Big bike / little bike (1 Viewer)

[Vic]

Can I please have your thoughts on this matter.
I want to take a form of motorised two wheeled transport with me the next we go away to France/Europe. I have narrowed it down to two options. The first is to get a 125/200cc scooter and mount it on a towbar rack or a chassis mounted rack (the total weight of rack, towbar and scooter cannot exceed 200kgs). The other option is to get a 400/600cc scooter/motorcycle (220kgs)and use an Easylifter Hydra trail. I do NOT want to tow a conventional trailer.
I have checked axle/gross/train weights etc and if I opt for the first option then I will have to increase the gross weight via SV Tech - its just a paper exercise with no modifications etc (already checked).
For those who do, what do you take with you, how do you carry it and why?
Thanks in advance,
Vic :thumb:

 

[pappajohn]

i assume you checked the actual rear axle weight while fully loaded in holiday trim with all passengers aboard and have you checked the maximum allowable download on your towbar ?

i used to tow a small car.....no loss of payload (well, a couple of kg for the A frame download) and within train weight.
then a 200kg scooter on a trailer.....minimal loss of payload (20kg at most due to trailer noseweight)

 

[Vic]

Oh yes, I have done all that. Van fully laden, water tank filled etc and weighed at local weighbridge, thats why I know I have to uprate the van's gross weight. Without that increase I am close to the original gvw (80kg), but more than sufficient on the rear axle (400kg).

Vic

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[Scotties]

Big bike, little bike ...

Hi Vic, we do both. Hope the following gives you some of the advantages / disadvantages.

Little bike, easier to load/unload, perfect for local exploring, shopping etc.

Big bike means a longer rig and not as easy to manoeuvre esp on European sites, parking etc. Another pair of wheels to wear or puncture. More of a faf to load/unload plus finding somewhere to keep the Hydratrail (plus jack spare wheel etc) padlocked up. Higher ferry etc cost, lower speed limits. The main advantages are it's better for venturing further afield, better on busy roads, bigger top box for shopping, overnighting etc.

Normally we take the small bike when travelling, ie tending to spend only a few days on each site. If planning to stay somewhere for a few weeks (or going to a m/c rally) then we take the big one.

With the smaller bike we often do up to 100miles a day exploring and although we have used a 125 (including climbing Alpine off-road goat trails) something like 200 - 250 is a better bet.

You will make your own decision and personally I would go 'stir crazy' without a bike on board.

Richard

 

[Toffs-G]

Just been chatting to my neighbour and apparently his friend who has an MH has just bought a couple of electric bicycles that can do 20 miles apparently - guess it depends what you are using it for if it is just local short trips etc

Just a thought

 

[Jaws]

racked up 27 miles on my electric bike at the Peterborough show weekend !
I new they did well but was bloody amazed at this !

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[barryd]

Ours is a 100cc Peugeot Speedfight II two stroke and it goes on a rack. To be honest I sometimes wish I had a bigger bike but it's fine for both getting in and out of towns, shopping and for a whole day out touring perhaps up to 100 miles in a day. You do ache a bit after that sort of distance though. Thing is the vans doing all the long distance travelling where you would need a big bike to get to where your going, once you arrive at an area your just tootling out for the day really.

We took ours up to the snow line at 7500ft in the Pyrenees last spring, I thought its little piston was going to come through the handle bars but it made it, albeit down to around 25 mph on the steep bits.

I'm no lightweight and it got us up and down 30% (1 in 3) gradients last summer in Cornwall and Devon no bother.

If you think you will be able to afford 200KG for a rack and bike thats quite a lot to play with. Say your rack is 50KG, 150KG will give you a lot of range up to 250cc probably. Our Peugeot is just 95KG and we are about on the limit. I did get an uprated axle fitted last year but I haven't bothered to do the paper work to take the van up to 3850KG as I prefer to keep it below 3500.

I certainly couldnt be arsed towing anything or indeed using that rack with wheels. Go for a proper rack if you can.

 

[Vic]

Thank you for your replies. I have decided that less is more and have got a 125cc Honda scooter. Now to sort out the towbar, rack and weight update, its all go.
Thanks again,

Vic

 

[barryd]

Thank you for your replies. I have decided that less is more and have got a 125cc Honda scooter. Now to sort out the towbar, rack and weight update, its all go.
Thanks again,

Vic

Not sure where you are but iif you want a good job doing these are they guys to talk to.

http://www.armitagetrailers.com/motorhomes.htm

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