3 choices for hauling motorcycle

[KamperBob]

Farmers regularly use counterweights. If you found some cheap at auction, or fitness weights cheap off CL, the front receiver seems a nice place to attach ballast. If I went with #3, I'd probably counterweight the rear somehow.

[Frank Lee]

I wouldn't add weights unless this was imminent...

[discovery]

I like this Idea to put the bike up front and you can still pull the trailer. NICE

[WE3ZS]

My vote is to haul the bike in the bed. It would seem to me that's the choice with the best aero.
Up front seems like it would be pretty aero dirty, but I really like that setup when you trailer. By the way thats a very cool little 5th wheel kamper!
I think a decent amount of the side profile of the bike would still be in the wind above the tailgate if it's on the rear hitch, maybe I'm wrong here, not sure of the carrier/bike height in relation to the tailgate. But if a decent portion of the side of the bike is in play it would seem to me to be kinda dragy.
I think with it in the bed and strapped down real tight (To pull it as low as possible as well as keep it secure.) very little of it will be left in the direct wind, maybe even swing the mirrors down or spin them off. I'm not a big fan of loading/unloading bikes into beds solo so thats something to consider also. With a wide enough ramp it is better but still not fun.
If you have the time before your trip maybe you could do some coast down testing to see which location gives the best results.
What kind of MPG do you see while towing with the pictured setup? I will be seeing my first real highway results with my 6.8 liter V-10 Excursion towing a 28' 9k# Toyhauler in April, 1200+ miles. I will be keeping the speed down, DWL'ing and watching my Ultra-Gauge to make the most of a thirsty situation.

[KamperBob]

Thanks, WE3ZS. Testing all 3 configurations is a good idea of course. (First I have to get the truck back from autobody work.) I have a ScanGauge and have been pondering a good local course.

BTW, I think ABA testing would be awesome if someone had access to a big enough oval track with banked corners. Set cruise control, let wind cancel itself out around the circuit, and add laps if needed to iron out measurement noise. That would rock!

With #1 the handlebars (and I believe at least part of the headlight) would catch air coming over the cab. Also remember that the tailgate probably has to be down. If someone wanted to they could make it kneel by removing one or both wheels, or even just lay the bike flat in the bed for that matter. Those options are not on my table, however.

[Clev]

Agreed. My guess was that having the top of the bike peeking out above the cab is a little more efficient than presenting a jumble of surfaces to the airflow by hanging it off the front. (I also assume that the wheels poke out into the airflow if mounted to the hitch on the front or back.)

[KamperBob]

Yes, the bike is 81.5" long (spec) so both wheels poke out some inches from the truck when carrier cross wise. However, of the options #3 does allow opportunity for an aero cap (cheap 1-off using scraps) for wake cleanup. Normally the back of a truck is low fruit but plowing with a less ideal nose could be an overshadowing handicap...

[aerohead]

Bob,if you haven't seen World's Fastest Indian,take a look at how Burt Munro pulled his bike behind his car in New Zealand.The front wheel is removed and the axle engages a receiver on the rear bumper.The bike rides on its rear wheel ( you could pull the master link and remove the chain for towed travel ).
Not as 'handy' but the bike is essentially embedded within the existing wake turbulence of the truck and presents zero frontal area of its own.
PS It's also the basis for a 1-wheel trailer.

[KamperBob]

Hey, Phil. That was a great movie. That must have been the beach scene. He had the bike crated going to the airport. Once stateside his breakdown en route to Bonneville featured a home-made trailer memorable by his chaffing a log crutch after the wheel fell off. You can buy a front wheel mount that fits a receiver, or make one yourself easily enough. It's another option all right. I'd really love to hear your thoughts amongst the presented 3 multiple choice answers.

[euromodder]

Putting it on the front will ruin whatever streamline the truck has.
Putting it in the bed means you can't cover the bed and/or close the tailgate, both of which would help the aero.
I'd put it on the rear where the aerodynamics are ruined anyway.