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kuryakyn hitch rack
- Thread starter jtoro1
- Start date
jtoro1
Member
Flamewinger
New member
I have had this rack for years and thousands of miles on my Goldwing and decided to adapt it to the Spyder. I found a 2013 post on here that shows a rider adapting it to our hitch and I did the same. There will be a few that will advise that this is a bad idea but with Big Bike Parts, Rivco, Pak It Rak, Doc Humphreys and a few others, its a popular way to carry that extra luggage or, in my case, a small cooler. Whether on the swing arm or on the frame of a bike, it will bounce as the bike rides down the highway. The Pak It Rak and similar luggage racks are too big and if you need that much then you should think about a trailer.
Its rated for 35lbs and my cooler is less than 25.
Its rated for 35lbs and my cooler is less than 25.
so is it ok for you? i was thinking about one myself for a while now... never took a decision. thanks Heavenly Delicious Berry & Cream Crepes
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PMK
Active member
Suzie, AKA Flamewinger insists there are no failures doing this installation based on many people accomplishing this installation onto a BRP hitch.
I would be curious to read if others that use the Kuryakin rack on a Spyder have had failures. I am not a lawyer gathering info, essentially this is a topic being discussed on a FB group that has stalled a bit on account of no valid data, except that others have done it, to validate it being a safe installation.
Kuryakin does not list the rack as an available accessory for a Spyder, but does for other motorcycles that have a frame mounted hitch and not the swingarm mounted hitch like the Can Am.
I would be curious to read if others that use the Kuryakin rack on a Spyder have had failures. I am not a lawyer gathering info, essentially this is a topic being discussed on a FB group that has stalled a bit on account of no valid data, except that others have done it, to validate it being a safe installation.
Kuryakin does not list the rack as an available accessory for a Spyder, but does for other motorcycles that have a frame mounted hitch and not the swingarm mounted hitch like the Can Am.
PMK
Active member
Wanted to share some informal stress numbers, can someone validate these as kind of legitimate or if wrong correct me. This person insists the rack install is fine with no worries, however the manufacturer and others on the FB group disagree. This is a copy of the informal loads I came up with, copied from the FB post. This rack setup mounts onto a BRP hitch using an adapter plate for the rack itself. The mounting is to use the trailer hitch ball to secure the adapter plate. The person additionally installed non rigid ties, chain and turnbuckles from the rack and pulling in a downward direction to the safety chain points. No additional support is added for downward loads, only the chains for upwards loads.
For all others that may read this topic, the stress applied in these type installations is fairly straightforward.
Consider a screwdriver opening a can of paint. You simply pry the lid off the can.
In a fulcrum and lever applied force, this is how it is calculated.
The hitch frame is the fulcrum.
The hole drilled for the hitches ball is the resulting force applied. Essentially the lid of the can you wish to remove.
The rack itself is the lever or screwdriver.
Anyone that has utilized a lever and fulcrum realizes the possible multiplication of effort in vs effort results. Same as prying the lid from the can.
Let’s apply this to the hitch. The ball on the hitch frame is 1 1/4” from the balls center (center of hole) to the hitches aft edge of the metal frame.
For easy math, let’s use the dimension of the rack itself centering the 25 pound load, at 12.5” aft of the hitches steel edge. This dimension of 12.5” is not unrealistic.
In simple terms, this equates to a 10:1 leverage ratio.
Therefore, based on these dimensions, any amount of weight applies a static load to lift the hitches ball or the material steel material it mounts to by a multiplier of 10.
So, statically, 5 pounds which is likely the hitches weight alone, applies 50 pounds of upward force.
10 pounds applies 100 pounds of upward force.
15 = 150, 20 = 200, 25 = 250 pounds of upward force.
These numbers seem small, but again are static and not seen while riding.
When the forces of the tire hitting a bump are added in, G Forces, this increases the lifting or applied resulting force to a higher amount.
Complicating this further is that as the wheel hits a bump, the wheel is forced upward and secondary is the rack being forced down.
Spyder suspension and suspension in general smooth the ride absorbing these impacts and G Force loads.
A tire / wheel impacting a hole could easily generate a 3 G force. This factor then multiplies the previous static loads to a higher level.
Therefore, that 10 pound load on the rack, that was 100 pounds of leveraged force now becomes 300 pounds of force attempting to fatigue the steel around the hitch ball.
The 25 pound load becomes 750 pounds trying to peel the hitch ball out of the steel material.
These repeated loads accomplish cyclic stress. Pretty much the same as bending a beer can or soda can back and forth until it finally cracks, then breaks.
The original topic and person insisting these racks are safe, bases the criteria of safety on the decision of others to use them without failures.
If my simple math, or the loadpaths seem in error, please let me know. I am able to adjust the values or concede my error if needed.
blacklightning
Well-known member
I have the Doc Humphreys rack, and it is perfect for my use. Because of the way the rack is made, it moves a lot of the weight more forward and not to the back like others. I used it on my RT and will be using it on my F3T for Spyder Adventures. I also plan using it in 2020 for my cross country trip. I will surely give a full indept review when I do that. But so far, it is great. And I don't have the issue of a trailer to park and back.
PMK
Active member
The Doc and I have kind of discussed his hitch on the FB group a bit. His design is one of the few that does not rely on the hitch ball mount to hold the rack onto the hitch as the sole mounting point. His design, and if possible, capture another photo and upload it, of how his mounting differs from others.
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PMK
Active member
Agree, and in the video it clearly shows how his hitch rack is supported forward and along the side beams of the hitch, making more stress downward into the hitch ball area. Much safer design in that regards.
purplepig
New member
Kuryakyn rack did not work for me.
I installed the Kuryakyn rack on my 2015 RT. In less than 500 miles I had it fail. The rack itself did not fail but the mount broke. I carried a small piece of luggage on it for
two trips with my wife, both times weight was about 12 pounds. It actually came apart on our 2016 Spyderquest ride. The pictures tell the story. There is a lot of force being applied due to it being subject to every bump in the road. Great idea, but didn't work for me. This is the one that I had:
https://maggroup.blob.core.windows.net/kuryakyn/15202_1350x900_RGB_72DPI.jpg
I installed the Kuryakyn rack on my 2015 RT. In less than 500 miles I had it fail. The rack itself did not fail but the mount broke. I carried a small piece of luggage on it for
two trips with my wife, both times weight was about 12 pounds. It actually came apart on our 2016 Spyderquest ride. The pictures tell the story. There is a lot of force being applied due to it being subject to every bump in the road. Great idea, but didn't work for me. This is the one that I had:https://maggroup.blob.core.windows.net/kuryakyn/15202_1350x900_RGB_72DPI.jpg
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spyderfish
Member
More Rack Info
I needed more storage on "Blaze" 2013 ST. I added the Showchrome Hitch and Showchrome rack.
Completely unacceptable strength and durability and size. Called Showchrome, they would not offer any specific weight limitations,
which I found puzzling. The rack is very sturdy, but the mounting is not nerly as strong because of the desire for quick on/off.
Below is a pic of the modified mount, here is how I modified the mounting:
I have kneeled all 220 pounds of me on this rack, the suspension moves, but the mounting stays rigid.
So it is unconventional, but sure holds a lot of gear. Not sure it is great for dense objects unless they are packed tightly to avoid bouncing.
In concert with a waterproof Givi top bag, plenty of storage. Bag and box come off easily, store in room.
This is a traveling rig to get from here to there. Once there, Spyderquest for instance, the whole rig comes off with 6 bolts, store in hotel room.
Need to be able to handle a wrench for this rig to work.
The other bennie here is riding destinations with no extra weight or bulk.
Not really concerned about reuse, resale, or other factors, it works well for me.
I needed more storage on "Blaze" 2013 ST. I added the Showchrome Hitch and Showchrome rack.
Completely unacceptable strength and durability and size. Called Showchrome, they would not offer any specific weight limitations,
which I found puzzling. The rack is very sturdy, but the mounting is not nerly as strong because of the desire for quick on/off.
Below is a pic of the modified mount, here is how I modified the mounting:
- Inserted wooden dowels into mounting stalk tubes to increase strength
- Ditched the pins and drilled through holes through mounting stalks mounting bracket, used 4 through bolts.
- Added additional aluminum mounting plate reinforcements, tapered, to make the rack level and not pitched backward.
- Used a bolt instead of the trailer ball with large washers on top and bottom.
- Added side aluminum tube arms which lock in the sides rack and are bolted into the hitch brackets.
- Added HDP platform to top of rack to support larger luggage.
- Found massive DeWalt toolbox, waterproof, strapped onto the rack and platform with ratcheting straps.
- Moved the license plate up on top, with lighted frame, stop and blinkers.
I have kneeled all 220 pounds of me on this rack, the suspension moves, but the mounting stays rigid.
So it is unconventional, but sure holds a lot of gear. Not sure it is great for dense objects unless they are packed tightly to avoid bouncing.
In concert with a waterproof Givi top bag, plenty of storage. Bag and box come off easily, store in room.
This is a traveling rig to get from here to there. Once there, Spyderquest for instance, the whole rig comes off with 6 bolts, store in hotel room.
Need to be able to handle a wrench for this rig to work.
The other bennie here is riding destinations with no extra weight or bulk.
Not really concerned about reuse, resale, or other factors, it works well for me.
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