Motorcycle Carrier and Airbags?

S

srileo

Senior Member
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Jan 8, 2013
Messages
154
All,
I have a Nissan Titan Pro4X with a Hawk on the back and Firestone Air bags. I am planning on a weeklong trip to northern nevada with the idea of boondocking along the Hwy 50 (loneliest highway) and bringing a dirtbike along to explore during the day. The dirtbike will be hauled in a motorcycle hitch carrier. The motorcycle + carrier weigh around 400 lb. My hitch is safely rated to 600 lb.

Question is, will the airbags cut it for adding all that additional weight in the very back of the truck? I will pump more air - probably 10-15psi more than normal...but in general, have people put motorcycles on the back with airbags alone and been ok?

Thanks for your advise in advance. Any pointers to some nevada destinations along hwy 50 would be great too!

Shridhar
 
I am in the same boat. I have a Tundra with a Hawk and a Honda XR 250L. I have the motorcycle rack, and firestone air bags. But I also have a front receiver hitch. So I could either put the hitch on the back or the front. I wonder about the headlights on the front and if that kind of weight on the front is ok for my truck. I wonder about the back too but I take a trailer a lot so I think the weight issue in the back would not be much worse than my trailer I am already using.
 
Not sure what model airbag you have. Mine would handle the weight, but the bigger question is how your truck will handle with the center of gravity moved this far back. The camper alone puts most 1/2 ton trucks at or over capacity.

Also, do you have to remove the bike to enter the camper? That would be a pain. I tow my bike on a trailer. A trailer can also be a pain, but it works for me.

There is so much to explore in Nevada it's hard to know where to begin. I had a meeting in Utah and decided to drive Hwy 50, i went south on 361 to Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, which I thoroughly enjoyed. WTW, Google Maps, http://www.roadsideamerica.com, etc. are all good starting points.
 
most trucks have a weight rating for each axle. I usually weigh the front half of the truck on a truck scale then the back half. This gives a rough idea on how close to the axle rating you are.

Note: if you get the truck centered right the two numbers you get should add up to your total..

I have been toying with the idea of a hitch on the front as I have two motorcycles I need to carry and would prefer not to have a trailer. one bike in the front and one on the back receiver and would be set. but the hassle of removing the bike to get in the camper, has kept me so far from doing it...plus the idea I would be within a couple hundred pounds of being at my GVW of 9k..
 
My front axle on my 05 Tundra DC with my Hawk weighs 3100. The back weighs 3680. All together it weighs 6700.
 
ETAV8R said:
I'm anxious to hear any comments. I've recently added a Yamaha TW200 for some trail exploring.
Click to expand...
Temporary Derail.
I just got a TW 200 also. Only 90 miles on it so far. I love it.
End Derail.
 
All,
thanks for the replies. The trip is likely not happening for the length of time i have in mind, so decided against the carrrier in the back. The thought of having to remove the bike everytime i need to get in the back is a serious headache. The trailer is an easier option - especially when uhaul rents them for $15 a day. Ofcourse that limits my travel location, but i think its a better option for the occasional getaways.

One more reason imho to get a van instead! ;-)
 
Be using a front hitch and carrier for years and no problems at all. Towed in 100 degrees over Sheephole Pass no problem. Go for it. The only way to carry a bike, unless your talking a Harley.
 
I have a 2008 Ford F-150 and a FWC Hawk. I installed Firestone airbags to give me a little adjustability with my ride height if needed. They work great for leveling things back off with my Xr650 hanging off the back. Biggest downside of having the bike on the back is that its a pain to get in without unloading first...
 
All,
Its been 3 months since i posted the original question. I am now ready for a trip to DeathValley hauling my WR250r and am considering buying a lightweight MC carrier such as:

AMC 400
http://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Motocross-Mounted-Carrier-Receivers/dp/B001IUV1CM

MX600
http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Cargo-Carrier/Rage-Powersports/MX600.html

The difference between the two is merely of weight. 35lbs for the Aluminum one and 65lbs for the steel one with max 600lb rating. The latter gives me a little more room between back of camper and end point of the handlebar for mounting the bike, but also ends up moving the weight CoG further back i guess.
The AMC400 (light aluminum one) is perfect weight wise for my 250cc bike, but i worry that there might not be sufficient clearance between back of camper and handlebar....

Thoughts? Other brands?
 
idahoron said:
I am in the same boat. I have a Tundra with a Hawk and a Honda XR 250L. I have the motorcycle rack, and firestone air bags. But I also have a front receiver hitch. So I could either put the hitch on the back or the front. I wonder about the headlights on the front and if that kind of weight on the front is ok for my truck. I wonder about the back too but I take a trailer a lot so I think the weight issue in the back would not be much worse than my trailer I am already using.
Click to expand...
I have airbags and an extra leaf, put the bike on the front using a joe hauler, no problems at all. Just use the high beam while driving to shine through the bike, then I added a lightbar to shine under it when offroad
 
Heck yes, it will do just fine. I'm running an 05 Tacoma, 14 Fleet, have a dirt bike on the carrier, then a tandem hitch adapter that Walmart sells, with a 20' bass boat with a 250 Merc on the back, with surge brakes. All of that using Firestone air bags only. Sits level or slightly high in the back. Truck pulls like a champ, but you can't drive it like you're racing a diesel up the mountain (I don't beat up my equipment), and you'll need a little extra room for stopping. Cruises at 70 all day long, just was on the road for 9 weeks doing some fishing, went 11,700 miles with that rig. Never felt anything other than completely safe, with either my wife or I driving. With all of that gear, the truck could stop far faster than my 99 2wd or 03 4wd Tacoma, both with only a light load.
 
So you have the dirt bike carrier on then a boat hooked to that? I have seen that attachment but I was kind of worried about it. That is great your having good luck with it.
 
It works great, seemed like a dream when I saw it because I had always wondered who could fabricate one for me for a few hundo, and here it is for under $50. Down in Florida, I saw guys with much larger bikes, I think one was a 750 Shadow, and pulling bass boats. Seems like it's an awfully stout piece of metal!
 
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