Best Motorcycle Hitch Carriers

Tongue weight is the number that decides what you can carry

Tongue weight is the downward force a hitch holds at its receiver. A carrier hangs a bike off that point, so the load that counts is the bike plus the carrier. A 600 lb carrier rating does not raise your hitch's limit.

Hitch makers publish ratings by class. CURT's guide says Class 3 hitches have a 2 in receiver, up to 8,000 lb of trailer capacity and a tongue weight capacity up to 800 lb. CURT's Class 4 page lists up to 10,000 lb and 1,000 lb of tongue weight, rising to 14,000 lb and 1,400 lb with a weight distribution hitch. Those are class ceilings. A specific CURT Class 3 hitch for one SUV is rated to 500 lb of tongue weight and its page says ratings are limited to the vehicle maker's stated capacities.

CURT's own wording for cargo carriers and bike racks is "Never exceed the lowest-rated towing component." So your limit is the lowest of three numbers: the hitch label, the tongue weight in your vehicle's owner's manual, and the carrier's rating. Discount Ramps adds that hauling weight may be limited by the vehicle's suspension.

MotoTote suggests a quick check: take 10 percent of your vehicle's towing capacity, subtract the carrier's weight, and the answer is the heaviest bike. A 3,000 lb tow rating gives 300 lb, minus 60 lb of carrier, leaves 240 lb. Treat that as a rule of thumb. The number in your owner's manual is the one to use.

Why heavy sportbikes can exceed many hitches

Yamaha lists the 2026 YZF-R1 at 448 lb wet. On the 60 lb MotoTote Sport that is 508 lb at the hitch. On the 98 lb Black Widow MCC-600 it is 546 lb. The CURT example above is rated to 500 lb, so both setups would be over its limit before you add a rear stand, gear or a spare tire.

On MotoTote's 10 percent rule, 508 lb needs a vehicle rated to tow about 5,080 lb, and 546 lb needs about 5,460 lb. Many smaller SUVs and crossovers are rated below that. Heavy sportbikes, adventure bikes and cruisers often need a full-size SUV, a pickup or a van with a Class IV hitch and a matching vehicle rating.

A lighter carrier helps because every pound of carrier is a pound you cannot spend on the bike. Check tire width too. The Black Widow MCC-600 fits tires up to 7.25 in. A 190 mm rear tire is about 7.5 in wide, which is why the Sport (8.5 in track), Max+ (9 in) and VersaHaul Sport (7.75 in) suit sportbikes better.

Receiver class, anti-wobble devices and ramps

Every carrier here needs a 2 in square receiver. MotoTote says its carriers are not compatible with 1.25 in receivers, and Discount Ramps says Black Widow carriers are not recommended with hitch adapters or extensions, or on tow-behind trailers, motorhomes and RVs. Check the maker's page before using any carrier on an RV.

Wobble where the carrier meets the receiver is a common worry, and makers handle it differently. MotoTote uses a single ZeroWobble bolt, VersaHaul an anti-tilt lock bracket and Black Widow an anti-rattle device. MotoTote owners often say to torque the assembly bolts to spec, and some add an aftermarket hitch tightener.

Ramp length decides how steep loading is. MotoTote's ramp is 56 in with about a 17 degree slope. Black Widow's MCC-600 includes a 71 in ramp, the VersaHaul package lists no ramp and the Haul-Master drive surface is 41 in. A high receiver on a lifted truck steepens the slope, and one Max+ owner with an F350 on 37 in tires bought a folding ladder to load.

Lights and number plates in the US

A bike on a hitch carrier can hide your tail lights and your plate. Rules differ by state. Minnesota's statute requires plates to be displayed so the view of any plate is not obstructed. Washington's statute lets a bicycle rack, ski rack or luggage rack temporarily obstruct one of two plates, but only if the device is installed to the maker's specifications and the plate can be read from an accessible angle when parked.

MotoTote sells an LED tail light kit for $99 that extends running, brake and turn signals to the carrier, and a plate holder for $49. One owner of the plate holder says that in their state the vehicle would fail its annual inspection unless the plate was lit, and had to relocate a lamp. One owner reports that a loaded bike hides the vehicle's turn signals. Check your state's vehicle code and test every light with the bike loaded.

Hitch carrier or trailer?

MotoTote owners often compare the carrier with a trailer. One Sport owner says they gave up hauling a trailer to track days because of the extra fuel, bridge tolls and lower speeds. A trailer carries most of its load on its own axle, so only its tongue weight counts against your hitch. If the numbers above do not work for your vehicle and bike, a trailer or a pickup bed with ramps and chocks is the next place to look. See our ramps and tie-downs guide for those setups.