FRONT motorcycle rack??

Coachgeo

Explorer
considering front rack but not sure.....

concerns... my truck is cab over.... and get feeling it is already front heavy.. (lmtv). Also have to accommodate for cab tilt.
benefits..... got two awesome rear doors on my camper box (ambulance box) and having a second exit for emergencies is a huge plus IMHO. Especially since I plan NO WINDOWS (not worth the insulation loss... will use cameras and vents and be cheaper than adding windows)

do not want front clearance issues.... like van pictured..... nor am I stupid like motorhome pictured. something like the Grey Overland truck pictured.

Open to your helpful/informative thoughts on design and construction..... as well as pros and cons.

Thanks in advance
 

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Coachgeo

Explorer
Thanks. Above Looks pretty awesome though I do see some issues. There are and will be times you need to remove carrier..... NOT on pavement and not on level ground.... a few minor changes can really help this situation. Also rear doors..... if one lowers it..... then un pin the massive post to tilt it. whole thing could tilt toward kick stand of bike. that is assuming kickstand would be on correct side to do that. This tiltable set up might allow for putting this on front of a truck.... that has a tilt cab (such as in my case).... so you do not need to totally remove it .... just tilt it out of the way some after lowering? Not sure it would tilt enough though.
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
I have set my rear rack up so the door open with some of my bikes on there (the R1200RT gets in the way of 1 door opening fully).

But I am considering actually splitting the back door horizontally and having the bottom 1/2 barn doors like they are now and a single hatch type door on the top so I can open it totally when backed up to a beach etc.

I would never run a front rack. It adds too much weight to the steer. Reflection or blocking of lights. And coming from Australia I have never reversed into a roo (substitute elk, deer, burro, pedestrian etc). So the risk of damage to the bike is less on the back. My preference would be not to even put bicycles on the front.
 

Coachgeo

Explorer
I have set my rear rack up so the door open with some of my bikes on there (the R1200RT gets in the way of 1 door opening fully).

But I am considering actually splitting the back door horizontally and having the bottom 1/2 barn doors like they are now and a single hatch type door on the top so I can open it totally when backed up to a beach etc.

I would never run a front rack. It adds too much weight to the steer. Reflection or blocking of lights. And coming from Australia I have never reversed into a roo (substitute elk, deer, burro, pedestrian etc). So the risk of damage to the bike is less on the back. My preference would be not to even put bicycles on the front.
Like the door split idea. Have also considered that.

My truck probably could care less about weight to steer lol. (see Avatar)

Other Pro's

. Lights are in bumper... so headlights may not be an issue..... easily solved if so.
. ground clearance less affected with carrier in front. In back is issue cause the with the ambo box that will mount there extends beyond the chassis by two feet... then add a carrier to that as well and you've just destroyed departure angle ..... that is a problem
 

Coachgeo

Explorer
Forget the tilting aspect.. it has an electric motor that lifts and lowers the motorcycle effortlessly....

I actually don't remember the tilting part.. that may be new... ...
I may have confused you. It is my truck whose cab must be able to be tilted... It is a cab forward truck. To access engine etc you have to tilt the cab. Thus the whole carrier would need to be able to be tilted as well... or removed..... and must need to be able to do this in the field on dirt.... mud...... or other unsavory terrain.
1553585d1417687342-interesting-trucks-sale-thread-nbh.jpg

PS this is NOT my truck... but have same kind except rear box will be from an Ambulance.
 
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Coachgeo

Explorer
I had an Earthroamer and put a tw200 on the front.. it wasn't ideal.. but the weight on steering really wasn't much....

Personally.. I'd prefer and indoor camper garage solution.. to much dirt curls around the back.. and you are right.. the front blocks lights, air instake, parking length etc....
Thanks... Lights not an issue... air cleaner is behind the cab. Indoor is not an option nor is a garage.
 

brp

Observer
I don’t know what motorcycle and use case you have but you might want to look at an electric fat bike. You can get ranges nearing 100 miles, and you can pedal if you need more, with very light weight, and you can ride it places you can’t take a dirt bike.

I was just thinking with the lighter weight and no liquids you might have more options...like mounting directly to one of your rear doors, perhaps vertically, or on the roof...options anyway.

Electric options are really nice too if you are trying to experience a place more, so much less noise, vibration and smell, I find I just observe and experience my surroundings more and that’s the whole point of it all for many travelers.
 

Coachgeo

Explorer
I don’t know what motorcycle and use case you have but you might want to look at an electric fat bike. You can get ranges nearing 100 miles, and you can pedal if you need more, with very light weight, and you can ride it places you can’t take a dirt bike....
Dieselized KLR650. Range approx 550 miles? at approx 90-100mpg
 
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Coachgeo

Explorer
I understand......Not sure if it would work.. seems like a you could ask for custom system from that person where the vertical bar can tilt forward ( with the cycle removed) with the removal.of a pin.. and a hinge., Or remove the carrier when you need to service the vehicle .. not the most convenient,but how often are you tilting the cab?
there is a few brackets on this engine that are known failure points and would like to keep my eye on them fairly often.
 

Coachgeo

Explorer
Well, most all overland rigs use an elevator for the motorcycle and spare tire in the rear.. so that is the obvious choice.. bliss, gxv unicat.. they all do it that way
thank you but most them do not have a rear door on their aluminum box. Escape hatch is on ceiling or thru a window; as mentioned earlier; have neither. My spare tire is already located behind cab (OEM location, similar to first picture in this thread). Have read comments that many folk "feel" those spare heavy tires etc. back there as well. Tends to make their tails waggle little bit more I guess?

Unless someone has another soundly logical (that has not been mentioned already) reason to put it in back..... how about some ideas about building out a set up for putting her in front?IMG_4320Crp.JPG
 

Coachgeo

Explorer
Ditch the ambo box.. its a bit of an abortion on a lmtv anyway... build a total composites box at whatever length you want..with no rear doors to worry about... Cut escape hatches you want.. get the spare tire/spare tire elevator from gxv or someone.. for the rear... an lmtv is so tall, you will not have departure angle issues as long as the box doesn't go way way way beyond the rear tire... And the cycle will be above that.. and not impact departure angle..
thanks.... been thru all the pros and cons.. and decisions are made and set in stone on what box I am using. Honestly there really was not much choice with budget available and the six day work weeks and overtime doing to pay for things. Reality is route you propose literally impo$$ible. Ambo box is $ignificantly less costly and significantly stronger than most options thus going that route cause it is significantly to my advantage.

Again thanks though. now moving on ....... back to ideas on constructing a front lifting rack/carrier .
 
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Coachgeo

Explorer
Understood.. if you take the bike lift i showed you and mounted to a front hitch it will work.. .. you can either remove the stand when you do maintenance or create a tilt forward on the vertical..

Or you can mount one of these to the front..

http://hydralift-usa.com/motorhome-lift-2/

With your cab tilted forward and your bike directly in front of the rig does your bike clear while the bike is standing straight up ?
If so by how much?
will be fabricating a lift not buying off the shelf... but each suggested off shelf or not opens up ideas so thanks. One advantage to the hydrolift design .... is it moves the bike forward away from the cab hmmm..... hmmm.. not sure if far enough.... but for quick check things it might be fine..... just untie and roll it off and away when a full cab tilt is called for... hmmm.. thanks intawesting.
 

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