Trailer hitches?

[cowgirl helmet]

I'm realizing that I need a way to haul my Buddy around with my car (for example, to get to MVA legally for my test). All of the carriers that I've seen on-line appear to require a trailer hitch. My 1996 Subaru Impreza Outback hatchback doesn't have a trailer hitch, and I have no idea where or how to get one, or what size to get. Can anyone help?

[toddrw2251]

You can have trailer hitches installed at many of the larger Uhaul locations and at may RV/truck accessorie stores. You will need to read the directions on the actual carrier you buy that fits in the hitch, and know the approximate weight of your scooter. The carrier I have requires a hitch that can support at least 500lbs tongue weight. This should be double checked with the carrier before you make any purchases.

[ScooterDave]

Call your local U-Haul. They do hitches or look up in the yellow pages under trailers. Any class 1 hitch will work. All you need is a garden trailer to haul it around.

Dave

[StL_Stadtroller]

The carrier I have requires a hitch that can support at least 500lbs tongue weight. This should be double checked with the carrier before you make any purchases.

The Carrier wouldn't require a 500lb allowable tounge weight, however the carrier + loading to it's rated capacity could require that.

unless your carrier weighs 500lbs I guess..

So the deal is that the total weight of your carrier + scooter should not exceed the allowable tounge weight of the car & added hitch. (ie if the carrier says it can carry 500lbs, don't load it up with a 500lb cycle if the vehicle doing the carrying is only rated to a 300lb tounge weight).

any Subaru product I would think should handle a Buddy easily. I'm actually surprised that any Subaru doesn't come with a reciever hitch from the factory.

[toddrw2251]

My carrier doesn't have any wheels and is more of a bike rack. The buddy 125 weighs about 225lbs, the buddy 50 is about 195 lbs and my carrier probably weighs another 70lbs.

Good point stl_stadtroller! I carrier says it must have a hitch that supports 350 lbs tongue weight in order to carry a 250lb bike. I origionally said 500lbs tongue weight because thats what my father said I needed. Could my dad be wrong? I don't think I'll tell him.

This appears to be the carrier I have:
http://www.heeters.com/Modelvh50cc.shtml

[StL_Stadtroller]

Good point stl_stadtroller! I carrier says it must have a hitch that supports 350 lbs tongue weight in order to carry a 250lb bike. I origionally said 500lbs tongue weight because thats what my father said I needed. Could my dad be wrong? I don't think I'll tell him.

500lb tounge weight sounds really dang high to me - like what you might find on full-size pickups with a class IV hitch or something.

I have a VW T4 van with an aftermarket class IV hitch, and per the owners manual an allowable tounge weight of 350lbs I think. And that's on a traditional frame-built, sprung rear suspension vehicle. (and rated to tow something like 3,500lbs braked).

i would guess that's probably on the high-end of what you'd find for most non truck/SUV passenger cars. My '02 TDI Beetle would only allow for a little Class I reciever hitch, which I used to pull a 2-rail motorcycle trailer.

If you have any trouble finding a hitch/carrier option for your vehicle, I would suggest browsing some of the European accessory sites. those carrier/basket hitch things are EXTREMELY popular there, in order to circumvent the trailer-pulling speed restrictions on the motorways.

I use a heavy steel "Tilt-a-Rack", and regularly haul my near-300lb East-German scooter on it. That will cause some slight sag in the rear and we sometimes drag the rack going out of driveway and curb-cuts.
We used it to carry my wife's '06 125 home, and it had no effect on the vehicle at all

[BlueMark]

All the 'hitch' carriers require a class III hitch, which can be installed on most trucks and full size SUV's. As mentioned above that is because it is able to handle 600 lb tongue weight. Class II hitches are rated at 300 lbs tongue weight, which is not enough for a hitch mounted scooter carrier.

A motorcycle hauling trailer can be pulled by a class I hitch, which can be installed on just about any vehicle, including subcompact cars, so long as total trailer+cargo weight is under 2000 lbs.

[hcstrider]

cowgirl helmet:

I don’t know what type of carriers you are looking at but if it is the type pictured below then it will not work with your Subaru.

The reason why this type of carrier won’t work is because the frame of your Subaru isn’t strong enough to carry all of that weight. The frame of your Subaru is not strong enough to carry the weight of the Buddy in this manner.

To transport your Buddy with your Subaru you will need to:

- have a trailer hitch installed on your Subaru. The type of trailer hitch that will be installed on your Subaru will be a Class I Light Duty trailer hitch. A Class I Light Duty trailer hitch is not strong enough to carry a Buddy but it is strong enough to pull a small trailer with your Buddy loaded on the trailer.

- purchase a small trailer to carry your Buddy (in Maryland I am pretty sure that you have to register and get license plates for the trailer and get insurance for the trailer).

- purchase about 4 tie down straps which secure the Buddy to the trailer once the Buddy is loaded onto the trailer. I also have a special strap which attaches to both grips on my Buddy and this is a more secure way of tying down the from end of the Buddy.

I have no idea what this will cost you but I am guessing that it will cost between $500 and $1,000 (and I am a bad guesser). I haven’t priced this out because this is not the way that I carry my Buddy. The way that I carry my Buddy is just like the picture but I am carrying my Buddy on a pretty big truck with a Class III Heavy Duty trailer hitch on it.

[meg]

most of the the haulers i have looked at require class 3 hitches...

i would take the specs for what you trailer/carrier you want to a who ever you want to install the hitch. you might call a local dealer of your car make and talk to the parts/service people about what you can and can't do. they should know most, i would think.

[ryder1]

Additional info from Versa haul FAQ
http://www.versahaul.com/

I own a 2000 Chevy Tahoe 2-wheel drive. Your website says I can't carry more than about 300 pounds on a VersaHaul on my car. Why? The Tahoe manual says it can carry 500 pounds tongue weight. So why can't the Tahoe carry as much as the other trucks you have listed?

The Tahoe is carrying a weight extended two feet from the hitch. This is a force applied through a distance or torque. Leverage creates a mechanical disadvantage. Thus, a weight of 300 lbs. may exert 500 lbs. on your hitch. If your hitch is strong enough, then the next concern I have is your suspension. A 300 lb. load with a standard suspension Tahoe will tilt the car's frame backwards similar to a trailer. With more weight, the rear suspension may compress completely. Auto ride suspension, air bags, and other suspension stiffing devices will increase your vehicle's capacity to carry a load.

Unfortunately , I have found that the standard suspensions on Tahoes and other SUVs are not as stiff as truck's with pick-up beds. It is important to follow my recommended carrying capacity chart to avoid dangerously overloading your vehicle.

Note: I have tested a 600+ lb. Polaris four wheeler on a VH-90 RO and a 2000 Tahoe. The Tahoe's spring compressed completely, and it was difficult to drive.

[BlueMark]

Short version: unless your vehicle is large and heavy enough to sport a Class III hitch, your only option is to pull a trailer. Even the smallest of (USA) cars can mount a Class I hitch and pull a motorcycle trailer.

[louie]

It sounds like you need to have your scooter at the DMV, is that the immidiate reason for trailoring?

If so you could get a friend (with license) to ride the scooter and you drive a car or just say you did it that way or ride 2up.