Towing motorbikes/scooters what you need to know ? HELP PLEASE

[Hymer22]

I think i'm going back to the drawing board on this question. So any advise please add your two pennys worth. From what i have read you need to know what weight you can legally tow. So you subtract the maximum authorised weight from the gross train weight, in my case that will be 6000kg - 4500kg =1500kg. Also need to know what weight the rear axle will take ? I took our mh to get weighed on Friday unlaiden it was 3900kg. Front axel was 1940kg and rear 1960kg. No1 on the vin plate is 2300kg and No2 is 2500kg. Now i'm guessing i need to get the MH weighed again fully loaded to see what those figures are so see what i have left over to be able to legally tow. Im new to all this so please go easy i just want a full understanding of what is required.

So I have been looking at trailers first just to see what is out there. My biggest issue is reversing with a normal pivot trailer on the back as basically you cant see it in your mirrors. So when i saw the Easylifter HT trailer, its fixed to the back of the MH and is on castors so makes reversing so much easier, i thought i was onto a winner. The problem is the bike i would like to get is a big lump 277kg wet weight. From another thread i put out yesterday one of you has mentioned this trailer will not cope with the 277kg its limited to 250kg. So now it looks like change the bike to something lighter or look at another trailer that will handle the weight, motolug se being one of them, max bike weight of 350kg. Problem is that is back to the pivot trailer ?

I also read a nice piece by one of you regarding towing motorbikes. His comments mentioned not putting a cover on the bike as it will reck the paint with all the flapping. He also mentioned that having a bike on the back of a MH it gets totally messed up in the rain, hence why he bought a box trailer to keep his bike and kit clean. This all makes sense but now i have a big box trailer which i dont really want. Im after a trailer that will collapse down for storage at home. I really want to hear your take on towing a motorbike/scooter. Let me learn from your mistakes

 

[David and Sally]

I have a Motolug HDE. It’s a very good trailer but you are correct about covers flapping and the bike getting cruddy. At least with a trailer you won’t have to worry about axle loading as the nose weight will only be about 50kg depending on what bike and how it is loaded. I had to take the panniers off my Tiger 800 as they made the trailer nose light but I left the top box on as I could see that in the rear view camera which helped reversing and judging overtakes.
Only complaints about the trailer is that the brightwork on the light boards and front reflector spars gets tarnished/dull very quickly.
The other things are that I compress the springs on the bike by hauling down on the ratchet straps to stop the bike bouncing and only use closed shackles into the trailer strap points to stop the fittings jumping out.
Overall I am very pleased with the trailer and it’s easy to store at home or in the garage of the Moho when away ( although I did just padlock it to the Moho most times.)

 

[Hymer22]

I have a Motolug HDE. It’s a very good trailer but you are correct about covers flapping and the bike getting cruddy. At least with a trailer you won’t have to worry about axle loading as the nose weight will only be about 50kg depending on what bike and how it is loaded. I had to take the panniers off my Tiger 800 as they made the trailer nose light but I left the top box on as I could see that in the rear view camera which helped reversing and judging overtakes.
Only complaints about the trailer is that the brightwork on the light boards and front reflector spars gets tarnished/dull very quickly.
The other things are that I compress the springs on the bike by hauling down on the ratchet straps to stop the bike bouncing and only use closed shackles into the trailer strap points to stop the fittings jumping out.
Overall I am very pleased with the trailer and it’s easy to store at home or in the garage of the Moho when away ( although I did just padlock it to the Moho most times.)

Hi David thanks for taking the time to give me feedback. How often do you take the bike with you ? I like the idea of the freedom it gives you when on site, or am i missing something ? Not had a motorbike for 26 yrs so maybe a mid life crisis going on here !! I had 30 plus bikes years ago but when the kids arrived i decided to get rid of them. I really like the burgman 650 but it is a big bike . Just trying to justify it over a smaller model ?

 

[Manic]

You could get a covered trailer and bolt a channel for wheels to the floor but the issue then is having a ramp long enough to make loading easy

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[Hymer22]

You could get a covered trailer and bolt a channel for wheels to the floor but the issue then is having a ramp long enough to make loading easy

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Thanks Manic

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[David and Sally]

Hi David thanks for taking the time to give me feedback. How often do you take the bike with you ? I like the idea of the freedom it gives you when on site, or am i missing something ? Not had a motorbike for 26 yrs so maybe a mid life crisis going on here !! I had 30 plus bikes years ago but when the kids arrived i decided to get rid of them. I really like the burgman 650 but it is a big bike . Just trying to justify it over a smaller model ?

We took our Xmax300 quite a few times but later we went toad with our Toyota Aygo. We had the choice depending on where and when we were going.
If you are comfortable on a motorbike and don’t mind carrying the gear then they are a great way to see the sights.
I think a 650 is doable as we did take a Tiger 800 but our Xmax300 was way more manageable and perfectly capable two up with full shopping trolley full of groceries ( beer and wine) in the top box and under the seat.

 

[Spriddler]

When I tow my m/bike on a trailer I fit on the back of the bike a vertical bamboo stick with a flag. I can see it in the central windscreen rear view mirror which makes reversing simple.
Without the stick 'n flag I'd only know that the trailer's still there when on roundabouts.

 

[scotzsue]

We use an easilifter and A KTM790 now we no longer have a garage,, the thing I like best is it is not like reversing a trailer so just reverse round corners and into parking spaces/pitches without me trying to remember which way to turn the wheel, I have towed and can reverse or could about 30 years ago
the swan neck tow hitch is not suitable for the easilifter fitting which replaces the towball.

 

[Fulham Dave]

Morning Hymer22, I responded in your other thread but will just say that I too had initial issues with the thought of reversing a 4m trailer behind a 9m van. However, if you are patient, practice it does get easier. Also, if I have an issue, or the area is too tight to reverse, I just unhook, which takes less than a minute, and push the trailer, which is easy.

We looked at covered trailers with ramp, but the cost was a bit prohibitive. So instead, we purchased a used Bateson trailer, added some wheel chocks to hold the trike in place, and then secure using ratchet straps. I then put an Oxford rain Aquatex rain cover over the bike, then a 6m x 4m heavy duty polyethylene cover over that which I secure using bungee cords. We have been towing ours for the past 2 years, it has been to 10 different countries with us and covered over 20,000 miles and we have not had an issue with flapping or marking of the trike.

We have a rear view camera so can keep a check on the trailer / scooter is OK.

 

[stevewagner]

I travel with my scooter in the garage but on a previous motorhome I used a rack on the back. I used a cover on the bike and never had any issues with flapping

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[mofurt]

I also have big, heavy bikes. I'd not towed properly for ages (like 15 years) before I started dragging bikes around. I went to my work at a weekend, when a big car park was empty, and spent an hour practising reversing in straight lines and around corners in both directions - especially using the reversing camera as I can only see a bit of the bike in the rear view mirror.

This is my collapsible trailer. It's ex-RAC, both the RAC and AA used these a while back. It's rated to 350Kg, so the Pan is getting towards the top end but still OK. It collapsed down and will fit inside my car - the longest section is the ladder between the tow bar to the axle beam. It's sturdy, but balancing a bike bike going on and off doesn't get any easier with age (and not helped by my wife being quite nervous of them tipping over when loading bikes, though so far I've never actually dropped one). The ramp it comes with is short and steep. It does work really well with my lighter bikes.

This is the trailer I use more often now, an MSW RoRo.

The party trick of this one is that the wheel channel drops to the ground for loading, using that big bar as a lever (you can get a winch version). You just get a slight slope to roll the bike up, then bump it over the front wheel holder. Both feet are solidly on the ground as you do this, so very safe and easy. This picture is actually worse than normal, as one trailer wheel is on the low pavement so I didn't block the road.

I store this one on its side in the garage; MSW make a dolly to help you move it around like that (it's pretty heavy), I just welded up my own.

If I had room, I'd probably like a box trailer that would allow me to carry both a motorbike and a couple of bicycles.

 

[gus-lopez]

So you subtract the maximum authorised weight from the gross train weight, in my case that will be 6000kg - 4500kg =1500kg.

No you don't, you look at the weight plate to see what is in the "Maximum Train Weight " box. If there is nothing in it you cannot legally tow.

I also have big, heavy bikes. I'd not towed properly for ages (like 15 years) before I started dragging bikes around. I went to my work at a weekend, when a big car park was empty, and spent an hour practising reversing in straight lines and around corners in both directions - especially using the reversing camera as I can only see a bit of the bike in the rear view mirror.

This is my collapsible trailer. It's ex-RAC, both the RAC and AA used these a while back. It's rated to 350Kg, so the Pan is getting towards the top end but still OK. It collapsed down and will fit inside my car - the longest section is the ladder between the tow bar to the axle beam. It's sturdy, but balancing a bike bike going on and off doesn't get any easier with age (and not helped by my wife being quite nervous of them tipping over when loading bikes, though so far I've never actually dropped one). The ramp it comes with is short and steep. It does work really well with my lighter bikes.

View attachment 729060

This is the trailer I use more often now, an MSW RoRo.

View attachment 729062

The party trick of this one is that the wheel channel drops to the ground for loading, using that big bar as a lever (you can get a winch version). You just get a slight slope to roll the bike up, then bump it over the front wheel holder. Both feet are solidly on the ground as you do this, so very safe and easy. This picture is actually worse than normal, as one trailer wheel is on the low pavement so I didn't block the road.

View attachment 729063

I store this one on its side in the garage; MSW make a dolly to help you move it around like that (it's pretty heavy), I just welded up my own.

If I had room, I'd probably like a box trailer that would allow me to carry both a motorbike and a couple of bicycles.

I hope they aren't rubber elasticated things attached to what appear to be chinese straps. If so the rubber bits are illegal.the straps have to secure the bike(load) without movement . The suspension has to be compressed completely so there is no possibility of movement on the straps or chains. & You shouldn't be relying on straps as thin as that to hold a load securely.

 

[mofurt]

Thank you for your concern, but they are properly rated good quality ratchet straps from a good manufacturer, not no-name Chinesium. Everything, including the black webbing tie down loops, has blue tags indicating manufacturer and rating.

 

[bobnick]

Bought a new Motolug mid weight (350Kgs) trailer last year.Not used yet as decided when i got back from our winter break i would be buy a new bike.
New bike bought to be delivered 23rd March.
1st job is to test the bike on the trailer.
Will revert.

 

[activecampers]

We use an easilifter and A KTM790 now we no longer have a garage,, the thing I like best is it is not like reversing a trailer so just reverse round corners and into parking spaces/pitches without me trying to remember which way to turn the wheel, I have towed and can reverse or could about 30 years ago
the swan neck tow hitch is not suitable for the easilifter fitting which replaces the towball.

Surprised a KTM790 will fit! They say its rated for 200kg but what is it mounted to? Tow bar and the chassis mounts are not rated that high?

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[activecampers]

I also have big, heavy bikes. I'd not towed properly for ages (like 15 years) before I started dragging bikes around. I went to my work at a weekend, when a big car park was empty, and spent an hour practising reversing in straight lines and around corners in both directions - especially using the reversing camera as I can only see a bit of the bike in the rear view mirror.

This is my collapsible trailer. It's ex-RAC, both the RAC and AA used these a while back. It's rated to 350Kg, so the Pan is getting towards the top end but still OK. It collapsed down and will fit inside my car - the longest section is the ladder between the tow bar to the axle beam. It's sturdy, but balancing a bike bike going on and off doesn't get any easier with age (and not helped by my wife being quite nervous of them tipping over when loading bikes, though so far I've never actually dropped one). The ramp it comes with is short and steep. It does work really well with my lighter bikes.

View attachment 729060

This is the trailer I use more often now, an MSW RoRo.

View attachment 729062

The party trick of this one is that the wheel channel drops to the ground for loading, using that big bar as a lever (you can get a winch version). You just get a slight slope to roll the bike up, then bump it over the front wheel holder. Both feet are solidly on the ground as you do this, so very safe and easy. This picture is actually worse than normal, as one trailer wheel is on the low pavement so I didn't block the road.

View attachment 729063

I store this one on its side in the garage; MSW make a dolly to help you move it around like that (it's pretty heavy), I just welded up my own.

If I had room, I'd probably like a box trailer that would allow me to carry both a motorbike and a couple of bicycles.

Thats really clever - http://www.mswmotorcycletrailers.com/ - very simple but really clever and fairly priced.

 

[scotzsue]

activecampers know ours is not that weight, and is fine on the easylifter, have been over the weighbridge with it on the back of the Laika, and also were not overweight when carried in the garage of the mizar. The weight is mostly taken on the wheels of the easylifter. John is asleep so can't ask him the exact spec dry weight is 169 k according to spec.

 

[jerryz]

I am actually actively looking for a class B motorhome now that I can fit a Hydralift for one of my bikes for extende Travel up to 4 months at a time , can be Right or LHD , 2 people must have w/c and shower ,, Im looking for reliablity used but up to £40k

 

[bigtwin]

I am actually actively looking for a class B motorhome now that I can fit a Hydralift for one of my bikes for extende Travel up to 4 months at a time , can be Right or LHD , 2 people must have w/c and shower ,, Im looking for reliablity used but up to £40k

Dethleffs tag axle rated at 5,300Kg, £35k?

Ian

 

[PORKSTER]

I bought a second hand hydratrail of this forum. Then went and bought a 300 Piaggio Beverly from another forum member. And set it all up there and then.
Bes decision we ever did but havnt yet taken it abroad. After using both on holiday for a fortnight I replaced tyres wheels and bearings on Hydratrail to be safe also bought spare.

I'm hoping to change the light board to an alloy truck one with led light before I go away.

The scooter had genuine Piaggio cover but sun killed it. But uncovered it's fine and no migrants can hide either.

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[jerryz]

well Im thinking Easylifter /Hedralift with the wheels wll carry my 185kg Ducati monster on my Adria 670st yes the armitage trailer is also a good option but I hate trailers , I have a full sise bike trailer for my car