Carrying weight

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:37 pm

I'm wondering whether there is a good reason to go with a particular rack if you need to put a good deal of weight on it. I keep chickens, and the wife is getting tired of picking up their feed for me. I don't blame her.
Bags are 50 lbs each and I get two at a time. Seems like a rear rack would work best, but one in particular?

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:49 pm

Tom wrote:Bags are 50 lbs each and I get two at a time. Seems like a rear rack would work best, but one in particular?

Honestly, I don't think there are any bolt-on racks suitable for hauling 100lbs of feed. Even there was a rear rack that would hold up, that much mass that high up on the frame and aft or the rear axle would make for very squirrely handling.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:36 pm

Agreed—this is not a job for racks.

In general, you want to distribute that weight evenly and have it lower and towards the front. But handling would be a mess with that much weight on the legshield or rear rack or both. (I hauled Thanksgiving dinner prep home in a top case and sidebags, including 2 bags of ice and 18lb. bird. The back end was all over the place!)

Best for this would be something like heavy duty bags or straps to carry them like saddlebags. Problem there is if you lean to onside, you don't want a 50lb. bag swinging out from the side. So they'd have to be secured very well.

SockyTX · Post by **SockyTX** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:00 am

Curious...
I got my Stella 4T in July, and recently had a rack/sissy bar added with the intent of riding 2up with my wife on the back. She hasn't ridden with me more than a few blocks because we're waiting on her helmet which will fit better than the one I borrowed from a buddy of mine. Her helmet will be in next week and after reading this post I'm concerned about riding 2up. My wife weighs about 100lb and I come in about 170.

Thoughts?

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:01 am

go slow and put it on the floorboards...

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:02 am

Drum Pro wrote:go slow and put it on the floorboards...

Not on a Stella. Got the rear brake pedal down there!

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:05 am

SockyTX wrote:Curious...
I got my Stella 4T in July, and recently had a rack/sissy bar added with the intent of riding 2up with my wife on the back. She hasn't ridden with me more than a few blocks because we're waiting on her helmet which will fit better than the one I borrowed from a buddy of mine. Her helmet will be in next week and after reading this post I'm concerned about riding 2up. My wife weighs about 100lb and I come in about 170.

Thoughts?

270 on a Stella is nothing!

Weight shouldn't be an issue, aside from slower acceleration and slower stopping.

Do you have the original whitewall tires? If so, I'd upgrade them. Also, over- inflate the rear tires by 3-5 pounds or so.

pesce · Post by **pesce** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:31 am

Throw those sacks on the seat behind you. Just like an additional rider.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:35 am

Yeah, I wasn't concerned about that much weight, just putting it directly over the front or rear tire on a rack.. Seat is a good idea, I'll just have to get something to secure it.

Stitch · Post by **Stitch** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:45 am

Ya, I've seen 400 lbs on a Stella. Rides low , takes it like a champ.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:59 am

Way too much weight for a rack. On the seat is a much better idea. On the rack the wight will be mainly supported by the tail behind the seat...behind the rear axle. On the seat it will be over the axle. It doesn't seem like a big difference...what a foot or so...but it will completely mess up the handling and possible the rear fender as the weight is cantilevered out with the rack.

Two up on a Stella? No problem...go have fun!

robby · Post by **robby** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:07 am

I've put 320 on my roughhouse 50, so your Stella had better be able to take 400.

vantage · Post by **vantage** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 2:25 pm

I used to ride with my DH on the back of a PUCH 50CC cycle. We were over 350 together.

We both sat on the seat.

The stella is designed for two riders. Get a sissy bar and strap those feed bags to it standing with the weight resting on the seat.

Or, and this is the real reason for buying a Stella,......get a side car. Yep, I want to carry chicken feed also. LOL

JoshWED · Post by **JoshWED** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:02 pm

i'd definitely go with the seat, too. get some bungee cargo netting, and just clip it to itself under the seat

Tipper · Post by **Tipper** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 9:18 pm

The load limit if a 4T Stella is 275Kg thats 606 pounds in American.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:43 pm

SockyTX wrote:Curious...
I got my Stella 4T in July, and recently had a rack/sissy bar added with the intent of riding 2up with my wife on the back. She hasn't ridden with me more than a few blocks because we're waiting on her helmet which will fit better than the one I borrowed from a buddy of mine. Her helmet will be in next week and after reading this post I'm concerned about riding 2up. My wife weighs about 100lb and I come in about 170.

Thoughts?

I rode from Virginia to Wisconsin carrying a good deal more weight than that and the stella worked like a charm!

Tipper · Post by **Tipper** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:54 am

Just make sure you check the maximum load limit on your tyres and up the pressure on the rear a bit.

The chassis may be able to take the weight but overloading the tyres will cause them to explode sending you sliding down the road on your chin.

sippin.fnordies · Post by **sippin.fnordies** » Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:14 am

I don't know about 2 50lb bags of feed, but I threw a 50lb bag of dirt over the seat behind me the other day and rode about 3 miles home with it. Didn't tie it down with anything, just let the weight of it hold itself and tried not to make any quick movements. My butt was resting against the bag a little and I never felt it so much as shift. Add a few bungees under the seat and a bungee net over the bags and I bet you'll be fine.

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Stitch · Post by **Stitch** » Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:28 am

You could always caveman it, and tie the bags together at one end and flop them over the seat like saddlebags. Not sure if it will scratch the paint, but I am willing to bet there are farmers in India doing it.

jartist · Post by **jartist** » Sat Sep 22, 2012 1:09 am

Here's a Bajaj with a bit of a load.

Crew · Post by **Crew** » Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:08 am

I think 1 bag at a time on the back of the seat. Then you have an excuse to go out for another ride to pick up a second bag.

Modern Buddy

Carrying weight

Carrying weight

Re: Carrying weight