Hitch-mounted recommendations?

[UWHusky]

I am looking for a hitch-mounted rack for my Buddy (scooter). All of the reasonably priced models that I've researched are inadequate.

I have a full-size pickup truck (4x4), so the hitch height is slightly higher. As a result, the ramps that come with the hitch racks are all too short (the scooter's low clearance doesn't allow me to roll it onto the rack).

I will be loading and removing the scooter by myself oftentimes, so I wanted to find a rack that would enable me to do so.

I have hauled it in the back of the truck before, using QuadBoss ramps, but this requires one other person to get it onto the truck.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Syd]

How jacked-up is it? The ramp for my Moto-Tote is about 5' long, though I have been known to park the truck so aligns with the curb

[jmazza]

I had a very bad experience with the Harbor Freight hitch-mounted carrier and my Buddy. Very bad. The Buddy didn’t fit naturally (wheel too small for what was made for a dirt bike tire) so I had to use a criss-cross pattern of 4 tie downs to keep the handlebars from turning. The thing seemed immovable. Halfway on my drive it fell down. Part of the carrier failed where the tie downs were attached. Fortunately it didn't hit the ground and there was no damage but it was scary.

Putting it in the bed of the my truck took two people as you mentioned because I only had a straight ramp (a 6' 2x10 board) and the ground clearance was an issue once the front wheel was in the bed.

I wonder if a ramp like this one would work better to get it into the bed with one person as it's arched at the end and should avoid bottoming out on the battery compartment.

[michelle_7728]

How often are you wanting to move it this way? Depending on your answer, the better solution might be just to rent a UHaul motorcycle trailer at $15 a day. You can do it all yourself that way and not worry about your vehicle's shocks, a failure of a hitch mounted rack (specifically talking about the one mentioned above...not ALL hitch mounted racks), and low clearance.

[Syd]

Or, find a good welding shop and buy some channel iron as long as the back of the truck and make the appropriate holes in it to mount it in place of the stock ramp? Engineered floor joists, maybe?

[prrfan53]

I've had a Versa-Haul for my Italia 150 for the 5 years of RVing and riding. No Sweat!. @77+ I can still single hand load and strap. it down.