Heavy Duty Bike Rack!

[Aronious]

Part One
I’ve seen a couple-three threads on here about mounting bike racks on factory bumper/tubes so here is my story and solution for a bike rack.
I use to do a lot of ORV Trail maintenance in Michigan and need a way to get my trail work motorcycle, (a 1990 XR600 Honda modified to be street legal in Michigan, like 280 lbs when wet), to various trail locations around the state. As we had a fifth wheel I couldn’t put it in the pickup bed so I devised a plan to mount the bike on that famous bumper/tube on the back. I had a couple of heavy duty bicycle wheel loops that I mounted to that tube and built a upper support to fasten the handlebar to keep the bike upright while in the loops. Then I would push the bike alongside the bumper and lift the front into one of the wheel hoops and then the rear. Strapped the handlebar to the support and the wheels into the hoops. Good to go or so I thought, about the third trip north I was heading north out of Traverse City on 31 and a car pulled up beside me honk’en the horn with his passenger window down. So I rolled mine down in time to hear him yell “Hey! Your bike is dragging on the pavement back there!” Crap! So I slowed down and proceeded to the next gas station which was the first place I could get right of the curb and went back to check the damage to my bike.
My welds had held but that thin wall tube manufactures call a bumper had fatigue cracked around my welds and started to peel back like a sardine can lid. As I looked over my bike the left handle bar was riding about 2 inches off the pavement and with every bump I had hit would bounce down and scrape a little more rubber off that left grip. (total damage to bike was to replace left rubber grip).
I got the bike upright and out of my mount and then pushed up the steps, wiggled thru the door and leaned over on the dinette. ( Ex-Wife probably wouldn’t have cared for that had she known. Hmmm! Might be one of the reasons she’s and Ex-Wife). Strapped the remains of the bike carrier apparatus to the rear ladder and continued on my trip.

Part Two
This is how I cured my problem with thin walled manufactures bumpers.

Had a length of 4x4x3/16ths wall tubing laying around taking up space.
(Pic 01) typical tube.
Got three 8 inch hitch tubes to weld on the bottom of the tubing. (pic 02 shows at the bottom of the post)
(Pic 03) shows the new bumper and three hitch attaching points. Center one for if I pull a trailer, outside ones for the new rack.
(Pic 04) Needed a spot for the spare tire so added one to the tube.
(Pic 05) Is testing the position the bike will ride in.
(Pic 06) Constructed a rail out of grip-strut turned upside down with a 1/2 inch rod welded along the edge to keep from scuffing the tires.

Continued in my second post.

[Aronious]

(Pic 07) Needed a ramp, no more lifting, so also made from grip-strut.
(Pic 09) Made up a extended bumper from 1/8th inch 2x4 tubing.
(Pic 10) Finished rack flipped upside down to paint the bottom. Note to the right of the bike rail is the slide shoe I built to store the ramp.
(Pic 11) Rack upright as would be pinned on rear of trailer.
(Pic 12) Rack turned 180, tie eyes for the tiedown straps are visible in this pic.
(Pic 13) Bike loaded and ready to head out in the morning.

I later installed a lic plate bracket and tail lights on the rear bumper.
Takes two guys to install or remove, slide into the outside brackets on the bumper and pin in place with 2 standard hitch pins.
Built this rack in 1999 and is just as serviceable today.

[Cooper]

Wow... nicely done...
My bike rack is designed for a lighter bicycle..ones that have a bell,basket, and streamers out each handle bar grip.... looks like your bike rack lasted longer than your first wife...they don't build em like they use to... bumpers that is.....no disrespect....

Coops

[kayakcrazy]

A really nice job there Aaron! I'm like Cooper - don't need anything quite so heavy for our 2 two wheelers. I've been sitting here wondering though if I shouldn't reinforce the welds for the spare tire. Sure would hate to see that break loose and go bouncing behind the trailer.

[Aronious]

Thought maybe I could spur on some idea's for some people with way more time that common sense and if it keeps someone from having someone holler in a open window at them it was worth posting. Personally, I don't ride anything without a motor on it.

[72mach]

Has anyone added a hitch to the Infinity? If so what type and are there any ramifications (aside from excessive weight)?

[Jlew127]

My 2 cents worth. Put on one of those bolt on hitches (on the bumper). I use it to hold the Yakima hitch rack I use. Holds the kids bikes just fine. Bounces a bit but it is pretty secure and easy to take off when not in use. Also it fits on the bumper next to the spare tire and doesn't completely block the pack-n-play door.

[Curdog]

Nice work. Next challenge. Can you figure out a way to a get one of your Harleys on the back rack?

[Jlew127]

Okay, live and learn. I just got back from Canada, and there's some roads there that give ours a run for the money on rough! Thought I had that bike rack thing all figured out. Figured I didn't need to modify like Aronious. Wrong! Within 30 miles of home (after 2,500 total), the bumper broke. The weld was good, the steel just ripped like paper. Luckily no damage done. Learned my lesson, now I'll pay for it.