Mustang SUV?

[GusinCA]

So I got tired of using my Expedition, with it's 9,000 pound tow capacity to haul around my 190 pound motorcycle.

Bought a lightwieght aluminum rack (since it only has to hold 190 pounds, and it's actually rated for 400) and had a local company weld in a receiver hitch.

Bike doesn't wiggle, doesn't bounce (silent hitch pin) and the car only sags 1 inch. With the GT motor you can't even feel that it's back there.

Now I can enjoy the drive TO the riding location, as well as the ride, and get 22mpg instead of the 13 my Expedition gets on a good day, downhill...

Gets a lot of interested looks from other drivers. I use it for my ski rack as well (since there's no way to strap a snowboard to the roof of a convertible)...

 

[bluecar]

With all due respect, I would have kept the Expedition. As far as looks, there sure is a lot goin on.

 

[ruffy]

With tough financial times, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

[GusinCA]

I knew I'd get maken fun of here, with so many performance nuts, but I wanted to show what the Mustang is capable of.
There are some people here who are now thinking "oh, I could mount a bike or ski rack on my convertible now, I didn't know that".
The point is, the Mustang is a large, heavy car (compared to say an S2000 or even a 350z) and so it can do things most "sports" cars cannot...

 

[klaw]

Hey Gus - it's all good by me! You gotta love going snow boarding in a vert!

 

[GusinCA]

Exactly. See, here in Southern California we don't get the storms that they do in the rockies (and our snow isn't as good either, but oh well). So 99% of the time the roads are clear (on the days they aren't, it's too cold and cloudy for me to enjoy skiing anyhow) and so taking the Mustang (with seat heaters and heater on) is way more fun...

 

[Emay]

I'm not gonna make fun, that's a great idea for a time when fuel is disgustingly high in cost. (not lately but was).

Congrats on a great idea, being a motorcycle nut I understand the entire reason behind it.

 

[DarkFireGT]

I was really worried when I saw the thread title. Hey, if that's the functionality that you need, good for you.

 

[GusinCA]

As long as it's a LIGHT motorcycle (like a 200cc dirt bike) it works. Obviously hanging a 450 pound, 500cc KTM off the back is not an option...

I've seen Mustangs with 4 adults and a trunk full of luggage carrying around more wieght than that, but they were tail draggin'.

 

[autumn_again]

there was a thread in the foxbody forum where a hatchback foxbody was hauling a 351W in the hatch area. just slamming around back there. at least your going about it the proper way and not just leaving your trunk open with the bike hanging out.

should go to the strip with the bike on the back, added weight to the back tires. beat a honda with a bike on the back.

 

[GusinCA]

Well, now that you mention it, the ride is much smoother over freeway expansion joints. The wieght off the back just completely eliminates any bouncing around back there, which is good, since you don't want to be bouncing the rack and bike around either.

I do know enough to realize that understeer will be more pronounced, and thus take corners with much more caution or under light braking... You can't drive it like you stole it while you're asking it to haul something around, you just have to enjoy the top down toy hauling experience for what it is...

 

[FarmerTom390]

I personally wouldn't ever do it but it looks like a clean quality job and its functional for you. So also nice lookin bike.

 

[PoopDawg]

It's a great idea. When I was in my early teens, my father put a hitch on the Silver Fox (the one in my sig, bought it from him a couple years ago) so we could put a bike rack on it... That way we could travel places to ride. I see nothing wrong with it. Screw everyone that thinks you need to waste your money on another vehicle just to tow something your GT is fully capable of towing. Not everyone can afford it, I sure know my single father couldn't!

Nick

 

[GusinCA]

Thanks!

You know, it's odd, you get some people who just get rubbed the wrong way about this sort of thing. I don't know if it's because they think I'm desecrating the image of a Mustang or if they're mad they didn't think of it before they bought their SUV instead of the Mustang...

 

[Leo85]

I am planning on doing the same with my 2005 mustang gt. I want to use a motorcycle carrier to tow a dirtbike. Bike would be from 190-225 pounds.

What has me worried is that the max tounge weight for the mustang is 200lbs.

Did you ever have any issues? How long did u you use it for?

Thanks in advanced for any help!