Motorcycle Carrier for Escape 5.0 TA

[tedaggett]

Hi all,

Has anyone figured out how to add a rear motorcycle carrier for the Escape 5.0 TA? Our new fifth wheel is scheduled to be completed in June. The trailer has a 2.0 inch rear receiver for a bicycle rack and is rated to hold 150 pounds. My KTM 350 weighs about 275 pounds. I am concerned about the excess weight as well as making the trailer light in the front.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Todd

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by tedaggett

Hi all,

Has anyone figured out how to add a rear motorcycle carrier for the Escape 5.0 TA? Our new fifth wheel is scheduled to be completed in June. The trailer has a 2.0 inch rear receiver for a bicycle rack and is rated to hold 150 pounds. My KTM 350 weighs about 275 pounds. I am concerned about the excess weight as well as making the trailer light in the front.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Todd

i'm no expert but i would say both your concerns are very valid.

a failure could be catastrophic to life and limb if the motorbike came off under tow.

plus keep in mind 275 lb KTM 350 + the rack is bouncing around... so far more load than double the allowance.

[War Eagle]

Todd, What are you towing with? If a full-sized pickup, you might find a front-mount box hitch or replacement front bumper that incorporates a mounting platform for a lightweight bike like yours that wouldn't block headlights, turn signals or airflow through the radiator.
https://www.etrailer.com/question-55252.html
Maybe RanchHand would make a hefty custom front bumper/bike carrier for you - for a hefty price.
https://www.ranchhand.com/grille-guard-front-bumpers

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by tedaggett

Hi all,

Has anyone figured out how to add a rear motorcycle carrier for the Escape 5.0 TA? Our new fifth wheel is scheduled to be completed in June. The trailer has a 2.0 inch rear receiver for a bicycle rack and is rated to hold 150 pounds. My KTM 350 weighs about 275 pounds. I am concerned about the excess weight as well as making the trailer light in the front.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Todd

I sent you a note about this. Hopefully you can see it. If not I'll post here.

[Brian B-P]

I think any motorcycle carrier is undesirable on a single 2" square socket, even though many are designed for that mounting and used that way, but especially when that socket (receiver) is on a structure not intended for heavy loads that twist it side-to-side. If I were planning to mount something this substantial on an Escape (which is a marginal idea due to the effect on stability), I would want the rack to be bolted to the ends of the two frame rails... which means custom fabrication.

[Brian B-P]

If you have enough space between the truck's cab and axle (which likely means an 8-foot box), you could mount a rack between the cab and the hitch... but it would be high, and unless you remove or modify the pickup's box it would be really high. This has been done many times, and for larger motorcycles (and even Smart cars), but usually on medium-duty or heavy-duty trucks; in this case it would just be on a smaller scale.

[dfandrews]

Does anyone recall who's 17 had a motorcycle on the rear? There's a photo of it in an album or in a thread. It would have been on a 17 prior to 2015.

[cpaharley2008]

Sometimes you have to make choices, do I swim this afternoon or play golf. As an ex motorcycle rider I made a choice, if it is nice weather I go camping. I traded my Harley in on my tow vehicle. Another aspect is camping is a social event whereas riding is more a solo event.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

Does anyone recall who's 17 had a motorcycle on the rear? There's a photo of it in an album or in a thread. It would have been on a 17 prior to 2015.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...html#post22203

[Jim Bennett]

I plan to carry near what you would with your bike on the rear of my 5.0TA. I removed the spare tire and used a tire winch under the front of the trailer, though have not had it on the road to see what clearances are like. It comes down 2" lower than the tanks. If for some reason this does not work, I will likely mount the tire on the pin box.

My cargo box, along with bike racks, bikes and cargo inside I expect to weigh in the neighbourhood of 250 lb, maybe a wee bit more. This will be all mounted via two receiver tubes welded directly to the frame.

I have pictures of the tire mounted, but not the cargo box, which is still in the building phase.

If you move the tire weight forward, and keep the bike close to the trailer, I bet this would work fine. The hitch weight on the 5.0TA is enough, and far enough forward of the axle, I bet you would be just fine.

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I plan to carry near what you would with your bike on the rear of my 5.0TA. I removed the spare tire and used a tire winch under the front of the trailer, though have not had it on the road to see what clearances are like. It comes down 2" lower than the tanks. If for some reason this does not work, I will likely mount the tire on the pin box.

My cargo box, along with bike racks, bikes and cargo inside I expect to weigh in the neighbourhood of 250 lb, maybe a wee bit more. This will be all mounted via two receiver tubes welded directly to the frame.

I have pictures of the tire mounted, but not the cargo box, which is still in the building phase.

If you move the tire weight forward, and keep the bike close to the trailer, I bet this would work fine. The hitch weight on the 5.0TA is enough, and far enough forward of the axle, I bet you would be just fine.

Hope you do not have an accident in Florida or other states that have the the pure comparative fault rule of accident liability rule.
Even if you were not at fault you can be held liable if what you have done is not within the manufactures design specifications. Escape says 150 Lbs maximum. Have an accident with over that and if they can prove your trailer contributed to the accident you can he held liable. I mentioned a family member with a lifted truck with oversized tires in a private note to him. The other party ran a red light. He hit them and severely injured the lady. The other lawyer noted he was going faster than the 35 mph speed and his vehicle was not at the manufacturers height. so they held him responsible for 90% of her injuries. Unfortunately for him he had minimal insurance so he will pay the rest of his life.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by wetzk

Hope you do not have an accident in Florida or other states that have the the pure comparative fault rule of accident liability rule.
Even if you were not at fault you can be held liable if what you have done is not within the manufactures design specifications. Escape says 150 Lbs maximum. Have an accident with over that and if they can prove your trailer contributed to the accident you can he held liable. I mentioned a family member with a lifted truck with oversized tires in a private note to him. The other party ran a red light. He hit them and severely injured the lady. The other lawyer noted he was going faster than the 35 mph speed and his vehicle was not at the manufacturers height. so they held him responsible for 90% of her injuries. Unfortunately for him he had minimal insurance so he will pay the rest of his life.

Have another look at my post. I am not even using Escape's receiver, but installing two of my own, and in stronger locations. Even the Escape value of 150 lb limit is arbitrary, a judgement call of what is safe, and not an engineered thing.

Vehicles of all types get modifications to them all the time, they just have to be done safely, which I certainly am doing. The welding shop I am working with does these kind of things, and many much more complex ones all the time.

If there would be any concern with my plan asking the way, I would abandon it.

I know you don't know me, but I have planned this out to the nth degree, consulting with others along the way.

[Greg A]

As long as you are able to document that you are within design ratings on mods you’ll be ok. This is one area that folks step into when they tow a trailer that exceeds their tow vehicles specs, (we never see folks trying that do we) not only as wetzk points out could you be on the hook for liability in some states, but your insurance company may walk away from you.

[Iowa Dave]

In today’s litigious society I’m sure you can’t be too careful. There is a wide swing in the world of shared liabilities depending upon circumstances, investigative procedures and reconstruction, and the reporting of findings. Then it all goes human when the judgement is made. It’s impossible to guess the outcome. I’ve been involved in numerous lawsuits in my previous life. We lost some We should have won and won some I was sure we’d lose. In public parks and recreation our credo was Salis Populi Suprema Lex. The
Peoples Safety is the Highest law.
Dave

[cpaharley2008]

I remember the issue arising awhile back with front end receivers for bikes and spares on vehicles. It seems that the front end crash sensors were not operating due to the equipment. I wonder if the same could be said for after market rear end carriers, what happens in an accident is weird.

[KLRchickie]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

... camping is a social event whereas riding is more a solo event.

We have our Escape Trailer _because_ we dirt-bike!

The group of people we ride and camp with is awesome. We have built an amazing social network with a group of really great people who "DO stuff".

[tedaggett]

Great idea. Thanks.

[blue_bullet]

We faced the same dilemma in considering an Escape vs some sort of toyhauler. We decided if riding our KTMs or ATVs was a requirement we would just take 2 vehicles, one for the Escape and one trailering bikes. Luckily most of our riding is close to home.