Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Topic: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you? (Read 873 times) previous topic - next topic

Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

September 11, 2022, 09:26:07 pm

While we have a small enclosed trailer we currently drag with a car inside, I recently bought a motorcycle and was looking to see how you creative guys bring your scooters along with you. I'd rather not have to bring the 22' trailer just for the bike, and I can't get both in the trailer at the same time.

Are some of you towing smaller trailers? Hitch mounted motorcycle racks? What else haven't I even thought of yet?

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #1 – September 11, 2022, 09:56:02 pm

Carrying motorcycles has been discussed in the past, but I don't recall any recent threads. Below is the newest thread I could find. Some of the info may be out of date.

Current Camper Until FT Purchase - Can it Be Toted?

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #2 – September 11, 2022, 10:40:06 pm

Depends on the size of the bike. I saw a GV with a rack on the front with a 250-500cc sized bike on it. There are a couple of stout square tubes behind the two removable panels on GVs to slide a rack into. Others squeeze a medium weight bike across the back and in front of a trailer.

Pierce

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #3 – September 11, 2022, 11:25:30 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – September 11, 2022, 10:40:06 pm

Depends on the size of the bike.

It's a Harley Fat Boy, so just under 700#.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #4 – September 12, 2022, 05:14:55 am

I have a RoadGlide and I wouldn't carry it on this rack even though it would probably hold it just fine. I ended up buying a Vespa to bring with us when we want to run into town or go exploring. Runs 60mph with me and the wife.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #5 – September 12, 2022, 08:58:36 am

We don't have the air suspension so we use a motorcycle trailer. Ours used to be a Starcraft pop up camper, but there are purpose built folding motorcycle trailers you can store against a wall.

Art

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #6 – September 12, 2022, 10:19:57 am

Keith,

I've spent an inordinate amount of time researching this issue, and to me, your best option if you want to bring your car and the bike is to get a Hydralift. I looked long and hard at this option, and while reasonable people can disagree on this, at the end of the day I was not comfortable with the various forces present on the back of the coach. To each their own.

However, imo, the very best option is to get a pickup and put a Loadall ramp (loadall.com) in the bed and put the bike on that. All mechanical, no worries about chassis issues, etc.

Good luck with our decision.

MM

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #7 – September 12, 2022, 10:24:27 am

Here's a couple pics of my setup (hopefully I uploaded the photos properly).

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #8 – September 12, 2022, 03:46:22 pm

Thanks for the ideas guys. Just to say, I know I can't get the car and the bike into the trailer we have now, at the same time. My choice is one or the other if I bring the trailer. I was just interested to see what others were using just for bringing a bike. A smaller enclosed trailer or one of those hitch mounted lifts seems to be the directions I'm considering at this point. Something like the Mighty Hauler:

1000M Motorcycle Carrier Manual Mighty Hauler TM Price 95.00 Patent...

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #9 – September 12, 2022, 04:01:41 pm

We have a 99 Yamaha RoyalStar Boulevard, about 800 lbs.
She looks brand new even though there are 70,000 miles on the odometer.
I would not trailer it unless it was enclosed.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #10 – September 12, 2022, 04:25:54 pm

I built a special 165# scooter to fit my front rack . I'm trying to buy an old Honda VFR to bop around on . It is 509# and will have to go on custom rear rack or custom small trailer .
I can't see hanging 700# back there .
Reality is that we'll tote the scooter on the nose rack and either the Miata or tvr on small trailer. Wife prefers 4 wheels.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #11 – September 12, 2022, 05:13:28 pm

Quote from: Protech Racing – September 12, 2022, 04:25:54 pm

I built a special 165# scooter to fit my front rack . I'm trying to buy an old Honda VFR to bop around on . It is 509# and will have to go on custom rear rack or custom small trailer .
I can't see hanging 700# back there .
Reality is that we'll tote the scooter on the nose rack and either the Miata or tvr on small trailer. Wife prefers 4 wheels.

Post some pictures of your setup. I'd love to see it and the scooter.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #12 – September 12, 2022, 05:29:49 pm

Try these . The scoot is 150cc GY 6 on an old Yamahopper frame . Not sure that I have a pic of the nose rack.
Scoot goes about 54 . Way too fast

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #13 – September 12, 2022, 05:42:58 pm

Quote from: WS6_Keith – September 12, 2022, 03:46:22 pm

Thanks for the ideas guys. Just to say, I know I can't get the car and the bike into the trailer we have now, at the same time. My choice is one or the other if I bring the trailer. I was just interested to see what others were using just for bringing a bike. A smaller enclosed trailer or one of those hitch mounted lifts seems to be the directions I'm considering at this point. Something like the Mighty Hauler:

1000M Motorcycle Carrier Manual Mighty Hauler TM Price 95.00 Patent...

One thing to be mindful of is the clearance based on the length of the trailer tongue and how far back from the coach that motorcycle rack is. I would defer to selling the car and buying a pickup set up with the ramp that dijon has.

Follow-ups
- Holding tank treatment

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #14 – September 13, 2022, 01:30:16 pm

Maybe it wouldn't work for you, but a longer trailer that holds both seems like an easier answer.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #15 – September 13, 2022, 02:26:03 pm

We are only weekenders, and the car is my daily driver, so that's not going anywhere. The only way to bring both would be a larger trailer, which I will consider in the future. The only way to bring just the bike is either the hitch mounted rack or a smaller enclosed trailer just for the bike.

Thanks for the input guys.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #16 – September 14, 2022, 12:06:55 am

I saw this trailer a couple of years ago, held an Harley ultra and a Jeep. It was nice. 26' if I remember correctly with a 5'tongue.

Keith

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #17 – September 14, 2022, 12:31:23 am

The Motorcycle Tow Bracket - Secure Tow, No Stress

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #18 – September 14, 2022, 09:47:50 am

Quote from: WS6_Keith – September 13, 2022, 02:26:03 pm

The only way to bring just the bike is either the hitch mounted rack or a smaller enclosed trailer just for the bike.

If I wanted to bring a motorcycle along as our only towd (no car) I'd go for something like this. Clean, aero, secure, and light.

In fact, I wouldn't mind having one of those to use as a (enclosed) general duty light utility trailer behind our SUV.

1 Bike Flip Top Motorcycle Trailer - Ironhorse Motorcycle Trailers

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #19 – September 14, 2022, 11:36:43 am

Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie – September 14, 2022, 09:47:50 am

If I wanted to bring a motorcycle along as our only towd (no car) I'd go for something like this. Clean, aero, secure, and light.

In fact, I wouldn't mind having one of those to use as a (enclosed) general duty light utility trailer behind our SUV.

1 Bike Flip Top Motorcycle Trailer - Ironhorse Motorcycle Trailers

That bike trailer looks pretty nice.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #20 – September 14, 2022, 12:22:39 pm

Cargo trailer.

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #21 – September 20, 2022, 03:28:03 pm

I was able to carry a can am side by side and a KTM 1290 in a 15'6" cargomate trailer. Required loading bike thru side door using ramps which stowed under the can am. This was an easy to tow setup, worked great. Maybe something like this could work for you. A big advantage in the shiny hardware concealed from prying eyes and everything stayed clean unlike bumper carry for bike...

Re: Have a motorcycle? How do you bring it with you?

Reply #22 – September 20, 2022, 06:02:45 pm

Quote from: Chuck Pearson – September 20, 2022, 03:28:03 pm

I was able to carry a can am side by side and a KTM 1290 in a 15'6" cargomate trailer. Required loading bike thru side door using ramps which stowed under the can am. This was an easy to tow setup, worked great. Maybe something like this could work for you. A big advantage in the shiny hardware concealed from prying eyes and everything stayed clean unlike bumper carry for bike...

In the end, I think this will be my general direction. The 22' trailer I tow now is not big enough for the car and the bike, so it may have to go to make way for something a little bigger that can carry both. I think I may also look at a 7x12 or 7x14 (smallest tandem axle I can find) for when I don't need to bring the car too.

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