Need suggestions/advice for securing motorscooter to carrier

[admoffat]

(Before we get into this, I've checked weight limits, performed calculations, weighed our coach, etc. and we're well within safety margins on both the rear axle and hitch for what we want to do. The old posts scared me so I double-checked everything.)

We have a 1999 Honda Helix we want to attach to a hitch-mounted carrier. We have a heavy-duty carrier that has hitching loops about a foot on either side of the center ramp. (I've attached some pictures of a test load in our garage.) We have the special handlebar strap on the handlebars. We wrapped an extension strap around the rear hand-hold on both sides as the attach points in the back. We tightened the straps until we were close to bottoming out the suspension - there was still some play. There's a stop for the front wheel on this carrier, but it doesn't surround the wheel at all. The straps are all ratcheting and we have closed hooks for connecting to the hitching loops and straps (I didn't want the hooks bouncing off).

Are these four points of contact adequate? Should we attach the straps further back at the rear of the scooter? Any other suggestions?

We have a cover for the scooter but have heard arguments for and against covering the scooter while driving. Any advice?

[SteveLombardi]

Admott, We met last year at the BF factory rally. Before I get into talking about my carrier let me express how much fun it is to take the scooter along on a trip. A quick search will tell you where the picture was taken in case you don't already know. I've been hauling it around for 15 years on two different motorhomes and have never had a bad experience in all that time. The scooter has 14000 miles and 90% of them are NOT from my home in MN. It's been to Yellowstone, Glacier, Natchez Trace, Door County, NE, IA, IN, MI, KY, ND, SD, MO, IL and most recently all over Colorado. It's heading to CA next month.


My comments:
1. The Versa Hauler will work well. I welded my own carrier from scratch modeled after the Versa.
2. Your straps connecting at 4 points look like mine. The angle of my rear straps is less than yours so you should be good. More angle is better to hold the scooter from running back and forth in the wheel track. Be sure to use the locking parking brake. It's a bonus to have this on the Helix. I have never noted any movement of the scooter in the track after a journey.
3. Pulling the straps into the scooter's suspension is also what I do. I don't use the ratcheting type and find the simple metal pinch type to be sufficient. I set my weight onto the scooter after it is initially secured on the four corners and cinch up the straps. When I get off the scooter its springs tighten things up nicely. I tie the excess strap length into a knot over the top of the seat in the rear and in the step-through area up front.
4. The front wheel stop is nice to keep you from over running the track when powering up the ramp. Don't feel guilty because you don't have one of the taller stops that capture the wheel on the sides.
5. Put something under the rear straps where they contact the paint otherwise they will rub it off in short order. My secret formula for protection is to use 3M blue masking tape along with duct tape. Put the 3M tape down first and then cover it with one or two layers of duct tape. It will then peal right off without the gooey duct tape residual. (hint: Get some colored duct tape if you want to go in style) I change it out every year because even the 3M tape will become stubborn after too much time.
6. I had used a cover while traveling in the past but it will rub the paint off. I don't cover it anymore but still bring it along to cover it when parked. It helps to keep it clean, dry and out of the sun. The black plastic surfaces of the Helix are susceptible to fading from sunlight.
7. Have somebody nearby when you load and unload in case the scooter begins to tip sideways toward you. I have never lost control of mine but there have been a few times when I've had to really strain to hang onto it.
8. I think the sloping drive-up ramp with the Versa Hauler is shorter than what I have. I use a ramp that is nearly as wide as the motorhome and this helps to reduce the slope and gives more flexibility as to where you can unload. You'll learn to pay attention to the slope of the ground behind your MoHo so it favors easy unloading. Sometimes it's impossible without moving.


Now for the controversial part which is the extra weight on the rear overhang. You have a heavy chassis (Kodiak I believe) so you are in better shape than I am. I have a 25ft RB on the E450 which has a 176" wheel base. My overhang from the rear axle to the center line of the scooter is about 8.5 ft. Like your chassis, the total weight is not the problem but rather the imbalance created between front and rear axle. In my case every 1 lb of weight added at the scooter location unloads the front axle by 0.4lbs. I try my best to compensate for this by first rationalizing that there is usually 325lbs of people in the front seats. I keep the tanks filled less than full as much as possible, and lastly, I added a front trailer hitch to the MoHo where I plug in my bicycle carrier and two bikes. With all this I can honestly say that I cannot sense any difference in vehicle handling with or without the scooter even when neglecting to counter weight with the bicycles and making sure the tanks are not full.


One last thing where you setup differs the most from mine. I have two smaller receivers welded on the left and right sides of the trailer hitch near the vehicle frame. Into these two receivers I insert 1 inch square steel tube that extends out the underside of the scooters wheel track. These extra supports serve to keep the whole setup from rocking back and forth in the main receiver. Over the years I have seen all variety of setups in this regard including some I didn't like where the scooter rocked back and forth a couple of inches. I would at least use a hitch receiver anti-rocking/clunking mechanism that can be purchased. I have also seen a single support of the type I have but on just one side of the wheel track to prevent rocking.


Sorry I don't have any pics to show what I'm talking about but everything's tucked away for winter. Good luck and have fun.

[tomzleapin]

As Steve mentioned, you will scuff the paint under your rear straps. Check to see if you can attach them somewhere below the painted area. The front straps are attached to the hand grips. There's the possibility that a grip will pull off. Attach them further inboard.

I built a ramp for my Kawasaki 250 seven years ago and it has worked well. My coach is a 2005 24RB and one big concern I had was how the bumper framework attached to the truck frame. Just two bolts with a 6 inch overlap. I beefed this up with some steel plate.

Here's a link with pictures: http://www.bornfreervclub.org/bulletin_ ... amp#p12399

[John S.]

I had a versa haul for my Bergman on the back of my pickup and then on my Foretravel. I used ratchet straps and it looked mostly like yours but the rear ones were more straight up and down. Worked well and was easy to load and unload.

[stevek]

Just an idea
The swivel wheel looks more heavy duty. Maybe you can find on a smaller scale?

[Mike Jean Bandfield]

Hmmm. I'm wondering what that thing is gonna do when you go thru one of those roller coaster driveways where the drag wheels normally engage