Black Widow Motorcycle Hitch Carrier Heavy Duty Steel and Aluminum Extra Long 6FT Loading Ramp 600 lb. Capacity Anti-Rattle Included Fits 2" Receiver

I just finished a drive from Monterey California to San Angelo Texas using the carrier to haul my son’s 2017 Thruxton on the back of my 2003 Tahoe. I read several reviews on several carriers before I decided to go with this one and I was still admittedly nervous about hauling his bike halfway across the country on a carrier. Many of the reviews I read addressed the packaging and the contents being loose or missing. The box that I received was in perfect condition and nothing at all was missing. I found the assembly to be quite easy. I did two things with the carrier before we used it and they were both based on other reviews. I added nonskid tape to the ramp and I moved the carrier forward in my hitch and drilled a new hole for the hitch mounting bolt. I could only move it forward about five inches and I can’t say for sure how much difference it really made but reducing a 450 pound lever even just a little bit made me feel better. I certainly didn’t lose anything by doing it. Before I went to California I tested the carrier with his 1980 Yamaha XS650. I loaded it by myself by having it in first gear and walked it up the ramp. I also unloaded it by myself. Loading the Thruxton with two of us was much easier but loading the Yamaha by myself wasn’t a huge deal either. We strapped the bike down using the four tie down points but also added a couple of other straps just for peace of mind. The first 100 miles or so were a little unnerving and we stopped several times to make sure everything was secure. The roads varied from nice flat highways to a handful of two lane bumpy/undulating roads. For the most part, I did the speed limit on the open highway but I did slow down within reason when the roads were less than ideal. We checked the bike at every gas/overnight stop and never had any problems. It remained solid the entire trip and there are no signs of any issues with the carrier. I would add that the front of the Tahoe was naturally a little “light” but I completely expected that with the weight of the bike and another 500 plus pounds of cargo inside. I used magnetic lights because the bike pretty much covered the Tahoe’s rear lights and I also mounted the license plate on the carrier just to avoid any issues with law enforcement. There is no doubt that it took some getting used to but the further we went the more confidence I had in the entire set up. I’d do it again without hesitation.

I was going to go with the lesser capacity unit as my dual sport only weights 290 lbs, but my vehicle ( tongue capacity 1000 ) has a spare tire mounted and I needed extra clearance from the receiver pin hole to the center of the tire track. My SIL has the 400 lb model and he's used it for a few years when he only needs to haul one MX bike, and he has been very happy. So I trusted the brand to get the one I needed. One star off because the ramp had a small dent ( which its going to get dents and dings anyway ) and two nuts were missing their Nylock insert, so I had to purchase two. Everything else was fine and the rack was well packaged with clear instructions. I was surprised that there were no flat washers for the bolts, but I assembled as instructed and figure that if the engineers would havd said it needed flat washers it would have come with them. I think the inclusion of a hitch pin is a waste as I'm sure everyone would want a locking pin. At least I wouldn't put anything in a receiver without a locking pin. Assembly took about 20 minutes and instead of using cardboard ( as the directions say ) to protect the paint. I used the two large styrofoam blocks in the packaging which elevated the assembly and worked great. As with any bolt together project. Don't completely tighten the bolts till its assembled. The holes for everything lined up good and it was a good value for the money. I haven't gone down the road yet, but based on prior experience, the capacity of my vehicle and weight of the bike I'm hauling. This is a great solution over dragging the trailer out for one bike excursions. I installed a few large wall hooks in the garage to store it, but it's a two person job to hang up and really a 2 person job to mount it in and remove from the receiver due to the bulk and weight. Happy trails.

So I own a 2024 indian scout bobber twenty. 563lbs in running order, full tank oil and and all. This rack says it will handle 600lbs. It absolutely will not.

I don't usually write product reviews, unless I really like or really hate a product LOL.I wanted a bike carrier that was over the top sturdy so I could carry our Honda rebel around without having to worry about it. I would guess that it weighs about 350 fully loaded.The pros: this thing is over the top sturdy. Comparing this to our old bike carrier which worked just fine is no comparison at all. Since I bought this for peace of mind I'm really happy with what I have. However there are a couple things that some people might have issues with.Cons: this thing weighs about a hundred pounds 98 to be exact, and with the tire holder all the way out is 7 ft long. not an issue for me I actually like that it's oversized but it could be an issue for someone not prepared to lift a hundred pounds every time they want to put their bike rack on. Second, the bike ramp which is really long in my opinion, really isn't that sturdy. I would have much preferred a sturdy short ramp. I realize they made it that long because people push their bikes up onto the holder, I don't know who these people are however I just start the engine and let it get up under its own power. This is definitely not an issue for my 350 lb Honda but I definitely could see the ramp bending under an actual 600 lb bike though I think the carrier would hold it just fine. Finally, the only real concern I have is the hitch only goes into the receiver about four inches. I obviously am not an engineer, so I'm not saying it's unsafe but I would much prefer that it slides deeper into the receiver than that period. I even seen One reviewer who had just went ahead and drilled his own holes.