Motorcycle Carrier

B

bbraaf

New member
Oct 24, 2018
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I haven't seen any info on this topic so thought I would ask. I want to carry a Suzuki Burgman 650 on the aft trailer hitch on our '76 Eleganza II. The m/c says it weighs in at about 600 lb. The existing hitch has no Class or weight info on it that I can find. The hitch has been welded to a frame cross piece and protrudes through a square hole in the bumper.

Does anyone have any info or a way to calculate the load capability of this hitch? Thoughts? Experience?

Bob Braaf
(970) 531-3216
 
We have a few club members that have carried motorcycles
on their box receiver hitch. I think they add straps to stabilize the platform.

--
Bill Wevers GMC49ers, GMC Western States
1975 Glenbrook - Manny Powerdrive, OneTon
455 F Block, G heads
San Jose
 
If you have the following hitch on the rear of your coach, it is rated for 1000# tung weight.

http://www.appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/730

If you have this style hitch, then the TW capacity is 300

http://www.appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/1003

If you cannot find info on your presently installed hitch then IMHO you would be at the over weight that I would install anything! Remember that the weight of the mounting system along with the weight of the motorcycle is the total load on the hitch TW. Nothing worst that watching your motorcycle/scooter pass you on the road.

JR Wright
GMC GreatLaker MHC
GMC Eastern States MHC-Charter member
GMCMI
78 Buskirk Stretch 30’
75 GMC Avion Under Frame Up Renovation
Michigan BURRRRR
On Location in Tucson, AZ

>
> We have a few club members that have carried motorcycles
> on their box receiver hitch. I think they add straps to stabilize the platform.
>
>
> --
> Bill Wevers GMC49ers, GMC Western States
> 1975 Glenbrook - Manny Powerdrive, OneTon
> 455 F Block, G heads
> San Jose
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
If you have the following hitch on the rear of your coach, it is rated for 1000# tung weight.

http://www.appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/730

If you have this style hitch, then the TW capacity is 300

http://www.appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/1003

If you cannot find info on your presently installed hitch then IMHO you would be at the over weight that I would install anything! Remember that the
weight of the mounting system along with the weight of the motorcycle is the total load on the hitch TW. Nothing worst that watching your
motorcycle/scooter pass you on the road.

JR Wright
GMC GreatLaker MHC
GMC Eastern States MHC-Charter member
GMCMI
78 Buskirk Stretch 30'
75 GMC Avion Under Frame Up Renovation
Michigan BURRRRR
On Location in Tucson, AZ
 
I'd adopt a 'try before you buy' attitude. Stack 600 pounds of something - seed, feed, whatever - as far back as you can get it and drive it. 600
pounds behind the bumper will be even worse. I'd worry about the handling/driveability with that much hanging off the back of the coach.

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
Talk to Greg Birch. He has a custom steel platform on his 23 Birch that he
carries dirt bikes and other stuff on. He takes his coach lots of places.

Sully
Bellevue wa.

On Wed, Jan 30, 2019 at 2:50 PM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist <

> I'd adopt a 'try before you buy' attitude. Stack 600 pounds of something
> - seed, feed, whatever - as far back as you can get it and drive it. 600
> pounds behind the bumper will be even worse. I'd worry about the
> handling/driveability with that much hanging off the back of the coach.
>
>
> --johnny
> --
> Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> "I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me
> in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Greg Birch: Grandson of Alex Birch of GMC fame. Dentist in Port Angeles,
WA, with his office on a high cliff above the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Patients can look out from their dental chair, through the huge windows,
and see Vancouver Island in the distance. Great!

On the way to Vancouver Island in 2013, we spent a wonderful evening with
them at their home on the hill, parking in their yard. On the way back
from VI, we spent the night in the dental office parking lot, with that
wonderful view.

Great folks, with great tales about Greg's grandfather and his early GMC
adventures!

OH! I just discovered this: https://birchaven.wordpress.com/about/
Look carefully, there's a lot of almost illegible text and links.

Ken H.

> Talk to Greg Birch. He has a custom steel platform on his 23 Birch that he
> carries dirt bikes and other stuff on. He takes his coach lots of places.
>
>
 
OK, I found a few pictures here of the home made carrier that I built.
Start here and page forward:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/500/medium/DSCN1327c.JPG

It is made out of scrap 2" OD box tubing and a tray that I made out of a piece of scrap flat metal probably 1/32" thick and 8' X 12". I had a local
fab shop bend it in a U shape to make the tray. It took them less than 5 minutes and they charged me $10.00 (IIRC). That included the cost of the
scrap steel. The pivot is a simple door hinge mounted to the receiver tube and tray. One thing instead of using a 5/8" receiver pin to mount the
drawbar part into the standard 2" receiver, I drilled and tapped 5/8" threads into the drawbar and bolt it in place using 5/8" bolts. I also made a
second set of holes in the drawbar to allow the use of a standard 5/8" pin. At the time I figured it would keep it from rocking with the bolts.
Well, I have used it both with the bolts and with the pin. I did not see any difference.

The one thing I have discovered over the years is that all receiver hitches are not make the same. The commercial manufacture's and Blaine Merrell
make the center tube out of 2" ID steel tube. Notice I said ID. This stuff is expensive and hard to find. You have to buy it in long lengths and
then have enough to make 6 or 8 hitches. The problem happens is when people buy say 2.25" OD with a 1/8" wall box tube instead. The outside is
correct but the inside in not necessarily 2". Some are smaller and some are bigger. Also most of it is welded and the weld thicknesses inside are
not important when it is manufactured. This is a real problem when trying to insert a 2" drawbar. I loaned my carrier to a GMC guy one time who
called me and said my draw bar was too big and that he was going ti grind it down for me. I stopped him in time and said that drawbar had been used
in at least 10 different vehicles with no problem. I told him he needed to fix his receiver ID. I have also seen one where the ID was too big so and
the long drawbar drooped down an rattled occasionally.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
 
Ken,
This might be a better shortcut to the picture album. Previously posted link took you to only one picture and could not see the others.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/member-galleries/p26079-motorcycle-carrier.html

JR Wright

>
> OK, I found a few pictures here of the home made carrier that I built.
> Start here and page forward:
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/500/medium/DSCN1327c.JPG
>
> It is made out of scrap 2" OD box tubing and a tray that I made out of a piece of scrap flat metal probably 1/32" thick and 8' X 12". I had a local
> fab shop bend it in a U shape to make the tray. It took them less than 5 minutes and they charged me $10.00 (IIRC). That included the cost of the
> scrap steel. The pivot is a simple door hinge mounted to the receiver tube and tray. One thing instead of using a 5/8" receiver pin to mount the
> drawbar part into the standard 2" receiver, I drilled and tapped 5/8" threads into the drawbar and bolt it in place using 5/8" bolts. I also made a
> second set of holes in the drawbar to allow the use of a standard 5/8" pin. At the time I figured it would keep it from rocking with the bolts.
> Well, I have used it both with the bolts and with the pin. I did not see any difference.
>
> The one thing I have discovered over the years is that all receiver hitches are not make the same. The commercial manufacture's and Blaine Merrell
> make the center tube out of 2" ID steel tube. Notice I said ID. This stuff is expensive and hard to find. You have to buy it in long lengths and
> then have enough to make 6 or 8 hitches. The problem happens is when people buy say 2.25" OD with a 1/8" wall box tube instead. The outside is
> correct but the inside in not necessarily 2". Some are smaller and some are bigger. Also most of it is welded and the weld thicknesses inside are
> not important when it is manufactured. This is a real problem when trying to insert a 2" drawbar. I loaned my carrier to a GMC guy one time who
> called me and said my draw bar was too big and that he was going ti grind it down for me. I stopped him in time and said that drawbar had been used
> in at least 10 different vehicles with no problem. I told him he needed to fix his receiver ID. I have also seen one where the ID was too big so and
> the long drawbar drooped down an rattled occasionally.
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
> I haven't seen any info on this topic so thought I would ask. I want to carry a Suzuki Burgman 650 on the aft trailer hitch on our '76 Eleganza
> II. The m/c says it weighs in at about 600 lb. The existing hitch has no Class or weight info on it that I can find. The hitch has been welded to
> a frame cross piece and protrudes through a square hole in the bumper.
>
> Does anyone have any info or a way to calculate the load capability of this hitch? Thoughts? Experience?
>
> Bob Braaf
> (970) 531-3216
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

Bob

Having owned a Burgman 650 and carried around various lighter scooters on the Blaine Merrell thru the bumper hitch I installed on our 78 GMC. I would
suggest that you look at one of the carriers that you put the scooter on it on the ground and then raise it up off the ground. Going up those narrow
ramps with a 600+ pound scooter can be very difficult. Much safer and easier on the ground and then raise it up. I no longer us a carrier as our two
bikes together need a trailer.

--
Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, FI-Tech EFI
Manuals on DVD
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
 
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