Hitch-Mount Motorcycle Carrier for 1998 Jeep Wrangler for Transporting 350-lb Dirt Bike

Question:

Can this handle a 350 dirt bike?

asked by: JR

Expert Reply:

Curt's steel cargo carrier # C18152 for 2-inch hitches has a weight rating of 500-lbs. This is what the carrier itself can handle.

The hitch in which it is installed and the host vehicle that hitch is on also need to be rated high enough to handle this weight. When a vehicle, hitch and carrier have different ratings the lowest-rated item determines the overall capacity.

Let's say your 1998 Wrangler can handle 400-lbs of tongue weight (TW is downward force on the hitch). This means that if you installed (or already have) a hitch that is also rated for 400-lbs TW then once you deduct the weight of the Curt carrier itself, 70-lbs, the vehicle and hitch would have a remaining TW capacity of 330-lbs. You have to account for the carrier's weight too. In this example the system would not have enough capacity for a 350-lb dirt bike. Please note the highest rated hitches we offer for your Jeep have a 400-lb TW rating.

However, we do offer hitch-mount motorcycle carriers such as the Ultra-Fab # UF48-979033 which weighs only 50-lbs. In a 400-lb-rated hitch you would have just enough capacity left for the dirt bike after accounting for the carrier's weight. I linked a video on this item for you.

expert reply by: Adam R