Want to haul a motorcycle on your RV but not sure the best way how? You’re not alone.

After moving out of our fifth wheel toy hauler and into a class C RV we had to find a new way to carry our motorcycle on our RV. We knew we didn’t want to tow a trailer (that’s why we downsized after all) which led us to researching RV motorcycle carriers. 

RV Motorcycle carriers are one of the best ways to safely take your motorcycle, scooter, or two wheeled vehicles with you on the road without adding to your over length. But there are a few things to consider.

can you carry a motorcycle on an rv?

RVs have a designated weight rating for their tow hitch which allows it to drag a tow a vehicle or trailer behind the RV. But RV hitches are capable of holding a motorcycle as well.

There’s a caveat though. What you can carry is determined by your RV’s tongue weight (TW).

It’s extremely important to know your vehicles hitch rating aka tongue weight because it ensures you aren’t overloading the capacity of the RV’s and putting yourself in an unsafe situation as you’re driving.

If you are flat towing the general rule of thumb is 10% of the gross trailer weight (GTW). That means if you are carrying an 1,500 lb trailer with a motorcycle you would need your tongue weight capacity to be around 150 lbs.

However since you are carrying the motorcycle on the back of the RV the overall weight of the motorcycle and the carrier you’re using cannot exceed the TW capacity.

Our Sprinter RV had a TW capacity of 500 lbs. Our scooter and carrier combined was around 480 lbs. so we were within the limits (just barely). It’s good to have some wiggle room with weight capacities because the force of the motorcycle as you are driving on the hitch can increase its overall weight on the chassis.

You can find out your RV’s tow hitch capacity by looking at the sticker on the hitch. It usually is 350 lbs – 800 lbs.

how does an rv motorcycle carrier work?

An RV motorcycle carrier attaches to the female receiver tube on rear hitch not unlike a bicycle rack. The carrier comes with a ramp to help you load an unload your motorcycle easily and will have a way to safely stow the motorcycle as your driving. 

A few things to consider when looking at RV motorcycle carriers:

• Make sure the carrier can accommodate your bike’s tires. Some bikes have much wider tires requiring a different sized carrier.

• The build material. Light weight frames can help if you’re in need of weight savings but are more prone to rust. Look for a quality built carrier.

• Make sure the hitch is compatible with your RV. This isn’t a huge problem, but it’s something to confirm before buying.

Our favorite features of our mototote

After loads of research from the dozens of different motorcycle carriers out there we ultimately ended up purchasing the Mototote RV Motorcycle carrier MTX sport. Here’s a few reasons we went with this model over others:

• Integrated front wheel chock that holds the bike upright while you’re strapping it down solo.
• Modular design so you can change the load or unload orientation or the width of the carrier itself depending on the wheel base.
• It’s beautifully designed, air craft inspired tubular steel throughout the entire set up.
• Has an extendable hitch mount if added space is needed.
• Weighs around 60 lbs. and can carry up to 600 lbs. which is more than most hitches will allow.
• Loading ramp is hidden nicely behind the carrier.
• Zero wobble hitch bolt to minimize sway as you drive.

How we installed our rv motorycle carrier

We had to modify our hitch carrier to extend beyond the “bumper” on the back of our RV. At the time, we didn’t realize that Mototote had an extension available for purchase, so we ended up getting an experienced welder to add an extension and reinforce the hitch mount and underneath the RV.

Some people are concerned about having your scooter or motorcycle hang off the back of your RV, but honestly if you have a quality carrier and checked your towing weight capacity you should be safe!

We’ve carried our motorcycle this way for over 3 years now and had zero problems. We love having a two wheeled vehicle with us and couldn’t imagine this lifestyle with out it.

If you want to buy a Mototote motorcycle carrier for your RV you can get an exclusive discount by shopping through our link. You save can save money on an awesome program while supporting the channel at no extra cost to you.