Do i or dont i...

[Garry - June]

Having a bit of a dilemma and wonder if anyone can help... I'm seriously considering buying a side loading trailer to carry a Motorcycle on our travels... i really miss not having a bike and presently we use e-bikes to get around....obviously i know the benefits of having a bike but can anyone tell me any negatives they have encountered with this arrangement ..we plan to spend 90 days every 180 touring Europe with our 8.4m tag MH which has a substantial Armitages towbar fitted…

 

[pappajohn]

Higher tolls
Higher ferry prices
Restricted parking in towns
Not sure about Higher tunnel cost.

 

[Odd job]

I have towed a Harley in France never had a problem, no site charged more for the trailer, but we didn't use Aires so not sure about them

 

[68c]

No problem on a secure site, but at an Aire if a villain notices no motorcycle on the trailer they may take that as an indication you will be away for some time.

 

[nicholsong]

No problem on a secure site, but at an Aire if a villain notices no motorcycle on the trailer they may take that as an indication you will be away for some time.

Glue some straw to the trailer floor then it looks as though you use it for the farm not a M/C

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[Lucky]

My only but significant caution would be to consider how easy (or not) it will be to reverse with a trailer attached.

Long vehicles and short trailers are notoriously difficult to reverse without jack-knifing the trailer.

There are a few motorcycle trailers that are designed to address this issue but some owners of these have reported other problems, but they are covered elsewhere on the forum.

 

[Odd job]

I used to drop the trailer when getting on to a pitch, it was light enough to push. I did manage to reverse it when I had a Bongo, but when I got the MOHO and couldn't see the trailer it was not possible

 

[Garry - June]

Jesus...spent the best part of 3 hrs last night reading through the 30 something pages discussing this (Hydra Tail Easy Lifter) on a separate forum last night....an argument that started online about ten yrs ago and still ongoing today....the basic gist of the matter is that the Easy Lifter Hydra Tail may or may not be legal....may or may not flout rules and regulations....but basically nobody is exactly sure as it doesn't fit in to one category or another....the whole concept is unlike anything else out there...its not technically a trailer...but not technically a rack either...until its tested in court nobody knows....does that make using one illegal....well no not technically....certainly not as thing stands...as others have said its similar to the A-Frame argument... it certainly seems a great device and seems to work for what its designed to do.... do i buy one...well still undecided....i have sent pictures of my swan neck bar as the manufacturer says he can make an adaptor to facilitate this....so ill wait and see what he comes back with before deciding... don't really want to go with a conventional trailer as i have concerns with reversing and also we are 8.4m as it stands without a trailer.. wife is justified in asking is it worth all the hassle....and Im beginning to see her point...we have two excellent Ebikes which i have chipped (derestricted) which we happily cruise around on at 20-25mph...so do i just forget the whole idea...... but really miss my Motorbike......... decisions decisions..

 

[jongood]

Get something with a bigger garage and stick a bike in it.

 

[Podney]

Stick to e- bikes.
Less hassle,less money ,less worry,more excercise.

And if Mrs agrees,you get brownie points! You could even negotiate a little extra something or other on the basis you’ve made this giant sacrifice!!

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[Odd job]

I wasn't sure what this type of trailer was, having checked out the you tube video, it looks like a lot of work to load and unload the bike. The trailer I had was easy to use and I think I could have reversed it if I had a camera.

 

[Garry - June]

Get something with a bigger garage and stick a bike in it.

Actually have got a big garage..and maybe if looking at something small like a Suzuki Address or similar i could....but for one I want a full-size bike...and secondly we want to keep our 2 full-size ebikes and SWMBO will not part with her washing machine..

 

[franknjan]

I'm seriously thinking of the Hydratrail method. While recently travelling through Spain, I passed a MoHo with a similar setup. It wasn't hydratrail. Don't know what make it was. It certainly looked the part. Has anyone seen anything similar, or know of any manufacturers on the continent.

 

[Carpmart]

I’m trying to work out if I go for a rack, trailer or hydra tail at the moment... I too saw an alternate one on the back of a Dutch MH in France a couple of years back, so would be interested if their are options!!

Keenly watching for replies!

 

[Wikky]

I’m trying to work out if I go for a rack, trailer or hydra tail at the moment... I too saw an alternate one on the back of a Dutch MH in France a couple of years back, so would be interested if their are options!!

Keenly watching for replies!

There is a French make of side loading trailer which has a double hitch and swivel wheels which allows easy reversing. However....it is very expensive.
I use an Armitage side loading trailer which I adapted with a manual winch and allows easý loading and unloading of a 215Kg bike. I wouldn't reverse far with it though.

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[Nasher]

Problem solved:

 

[franknjan]

Nasher, your set up is ok but you have to remove the bike to do anything in the van. So not quite the answer we are looking for.

 

[Popeye]

Our Frankia is also 8.4 metres without the Bike Rack fitted but I put my 254kg Motorbike in the garage, then put my e-bikes above the tailgate. Works well. We find that we will stay on one site longer and use the Motor-Bike to get around visiting places of interest where the e-bikes we only use for a 8-12 mile radius.

 

[scotzsue]

Not read through, but we have gone from a 4T motorhome with garage to a 6m 3.5T with an easy lifter. It's bit fiddly but the oftener you set it up the easier it gets and no problems with reversing. Glad we have reversing camera or we wouldn't know it was there.

 

[Tigertom]

Hydra lift are manufactured just down the road from me but Ive seen a few failures reported on various forums and social media.
YO remorque a French manufacturer produce a trailer that can be reversed easily, check out YouTube vids of them. They are expensive trailers but second hand ones are available on Le Bon coin.
I’ve seen both being used and I know which one I would opt for.

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[jongood]

Actually have got a big garage..and maybe if looking at something small like a Suzuki Address or similar i could....but for one I want a full-size bike...and secondly we want to keep our 2 full-size ebikes and SWMBO will not part with her washing machine..

I can get my CL450 in still room for the washing machine ( it is a Morrocan one though)

 

[jongood]

What is it with women and washing machines anyway? I don't take a chainsaw with me

 

[Nasher]

Nasher, your set up is ok but you have to remove the bike to do anything in the van. So not quite the answer we are looking for.

I was joking, although I designed my van so that I can cook, sleep, sit & eat in in it with a bike in situ - a diesel hob/heater & compressor fridge so no gas/naked flames

So yes, I sleep with my motorcycles - but it's a platonic relationship, honest

 

[Yorick]

Glue some straw to the trailer floor then it looks as though you use it for the farm not a M/C

They'll think you have a Harley tractor

 

[Knowledgeseeker]

Having a bit of a dilemma and wonder if anyone can help... I'm seriously considering buying a side loading trailer to carry a Motorcycle on our travels... i really miss not having a bike and presently we use e-bikes to get around....obviously i know the benefits of having a bike but can anyone tell me any negatives they have encountered with this arrangement ..we plan to spend 90 days every 180 touring Europe with our 8.4m tag MH which has a substantial Armitages towbar fitted…

I too am experiencing the exact same dilemma, apart from the choice of trailer that is, I'd prefer a conventional trailer. And my wife is not exactly encouraging the prospect either!

But just like you I really want a full size motorbike with me. What to do? We have a 6.8m PVC and initially I was veering towards a Motolug trailer thinking it would be good to have the option of being able to dismantle it for storage, onsite or at home. I've now dismissed that idea as I can definitely see the need to have to unhitch it at times and manually move the trailer and there are no jockey wheels on the Motolugs. I'm now more inclined towards the Erde type trailer. But something is still stopping me from pulling the trigger on doing it.

We were in Portugal for 10 weeks this year and on many occasions we were in very tight spots which needed careful manoeuvring, very narrow roads, villages etc. and when I think of trying to do that with a trailer.... I'm banking on trying to avoid those sort of problems by more careful route-planning but you can never foresee everything.

Maybe it's just something that has to be done before we can find out if it works for us. I remind myself plenty of other people do it. No different to towing a car around really.

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