Receiver Hitch Platform

[Alan Oakley]

Need some help by way of your experience. I have a friend that builds Receiver Hitch Platforms for bikes and trikes. I would like to build a Receiver Hitch platform for my Motor Trike Goldwing (IRS) that will hold a couple of bags or at least a bag and small cooler. I have seen several sizes on the web but not much feedback. I am looking at something about 28" wide and maybe 20-24" deep. If any of you are using a rack/platform, I would really appreciate your comments - concerns - suggestions - and experiences. Solid bottom? Lipped? etc Thanks in advance for the input.

[Gyropilot]

Hi Alan; Thats exactly what I'm in the middle of doing also. Me and Marry Lynne are planning a trip to Alaska end of June and we need just a little bit more storage room for sleeping bags ect. On friday I went to a local welding shop to get him to make platform that comes out of the reciever with 1 1/4 tubing, going up 6 inches to clear the exhaust system then making a simple and light platform. I went to Walmart and bought a plastic storage container for $34.00 and going to bolt that onto the platform. The box is about 22" long 16" wide 24" high. The down side is the licence plate might have to be now mounted on the box and I have to admit it may look a little bit ugly but am thinking about getting it painted the same colour as the trike to make it a little less so.

Paul

[Ozarkryder]

I've always wondered about those reciever racks. Have seen them on a few trikes and many SUV's piled up with camp/picnic gear. All were blocking the rear license plate, but haven't heard of anyone pulled over because of it. I can inagine it would be another citation on top of not coming to a stop, speeding, etc.
So- has anyone had any or know first hand of anyone having problems with LEO's when running a reciever rack?

[Hawkeye]

Had a Pakit Rak from Dixon Y Machine near Sacramento on my '04 Goldwing/MotorTrike. (Google "Dixon Y Machine".) Loved it. Sold it along with the trike when I went back to a Harley. Made many a long haul trip encountering herds of LEOs with never a problem.

Just be sure to not overpack it, or anything else you hang off the back. It can really change the weight distribution, making the front end a little light. I learned to put the heavy stuff in the trike and hang the lighter stuff off the back.

At one time the folks at Dixon Y said they were working on a Harley version but haven't seen anything come of it as yet.

They are real nice folks and, I'm sure, would be glad to answer any of your questions.

[Gorilla]

The problem I see is that everyone knows that you should not block the rear plate. You hope that an officer does not pull you over. The problem is what are you going to do with the stuff when you do get pulled over? The officer can legally make you correct the issue before releasing you. Majority of the officers have better laws in enforce, but there are ones that will see fit to enforce it. Can not blame the officer they did not write the law.

[Muleskinner]

Just make sure you don't block the lights. They (or I, before I retired) would stop you for that one. Otherwise, I'd hope you'd be just fine, but there are always the few rotten apples out there.

[1550vt]

I'll try to attach a few pictures of my cargo rack. It's made from aluminum and I have a tour-pack rack mounted on top, but it is not really necessary. This is .250 aluminum plate welded to 1-1/2 inch aluminum bar which slides into the receiver hitch. I can stand on it and it won't move. My wife weighs around 110 and she can jump-up-in-down on it and it won't move. I made it myself and welded it all up and milled the holes and openings for straps, netting or bungee cords. I also removed a lot of material from the plate (round holes) to lighten it up. This rack weighs around 15-pounds. I have it elevated enough to get it out of the blow-by rain from under the bike, yet low enough to make the tag visible and open the trunk door. I can just remove the pin, yank the entire thing out and pack it right into the hotel.

[wingking51]

That's a good looking rack. well engineered!:yes:

[1550vt]

Thanks Wing.

I do have a trailer, so I already had the receiver hitch. We just needed something a little extra for the 2-3 day trips when I did not want to pull the trailer. I have this one set-up so an HD tour pack bag will strap to the rack just like it does on top of a tour pack, but any type rack can be used....or no rack at all. You could simply attach your bag (or whatever) there on the bare plate if you have all the various "option" holes like I put in this one for a cooler, tool-box...or what-have-you. It does not have a single bolt or screw in it, except for the rack mounting hardware. I think the material cost was something like $60 less the rack. The blame rack was $50 used off e-bay. Matter-of-fact....all the aluminum pieces came off e-bay. You could build one as large as you'd like, but the license plate blocking issue as mentioned above comes into play as well as lighting, the weight factor and dragging the tail as you enter drive-ways etc. It would be easy to add a tail/brake light.

All the fabrication, except the aluminum welding can be done with a jig saw and a drill,

[Hanshi]

I've always wondered about those reciever racks. Have seen them on a few trikes and many SUV's piled up with camp/picnic gear. All were blocking the rear license plate, but haven't heard of anyone pulled over because of it. I can inagine it would be another citation on top of not coming to a stop, speeding, etc.

So- has anyone had any or know first hand of anyone having problems with LEO's when running a reciever rack?

I used a luggage tray on my BMW K1200LT. My resolution to the issue of blocking the license plate was to make a color xerox of the plate, cover with a clear sheet protector and mount it on a piece of plastic. I can then just attach it to my luggage on the tray. This way I do not need to remove the plate from the bike. Never had a problem. I plan to do the same thing with my recently acquired HD Tri-Glide.

[CrystalPistol]

The problem I see is that everyone knows that you should not block the rear plate. You hope that an officer does not pull you over. The problem is what are you going to do with the stuff when you do get pulled over? The officer can legally make you correct the issue before releasing you. Majority of the officers have better laws in enforce, but there are ones that will see fit to enforce it. Can not blame the officer they did not write the law.

I move my tag to the rack when the rack is used. I only carry some lighter stuff in any Action Packer, heavier stuff in regular trunk or on the seat. Reciever is 1.25" square tube, I built it and it ties in to former center stand mount too.

[rhino 2]

I used a luggage tray on my BMW K1200LT. My resolution to the issue of blocking the license plate was to make a color xerox of the plate, cover with a clear sheet protector and mount it on a piece of plastic. I can then just attach it to my luggage on the tray. This way I do not need to remove the plate from the bike. Never had a problem. I plan to do the same thing with my recently acquired HD Tri-Glide.

Bruce........Welcome to Trike-Talk..............

As far as blocking the plate with a hitch,..It should only be a problem for the officer if you doing something to gander their attention in the first place...IE;Speeding 'not using signals' blowing a red light 'ETC'ETC....

[vwbug72501]

Hi Alan; Thats exactly what I'm in the middle of doing also. Me and Marry Lynne are planning a trip to Alaska end of June and we need just a little bit more storage room for sleeping bags ect. On friday I went to a local welding shop to get him to make platform that comes out of the reciever with 1 1/4 tubing, going up 6 inches to clear the exhaust system then making a simple and light platform. I went to Walmart and bought a plastic storage container for $34.00 and going to bolt that onto the platform. The box is about 22" long 16" wide 24" high. The down side is the licence plate might have to be now mounted on the box and I have to admit it may look a little bit ugly but am thinking about getting it painted the same colour as the trike to make it a little less so.

Paul

Probably will have problems at the border (both directions) with a blocked plate.

[Burnerboy]

I have a box in my hitch, (I tried to send a pic but it's not letting me) that does block the plate (but if standing there/the plate is very visable).... I have not been stopped as of yet and it's been there for over a year... (AND I am very pro police) and if stopped I will for sure remove it.....I don't speed, run red lights, go thru stop signs, or ever give a police officier a hard time (I'm a yes sir/no sir type of guy.... another words, I'm a law abidding person.....Soooooooooooooooooooooo far so good!

Ronnie

[FuzzyWuzHe]

The only issue is if you make it too wide, it will tend to wobble right to left. I have one that holds a three ball bowling bag. It was wobbling pretty good. I ended up running a weld bead on the sides of the hitch bar the rack was mounted to on the right and left side, top and bottom of the bar. Then I used an angle grinder to grind them down on both sides evenly until it just barely fit in the receiver.

It's a little tight getting it into the receiver, but, it does cut down on the wobble. The only issue I've had with it is when I trade bikes, sometimes I need to add or remove a bit to get it to be tight to the new to me receiver. Also, I always end up painting the bar part at the end of each season because it's tight enough to wear the paint off.

I also thought about welding a 1" piece of flat stock from each edge of the rack to the bottom of the bar (single piece of steel ... like a torsion bar) to help with the wobble. Just never got around to that.

I also have a license plate mount on the rack, I move the plate to the rack when I use it just to keep in compliance with the law. I took a set of the oval trailer lights and mounted them on the bottom of the frame so even if whatever I put on it is tall, I will have turn signals, brake lights and rear lights (the Trike is wide enough that I probably don't need them, but, on a two wheeler I felt better with them). I also have some reflective DOT tape (white and red) on the bottom and side outer edge of the rack so people don't bump into it in a parking lot when the lights aren't on.

I would usually post pictures, but, it's in the rafters of the garage in large black garbage bags as I haven't used it in like 3-4 years. I quit doing the bowling tournaments when my knees got bad. I also have a cargo trailer now, so, it may never see the light of day again ... LOL

[vwbug72501]

Something like this works pretty good for wobble / noise: https://www.walmart.com/ip/OxGord-Hi...iABEgLRX_D_BwE

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Something like this works pretty good for wobble / noise: https://www.walmart.com/ip/OxGord-Hi...iABEgLRX_D_BwE

Wish I knew about those before I welded ... LOL

[vwbug72501]

Wish I knew about those before I welded ... LOL

I hear there's this great forum where you can post questions like this and get some great answers......