The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

I've hauled my PCX many, many times using the method I'm outlining below. If you added up the miles I've used this hitch hauler with my PCX, my Buddy 125, or my KTM 125SX, I've probably logged over 15,000 miles -- if not many more. That said, this method works VERY well for me with any bike I've ever hauled, but use this advice at your own risk. This how-to is only for convenience. You're fully liable for your bike when you have it on your hitch hauler, and I claim no liability for any advice followed here. You should do more research, and haul your bike the way that you think is best. Just because I post a lot and log a lot of miles doesn't mean I am by any means an expert.

The most important piece of advise I am going to give you today is to use a LOCKING HITCH PIN. Do NOT, EVER (and I mean EVER) use a hitch pin with a cotter pin. I am using one for this demo ONLY because my locking pin is being borrowed by a friend, and because I loaded my bike for demonstration then immediately unloaded it.

These pins are EVIL. Don't use them: If you need more convincing -- My dirt bike fell OFF the back of the Pilot when I was driving home. Thank God it was on a dirt road, right after loading from a day of riding, before I got to the main road. The cotter pin was missing in action, and the hitch pin just bounced right off, dropping the hauler in this tutorial and my dirt bike. I was going slow, so the only thing hurt was my pride.

Even worse (and for more convincing), earlier this year, I witnessed a head-on collision between a Ford F150 and a 4x8 utility trailer. Yes, just a trailer. I was travelling on a 4-lane road with a median, waiting to take a left turn. The truck in front of me was hauling a 4x8 utility trailer. He took the opportunity in traffic to take the left (think taking a right turn for you brits -- everything's flipped here). When he took the left, something dropped off the truck, and the trailer didn't follow the truck into the turn. The pin had detached, and the idiots with the utility trailer neglected to fasten tow chains. The F150 slowed to almost a stop before impact, but the trailer had long since separated from the truck, and was going 30+mph. It head-on'd the F150, completely destroying the front of the truck completely mangling the trailer. Luckily no one was hurt.

Both of these incidents could have been prevented with a simple locking hitch, or the use of a tow chain. I recommend you use both when towing, but since the hitch haulers don't have chains, use a good, solid locking hitch pin. I use a Reese Locking Hitch Pin: http://www.amazon.com/Towpower-7005600- ... 81&sr=1-19 that I bought from Home Depot for $15. Master makes a good one too: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-2866D ... 81&sr=1-22.



Enough safety lectures, onto the how-to...

Before you start, make sure your hitch supports the weight of the PCX + your rack. I do not recommend exceeding the recommended tongue weight listed in the car manual, but regularly have without any issue (AGAIN, I AM NOT LIABLE IF YOU'RE AN IDIOT LIKE ME). One figure I refuse to exceed is the weight listed on the hitch itself. Mine has a convenient chart, and yours should too:
The PCX weighs approximately 280lbs, more if you've added accessories. Make sure you account for the weight of the hitch hauler too.


Once you have determined your car and hitch can support the weight of the scooter, get out your dirty Honda PCX (mine needs a bath so bad), your car, your hitch hauler, two ratcheting straps, and a bungee cord. A ramp that fits on the hitch hauler is good, but not needed.

In case you have no idea what a ratcheting strap is, here is a cheap two-pack on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Maxworks-70539-15 ... 47&sr=1-32 and here's a close-up of mine (I got mine at Home Depot):

Push your PCX up the ramp onto the hauler. If you don't have a ramp, get someone to help you lift the front end on, then lift the back end on as you push the PCX forward to prevent it bottoming out. I was able to do this entire process myself, since I have a ramp:

Push the PCX securely into the wheel chock. Here's my PCX in the position it rides in:

I loaded the PCX through this whole process by myself, since I usually load it myself when we're going travelling. At this point, if your wife / girlfriend / boyfriend / neighbor can help you, I advise having a second person assist. The second person should stabilize and hold the PCX all the way forwards while you secure it.

If you're flying solo, make sure your ratcheting straps are nearby, lean the bike slightly away from the car, and use your ass to prevent it from falling off like so:

Loop the ratcheting strap through the tie-down point in the front, farthest from the vehicle:

You want the ratchet itself as far away from the bike as possible, so pull through until about 6" of slack remains before the hook:

Wrap the strap around the grips, circling several times so that no grip is exposed. By wrapping like this, you prevent the straps from pinching the grip in one spot too hard, potentially damaging the grip:

Still using your hip or ass to stabilize the bike, pick up your ratchet and insert the strap through the back of the ratchet as shown:

And pull the slack through:

Next, hook the hook on the strap through the loop on the ratchet. DO NOT hook the two hooks together:

One hook should just dangle, unused.

At this point, many have asked me "Why not just put two hooks on the tie-down point?" Simply put, you have more likelihood of losing the strap over a bump with the straps secured that way. When you hit a bump, the tray will flex or the suspension will compress downwards. When that happens, there is suddenly no tension on your ratcheting straps, letting gravity drop your hooks out of the tie-down point. When you have the two straps hooked together, the decompressed strap will behave like a loop, rather than like two separate straps, averaging the change in distance, and decreasing the likelihood of the strap falling off.

If I only used my ratcheting straps for hauling the scooter, I would remove both hooks and replace the hooks with a heavy-duty carabiner. With the carabiner latched, there would be no way the strap could become undone from itself. I recommend you remove the hooks and use a carabiner to secure the strap to itself if you have the option.

With the strap secured to itself, take out all the slack by pulling the slack away from the handlebars:

And ratchet the strap a few times until it holds snug:

Now, we move on to the other side. Use your right hand to hold the side of the scooter, to prevent it from falling away from the car. Since you have the side away from the car ratcheted, you can put your whole weight into pushing the scooter towards the car, without fear of dropping it. Take the ratcheting strap in your left hand and loop through the tie-down points closest to the car:
Note that all I'm using in the above picture to hold the bike up is my knee. If you don't overtighten your ratchet farthest away from the car, it takes very little effort to keep the bike erect.


Pull out all the slack, just like on the other side:

Wrap the strap around the handlebar and pull tight. You should be able to hold up the bike by just the strap closest to the car now:

Put the strap through the ratchet, pull out all the slack, and hook the ratchet to the rest of the strap:

Then, tighten:

Tighten both sides until the suspension is compressed. You don't want to bottom out the suspension, but you want the suspension close to bottomed out.

The bike will easily support itself at this point. Next, you need to secure the back, so that the rear tire doesn't bounce off the bike over a bump. The PCX has a great tie-down point up above the tire, but I really never use it. I just secure the rear wheel to the tray.

In case you want to be an overachiever and secure the rear from the tie-down point above the wheel, you'll need two more ratcheting straps, and will secure to here:

From a bit farther out:

Like I said though, that's totally optional. I don't strap there, because it's inconvenient, and because the bike is just as secure if you tie down the rear wheel. I've actually found the bike bounces less with the rear suspension uncompressed too, which is why I don't tie down there... Anyways, I digress...

To secure the rear of the bike, take your bungee cord, any one will do:

And wrap the back tire securely to the tray:
Since it's a bungee, not a stiff ratcheting strap, any bounces won't affect it, so don't worry about hooking the bungee on itself.


Don't forget to tie off the excess slack from the front ratcheting straps. Tie them tight so they don't flap against the fairings and wear your paint... Also, don't strap them to where the tie-down points are, they might get tangled in the loop of the ratcheting strap and cause the hook to come undone more easily. I usually just wrap through the wheel:

And tie tight with at least 3 square knots:

Done.

Reverse the process to remove the bike at your destination. When you're unloading, be careful. The ratcheting straps make the bike "jump" when you undo them from the suspension rapidly decompressing. Use extreme caution, and get someone to help you the first time you unload.


If you have any questions or need any clarification, please ask!

No trailer board...?

Trailer board?

Great post Dave. Was wondering the best way to tie mine down when i had it in the truck. wound up putting it in sideways so I could hook onto the bare part of the handlebars and have clearance for the plastics. Now I know that I could have just wrapped the strap around the handlebar grips... duh! Didnt wanna use the hooks on the grip itself for fear of damage.

One of these.

In this country you could lose your licence for driving with your registration plate and lights so badly obscured.

Ah. I've never had issue with that in the USA. That sort of thing just isn't enforced here, oddly enough.

Might be worth thinking about though...
Someone runs up the back of you they might just send a no win no fee lawyer after you

That's true. I know that there are laws about that, but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having issues with law enforcement over it. One of those many "blue laws"

gn2 wrote:Might be worth thinking about though...
Someone runs up the back of you they might just send a no win no fee lawyer after you

In the USA, if you rear-end someone, it is ALWAYS your fault unless someone rear-ended you hard enough to push you into the car in front of you. You can't get in trouble for a hitch hauler like this here, period.

Wow! Now that's much more than I expected! Very cool Dave, thank you for posting all this as quickly as you did. Very helpful! Since we have similar vehicles I will relax knowing all will be good hauling my WN on my VersaHaul hitch carrier Now, you know I have questions, right?
(oh yeah, I spotted co-pilot maddie surveying the land as demo took place....neat-o little pooch!)
okay:
1) how do You/others too, feel about the Cycle Cynch handlebar harness? (http://www.cyclecynch.com) Do you think it will saw at my grips while traveling say 1,200 miles? Would it be wise to wrap a bit of foam around the grips before putting on the cuffs to prevent chafing or any damage?
2) Online, I have seen the "hook" of the tiedown placed directly through the carrier's bar mount (eye bolt), why did You run the strap "through" the eyehook and not use just the "hook" of the strap to secure it on the eye? Is it because you have 15' rachets straps? Wouldn't a 6' be sufficient for the job? I ask because I'm waiting for various tie down straps from here: http://www.powertye.com in 6' lengths. Hmmm....now you have me questioning my approach to stability (no, I haven't had a beer, well....not yet anyway it's too late now (yawn).
3) being my voyage is the distance said, would You choose to "hook" some tiedowns on that bar under the seat? or "strap around" that bar?
I did a quickie handheld take on holding a tiedown from that seat bar and downwards (as if to hook to my carrier) and I'm thinking the muffler will be in the way. Do I remove the muffler? (arg...PIA!)
4) You bungee the rear tire. Cool, I like that idea too (got some at Walmart today). So, how about wrapping around the tire and wheel tray then criss-crossing the bungee to each rear carrier eyebolt? I ask because you attached both bungee hooks to the outside rear eyebolt. Is there a reason you didn't cross over to the other eyebolt?
5) Also you mentioned (in my carrier hitch thread) of perhaps securing the bike by strapping over the seat. Would you use a cambuckle tie down hook strap?
6) I have considered taking off my medium screen and perhaps the mirrors too? Is that necessary?
7) petrol in tank or............No petrol in tank whilst long hauling?
Eight) where would you put a cable lock on the bike to carrier (while staying in hotel overnight?)
9) yes, thank you Dave for mentioning the locking hitch bolt...I have a Master, similar to yours.
10) and lastly (REALLY????) cover the bike while overnighting or no cover?

Alrighty then...this post is almost as long (without pics) as yours time to take a break. Sorry guys, what can I tell ya, I gots questions Big thanks again !!

Off topic for a second.....how does one pm? or can we? Yes, I did check the FAQ first. Must be having a senior moment (why do I say those things???

Haha, lots of questions! I think it'd be easiest to answer them one at a time, so I'll break them out of your post and answer them one at a time.

WhiteNoise wrote:1) how do You/others too, feel about the Cycle Cynch handlebar harness? (http://www.cyclecynch.com) Do you think it will saw at my grips while traveling say 1,200 miles? Would it be wise to wrap a bit of foam around the grips before putting on the cuffs to prevent chafing or any damage?

These look to be the same as Canyon Dancers, which MANY, MANY people who trailer large cruisers swear by. Since the cruisers have more tupperware, the wrapping method I used wouldn't work, since the straps would go out at such an obtuse angle. I have no experience with Canyon Dancers or Cycle Cynch straps, but they have good reputations and I've never heard anything bad about them.

I wouldn't worry about putting foam around the cuffs, they are designed not to damage your grips. Since my tie-down method hasn't damaged any grips, I can't imagine something like the Cycle Cynch would.

WhiteNoise wrote:2) Online, I have seen the "hook" of the tiedown placed directly through the carrier's bar mount (eye bolt), why did You run the strap "through" the eyehook and not use just the "hook" of the strap to secure it on the eye? Is it because you have 15' rachets straps? Wouldn't a 6' be sufficient for the job? I ask because I'm waiting for various tie down straps from here: http://www.powertye.com in 6' lengths. Hmmm....now you have me questioning my approach to stability (no, I haven't had a beer, well....not yet anyway it's too late now (yawn).

I answered this during the how-to, but I'll provide a bit more clarification:

maddiedog wrote:At this point, many have asked me "Why not just put two hooks on the tie-down point?" Simply put, you have more likelihood of losing the strap over a bump with the straps secured that way. When you hit a bump, the tray will flex or the suspension will compress downwards. When that happens, there is suddenly no tension on your ratcheting straps, letting gravity drop your hooks out of the tie-down point. When you have the two straps hooked together, the decompressed strap will behave like a loop, rather than like two separate straps, averaging the change in distance, and decreasing the likelihood of the strap falling off.

If I only used my ratcheting straps for hauling the scooter, I would remove both hooks and replace the hooks with a heavy-duty carabiner. With the carabiner latched, there would be no way the strap could become undone from itself. I recommend you remove the hooks and use a carabiner to secure the strap to itself if you have the option.

When the straps are looped together, the whole loop will just go limp for a second, rather than the hooks dropping from their position from the eye-hook, coming undone and causing you to lose a strap (and possibly your bike). I used to have a huge Honda PC800. It was way too big for the hitch hauler, so it rode on my trailer. I almost lost it on a trip down to Tampa, because I hit a bump, the bike bounced just enough to let one of the hooks come undone, and the whole bike tipped on its side. I was really lucky it didn't fall off the trailer.

WhiteNoise wrote:3) being my voyage is the distance said, would You choose to "hook" some tiedowns on that bar under the seat? or "strap around" that bar?
I did a quickie handheld take on holding a tiedown from that seat bar and downwards (as if to hook to my carrier) and I'm thinking the muffler will be in the way. Do I remove the muffler? (arg...PIA!)

Distance is less relevant than terrain. Really, 1200 miles is might as well be 100 miles if its all highway. With the way my bike sits on my hitch hauler, I wouldn't have to remove the muffler to loop a strap around the bar under the seat. If your tie-down points are closer to the bike than mine, you may have to. If it looks like you'll have to remove the muffler, just don't tie down there, and do the bungee-around-the-wheel method.

WhiteNoise wrote:4) You bungee the rear tire. Cool, I like that idea too (got some at Walmart today). So, how about wrapping around the tire and wheel tray then criss-crossing the bungee to each rear carrier eyebolt? I ask because you attached both bungee hooks to the outside rear eyebolt. Is there a reason you didn't cross over to the other eyebolt?

No particular reason, just for convenience of taking the bungee off. The bungee is to hold the rear tire in place more than to stabilize, so criss-crossing doesn't matter. By all means, criss-cross it if you feel better doing so.

WhiteNoise wrote:5) Also you mentioned (in my carrier hitch thread) of perhaps securing the bike by strapping over the seat. Would you use a cambuckle tie down hook strap?

I'd NEVER use a cambuckle strap for anything. They come loose too easily. I ALWAYS use a ratcheting strap.

You can see from my rack that the tie-down points are too far back to loop over the seat. If you have tie-down points that sit over the seat, by all means, you could secure the bike by strapping over the seat. Just ALWAYS remember to put a soft towel or 3 tightly between the bike and the tie-down strap, that way the strap doesn't mar your paint. You should also tuck in any excess towel if you can, to make sure it doesn't flap around. A towel flapping around, whacking the paint once won't do anything, but tens of thousands of whacks over thousands of miles will slowly wear down your paint. It's the same reason why it's important to tie off the slack from your ratcheting straps...

WhiteNoise wrote:6) I have considered taking off my medium screen and perhaps the mirrors too? Is that necessary?

Totally unnecessary, they're not going anywhere.

WhiteNoise wrote:7) petrol in tank or............No petrol in tank whilst long hauling?

I usually fill-up before I go. It doesn't really matter.

WhiteNoise wrote:Eight) where would you put a cable lock on the bike to carrier (while staying in hotel overnight?)

You said you have a locking hitch pin, so the rack isn't going anywhere. Secure it to the rack, or to the loops for tow chains on your trailer hitch.

WhiteNoise wrote:9) yes, thank you Dave for mentioning the locking hitch bolt...I have a Master, similar to yours.

'
Good! You'll be safer and better off than 99% of those who tow trailers then. Make sure to use it!

WhiteNoise wrote:10) and lastly (REALLY????) cover the bike while overnighting or no cover?

Personal preference. I don't cover my bike when I park it after riding it, I just usually try to park under a roof. I've never put a cover over it when it was on the rack, because the front straps would be out too far for the cover to go all the way down.

WhiteNoise wrote:Alrighty then...this post is almost as long (without pics) as yours time to take a break. Sorry guys, what can I tell ya, I gots questions Big thanks again !!

No problem, reply if you need more clarification.

WhiteNoise wrote:Off topic for a second.....how does one pm? or can we? Yes, I did check the FAQ first. Must be having a senior moment (why do I say those things???

Look down below my post (and below my signature)... Click PM.

WhiteNoise wrote:2) Online, I have seen the "hook" of the tiedown placed directly through the carrier's bar mount (eye bolt), why did You run the strap "through" the eyehook and not use just the "hook" of the strap to secure it on the eye? Is it because you have 15' rachets straps? Wouldn't a 6' be sufficient for the job? I ask because I'm waiting for various tie down straps from here: http://www.powertye.com in 6' lengths. Hmmm....now you have me questioning my approach to stability (no, I haven't had a beer, well....not yet anyway it's too late now (yawn).

I should clarify this further -- most people hook to the eye. I don't because I know that hooking the strap to itself is more secure. You probably will be fine with just hooking to the eye, but like I said, the loop is more secure (especially if you loop using a weight-bearing rated carabiner.

I could have cut my straps down to size if I wanted to, but I use the straps for hauling other things on my trailer (like furniture or scrap metal), so it makes no sense for me to lose that extra length. I just tie off the excess every time.

Whitenoise -

You cant PM because the minimum post count for PM's is 15. But you're only one post away!

Ok then EddieC, I shall post right here, right now and strike a 15 and......Bingo! PM approval! Thanks. I did look for that in the FAQ, I must of missed it

Clapping I'm legal! I can see the PM button!
Great Dave, easy to understand in the 1,2,3...format. I get why you Don't hook to carrier's eyebolt with open hooks now, makes sense to loop (kinda like a double strapping). Yeah I have heard some bad stories with the open ended hooks on the eyebolts, you were lucky....others have had nasty outcomes
The carabiners (good quality ones) I would get but I decided not to mess with removing hooks to do so. Today UPS brought me my 6' rachets with "snap hooks" (@ both ends) for the front, and wheel strap for the rear. Also got some sheepskin strap sleeves in case I tried the seat tiedown method. I'm impressed with the quality of the Powertyes, they're rugged yet soft ("soft tie" really does apply). Can't thank you enough for demo and detailed explanations ...and just in time for me and my venture!! Might have more questions as departure nears (that's a warning folks)
Oh gn2 how are ya? Guess what? I also got the Versahauls carrier Light Kit (and some reflectors), that I mounted....am I good to go? Just wait till I have to Lift that sucker....no feather weight! Got to phone a friend

The "snap hooks" will do the same thing as the loops -- prevent the hook from falling off. You won't have to loop with those.

WN - Didn't the Versahaul come with a ramp? Use that, it'll save your back from all the lifting the bike! (unless you are talking about lifting the Versahaul itself, they are kinda heavy too)

Phew (wiping brow)...I was hoping you would say that Dave (.....as good as looping)! Oh yeah, & ramp is included. Lifting the VersaHaul is heavy....more bulk than heavy I think. Either way I'll phone a friend, mucho easier!
Not looking forward to driving into Long Island, damn roads are from hell with all the potholes and traffic! They drive insanely too! "Whoa.....hold on WN it's going to be a bumpy ride!"
Anymore pointers? re: carrier or turning, or anything I should know? I'm a sponge....soaking ya in!
thumbs up & thanks

Your hauler might be a bit wider than your car, so be careful in tight spots. Otherwise, drive normally.

Don't worry too much -- people haul all the time, with far less caution than you're taking. I'm sure you and the scooter will be fine.

Thanks again Dave Cheers!

Nice!

My hitch hauler is showing its age -- I either need to go get the support struts rewelded, or need to just replace it. I've been watching Craigslist lately to try to get a Versahaul, they're way higher-quality than the generic hitch hauler that I use.