Motorcycle tow rack with yaw brace for a receiver hitch

A motorcycle tow rack for mounting to a receiver hitch, comprising:

• a receiver hitch post having a forward portion for fitting within the receiver hitch, and reward portion defining a pivot post;
• a rack frame having a receiver sleeve pivotally secured to said pivot post, and having a mast which extends vertically upwards;
• two stabilizer bars having forward ends which are pivotally secured to the receiver hitch, and rearward ends which are pivotally and slidably secured to opposite sides of said rack frame;
• two lower arms which are secured to the tow rack frame and which extend rearward to provide a cradle for receiving a forwardly disposed wheel of a motorcycle;
• tie down members which are secured to the tow rack frame and the motorcycle frame, and secure the forwardly disposed wheel to said two lower arms defining said cradle;
• two clamp plates mounted to said two lower arms in spaced apart alignment for clamping to opposite sides of the forwardly disposed wheel of the motorcycle;
• and
• two clamp arms mounted to said two lower arms, in spaced apart alignment for clamping to opposite sides of a lower portion of the forwardly disposed wheel of the motorcycle.

A motorcycle tow rack for mounting to a receiver hitch, comprising:

• a receiver hitch post having a forward portion for fitting within the receiver hitch, and reward portion defining a pivot post;
• a rack frame having a receiver sleeve pivotally secured to said pivot post, and having a mast which extends vertically upwards;
• two stabilizer bars having forward ends which are pivotally secured to the receiver hitch, and rearward ends which are pivotally and slidably secured to opposite sides of said rack frame;
• two lower arms which are secured to the tow rack frame and which extend rearward to provide a cradle for receiving a forwardly disposed wheel of a motorcycle;
• tie down members for securing the forwardly disposed wheel to said two lower arms defining said cradle;
• yaw braces extending between a frame of the motorcycle and a steering assembly the motorcycle, to secure the front wheel of the motorcycle in substantially fixed relation to the frame of the motorcycle;
• two clamp plates mounted to said two lower arms in spaced apart alignment for clamping to opposite sides of the forwardly disposed wheel of the motorcycle;
• wherein said two clamp plates have threaded bushings mounted thereto, said threaded bushings being aligned for receiving opposite ends of a threaded rod having threads of opposite angular alignment on said opposite ends, such that rotation of said threaded rod in a first angular directions moves said clamp plates apart and rotation of said threaded rod in an opposite angular direction moves said clamp plates closer together to clamp on opposite sides of the forwardly disposed wheel of the motorcycle;
• said two clamp plates each have at least one bearing defined therein, mounted to at least one rod for slidably engaging said at least one rod to move said clamp plates in parallel in response to rotation of said threaded rod;
• two clamp arms mounted to said two lower arms, in spaced apart alignment for clamping to opposite sides of a lower portion of the forwardly disposed wheel of the motorcycle;
• said two clamp arms being mounted to said two lower arms by respective linkages which are pivotally connected to respective ones of said two lower arms;
• two scissor links which are pivotally connected together at central portions thereof, said scissor links having rearward ends which are pivotally connected to respective ones of said two clamp arms and having forward ends which are connected to threaded bushings, said threaded bushings being threadingly secured to opposite end sections of a threaded rod, wherein said opposite ends sections have threads which extend in opposite angular directions than said threads of said other opposite end section;
• a shuttle brace having at least one brace member which extends on opposite sides of the forwardly disposed wheel of the motorcycle, said brace member being slidably moveable from a rearward position to a forward position for slidably receiving the forwardly disposed wheel into said cradle defined by said two lower arms and supporting the motorcycle in a substantially upright position;
• and
• bearings rotatably mounted to said shuttle brace for slidably securing said shuttle brace to respective ones of said two lower arms, and a return spring for urging said brace member into said rearward position.