Trailer Hitch?

[MSP Pro]

As mentioned in my post on page 1, the Reese 79154 fits with no cutting necessary on the muffler and no bending needed on the fuel accumulator on the driver's side. However, you do need to drill out the rear valance just above the hitch pin hole to allow you to put the pin in and have it drop all the way through the flatbar drawbar. This is not visible as the flatbar receiver is up against this part of the valance. Weight rating is the same as the Hidden Hitch ping talks about above.

Happy towing!

 

[ping]

I couldn't go flatbar b'c of my accessories being 1 1/4"...

If towing, the Reese sounds better for the MSP. No regrets on the Hidden Hitch tho, it's certainly durable.

 

[slug420]

does anyone know of a retail chain that carried the class I reese hitches? or a website that offers overnight shippnig?

I dont see that as an option at hitch-web

 

[girth]

Boy, the handlebars on Ping's bike are real.......um.......sexy.(rofl)


And Ping, I think we'll have to start calling you "Stubby" from now on because of that avatar pic

 

[Tinkerbelle]

I'm so glad to come across this info. I would love to put a bike rack on my MSP and here it is! Prices, links, info and pics! Thanks Ping. Happy biking.

 

[oliver2000]

Here's the first pic - completed operation! (no strange comments about the bike, it's my beater!)

nice car...shame about the bike

 

[ping]

Aww crap - somebody commented on the bike... have to put the Kestrel or Klein on the back for the NEXT car shot... already had to change the avatar b/c the car DID look kinda stubby! How do you guys get such great resolution on your avatar pics?

Oh - update on the hitch (to keep this on subject...) there is NO update - hitch and exhaust work fine after 6000 miles. Have had no problems even with 4 pretty heavy bikes on there when I took my son mountain biking (well, 3 heavy bikes and my 1991 Santana Moda hardtail, vintage XT and a vintage Judy on a custom-made Nivachrom frame, weighs in at ~23lb... )

(why the heck did I leave the beater 'cross bike on the back for that pic? oh the shame of it all...)

 

[Tinkerbelle]

I'm sure it's not too late to post a new pic w/ one of your mo' betta' bikes.

 

[ping]

awww, but now I'm really gonna catch it for putting a roof rack on my new car... If'n you look close enough you'll see the "Zoom Zoom" decal on the left naked carbon fiber chainstay. Happy now?

(heh heh heh he said "naked" heh heh heh)

The rack in THIS pic is an old Barrecrafters with Thule bars and Performance rack mounts. The Performance rack mounts are a steal at about $40, as are Rocky Mounts (similar price, available in colors). I don't think the Barrecrafters rack is available anymore; this is 12-14 years old and has been great, just have to keep the pads really clean to avoid scratching the roof. Performance used to sell the same rack under their brand name ( www.performancebike.com )

I prefer the hitch rack, and the Thules are great with the fold-down bars. Beauty is it never touches the car (well, until you open the trunk and thwack the handlebars...)

The previously pictured 'cross bike is actually a Motiv Versato, full Sora STI grouppo for a whopping $149 from (caugh) Costco (I can't believe it either)! OK, OK, I've actually already upgraded that bike, and that saxay bar tape that Girth likes was an upgrade from the OE black tape (hey, the speckled tape was a freebie...). The bike on the roof rack is a Kestrel Talon, full c/f with Ultegra/DA, and worth just a little more than 10X the Versato... and it's the second-to-main reason you do NOT see an FMIC or BBS's on the MSP...

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Do you ride any trails there in NJ?

(Do you HAVE any trails there in NJ?!)

 

[MSP-4-ME]

I was thinking of towing a small trailer to carry extra wheels/tires and tools etc to the autocross events. I've seen some of the guys at the autocrosses that tow trailers behind Minis, VW, Honda etc.
Any idea if you can tow a small trailer with your set-up?
Thanks

 

[MSP Pro]

Of course you can! An autox wheel trailer wouldn't break 500 lbs, much less 1000 lbs. Hell, I tow a jetski with the little Reese flatbar hitch. Just remember to slow waaaay down for the curves!

 

[spoolboy]

I was actually curious about this also. I plan on buying a seadoo next year and was wondering how the MSP would do towing it. I don't like the idea of putting a hitch on it, but I have no other vehicle.

 

[ping]

tink

There are TONS of great trails around here! Agaain, would post pics if I had 'em, but tend to ride more than shoot!

Also great road rides - the NW part of NJ is pretty rural

 

[Pants McGregor]

I actually have a Thule trunk mount that fits over the spoiler quite well and it carries the beast in my sig.

http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=962

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Hey pants... nice bike! What IS that thing!

My aluminum-frame front-susp DBR ended up under a van, so from my settlement I got a dual-susp DBR. It's real purty and takes the shock off the back but it's so heavy for me . It's gotten so I rarely ride anymore, but am thinking of trading it back for another aluminum. I loved that damn bike.

Happy riding!!

 

[Pants McGregor]

Hey pants... nice bike! What IS that thing!

My aluminum-frame front-susp DBR ended up under a van, so from my settlement I got a dual-susp DBR. It's real purty and takes the shock off the back but it's so heavy for me . It's gotten so I rarely ride anymore, but am thinking of trading it back for another aluminum. I loved that damn bike.

Happy riding!!

Thanks

Its a 2002 Rocky Mountain Switch. I had a lighter weight cross country full susp. before this one but I broke the frame on it. I decided that I wasn't going to let that happen again !

It's an extremely plush ride and it compensates for a lot of my mistakes when I hit things a little too hard.

This link is the 2004's
http://www.bikes.com/bikes/2004/switch/index.aspx

Mike

 

[chuyler1]

I had a Gary Fisher Once. Then it got stolen off my balcony at school (it was locked to the railing) and I haven't ridden a bike since.

 

[ahb11m]

damn you pants - i was going to ask if anyone had tried that with the spoiler!!!

three days late hows that work?

 

[Pants McGregor]

damn you pants - i was going to ask if anyone had tried that with the spoiler!!!

three days late hows that work?

Sometimes I am on the ball

I think it works really well, and my bike is about 38lbs. It feels very stable, and all I do is put a strap around the crank/pedal and through the wheels to tie everything together. It has top, bottom, and side straps. The bars are too wide for my bike so I have to put one under the top tube and then back the seatpost into the other.

If I ride tomorrow I will try to take a picture of it.

I think I paid around $209 CDN for it if I remember correctly. For me that was worth it to not have to put a roof rack on the car.

I looked at the Saris as well but I didn't think it felt as secure for some reason. No real information, just a gut feeling.

Mike