05-12-2016, 09:14 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: The Gorge, Oregon
Posts: 52
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The Hawk up front......
So I'm heading to the Oregon coast for 4 days on Monday. I had been scratching my head on how I could take my boat and the Hawk. I love my Tundra, but with the big back doors, a truck box, and I have a tiny bed. I could load it fine with the tailgate down, but then I'd smack my tailgate with every turn on the boat trailer. Since I have the boat, my hitch mount carrier was not an option either. I kind of dropped the idea of taking the Hawk. While thinking about my boat, I remembered I was going to get a front mounted hitch, to make putting my boat in and out of the water and storage space a lot easier. I found the hitch online and ordered it. Once it arrived I installed it in literally 15 minutes, 2 bolts on each side for tow hooks dropped down, hitch went up, bottles and tow hooks went back on. As I was looking at my handy work, I remembered my hitch mount carrier should work on the front just as well as the back. So I put it on, then tries a couple driveways and what not to check clearance. No issues. I'm going to load the Hawk on it tomorrow and drive around a bit to see how it acts loaded. I will have to take my trunk off, but don't think it will block my tun signals, my lights, a little. I won't be driving at night anyway though.
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05-13-2016, 02:48 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 65
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I'm curious to see how that works out for you! The only drawback I suppose is that rocks and road debris might hit the bike. But another way to look at it is that your cheap bike will protect your expensive truck! :-)
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John P. 2016 Hawk 250 - Black All my mods are documented on my Blog! My Blog | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook |
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05-13-2016, 02:59 AM | #3 |
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 583
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This is what I went with for my motorhome:
http://www.versahaul.com/vh55.php |
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05-14-2016, 12:18 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: The Gorge, Oregon
Posts: 52
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Yeah, it will probably eat some bugs for the Tundra that's for sure. I have a trailerable cover for the Hawk, but I'm afraid that would make my cooling system work too hard with limited airflow. As for the hitch, It's rated at 500lbs. on the tongue and 5,000 for push/pull(9,000 in a straight line). The rest of the trip weight will be distributed through the cab, bed, and boat. I'm a failure y light camper as it is. Staying in a yurt this trip. Hoping we limit each day on crab. Woohoo!!
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05-14-2016, 12:20 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: The Gorge, Oregon
Posts: 52
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Haha! With my back, trying to get it in the bed was going to be a challenge, don't even want to think what I would have to do to swing the Hawk up and into the boat, much less get it out once I got there.
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05-14-2016, 07:37 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: The Gorge, Oregon
Posts: 52
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All loaded and ready to go! I've been driving around with the bike loaded the last couple days, haven't found a steep driveway that I can't get in or out of, so should be good to go!
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05-15-2016, 12:52 AM | #12 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: George West, Texas
Posts: 4,097
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Easy enough to unscrew those annoying mirrors from your line of vision. Other than that, good to go
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***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
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05-16-2016, 11:35 AM | #13 |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sardis, BC, Canada
Posts: 25,977
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That's an excellent idea. If you wanted to prepare for night driving, you could add aux lights on stand that mount to the motorcycle carrier, much like snowplow pickups use.
How long is the box in your Tundra? If it's a clear 6', you can just remove the tailgate and carry the bike in the box. The back half of the rear tire will hang over by about a foot, but that shouldn't be an issue with your trailer. Measure very carefully to confirm, as this is all theory.
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Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer |
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05-16-2016, 03:13 PM | #14 | ||
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Lloydminster Saskatchewan
Posts: 1,008
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Quote:
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Past bikes: '10 Gio X33 '85 Honda VF750F Interceptor '80 Honda XL185S '76 Yamaha DT250C dual sport Baja Wilderness Trail 250 '07 Honda Shadow 750 Areo Trike '01 Harley Davidson Softail Deuce Polaris Magnum 425 4x4 Quote:
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