RV Motorcycle Lift

The RV Motorcycle Lift Decision

An RV Motorcycle lift, also referred to as a motorcycle carrier, is an option for the RVer who wants to take along a motorcycle. Other choices would be to tow an enclosed trailer, or choose one of the toy hauling RVs that combine room for sporting equipment with living space.

In our case, we wanted to carry a motorcycle on the back of our motorhome and also tow a car behind. Jose compared different RV motorcycle carriers and shares his thought process for choosing his RV motorcycle lift:

Recently, I began searching for an RV motorcycle lift for my motor home. I wanted a lift that could be lowered to the ground and raised, either electrically or hydraulically. I wanted to be able to ride the motorcycle onto the lift. The prices of all the RV motorcylce lifts I considered ranged between $3,800 and $4500, including shipping and installation.

The product that I finally settled on is called a "Piggy Back". This is a custom motorcycle carrier designed, manufactured and installed by a local Florida welder, Dover Welding. I found out about this product while having some service work done at Lazy Days in Seffner Florida. While there, I had the opportunity to speak to a number of coach owners who were very satisfied with their "Piggy Back" RV motorcycle lift.

I was so impressed by their enthusiasm that I contacted the Piggy Back RV motorcycle lift manufacturer, Dover Welding , to get an estimate. Dan at Dover Welding answered all of my questions on capacities for lifting, towing, tongue weight and costs.

After some research and comparison with other brands (Hydralift, Overbilt and CruiserLift), I concluded that the "Piggy Back" would best suit my needs. The major reason I chose the "Piggy Back" Motorcycle Lift is that it is well constructed, attractive and allows me to lower the motorcycle carrier without removing the tow bar or unhitching the car.

Of the four brands I considered, only "Piggy Back" and Overbilt allowed me to leave the tow bar in place. I selected the "Piggy Back"over the Overbilt because it was locally available, looked very well made and was more attractive. The Overbilt will cost you slightly less.

If you have a need for towing capacity in excess of 6,000 lbs., the Hydralift has an 8,000 lb. towing capacity. It is an attractive lift with quiet operation and simplicity of construction.

Piggy Back RV Motorcycle Lift with Bike On

Once I made my decision, installation was scheduled with Dover Welding. It took about 6 hours to have it installed on my motorhome, and the finished product works and looks fantastic. They installed a circuit breaker near the battery compartment in one of our bays. This is an added security feature since the bay can be locked, preventing anyone from lowering the lift when I am away from the motorhome.

I've used the Piggyback lift for several months now and it has proved to be of sound design and good craftsmanship. One of the things that impressed me about Dover Welding was their willingness to address my special needs. For example, I was having difficulty riding the motorcycle up onto and off the ramp of the lift. This was not a design flaw - just my short legs that didn't reach the ground while sitting on the motorcycle with its tires on the ramp. This is a problem I would have had with most motorcycle lifts (except for the platform type in which I was not interested).

Initially, I cared for my dilemma by constructing some wooden running boards that I placed on either side of the ramp to help me get the motorcycle off the lift.. Unfortunately, they did not feel sturdy enough, took up too much room in the storage bay when not in use and were ugly to look at.

I discussed my problem with Dan and he suggested a permanently attached replacement for the wooden running boards that would provide me with a solid footing while loading or unloading the motorcycle.

I had them installed and am very pleased with the setup and the much improved look of the diamond plate outriggers. In summary I would highly recommend the Piggy Back motorcycle carrier to anyone looking for a well constructed, functional and attractive RV motorcycle lift.

Piggy Back RV Motorcycle Lift in Raised Position