General Cycling Discussion - Motorcycle Bike Mount

Well, I have finally gotten somewhere in figuring out how to tow my bicycles on my motorcycle. The truck has all of the mounts, but I hate the gas mileage it gets <20 mpg and the miles I would be putting on it everyday going mountain biking would be ridiculous; >50. So the next best thing is building a mount for the motorcycle. I subscribe to MAKE magazine and on one of their forums, this question had already been asked. I started corresponding with one of the guys on there and he showed me this (http://www.msnusers.com/Biketomotorcyclemount/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=139) image of what he did for his motorcycle. So now, after him showing this to me, I am getting ready to start building a mount for my motorcycle too. I am going to go purchase a piece of metal and another bicycle mount; preferably the viper mount. (That's what I needed the welding torch for.) I'll post pics of it when it is complete. Man I am excited now to be able to hit mountain biking again at full force!!!

I thought about doing that too, but I crash too much.

I can easily drive home after tearing open some flesh or spraining a joint, but getting home on the motorcycle after doing something stupid on my mtb would just be too difficult.

Good luck and have fun!

I'm working on a modified Yakima fork mount for my GS. The prototype rules out a pillion but does allow for the full three piece hard bag set and then some. Look for it here or ADV Rider late winter. I've already been on the bike with the bags and bicycle mounted, but alas, I have some engineering work ahead of me.

I'm planning on building a mount for my motorcycle too. My plan was too get a fork mount secured to the right passenger footpeg with U-bolts, and then hang the bike by either the top or seat tube with a clamp on a standard rear luggage rack. then secure the front wheel with bungees. I just can't get a luggage rack for my bike, so I need to get outside and start weldin instead of riding.

IF you have a separate pillion seat, my plan is quite adaptable. And simple. Mostly. The two problems are mounting stiffness and the fork mount racks have to have at least 16" between the bars. This cantilevers the weight back ~30" off the tail. You have to be very careful how you transfer that load to the rear subframe as it's more dynamic than the rack manufacturer intended.

Can't wait to see pictures! I was thinking a folding bike would be the only kind I'd carry on my bike.

Here are some inspiring pictures I've seen on another forum:

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/64758198-M.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/111063180-M.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/24634866-M.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/62828844-M-1.jpg

and :eek:
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/133043451-M.jpg

I've seen his rig on ADV. Dat boy is nutz. In a good way.

I have seen one motorcycle with a bicycle mounted on it going the opposite direction on the local freeway. As I recall, the bicycle forks were clamped higher than the back wheel with the rear wheel in a rail that sloped down off the back of the motorcycle at about 45 degrees.

It reminded me of one of the commercial bike racks that go on the back of vans or cars in a similar sloping configuration. Looked secure, stable, and slick in my brief look at the 120 mph relative speed.

Edit: DraftMaster (http://www.draftmaster.com/hr.html) hitch mounted bicycle racks are the commercial ones that the carrier resembled. You might even be able to adapt their bike rack to mount on a motorcycle, although the 5 bike model might be a bit too much. Review of the DraftMaster at Montain Bike Reviews LINK (http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Bike_Rack/product_19927.shtml). A copy made from aluminum to carry only one bike and adapted to fit a motorcycle might be ideal.

Hate to rain on your parade but there is no way I'd want the weight/mass
of a bike(s) or other "stuff" that far back and that high up on a motorcycle.

That mass could spell trouble in handling when you don't need trouble. It's
like a big pendulum jerking the rear wheel around!!!!!!!!!!!!

A small motorcycle trailer is a more sane common sense solution to haul anything
on a motorcycle such as bikes and "stuff".

I've seen his rig on ADV. Dat boy is nutz. In a good way.

I've seen pictures of a bicycle on the back of an oilhead GS that I thought looked pretty interesting until I saw these - yikes! I bet they don't change the handling that much though, probable not any more than a half full fuel cell of a passenger that keeps shifting her weight.

I really hope your life insurance is up to date. Funerals are expensive these days.

Seems a pretty stupid move to me in order to save a few measly bucks on gasoline.

Hate to rain on your parade but there is no way I'd want the weight/mass
of a bike(s) or other "stuff" that far back and that high up on a motorcycle.

That mass could spell trouble in handling when you don't need trouble. It's
like a big pendulum jerking the rear wheel around!!!!!!!!!!!!

A small motorcycle trailer is a more sane common sense solution to haul anything
on a motorcycle such as bikes and "stuff".

I had to smile at this, cause last night I took my heaviest passenger ever, at 2.25x my weight. Now that was challenging. The weight of a bicycle seems so minor in comparison. ;)

I had to smile at this, cause last night I took my heaviest passenger ever, at 2.25x my weight. Now that was challenging. The weight of a bicycle seems so minor in comparison. ;)

You really have to wonder if some of these negative comments are coming from people who don't ride a motorcycle... ever.

I bet these people think that touring on a bicycle is dumb cuz of crosswinds and panniers.


It's a brilliant idea, it's a lot of fun, and very practical for anyone that wants to do it so badly that they'll spend the time and money necessary to do it. Enjoy life!

You really have to wonder if some of these negative comments are coming from people who don't ride a motorcycle... ever.

I bet these people think that touring on a bicycle is dumb cuz of crosswinds and panniers.


It's a brilliant idea, it's a lot of fun, and very practical for anyone that wants to do it so badly that they'll spend the time and money necessary to do it. Enjoy life!

I rode BMW's for 30 yrs until my doctor took me off of them. I also rode bikes which I can still
ride. There is not much anyone can tell me about weight distribution on a motorcycle 'cause I've
got the scars to prove my mistakes!! Now that older I moved to a trike which doesn't have the same
balance issues.

I was just out a bicycle rally. One of the guys there had a motorcycle with trailer, with a bike rack mounted on the trailer (IE, carry a trailer full of stuff plus the bike). The rack mounted on the tongue of the trailer just in front of the box part- looked like more or less a conventional trailer-hitch rack fitted to the tongue.

Seems like a trailer might be the best deal because it requires minimal permanent hardware installation and the bicycles being towed would weigh nearly nothing.

Just what I'm thinking. My wife sits higher and weighs considerably more than my 17# roadbike. A trailer is NOT an option (for me), and presents it's own significant safety issues.


You really have to wonder if some of these negative comments are coming from people who don't ride a motorcycle... ever.
I bet these people think that touring on a bicycle is dumb cuz of crosswinds and panniers.
It's a brilliant idea, it's a lot of fun, and very practical for anyone that wants to do it so badly that they'll spend the time and money necessary to do it. Enjoy life!