Possible motorscooter transport - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

byrdmeister · 06-27-2014, 10:44 AM

Need suggestions. I have a Honda Helix 250 (weighs about 375 lbs). I am thinking I would like to take it with me as we travel. I can not put it in the bed of the truck. I suspect someone has faced this dilemma before. Any suggestions? Front of truck? Behind trailer HiLo? What about attaching a hitch to the underframe of trailer? Is that too much weight back there?
Help if you have ideas or past experiences or presently do something like this.
Thanks in advance

notanlines · 06-27-2014, 06:13 PM

Wayne, after it quits raining I will post a couple pictures of our hitch on the rear of our 24. We have the cargo carrier (125), generator (135), 10 gallons of gas/cans (80) and a cooler full of travel stuff (60) for a total of approximately 400 pounds off the end of the hitch. Without rigging it differently I would not trust your Honda on the setup, but I could make a couple changes and it would be safe.

byrdmeister · 06-27-2014, 07:40 PM

Thanks Jim,
Ya'll are indeed blessed to be getting some rain. We could stand a lot more out here in our neck of the woods.

RichR · 06-27-2014, 09:55 PM

I can envision the scooter blocking the taillights. How would you address that?

notanlines · 06-27-2014, 11:18 PM

One problem at a time. No naysayers here, just probhitch1.jpglem solvers.

notanlines · 06-27-2014, 11:31 PM

No thanks to the POS Wi-Fihitch2.jpg at KOA at West Glacier National Park, Montana, here is picture number 2.

byrdmeister · 06-27-2014, 11:58 PM

It appears (if I am seeing correctly) that you have almost installed a "bumper"/scissor bracing off of your trailer????????? What are you pulling?
So from this you would then add a "motorscooter" carrier? Help me out here, please.

JackandJanet · 06-28-2014, 10:18 AM

I can't tell either. Jim, this looks to me like it's attached to your tow vehicle. Is that correct? If so, you are carrying the load between your trailer and the tow vehicle, and it's not being supported by the trailer at all?

- Jack

notanlines · 06-28-2014, 06:15 PM

LHM, the pictures actually ARE confusing. The only thing I added to the Hi Lo trailer bumper itself is a 2" receiver. It is a 2 1/4 piece of steel, bought from an RV house, that is a replacement receiver. I then purchased two 1/2" u-bolts (hardened, although not necessary) to attach the receiver to the bottom of the Hi-Lo bumper. I then bolted the front flange of the 2" receiver itself to the steel cross frame under the Hi-Lo. I am going out to take another picture from a little farther away. Remember, the equipment is sitting on a cargo carrier that slides into the receiver just like a 2" steel ball and shaft.

notanlines · 06-28-2014, 06:25 PM

We are in a campground in northern Montana tonight and no 4g to transmit pictures. What you are looking at in the one picture is the black back bumper of the Hi-Lo with the new receiver bolted to the bottom of the bumper and the right front bolted to the light duty frame of the trailer also. In the next picture the cargo carrier (the stuff has a blue strap) is shown slid into the receiver, and safety chain is wrapped around both bumper and receiver as a safety measure.

JIM L · 06-28-2014, 08:01 PM

Hi Jim; See you are in northern MT. If you are anywhere near Polson, Mt and you like museums be sure to go to the Miracle of America Museum. It is one of the best museums I have ever been to. Only cost $5.00 in 2009 when we went. You will need a full day to really see it all. Don't let the old building deter you. Hope you are able to make it.

byrdmeister · 06-28-2014, 08:08 PM

My bumper has plastic covering it and it didn't look the same. Now that you explained it that makes sense. So you think the hitch that you have added will hold up to 500lbs.? To address the issue that was brought up, I might have to add some pull/towing lights that I could take back to the added hitch. Take a look at this item from Harbor Freight and see if you think that would work.http://www.harborfreight.com/400-lb-...ier-99721.html

notanlines · 06-28-2014, 08:10 PM

Jim, thanks for the heads-up, but we are sort of needing to be headed to Chetek by Monday at this point (Wisconsin). See the makers, 4th of July and then on southward. I finally took mama's Ipad, took a photo and got it to transmit. If there is any confusion at all, please call me at 901-628-4004 and I'll explain more or take more photos.....[ATTACH]

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JackandJanet · 06-29-2014, 10:53 AM

Wayne, I rather imagine the Harbor Freight platform would do fine to mount and secure the scooter if it "fits" the scooter properly. You should probably take some measurements to verify this. And, your scooter looks to be wider than the dirt bike shown in the Harbor Freight ad. Make sure you will have clearance from the back of the trailer with it in place.

Your real problem is finding a strong enough method of mounting a receiver on to the trailer. The back bumper by itself is not very strong, and I would not rely too much on it. You need to attach the receiver to the frame underneath and possibly add some reinforcement.

The scooter will change the hitch loading too, removing some of the weight. Do some calculations to make sure it is reduced to no less than 10% of the combined trailer/scooter gross weight.

You can always add auxiliary tail/brake lights, so I don't see that as a problem.

Thanks, Jim - your last picture clarified everything.

- Jack

notanlines · 06-29-2014, 07:28 PM

I believe Jack has about covered everything. With a little ingenuity this hitch can be done. Let us know how it comes about.

gmbishop · 07-02-2014, 07:21 AM

Wayne I installed a class 2 hitch on the rear of our 24ft. Classic to carry our 2 bikes. Each weighs about 30 lbs. but because of the weight of the ice maker and microwave I keep toward the rear of the trailer I'm attaching a 30" x 32" x 3/16" steel plate to the 4 clamp screws that extend from the front fresh water tank. This will add 50 lbs. to the hitch. Not sure if that would be enough for the weight of your scooter though