[Textanker]

I am interesting in carrying my 2020 KTM 790 Adventure on a Class 3 hitch. Total weight on the hitch with the carrier will be about 520 lbs. The carriers is rated for up to 600 lbs, and I've used it before for short day trips. The vehicle does sag noticeably, but not extreme. The trip will be about 2000 miles one way.

Any big problems with this?

 

[Robert.Mauro]

I am interesting in carrying my 2020 KTM 790 Adventure on a Class 3 hitch. Total weight on the hitch with the carrier will be about 520 lbs. The carriers is rated for up to 600 lbs, and I've used it before for short day trips. The vehicle does sag noticeably, but not extreme. The trip will be about 2000 miles one way.

Any big problems with this?

Yes, the Ascent is rated for 500 pounds, which includes the carrier, bike, etc. Going over that is a bad idea, not to mention not legal in any state.

Unless you can shave off 20ish pounds, I suggest a bike trailer instead.

 

[Textanker]

Yep. It works for short trips. I think I will get a trailer.

 

[xydadx3]

I'd also be concerned about stability since the Ascent's hitch is kind of high. But as @Robert.Mauro pointed out going over 500lb isnt a good idea. Bikes look good on trailers too

 

[Merope]

Years ago I used to haul my KTM MX bike on a MotoJackRack on the back of my Explorer. For shorter trips it was more expedient than loading up the box trailer. Bike + rack was getting near 300 lb and Explorer was rated at 6400 lb towing 640 tongue, so I was <1/2 the tongue rating. The vehicle's tongue rating is based on where the ball would nominally be, and these moto racks center the weight significantly further back, so being conservative is good.

I also had air assist shocks to level out the Explorer. I could def feel it back there and there was a tendency to oversteer around corners but it wasn't too bad.

For a heavier bikes, I had a friend who towed his Ducati around behind his Jaguar (custom built hitch) using something like this: Motorcycle Tow Caddy|MagnetaTrailers.com

I think a small rail trailer is all around a better idea.

 

[SkiPro3]

From personal experience, a small motorcycle trailer will flip on S curves at relatively low speeds. Just a warning.

 

[Ascent360]

I carried my Suzuki DRZ from San Francisco to Seattle on a cheap Harbor Freight motorcycle hitch carrier. It worked very well. I estimate the entire load was under 400lbs though...

 

[Merope]

^^^ that looks like a better/easier solution than the MotoJackRack I used. I also had a Suz DR350 in addition to my MX bike. Never put it on the MJR though.

One thing to be careful of is where the vehicles exhaust pipes are wrt the load. You can burn/pop tires, melt plastic, etc. if it's close or directed toward vulnerable materials. This can also happen with bicycles on hitch racks.