Stealth Bomber: What is a good hitch-mounted rack for it?

[Jérôme Daoust]

We know the Bomber is heavy: 116 lb (53 kg) for a 2011 model, and
somewhere around 94 lb (43 kg) without its battery.

If you want to transport it to your favorite riding location, no
worries if you have a van or a pick-up truck. But if your only option
if to find a bike (or motorcycle) rack to fit a 2" hitch receiver,
what would you do?

I have a Thule 916 XTR T2:
http://www.thule.com/en/US/Products/BikeCarriers/Hitch/916XTR%20T2.aspx
which can be extended to carry 4 bike of 60 lb (27 kg) each so the
overall weight capacity is sufficient, but I worry about it limit of
60 lb (27 kg) per bike location. Maybe a bober could distort/break its
plastic wheel receivers?

Let me know how you do it. Thanks,
Jerome

Same topic on Endless-Sphere:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28040

[Paul_G]

If you have a trailer hitch I bet you also have a roof rack.

I got an EZ fix. I have a FX35 4x4 but no trailer hitch on it.   . I hooked up a trunk/rear hatch type rack on the back hatch and I bought some nylon straps to hook to the roof rack to take the load of the smaller straps that come with the rack. This was done for the Optibike, I'll try it also with the stealth but its a high lift for me.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202340307/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

With a trailer type hitch you can do the same. Buy longer straps and hook to the furthermost part of the rack away from the car and hook on to the roof rack bars and take the bounce load off the rack. You could also add a 2nd set on the bike itself and take some load off, that way rack cant break and you wont see it bounce down the road in the car mirror.

Warning....many rear hatches are now made of plastic, thats why I use roof racks to secure the straps and not hatch mount U clips.

Paul G

[Jérôme Daoust]

Thanks Paul, its a good idea, but may or may not address the weak
point of someone's bike rack.
I added this to my original posting on Endless-Sphere...

I have a roof rack, from which I could attach straps to the bike rack
to help pick up some of the bounce loads and/or prevent twisting (when
you hit a bump on one side) but like I said above this rack is already
designed to for a total of 240 lb (109 kg) of bikes, so the main
backbone strength is OK. Limiting factors that possibly remain:
a) Transverse bar to backbone clamps.
b) Transverse bar itself.
c) Plastic wheel well.
d) Base of the clamping arm lever, which could receive excessive
bending loads from a heavier bike jolted front/back during
acceleration/braking.

So adding support straps may or may not address the true weak point of
this system.

[Jérôme Daoust]

Another thing to consider:
Dropping/damaging your expensive bike(s) on the road is one concern.
But sending a bike sliding onto a freeway can result in other people's
accidents and injuries.
An person injured due to your inadequate transport method could have a
valid legal claim.

[Paul_G]

I was going on a upstate ride this weekend, mounted my bike rack for a test to see if I could pick up the Bomber with my bad back....failed.

So I just ordered a trailer hitch for my FX-35, Infinity wanted $1000 area...heck with them.

http://www.trailerhitches.com/trailer-hitches/trailer-hitches/hiddenhitch87498class3hitch.cfm

 now I need a rack that will hold a MC and has a ramp, I found from $77

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E2WQE4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p263_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=09VH64MFMVYQAV3KVNZ2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

 I think I may go with this one for $129

http://www.discountramps.com/motorcycle-carrier.htm

Paul G