What you need to know to choose the best motorcycle dog carrier for sharing the thrill of the ride with your small, medium, or large dog
If you’re one of us who find that everything is better when your dog is with you, then there’s nothing more incredible than bringing your dog on your rides.
A fast growing community of riders bring their dogs on day rides, rallies, camping trips, or cross-country journeys.
Although many riders are now bringing their dog on rides, the manufacturers don’t design motorcycles, trikes, or scooters for it.
A motorcycle dog carrier is what makes riding with your dog possible. But whereas most riding helmets, boots, and jackets differ primarily in quality, motorcycle dog carriers are dramatically different in design and features.
That means motorcycle dog carriers differ widely in how they (1) protect your dog and (2) impact your bike’s natural ride performance.
There’s a whole lot of factors to consider, which we dig into in this article and provide links to additional resources.
As we comb through the carrier options, keep these three key factors in mind. How does the carrier:
- Mount to your motorcycle
- Provide comfort and protection for your dog
- Deliver a thrilling ride experience together
The fun is in the details but we’ve also summarized the key points in this one-page downloadable PDF.
Purpose of this Guide
Our mission at RUFFLY is to help you share the thrill of the ride together.
We do that with the craftsman built K9 Moto Cockpit, which is available in five sizes for dogs up to 120lb | 54kg. We also also offer a Build Guide to help DIY builders make their own home-brew Cockpit-style carrier.
You’ll find loads of information at our website including
- Resource Hub with detailed information, articles, videos, and FAQs about the Cockpit’s design and safety features
- Community Hub to discover how many Cockpit riders there are, where they are in the world, and what they ride.
- GoRUFFLY adventure where our co-Founder Jess is riding around the world with her Swiss Shepherd copilot Whimsy to put K9 Moto Cockpit to the ultimate road test.
The purpose of this Rider’s Guide is to help you consider the options for yourself. Not surprisingly, we believe K9 Moto Cockpit delivers superior safety, comfort, and ride performance. But in this guide, we lay out the options, features, and analysis so you can choose the best motorcycle dog carrier your bike, budget, and riding goals.
We Hate to Say It but…Size Matters a Lot
If you have a small dog, which we define as 20lb | 9kg or less, then there are plenty of motorcycle dog carrier options.
There are many more options because the design challenges are much simpler. For example, most motorcycle luggage can reliably carry a 20lb dog, but not so for a medium (20-45lb | 20-39kg), large (45-85lb | 20-39kg), or jumbo (85-120lb | 39-54kg) size dog.
Carriers for Small Dogs
If you have a small dog, then there are any number of useful reviews with click-baity titles like “Best Motorcycle Dog Carriers for 2025”. These articles often focus primarily or exclusively on small dog carriers because there are so many.
In most cases, the differences between the small dog carriers are minimal. They are mostly differences in quality and finish rather than entirely different design principles.
Most small dog carriers have the appearance of modified motorcycle or airline style luggage. They are made primarily or solely from textiles, include pockets and zippers, and mesh linings. These luggage-style carriers have a semirigid structure made of plastic or light metal rods and minimal or no padding.
The Kuryakyn Grand Pet Palace and the Saddlemen Pet Voyager are good examples of this style of small dog carrier.
We’ll review the Kuryakayn first and then consider the two carriers that have a totally different design and construction: the POW Pet Carrier and Nano size K9 Moto Cockpit.
Kuryakyn Grand Pet Palace
The Grand Pet Palace is made from durable, water-resistant textiles and features several zippered openings and pockets. It is sturdy and functional but in terms of sleek lines and style, the Palace is more PC than Mac. Using the carrier off the motorcycle with the shoulder strap on, it is easily mistaken for airline carry-on luggage.
The Palace provides quite a bit of interior space. This allows the dog to move around freely. That isn’t likely to upset your balance but it’s not a safe design feature. Extra space means that the dog can be thrown around within the carrier during leans and hard stops. The movement can stress the dog and wears the straps, which increases the chance of a failure.
The carrier includes several clips and textile straps for mounting to handrails, a sissy bar, luggage rack, or other load-bearing features.
The Kuryakyn comes with a price tag of nearly $300, which puts it among the more expensive luggage-style small dog carriers.
POW Pet Carrier
The POW Pet Carrier features a friendly design and smooth, Italian curves that match beautifully with Vespas and other scooters.
The hard plastic exterior offers better impact protection than the luggage-style carriers. The rigid structure also holds its shape in a tip-over to keep the dog further from the ground.
The circular opening allows the dog to project their head out. The appearance is insanely cute but it presents a clear safety concern.
The head opening places a rigid edge around the dog’s neck and that edge can become a potential impact point in hard leans, sudden speed changes, or a tip-over.
Also, all fully or partially enclosed carriers trap heat and limit airflow. This can create an oven-like situation when riding in the most common hot, summer conditions.
The POW comes in at $299 and includes a near-universal mounting plate for securing the unit to a variety of luggage racks. It is most commonly used on scooters but broadly compatible with a variety of makes, models, ebikes, and more.
Nano Cockpit
Our Nano size K9 Moto Cockpit provides solutions to the problems identified in the luggage-style and enclosed carriers designs.
It combines rigid impact protection on the outside with a softly padded interior. This design cradles your dog like a vase in a padded crate – or a head inside a padded helmet. We provide more details about these safety principles in the section devoted to K9 Moto Cockpit below.
The roll bar or rail-style frame design permits massive amounts of cooling airflow to ensure safety and comfort on even the hottest riding days.
Nano Cockpit accessories like the SunShield and Rainfly protect against the most extreme weather conditions like harsh sunshine, on the one hand, and cold, rain, and wind on the other.
An important difference between Nano Cockpit and other small dog carriers is the riding position. Most carriers allow the dog to sit or even stand and move freely about.
Nano Cockpit is designed for your dog to lay down and strap in. This improves comfort, safety, and enjoyment.
- Laying down reduces the fatigue and stress that your dog experiences when they struggle for balance in hard leans, stops, and acceleration.
- Laying down is the most comfortable position over long hours of riding and it is safer because your dog is easier to protect when in a more compact posture.
- Laying down maximizes enjoyment because your dog focuses on the incredible stimulation of riding – the sights, sounds, and smells – and then gets their physical exercise at rest stops.
Nano Cockpit features an intelligent mounting system that is universal and customizable to your preference. Openings in the bottom baseplate allow you to secure any type of straps, webbing, or ratchets to your Cockpit. Then secure the straps to your motorcycle just as you would for the luggage-style carriers.
The Nano is available in three Off-The-Shelf colors that ship in three days. Or select the Custom Upholstery model where you choose your vinyl, stitching, and personal branding.
The superior safety design and craftsman build has a higher price tag of $1050.
Sidecars and Trailers for Riding with Your Dog
You might reasonably argue that a trailer or sidecar is not a ‘carrier’.
They are a separate structure that profoundly and fundamentally alters the natural ride geometry of a two-wheel motorcycle, ebike, or scooter.
So, maybe ‘off-motorcycle carrier’ is the more fitting term. Anyway, we’re always up for arguing semantics over a beer or tequila shots, but a trailer or sidecar provides important benefits:
- Highly protective rigid structure
- Can be outfitted with comfortable bedding and allows the dog freedom of movement
- Usually accommodates more than one dog
Trailers and sidecars also have substantial drawbacks that are a total deal-breaker for many motorcyclists. To highlight the pros and cons, we review the popular WAGS Pet Trailer and DMC Economy Classic Sidecar.
WAGS Pet Trailer
The WAGS Pet Trailer features a solid, protective structure with a shapely design and tons of nifty add-ons.
The base price is – gulp – $4,295 and that’s before you add the hitch, doors, windows, vents, or any color paint.
Two wheels provide good stability, but the WAGS rig is heavy. It requires a minimum 650cc engine and creates substantial drag. That means slower acceleration, less responsive braking, and accepting that a minivan or street-cleaner might be your pace car through twisty forest roads.
The WAGS trailer is large and comfortable but it’s hard to argue that your dog is actually sharing the ride with you from way back there. That can cause problems because your dog has no way to tell you when they need something – like a bathroom break.
For this reason, a sidecar is a better option for sharing the ride and keeping tabs on your dog’s needs.
DMC Economy Classic Sidecar
DMC Sidecars is a leading manufacturer of sidecar outfits and they offer a candy store of designs, accessories, and optional extras.
We reviewed the Economy Classic because it has classic styling and it is their least expensive rig with a price tag of $6,496.
Sidecars create stability and provide a considerable amount of additional space for both your dog and your luggage. The stability factor is an important benefit when riding with a larger dog. This is especially valuable for riders who worry about their ability to control a motorcycle whether due to age or skill level.
On the other hand, driving a sidecar requires different skills and techniques. So, it’s likely that you’ll need to take sidecar-specific training.
DMC builds mounting hardware for a wide variety of makes and models, which means it’s a good bet they can fit your bike. Some manufacturers offer universal mounts, but these units require considerable time and expertise to install and fine tune.
Check out this episode of Adventure Rider Radio for a good explanation about the intricacies of adjusting the angles and load distribution to achieve the proper performance from a sidecar outfit.
‘On-Motorcycle’ Dog Carriers for Medium and Large Dogs
So, trailers and sidecars generally offer superior comfort and protection, but they are also expensive, cumbersome, and separate you from your furry ‘copilot’.
Alternatively, ‘on-motorcycle’ carriers bring your dog onto the bike with you but there are dramatic differences in the safety, protection, and how they impact your ride performance.
Four commercial carriers stand out:
The important differences come down to how the carrier:
- Provides comfort and protection
- Mounts to your motorcycle
- Delivers a thrilling ride experience
The price tag is also an important factor but keep this in mind. These carriers differ in the substance of their design – not just in quality or nifty features. That means the price difference is not just a comparison between good vs better, – in some cases, it’s safe vs not safe.
Deemeed X-Large Capsule
The X-Large Capsule is a upsized version of Deemeed’s small dog carriers.
The Capsule is a luggage-style design with lightweight steel bars to reinforce the shape. The structure provides minimal impact protection and the textile panels do not include padding or cushion to protect the occupant.
Importantly, the textile panels can be unzipped and rolled down to expose a mesh liner. This allows essential airflow for summer riding because otherwise the black enclosed structure can trap a dangerous amount of heat.
The large footprint permits a considerable degree of free movement. This means that your medium or large dog can disturb your balance when it moves from side to side. The free movement likewise poses a safety risk of your dog being thrown around in aggressive riding or a get-off.
The X-Large Capsule accommodates dogs up to 80lb | 36kg and is the most economically priced medium and large dog option at $505.
The Beast Rider
The Beast Rider is a low-profile bucket seat-style carrier that requires a sissy bar or backrest for mounting.
The bucket seat design requires the dog to remain seated upright throughout the ride. The upright seated position is just fine for short stretches but becomes uncomfortable for older dogs and during longer rides. Your dog might be able to curl up in the laying position if you opt for a large enough unit.
According to Beast Rider, dogs sit sideways rather than front-to-back and every dog chooses a favorite side they prefer to face. When positioned on the passenger seat (versus the luggage rack), the ride geometry is pretty comparable to a human passenger.
The unit comes in three sizes with price tags ranging from $819 to $959 plus extras and each comes with a leather harness. The Beast Riders are built-to-order and the build time is advertised at 14-16 weeks.
The Ruff Rack
The Ruff Rack is a custom built all-steel carrier with a variety of custom sizing options available.
The steel bars produce a partial roll-cage for effective impact protection against external hazards. The partial rail-style enclosure extends the profile higher to accommodate the dog riding in the seated position.
The partial roll-cage conforms snuggly around the dog. This is important because it prevents them from swinging wildly from side-to-side before impacting the bars in a crash situation. Nevertheless, the carrier itself represents a direct potential contact hazard to the dog, which would be avoided if the roll bars were padded like in an ATV or Jeep.
The Ruff Rack includes a rubber floor mat and connection points for securing harness restraints. The optional hinged gate also includes a padded backrest to improve the rider’s comfort.
Custom sizing options are available for two dogs or to allow for a larger footprint that accommodates laying down, which is safer and more comfortable. Each unit is custom-designed with optional mounting brackets through a series of text messages with the owner-fabricator.
Ruff Rack pricing starts at $990 and build times are listed as 8-10 weeks after completing an unspecified waitlist period.
Rowdy Hound
The Rowdy Hound is an enclosed-style kennel that can be mounted to the Harley-Davidson touring models.
This carrier includes several attractive features:
- Quick-release system
- Sleek lines and appearance
- Sliding top with waterproof closure
The sleek lines and stylish design makes the Rowdy Hound the most attractive travel kennel ever mounted to a motorcycle.
Being a ‘travel kennel mounted to a motorcycle’ is also its major drawback. It weighs a whopping 50lb | 23kg measures 2ft x 3ft x 2ft | 61cm x 91cm x 61cm.
This large footprint and tall profile accommodates dogs up to 60lb | 27kg or as much as 75lb | 34kg for some compact breeds.
This enclosed-style carrier provides impact protection against external hazards but also presents important safety concerns.
Enclosed-Style Carrier
The enclosure is fully waterproof, which is useful in a rainstorm. For the rest of the time, the black color and enclosed design traps enormous heat and restricts ventilation.
For this reason, sliding the top open is essential to keep the dog cool for safety and comfort. On the other hand, the partially open enclosure places hard, unpadded edges and sidewalls near the dog’s unprotected head and neck.
This exposes the dog’s head and neck to the possibility of repeated impacts against the carrier itself during normal leans and certainly in an emergency stop or crash.
Likewise, it’s not uncommon that dogs can feel trapped and stressed inside a travel kennel. To help acclimate your dog, the purchase includes an instructional course for a 2-6 week desensitization program.
The Rowdy Hound comes in two colors and has a price tag of $2000 without mounting or $2499 with the Harley-Davidson Tour Pak mount. The 2-up mounting position places the kennel behind the rider while the ‘3-up’ position accommodates a human passenger as well. At 50lb | 23kg, expect even the unloaded kennel to product a notable impact on the ride geometry in the 3-up position.
Mounting options are not available for other makes or models. Shipping within the U.S. is free but international shipping is not available.
Pillion Pooch
The Pillion Pooch gives the distinct impression of mounting a prominent, dog-sized camping tent to your motorcycle.
The 35lb | 16kg unit consists of a ridged, box-shaped lower half with a tent-like structure overhead. The profile is large but not particularly top heavy since the upper structure is composed of rails.
The waterproof vinyl covering protects your dog from foul weather but the enclosure is prone to trap heat even with the front flap fully open.
Mounting the Pillion Pooch requires a luggage rack that can support the carrier plus the weight of your dog. Mounting over the luggage rack and the wide-instead-of-long footprint means you can accommodate a human passenger. However, distributing the full load behind the passenger seat will produce considerable impact on the motorcycle’s ride geometry.
The Pillion Pooch features an overhead anchor for harnessing your dog in with a strap and carabiner. This prevents the dog from leaping or ejecting but it allows a considerable freedom of movement.
Freedom of Movement
At first glance, freedom of movement seems like a good thing. You dog gets to stretch their legs, move about, and remain limber.
On the other hand, freedom of movement can stress your dog as they fight for balance and presents other safety risks.
- Losing balance means being tossed or jostled about in tight turns or under poor road conditions.
- Striking the unpadded rails and harness anchor means the carrier itself presents a hazard in a crash situation.
- Medium and large dogs dramatically disrupt your balance, especially at slow speeds, when free to move around.
The Pillion Pooch accommodates one or two dogs weighing up to 65lb | 30kg. The starting price is $1,057, although all models were listed as ‘sold out’ at the last updating of this article.
K9 Moto Cockpit
Our own craftsman built K9 Moto Cockpit is a tubular steel frame carrier that delivers rigid and cushioned protection along with an authentic, open-air ride experience.
The padded roll bars deliver protection against external hazards while cushioning the interior. This proven safety design applies the principles of a riding helmet – hard and impact resistant on the outside and softly padded on the inside.
The Cockpit places the dog – or copilot – in a natural, semi-curled laying position. This maintains a low profile and center of gravity for the most natural ride performance.
It also maximizes the dog’s enjoyment because they are physically relaxed and comfortable to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells without impacting your balance.
Benefits of the Design
The many benefits of the Cockpit’s long, low, and narrow design including:
- Comfortable position so your dog can relax for comfortable rides
- The passenger seat carries the heaviest load: the dog’s head, torso, and front paws
- Low-profile that complements your motorcycle’s sleek appearance
- Natural ride geometry that’s similar to riding with a light passenger and top case
Options, Models, and Features
K9 Moto Cockpit is craftsman built and upholstered and available in five sizes for dogs as large as 120lb | 54kg.
Off-The-Shelf models are available in three classic styles – black, stonewash, and light grey – and ship in three business days. Alternatively, the Custom Upholstery model allows the rider to design their own style and appearance. The options include: vinyl, stitching, cushion design, with or without reflective ribbon, and personal branding.
Both Off-The-Shelf and Custom Upholstery models include an original, unmodified baseplate. The rider drills the bolt holes necessary to install the Cockpit to the motorcycle’s luggage rack or other weight-bearing feature.
In addition to the personalized upholstery selection, the Custom Upholstery + Mounting model includes mounting hardware for installing to your motorcycle, ebike, scooter, or snowmobile.
We design the custom mounting hardware according to your bike, your preferences, and aftermarket accessories through a simple do-it-together online process. The three-step process usually takes 60-90 minutes of the rider’s time and is described in more detail here.
The Off-The-Shelf model ships in 3 days with a price tag of $1750 for the Mini size. The Custom Upholstery model is ready in 3 weeks at the same price while the Custom Mounting model ships in 5 weeks and adds $300.
K9 Moto Cockpit is also available in two 2-Pup sizes and we have supported numerous riders to mount their Cockpit in the 2-Up+Pup position, which accommodates a human passenger as well.
Cockpit Accessories and Future-Proofing
A variety of cockpit accessories and add-ons equip you for whatever adventure you want to have.
K9 Moto Harness is purpose-built for securing your copilot in at the front and rear to avoid ejecting and somersaulting, and to remain comfortably protected inside the Cockpit at all times.
The SunShield and Rainfly provide protection and comfort no matter what weather conditions you encounter.
Luggage Loops provide integrated MOLLE-based webbing to secure gear along the Cockpit’s exterior.
Your craftsman built K9 Moto Cockpit is a once-for-a-lifetime heritage product. You’ll share the thrill of the ride together over many years and miles, and then pass it forward to each future generation of copilot.
Options exist to refresh the personal branding, the cushion, or the entire set of upholstery.
Likewise, the aluminum baseplate is easy to retrofit, remove, and replace. That means you can drill out new bolt holes for mounting when you get a new bike, scooter, or snowmobile. Or we build and ship you a new set of custom mounting hardware for your original heritage Cockpit.
Price, Safety, and a Quality Outcome
Only you – the rider and consumer – gets to decide where the best value for your money lies.
There is no objectively ‘inexpensive’ carrier for a medium or large dog to ride on a motorcycle. The reason is simple: the motorcycle isn’t designed for a dog’s physiology and carrying a big dog safely is hard to do.
Sidecars and trailers do it but fundamentally change the ride geometry and experience, at least for two-wheel motorcycles. They also separate you from your dog as the passenger rather than your ‘copilot’. They are also large and expensive.
Instead, an ‘on-motorcycle’ carrier doesn’t require you to fundamentally alter your motorcycle setup. They are smaller, which maybe makes us think they should be substantially cheaper. Although smaller, lighter helmets that protect as well as the big, clunky ones cost a whole lot more.
So keep in mind that a pair of saddlebags or aluminum panniers and rack can easily cost $1500. Likewise, helmet, gloves, boots, jacket, and pants costs the same or much more. Your big dog needs both – to be carried like luggage and protected like a rider.
Carrying and protecting your copilot while maintaining the thrilling, natural performance of your motorcycle – that’s what the value for money is of a good motorcycle dog carrier.
The Best Motorcycle Dog Carrier for You
We know you want a clear, definitive answer, but this is a rider’s guide not a matchmaking app.
We are convinced that the analysis is clear. K9 Moto Cockpit delivers the safest, most comfortable, and thrilling ride experience for most dogs, riders, and motorcycles. That’s because the design emphasizes quality, performance, safety, and appearance.
It’s made possible by an uncompromising emphasis on craftsmanship and adherence to superior design. It’s a top-shelf, boutique carrier with a corresponding price tag, but nor is it the most expensive option.
We’ve laid out the information and now the decision is yours to make. So, head back to the Comparison Chart for a helpful review of the appearance, performance features, and prices.
Additional Resources
We hope you found this Rider’s Guide helpful. As the next step in your decision process, we recommend checking out the Gear Guide review video for the K9 Moto Cockpit and the Nano Cockpit. Then take a deeper dive with this Gear Guide article. Check out our GoRUFFLY Around the World adventure to see the Cockpit put to the ultimate road test. For more information and to begin your K9 Moto Cockpit adventure click here.
