Anybody used a motorcycle carrier? Not a trailer...

You can buy a folding trailer with a load capacity of 950 pounds for $225 from Northern tool.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... 468_465468

It would keep almost all the weight off your hitch, give you a lot more versatility and far safer IMO.

It won't be an awesome trailer, but you'll use it for all kinds of bulky moving projects. Now you'll be able to haul that sofa to your buddies place!

There are also motorcycle specific trailers that will fold up, but probably a bit more expensive.

Just because a hitch is rated for 750 pounds, and it fits the car doesn't mean the car can handle 750 pounds hanging two feet off the back bumper (the leverage is the bigger problem)
They are rated for that weight on a ball hitch (about 4" behind the pin and no leverage possible)
Now you put that weight rigidly attached a distance back and you are asking for trouble.

 

I saw one of these once! It was on the back of a fullsize van and had a Gold wing on it: I could get a great look, because the bike was hanging over the right lane, upside down (but still strapped to the carrier!), and the truck was off the right side of the road with the nose over a guardrail, also upside down! I don't know if the bike carrier had anything to do with the crash (and even if it did, putting a big bike like a Goldwing on there is pretty dumb IMO, but I still don't trust them. Too much weight, too much leverage. Just get a little trailer, they're cheap and much less problematic. Even a passenger car could safely tow a bike with a little trailer on the back.

 

I have used several of the bike carriers over the years. I have a 96 Tacoma 4cly 4wd with overload springs in the back and beefed up suspension all around. I have carried various dirt bikes for long and short distances on and off road. But..... BUT the weight is an issue. When I purchased my XJ I loaded it in the bed and carted her home. The truck did fine but I could tell the handling suffered. I wouldn't haul my XJ on a bike carrier. Its just to heavy and to far back. The leverage is to great. The only reason I do the dirt bikes this way is cause they are half the weight and it allows me to keep the topper on for camping.
I had a girlfriend haul her XS400 across the country on a carrier behind her astro van. She made it okay, but had some close calls pulling into gas stations and parking lots. We had to unload the bike to just get her out of my drive way. By the time she had made it to WV she had scraped off a significant amount of metal from the bottom of the rack.
I like the folding trailer idea.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys! I don't think a carrier is my option (my truck thanks you) and I think I'm going to get one of the motorcycle trailer/carriers that has the back wheel running on the pavement.


The problem with a trailer is the costs get high real quick. That $225 trailer doesn't include the $100 shipping, or even wheels (another $70 plus shipping), plus I have to pay $51 a year in MD for registration. Thats approaching $500 without me even being on the road.

I really appreciate all the help guys, yall are always awesome at helping each other out!

One last question, any idea if my 1982 XJ750 Maxim would lubricate the shaft drive if it were being towed while off?

 

I would think so. The rear gear would be spinning through the oil same as if you were riding it.

The front end of it I don't know about.

Also, I found my trailer used for $200 and it came with wheels

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you would also be spinning all 10 meshed gears and the middle gear set as you pull the bike down the highway. Since the bike would be tilted, there would be oil back there, would that stay lubed without the oil pump running??

 

Hi,

I bought one of those carriers, that runs the rear wheel on the ground, it looked so problematic, that I decided I would let someone else ruin their bike with it and sold it. Harbor Freight does advertise a folding trailer that should work, for I believe two hundred fifty dollars when they have it on sale, storage shouldnt be much of a problem since it kind of sits upright on its tail when folded and you may be able to design a front wheel holder that wouldnt have to be removed to fold the trailer. Northern tool is usually substantially more expensive compared to harbor freight but there could be quality differences of course. Ive looked at the HF trailer myself, and it seemed kind of lightly built for my eight hundred plus pounds Zook M 109, but your lighter bike should be fine. If you have a harbor freight nearby, Ive had some luck, asking for the sale price even when the item was not on sale. Just go right to the manager and make your pitch.

 

Of your choices I like the first one

I wouldn't mind using that in emergencies. I understand the trailer license fees. You said you expected to use it for transporting a bike around. Long trips? I would have liked to have one when my seca 900 wouldn't start at work a few weeks back. Besides it would be a great option to a AAA rec vehicle charge.

 

Buy a flippin trailer already. The tongue rating on your vehicle is 460 pounds on a good day.
The drag behind hitches are also bad news. You will tear up your gears and put unneeded miles on the rear tire. Most bikes are not made to roll with the engine shut down. I know on the XJs thats real bad for them.
If you spend 600 bucks on a 1500 lb trailer you will save yourself much heartache and discontent. If you don't would you let me tell you I and the rest of us told you so later?
Good luck but I think your heading down the wrong road. Trailers are not the PIA you may think they are. Plus you can carry more crap with you and put minimal stress on the Merc.