I want to carry a KLR on a motor home

I've looked around the web and tried searching here without reaching a decision. Below is a link to one carrier I've found, but if anyone has links to others that they've had success with, I'd be happy to hear.

In general, my criteria (no surprises here-- wish for the stars, ha ha) is:

Cheap

Simple

Light

Rugged

http://www.discountramps.com/smc-600-motorcycle-hauler.htm

This mounts right in the 2" receiver already on the back of my motor home, which would be a huge asset to me.

Thank you if you can offer me some advice and I sincerely hope I selected the best section to post this.

A budy hauled is KLR from Tejas to Chi-town last year using that rig on his truck . . . . .worked fine . . . .
he used 3 or 4 extra tie downs to make absolutely certain it'd stay put, and I'd likely do the same, but the device itself worked as advertised.

My dyslexia just struck -- I read, "I want to carry a motor home on a KLR"

Honestly, it wouldn't have been that crazy of an idea compared to some I've seen involving a KLR.....

Aloha Snowbird!
Contact various motorcycle dealerships and they will give you the names of the various manufacturers. In my experience, all these ramps are hitch afixed, and often cost more. The real problem you'll find is that many of these ramps do not have drop-down features that allow you to get your bike up, especially alone.
The one you have there seems pretty good. But I would buy one at a dealership and have them install it, so if there are any problems, they will be obligated to fix it. You will also be able to load the bike with them there, so if it is to technically difficult to do alone, then you'll know, and learn to innovate with someone there to help you. Also, do not attach your bike exclusively to the rack . If the hitch system fails ... Ohhhh ....

Just make sure you get one with a ramp that allows you to get it up.

I would also contact various RV shops. They obviously have experience with this.
Hop this helps!

/\ Yeah. Same company makes one very similar except it only is rated for 400 pounds. I'm figuring get the 600 pound one for some extra cushion of safety and longevity of the rack. I think my motor home's receiver is more than a Class III. I'll have to look, but I'm okay either way.

A ramp is included, but they still recommend 2 people, which I have.

I actually built a carrier for my klr but my class 3 is rated for 500lbs. ended up using it to haul my trials bike around.

I bought one from rockymountainatvmotorcycle. Com. It works, but it's kind of sketchy with a klr, so i stopped at a welding shop and bought some thicker square tubing for the tie-down arms at the front end, which i cut as long as possible without hitting the bumper .
I also run straps from the bed over the tailgate to negate some of the weight and side-swaying. I carried my klr at least 9000 miles incident free with it last year, though!

There in lies the rub. Most of these RV hitches are only rated for 500 pounds and with the carrier you use, Versahaul or home made, weighing in at 90 pounds or so that limits your bike options. Trials would be great but if you want a DS bike on the back, KLR, R100GS etc, that weight restriction certainly cuts your options down. :huh

If I was going to spend money on a carrier, this is the route I would go....

http://www.ultimatemxhauler.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=9

The problem is much more than the actual weight of the
motorcycle plus the weight of the ramp/support.

As the load is well behind the vehicle wheels, whenever there's
a bump, the true total load weight skyrockets well above
static weight.

A KLR is over 400#, and a decent carrier plus hitch is another
100-300#. Some use three receivers to spread the load.

Good site here, with many choices:
http://www.ehamiltonenterprises.com/motorcycle.html

Three receivers for big bikes. Buy the unit you want, then have a welding shop add two receivers to your MH hitch and two drawbars to the ramp set up.

Your MH may suck to drive this way, I know mine would. My bikes go on a trailer behind it.

Thanks everyone for all the thoughtful replies. I just now found my this, own thread.

I ended up buying the 600 pound rated carrier from Discount Ramps referenced in the first post, carrying the bike 1500 miles through the Appalachians without incident. For this trip, my SO followed me in a car we also had to get north and she reported the bike was very stable at almost all times. This agrees with what I was seeing in the back up camera.

I agree, though, that relying solely on the single receiver may not be good long term since it's 500 pound rating isn't exactly what the manufacturer had in mind. OTOH, a 5,000 pound trailer with a 10% tongue weight probably puts quite a load on the receiver as well.

Flashmo, I early-on considered using a trailer of some sort, but rejected the idea for the same reason I don't pull a car: backing up becomes an issue. With a trailer, you then need a pull-through campsite every night. A lot of parks don't even have pull-throughs, especially the state-run parks I prefer.

I did not notice any significant difference in handling with the bike on the back of the MH, which frankly surprised me.

I'm subscribing to the thread this time so maybe I can find it again? Each forum has it's own tricks to returning to a thread.

I agree with a couple of the other gents, the carrier basket might be rated for a naked KLR, but most reciver hitch setups and the hardware they are attached with and the overall design not going to be "safe" for the traffic that's behind you.

Any reputable welding shop could customize the set-up and make it a 2 or 3 point docking-receiver rig so that it slips into MULTIPLE receiver slots and would be sturdy as hell. As long as you leave the "center" slot, it could always be used for standard towing. Outer receiver "slots" stabilize the load and distribute-off some of the weight concentration, like sway bars when towing RV trailers.

Most "baskets" fit so loose on the hitch that the "bounce" factor gets going and takes it's toll on other areas.

Just me, but I would not haul more than a modest 250 in this fashion-- unless the rig had multiple receiver docking points.

No.

The setup includes two methods to stabilize the carrier. Either is enough; I used both.

As for the traffic behind me: I suppose there is a theoretical-- if miniscule-- risk to their safety, but it's so low as not to register on any reasonable scale... assuming your comment was regarding the unit in post 1. IMO, that unit is the best value and sufficient.

As long as the carrier is rated for the weight, you'll be good. My only advice would be to make sure you do NOT use cam-buckle straps to secure it. Get some good quality 1.5" to 2" wide ratchet straps. Cam-buckle straps can and will work themselves loose. I almost lost my KLX250 off the back of my truck because my straps did just that.

Next question is; why not carry the camper on the KLR? You'd get better mileage, and I'm SURE the KLR could easily handle it!

/\ Yeah. I'm still new to the bike, but I sure can see why people like KLRs, even if I'm still not convinced one could carry a motor home.

The two together make a better combo than a car and a MH, tho.

Looking for Wisdom,
I’m planning on hauling my KTM 990 Adventure on the back of my 2008 26 foot class C. The chassis is a ford 450. Since this is the same 1.5 ton chassis use on the 30 footer I believe I can get away with the weight. The installed hitch is rated for only 350 pounds. My bike is close to 500 pounds so I have been searching the web and asking questions. I do plan on having two extra receivers installed, getting a mc carrier and do the modifications. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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My biggest concern is loading the bike. I will need a longer ramp and importantly a walking along side ramp. The bike is just to heavy and awkward for me to run the bike up and me be on the ground. The walking along ramp could be built very light and be stowed along with the bike ramp. I have looked at purchacing a 2 mc carrier and use the extra location for my walk along ramp. I also think I can mount the walk ramp on a single carrier by using the tie down extentions braces to mount the walkway.
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If any of you have coments on this propose fabrication please post. I have not found information on adding 2 more receivers yet and would like to see this already done.Thanks and I appreciate it. KJ <o></o>

Hauling a KLR... Bungee cords and lots of gray tape.

Or, a really big milk carton for the back of the RV.

Yes, I believe you need to do something to increase the "tongue weight" of your MH's receiver. Adding the two additional receivers seems like the easiest way, but I'm not familiar with how those are added.

Regarding loading, you can do a lot by using the slope of the ground to your advantage. I saw great variation in the loading height of my carrier depending on this when on my recent trip. You can also run the front onto leveling blocks or use the hydraulic levelers on your unit if so equipped. Mine isn't. Either will lower the rear.

If you travel alone, try enlisting a stand-by to step in if you get into trouble. Instruct them in advance in what could happen and what to do in a typical situation. For example, if you have trouble getting the last wheel of the bike (IOWs the rear tire) over the "hump," the best place for your helper to use their muscle is on the top of the rear tire. Give 'em some gloves before hand. If you travel with others, then tell 'em helping is the price of admission.

That ground slope can also be one disadvantage or problem that must be planned for:

adding 2-3 feet of additional overhang.......to the rear of 28-32' motorhome creates a real life problem of tail drag in and out of driveways etc.........the entire weight of the home can be levered against the carrier......so the carrier must be mounted higher than one might first think:huh:huh:huh:huh

on some motorhomes the add on frame extensions add by the RV manufactures can be much weaker than the chassis frame rails.......inspect carefully