Can Ultra-Fab Motorcycle Carrier # UF48-979033 Carry 450-lb Bike on 2002 Nissan Xterra

Question:

For a product like this UF48-979033 would the tongue weight of the hitch have to meet/exceed the weight of the bike on the carrier. I am planning to buy a 2002 Nissan Xterra with a class 3 trailer hitch and was wondering if I could use the carrier I listed above to tow a 450 pound sport bike.

asked by: Andreus

Expert Reply:

In order to be able to use the full 500-lb carrying capacity of the Ultra-Fab Motorcycle Carrier # UF48-979033 you will need to use it with a vehicle and hitch that both have a tongue weight (TW) capacity in excess of its 500-lb rating. If either the vehicle or the hitch have a TW rating below 550-lbs, then you'll start to lose carrying capacity.

For example, if your Xterra owner's manual said the TW rating was 600-lbs but your installed hitch has a TW rating of 500-lbs, then the lower hitch rating would determine the overall capacity. In this example the hitch's capacity of 500-lbs would be reduced as a result of the carrier's own 50-lb weight. Using a 50-lb carrier in a 500-lb hitch means that you're left with a 450-lb capacity for the loaded motorcycle itself.

The hitches we offer for the 2002 Xterra are the 2-inch Class III type. The highest-rated among them, Curt # 13183, has a TW rating of only 400-lbs. This means that you cannot use the above-referenced carrier to transport a 450-lb motorcycle on this vehicle. A small trailer, such as one of those often found for a reasonable price at a home improvement type store, will be a better option for transporting your sport bike.

Towing a trailer will require the hitch of course, plus a ball mount and hitch ball, and a wiring harness to operate the trailer's lights. For a ball mount you can use # C45030 along with 2-inch hitch ball # 63845 or whatever size matches your trailer coupler. For a wiring harness use part # C59236 or if you have the tow package use # C55244.