Transporting your motorcycle safely and efficiently is essential for any rider. Whether you’re planning a road trip, moving to a new location or simply needing to transport your bike for maintenance or repairs, choosing the right motorcycle carrier is crucial. Therefore, let’s explore the carriers and see how you can choose the right one for you.
Types of Motorcycle Carriers
When it comes to buying quality motorcycle carriers, there are many options out on the market. To pick one you need to know the difference between them and be able to make an educated choice, so here are some of the types.
Hitch-Mounded Carriers
These carriers are the popular choice for transporting motorcycles behind cars, SUVs or trucks. They attach to the hitch receiver on your vehicle and come in various designs to accommodate different motorcycle sizes and weights. Single carriers are suitable for transporting one motorcycle, while dual carriers are ideal for transporting two bikes at the same time. Some of these carriers offer ease of loading and unloading as well as versatility when it comes to vehicle compatibility.
Truck Bed Carriers
If you own a pickup truck, bed carriers provide a secure and convenient way to move your motorcycle within the bed of the truck. These carriers use tie-down straps to secure the bike in place and prevent movement during transit. Truck bed carriers offer excellent stability and protection for your motorcycle while providing easy access to your truck bed for additional gear or equipment.
How to Choose One
Now, that you know some of the types, it’s important to understand and take into consideration several factors to ensure that the carrier you’ve chosen is the right one for your vehicle and your motorcycle.
Vehicle Compatibility
One of the first and most important factors is the vehicle compatibility. What does that mean? It means that you need to choose a carrier that is compatible with the specifics of your vehicle. For example, for hitch-mounted carriers, you’ll need to determine your vehicle’s hitch class and ensure that it can handle the weight and size of the carrier and the motorcycle combined. This is crucial for the selection of the carrier because if your vehicle doesn’t have the capacity to hold the carrier and the motorcycle you won’t be able to take it with you wherever you’re going.
For those considering truck bed carriers, assessing the dimensions of the truck bed is essential. Measuring the length, width and height of the bed to ensure that it can accommodate both the carrier and the motorcycle securely. Additionally, consider factors such as bed liner thickness and other obstacles that may obstruct the installation of the carrier.
Motorcycle Type
Motorcycles come in various shapes and sizes, each with unique specifications and requirements for transportation. When selecting a carrier, consider factors such as the weights, dimensions and design of your motorcycle to ensure that it’s compatible with the carrier and that it fits and can be secured.
For sportbikes and lightweight motorcycles, choose carriers that can minimise wind resistance and enhance fuel efficiency during the trips. For larger ones opt for carriers with higher weight capacities and robust construction to support the load. Carries with wider platforms can distribute the weight evenly and minimise the stress on both the vehicle and the carrier. Either way, look for carriers that have ramps and you can adjust the angles to be able to walk your bike up the ramp and secure it using the tie-down points.
Durability
This is a critical factor when it comes to selecting a carrier, especially for those of you who take your bikes to rugged terrains. So, it’s important to look for carriers that are constructed from high-quality materials such as steel or aluminium, which offer you superior strength and resilience to the elements. Again, here it’s important to consider factors such as the weight capacity, the integrity of the structure and the resistance to corrosion or rust, to ensure that the carrier lasts for a long time. Investing in a durable carrier might be costly at the beginning, but it can ultimately save you money and hassle in the long run, reducing the risk of damage on the bike as well as on the carrier itself.
Security Features
When travelling, it’s important to secure the bike properly to avoid any accidents. It’s important to choose a carrier whose weight limit is above the weight of your bike and ensure that it has a proper tiedown. If the bike’s not secured or if it’s too big for the carrier you’re going to run into problems, such as tipping one way or another and it won’t be easy to transport. So, just to be safe don’t overload your carrier and everything will be fine.
Selecting the right motorcycle carrier is essential to ensure a convenient, safe and secure transport of your bike. By understanding the different types and considering factors such as vehicle compatibility, durability and security features you can choose a carrier that meets your specific needs and preferences. Investing in a well-designed carrier will provide peace of mind and enhance your riding experience.
