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View Full Version : RT EXTRA SPACE FOR STUFF!



Roadster Renovations
08-31-2014, 10:41 AM
9430194302
The wife and I love to stop at yard sales and thrift stores we have never been to before and I don't like dragging the trailer unless we are touring. This has been a good compromise for us to use. This unit will hold 3 12" square storage containers or anything else you want to carry. The unit uses 1 bolt the same size as the hitch ball to hold it and it weighs about 15 lbs. This gives us 25 lb. of goodies we can carry to not exceed BRP's hitch weight limit. At first I wished it was a little narrower, but it is not as wide as the front wheels (by about 10" overall) and we tested it on a long 500 mile ride and it worked perfectly. This was mounted up onto a BRP hitch.

robmorg
08-31-2014, 10:47 AM
Looks like a great idea. :thumbup:

BLUEKNIGHT911
08-31-2014, 10:56 AM
Looks like a great idea. :thumbup:
:clap::clap::clap:.....Yes it is ...........and Mastertech2000 made the same thing about two years ago and He loves His also ......Mikeguyver :thumbup:

Chupaca
08-31-2014, 11:59 AM
great compromise. Many times need that little more space. Don't have one cause"someone" would find stuff to fill it with just because there is space..:roflblack::roflblack:

PMK
08-31-2014, 12:21 PM
The rack setup seems very practical.

Similar, but a bit unrelated, my friend Sam, his wife Gail and Bandit, their dog travel to tandem events on this type setup.

Pretty sure our Spyder is getting something similar...as time and money permit.

No plans to run the bags and such on the bicycle, maybe a narrow rack as shown by the Doc, and the fork adapter on the rack.

Our setup will need to haul the Ventana ECDM mountain tandem and also the Co-Motion road tandem. Two different front wheel mounting types.

PK

ChasCS
08-31-2014, 12:25 PM
Must see many more miles than it's front.

Chas

ARtraveler
08-31-2014, 12:39 PM
Well, that is sure one way to haul some extra stuff. Any problem with the rack catching on driveways?

ChasCS
08-31-2014, 12:42 PM
There is a fells here, who rydes an RT. He built a cool rack/stand for carrying his golf clubs, that connects to the trailer hitch. Works very well I've heard.

Chas

Gray Ghost
08-31-2014, 12:55 PM
[QUOTE=Doc Humphreys;866665The unit uses 1 bolt the same size as the hitch ball to hold it [/QUOTE]

Awesome! Any chance of getting a photo of the mounting set up?

purplepig
08-31-2014, 01:40 PM
I ended up using BRP trailer hitch(without wiring, as I don't have a trailer yet) and this handy unit from Kuryakyn

http://www.kuryakyn.com/products/338/trailer-hitch-rack

Found it on Ebay for $110 delivered.
The mount attaches under your hitch ball and I added a couple of additional screws to help hold it. Also a small whip/flag and some reflective tape so I can see it backing up and better visibility to people behind me.
It came in handy on our trip to BRP for factory tour. Perfect for one more bag to carry our junk.

robmorg
08-31-2014, 02:09 PM
There is a fells here, who rydes an RT. He built a cool rack/stand for carrying his golf clubs, that connects to the trailer hitch. Works very well I've heard.

Chas...and he doesn't have to rent a golf cart. :clap:

ulflyer
08-31-2014, 02:10 PM
In April I attached a heavy duty plastic box to a similar rack for carrying extra clothes and such to to SF in Mo. I wanted something more secure than a soft bag bungeed down, easy to steal at stops.

What I didn't realize is that since there is no suspension between that hard mounted box and trailer hitch, every single tiny little movement of the tire on the road surface is producing severe vibration. Not only did the mounting bolts come loose, despite the heavy lock washer, and required two stops to finally have loktite applied, but the box itself soon began to crack and lose integrity. All in all it was a total waste of time.

There are better alternatives than the hard box I used, and they are, as far as hauling personal goods is concerned, to use a soft bag rather than a hard box. I haven't tried this but I know others have and it seems to work. I know this isn't exactly the subject of this thread, but felt the vibration issue is something to be aware of. :)

dadof4
08-31-2014, 03:56 PM
That's a great idea!:clap:

Roadster Renovations
08-31-2014, 11:15 PM
Well, that is sure one way to haul some extra stuff. Any problem with the rack catching on driveways?
So far no problems. I tweaked the angle forward slightly, and it only sticks out about 7" past the hitch, so it would have to be pretty steep to drag. I configured it 2" off of the rear tire so that if I ever do a taller tire for some reason, I won't have to cut the welds off an reposition. Other than the time, I have about $80 in it.

Roadster Renovations
08-31-2014, 11:21 PM
In April I attached a heavy duty plastic box to a similar rack for carrying extra clothes and such to to SF in Mo. I wanted something more secure than a soft bag bungeed down, easy to steal at stops.

What I didn't realize is that since there is no suspension between that hard mounted box and trailer hitch, every single tiny little movement of the tire on the road surface is producing severe vibration. Not only did the mounting bolts come loose, despite the heavy lock washer, and required two stops to finally have loktite applied, but the box itself soon began to crack and lose integrity. All in all it was a total waste of time.

There are better alternatives than the hard box I used, and they are, as far as hauling personal goods is concerned, to use a soft bag rather than a hard box. I haven't tried this but I know others have and it seems to work. I know this isn't exactly the subject of this thread, but felt the vibration issue is something to be aware of. :)
And you are right. It does take a lot of road shock with no suspension. I think clothing would be the best thing to carry. I also thought about a 2" thick foam insert. That would take a lot out of it. The only bolt for this one is the big center bolt and once it's tightened down it stays. Everything else is welded. I might try to come up with a suspension solution, but when we clear our clothing from the frunk and side panniers we have enough space to put the more fragile stuff in the bike.