4 Best Motorcycle Hitch Carriers on the Market 2021 Reviews

Motorcycle hitch carriers are a convenient and easy way to take your bike or bikes with you wherever you go. If you have a hitch receiver on your vehicle, the hitch and your bike can be loaded quickly in just a few minutes.

These days the best motorcycle hitch carriers offer smooth solutions for loading and securing your motorcycle. Plus, and even better, you don’t have to break the bank to get a quality hitch carrier.

So, let’s get down to it and find the best hitch carrier for your motorcycle…

Top 4 Best Motorcycle Hitch Carriers of 2021 Review

1 VersaHaul Dirt Bike Hitch Carrier – Best Motorcycle Hitch Carrier with Integrated Hitch Tube

This is an excellent option for those of you looking to transport dirt bikes, smaller sports bikes, or scooters. It’s suitable for use with any 2” hitch receiver and has a carrying capacity of 500lbs. It’s compatible with all class three and four hitch receivers.

How to use it?

The hitch carrier has an integrated hitch tube that allows you to hook up your trailer. This means that the carrier and your motorcycle will sit sandwiched between your vehicle and trailer. The maximum towing weight for your trailer in these circumstances will be 3,000lbs.

The carrier is made from heavy-duty steel. It’s strong and durable. Additionally, it has a black paint finish that makes it resistant to rust and whatever the elements can throw at it.

To make loading easier, it has an integrated ramp. There’s no doubt that this not only saves your back but also reduces the chance of any accidents during loading. It’s a great feature.

Maximum stability…

Once your motorcycle is safely on the platform, there are four strategically placed mounting points. These are at the four corners of the hitch carrier. They are all easily accessible, and they are all well placed to provide maximum stability.

Before you buy, you should check your bike’s length and weight. You should also check your vehicle’s maximum carrying capacity. It’s also worth noting that you are advised not to use this rack with fifth-wheel trailers.

2 TMS Heavy Duty Motorcycle Carrier Hitch Rack Hauler with Loading Ramp – Best Motorcycle Hitch Carrier for Dual Sided Loading

The TMS T-NS-MRC001 is a strong and sturdy motorcycle hitch carrier constructed from heavy-duty steel. To keep it free from rust and corrosion, it also has a high-quality black powder coat finish. This hitch carrier is built to last.

The TMS hitch rack is suitable to use with all class three and four hitch receivers. It has a weight capacity of 500lbs. This means it’s OK to use with smaller bikes. If you have a cruiser, it’s almost certainly going to be too heavy. Of course, it is always prudent to check the weight of your bike first, regardless of its class or type.

Long detachable ramp…

To help with loading, there is a long detachable ramp. Once it has been used, it can be stored securely on the hitch carrier at the side of your bike. Very handy for unloading at the other end.

Another great feature is that loading is possible on either end of the carrier. In our experience, there are going to be plenty of times when you’re forced to load your bike in tight areas, so this is a very handy option.

Anti-tilt locking mechanism…

Once you have your bike loaded, you have tie-down sites on each side of the platform. They’re well placed and give you plenty of room to work unhindered.

On the move, the hitch carrier has an anti-tilt locking mechanism to prevent wobbling. When you have a load on the back, there’s nothing much worse than having it move around, so it’s another excellent feature.

3 MotoTote m3 – Premium Hitch-Mount Motorcycle Carrier with Ramp – Best Premium Motorcycle Hitch Carrier

The MotoTote m3 is one of the best motorcycle hitch carriers we have seen in terms of build and design quality. It’s a premium product that’s made in America and priced appropriately. Though it offers fair value, we have to concede that there are a lot of less expensive alternatives available.

So, is it worth it?

The first thing is that it has one of the easiest to operate ramp systems. Although we would never recommend loading a motorcycle on your own, the fact is that using this rack requires minimal help from a second person. Therefore, if an occasion arose where there was no possibility of help, in theory, at least, you could load it single-handed. We still strongly advise against it, though.

Another big plus is that it’s easy to adjust the track to the specifics of your bike. Plus, the track is angled in such a way to be suitable for bikes with a wheelbase of up to 65 inches with tires up to six inches wide.

More premium features…

Securing it to the platform is also easy, thanks to the adjustable tire mounts. These provide tons of support whilst you continue to further secure your bike with tie-downs. These can be optimally positioned and offer excellent lateral support thanks to the strategically placed tied down arms.

All in all, it’s a great rack. The only negatives are that firstly it’s a little time consuming to put together. Though, thankfully, a cool dude in sunglasses walks you through the whole process in the company’s information video. And secondly, your bike can only be loaded from one side.

4 Versa Haul Double Motorcycle Hitch Carrier – Best Motorcycle Hitch Carrier for 2 Bikes

This is the only dual motorcycle hitch carrier on our list.

It’s made from heavy-duty steel and can be used with all class three and four hitch receivers. The weight capacity is 600lbs. Although this is more than the other hitch carriers we’ve reviewed, it only gives a capacity of just 300lbs per bike.

Therefore, it’s only suitable for smaller bikes…

The low individual bike weight capacity makes it suitable for small dirt bikes, small sports bikes, and scooters only. If you have a large bike, then you need to look elsewhere.

The rack comes with a loading ramp, and happily, you can load the carrier from either side. This is essential since your motorcycles will need to be secured head to tail. Once on the platform, there are four tie-down mounts to tightly secure both bikes. Unfortunately, space is a little restricted, so a bit of time and care is needed to get them adequately tied down.

Can you use it for just one heavier bike?

It’s not recommended that you use the weight capacity to load up a single heavier bike because of the shape and design. It’s also not recommended that you use this for fifth-wheel trailers.

The hitch carrier requires assembly, but it comes with comprehensive and easy to follow instructions. It can be put together quite easily with a few basic tools in twenty minutes to half an hour.

Quality comes at a cost…

Although this is not a budget option, the quality is undoubtedly better than its cheaper counterparts.

It’s a good choice for anyone that needs to haul more than a single bike.

Best Motorcycle Hitch Carriers Buying Guide

Material

Motorcycle hitch carriers are either made from aluminum or steel.

Aluminum has the advantage of being lighter. This means it’s easier to lift into position on your vehicle. It also means it’s easier to carry in and out of the garage. Another advantage of aluminum is that you have no worries about rusting and corrosion, regardless of where you live.

That’s all in favor of aluminum…

However, we’re sure you’ll agree that steel is a big winner when it comes to strength. If you need a high weight capacity carrier, it will almost certainly be made from steel.

High-quality, heavy-duty steel is always our preferred choice, which is why it features in all four of the carriers in our review.

Although steel will always be open to corrosive forces, a thick powder coating, or anti-corrosive paint, can at least help protect again potential rusting.

Hitch Style and Class

Most motorcycle hitch receivers are class three and class four. When choosing a hitch carrier, it’s crucial to get the right class and width of tubing. All the hitch carriers on our list are class three and four and compatible with a two-inch hitch receiver.

You might need more clearance…

If you have a spare wheel or a large bumper, you should also ensure that the hitch is long enough to clear any obstruction. Additionally, if you intend to use it in conjunction with a trailer, it needs to have an integrated hitch tube.

In this instance, the VersaHaul Dirt Bike Hitch Carrier is the only one to offer this.

Ramp

Being able to quickly and safely load your motorcycle is essential.

There are a variety of different systems, though they all involve using a ramp of some kind.

The smoothest solution is to have an integrated ramp. This makes loading super quick because you don’t have to pull a ramp off a mounting position and resecure it. The VersaHaul Dirt Bike Hitch Carrier is the only one on our list that has a built-in ramp.

We prefer multiple load angles too…

Having the ability to load from two sides can also be helpful. It’s not unusual to be in a position where space is limited, and loading from a particular side becomes a much easier option. The TMS T-NS-MRC001 is an excellent choice if you need dual-sided loading.

Overall, although these two features are important, we think the MotoTote m3 is the ideal motorcycle hitch carrier when it comes to ease of loading. It has such a good ramp and platform that it makes getting your bike onto the carrier a breeze.

Weight Capacity

Most motorcycle hitch carriers have a weight capacity of approximately 500lbs. This is more than sufficient for dirt bikes, sports bikes, scooters, and generally bikes with smaller engines. If you’re not sure about your bike’s weight, you need to check before you buy.

How heavy a bike can be safely hitched to a car?

Some hitch carriers can haul bikes as heavy as 1,000lbs, but you won’t find anything much heavier than this. The motorcycle hitch receiver with the greatest weight capacity on our list is the Versa Haul VH-55DM. It has a 600lbs weight capacity, though it’s made for carrying two and not one bike. All the other carriers have a 500lbs weight limit.

The Great Haul

If you regularly need to haul heavy loads, we have a few other reviews for you!

So, how about checking out the Best Trailer Hitch Locks, the Best Trailer Tires, our Best Winch Reviews, and the Best Kinetic Recovery Rope for your money in 2021?

Cyclists won’t want to miss our Best Trunk Mount Bike Rack, the Best 3 Bike Car Racks, and the Best Bike Travel Case to transport your bicycles over long distances.

Or, heavy-duty truck and ATV drivers can head to our in-depth reviews of the Best F150 Bed Covers, the Best Truck Bed Extender, the Best Truck Bed Bike Racks, the Best Wide Angle Mirrors, the Best ATV Disc, the Best Jack Stands, and the Best Wheel Locks currently available!

OK, back to the top motorcycle hitch carriers…

So, which of the Best Motorcycle Hitch Carriers would we choose?

There you have it. We hope you found a hitch carrier that is perfect for you, your vehicle, and your bikes in our review. We would be happy to use any of these hitch carriers. However, if we had to choose just one to take home, it would be the…

MotoTote m3 – Premium Hitch-Mount Motorcycle Carrier with Ramp

We like this carrier because it is very well built and super-strong. Additionally, it has adjustable tire mounts and provides excellent lateral support. But best of all, it undoubtedly has the easiest to use ramp and loading system.

Enjoy your bikes and your rides.