hitch mounted luggage rack

was debating on a small tow behind trailer. but in thinking about it.....all I really need is a way to carry a medium size weekend bag for the wife. came across a hitch mounted rack that can hold a cooler or luggage and pulled the trigger on it. figure the weekend bag on the rack would probally be less than the tounge weight of a loaded trailer.

so hitch in hand, wiring solution close, and rack is on the way.

If the rack you got does not have lights on it, I would add some to be sure that what gets put on the rack will not reduce the rear lighting.

Besides, you can not have to many lights.

Can we ask which rack you got?

yes, has lights and plate mount

http://www.mchitch.com/cooler%20rack.htm

Looks like a nice product and a horrible website. I've tried to see those photos but you can't stop them - they keep on running So, good luck seeing them in 2 sec....or wait for another loop.

I've seen people mounting another trunk on it (from Ebay, either Venture or Harley one, or an universal one), it's a great add-on for a longer trip and certainly easier than a trailer.

Post some photos when you can....

You may also need to move your license plate out to the rack

You may also need to move your license plate out to the rack

I have always been curious on this one.

I see cars, SUVs and small trucks with receiver mounted racks all of the time. I have never been able to see the plate through the cargo. I have never seen anyone move the plate to the rack. I have never seen or heard of anyone getting stopped for a non visible plate due to a cargo rack.

When I have the trailer on the bike there is no visible plate anywhere. Wisconsin does not plate or even register trailers under 3,000 lbs. Unless you want to make an optional donation to the state by getting plates and registration for a lightweight trailer.

Is there a special law for bikes?

Is there even an actual law that requires the plate to be visible and not blocked by cargo?

Is this a state by state regulation?

Is this one of those things that a LEO makes up or interprets as he sees fit?

In WI the deer hunting regs state that your deer license must be worn in the middle of your back on the outer most layer of clothing. The question comes up, where does the back tag go if you are wearing a back pack. (similar situation to the luggage rack). You can ask 3 different wardens and get 3 different answers. One will say that a back pack is not part of your clothing so the tag goes on your jacket. The next will say that the tag must go on the back pack. the third will say the pack is not clothing so the tag goes on you jacket but you can not obstruct the view of the tag.

In doing some research on this, I found a case that made it thru the Wis Court of Appeals that a trailer hitch that is obstructing a plate in Wisconsin is not sufficient grounds to stop a vehicle for an obstructed plate. How this applies here I don't know.

the rack comes with a plate relocation kit.

NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law Sec. 402-b

"...the view of such number plates shall not be obstructed by any part of the vehicle or by anything carried thereon..."

We just rode to NC. and back with the hitch rack mounted and it blocked the plate. Had no problems. Just figure if cars and trucks can get away with it, so can I.

so I recieved the rack.

assembled it fairly easy.

hmm....the rack sits pretty close to the exhuast flow.....there goes the thought of using it for medium sized luggage.

good concept...but in metro areas there are a lot of stop and goes...dont think the wife would like her clothes to smell like exhaust fumes.

back to thinking of a small trailer

Looks like a nice product and a horrible website. I've tried to see those photos but you can't stop them - they keep on running So, good luck seeing them in 2 sec....or wait for another loop.

Right click on the image and it will stop playing.

There is a menu that pops up but the main point

being the right click stops the slideshow. If you

right click in the upper right corner, the menu

will be out of the way enough to see the picture.

Left click outside the image to resume slideshow.

Mike, take the rack to a local welding shop and have an offset extension welded to the hitch, raising it up to around 6 inches. Then spray paint it black.