spec. It came from Pep Boys and I am almost sure they still have them. I've seen a few online that people have made for larger bikes- doesn't look too hard if you know a welder.

We had a neat little Honda 200 (Twinstar) but it wasn't so great 2-up. We now have a Buell Blast-350 lbs and it's the bees knees. We aren't using the hitch ramp now; we just load it in the truck. I never did find a scooter that was satisfactory with 2 people and I'm much more confident in traffic with the bike.

Good luck. Keep us posted on your progress!

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Luv2RV · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Maryland

As for me, I travel with the RV in the back, and the Scoot in the front. I added a receiver to the front of the truck. Works great!

vincee · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 87 Location: Buffalo, NY

Leehere, I carry my 528# bike on the back of my MH using a VersaHaul cycle carrier rated for 600# (sport model) and very impressed on how well built it is. For class 3 hitch mount (which varies greatly by application) so I would suggest you check your mounting carefully, that is if you have a class 3. Another factor to consider is length of the scooter as some of them are longer than normal motorcycles in regards to tire patch to tire patch, front to rear where they touch the ground. Hope this helps in your quest. Oh, almost forgot: bought the VersaHaul online by Googling "motorcycle carriers" and shopping the net. Saved $200 buying scratch and dent (there were none) vs local scooter retailer.