Towing a scooter on trailer (1 Viewer)

steveclecy

Free Member
Jun 10, 2009
880
580
Wirral
Funster No
7,066
MH
C Class
Exp
Since June 2009
Any MH'ers out there who tow a scooter, or indeed any motorcycle, on a trailer? I would be interested to hear of your experiences.

We are considering selling one car, and buying a 200cc Suzuki Bergman, or 250cc Yamaha X-Max 250, which would enable me to commute about 10 miles each way per day two or three days per week, and would provide us with a capability of shopping and sight-seeing without the MH when on our travels. Peugeot produce a 250cc Satelis which is quite a bit lighter, but the new prices are not as competitive as the equivalent Suzuki and Yamaha.

I am particularly interested in your trailer solution. I see that Link Removed manufacture a lightweight single motorcycle trailer. What concerns me a little is the positioning "fore and aft" on the trailer to get a good noseweight for stable towing without overloading the rear axle.

The trailer has a GVW of 300 kg. Its unladen weight is 60 kg, which gives a good carrying capacity of 240 kg. However, I am also concerned that a 175 kg bike may "underload" the suspension and allow the trailer to bounce. I could always ballast it up, I suppose, if that happens, but don't fancy that as a solution.

Any experience or thoughts would be appreciated.

Steve
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,202
48,792
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
i have a 400cc bergman and a bike traler.

the trailer has 550kg suspension units (bought new so not soft) and wieghs around (i think) 60kg-ish unladen.
the bergman is just under 200kg kerb weight.
i make that 190kg 'light' on the suspension.

towed on A roads and Motorways at upto 70mph:Blush: and have never had any 'bounce' except on very uneven roads, potholes etc.

only ever had one strap come loose twice in one trip....my fault for not tightening properly.

BTW...the bergman may be up for sale very soon.
 
OP
OP
steveclecy

steveclecy

Free Member
Jun 10, 2009
880
580
Wirral
Funster No
7,066
MH
C Class
Exp
Since June 2009
Gosh, that was quick. Interested to hear of your experience. 550 kg is quite a high capacity, so that sounds good for a lower capacity trailer.

Please keep me posted about your Bergman, although it is a larger engine than I intended. (Still, you can never have enough cc, can you?!)

Steve

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,202
48,792
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
Gosh, that was quick. Interested to hear of your experience. 550 kg is quite a high capacity, so that sounds good for a lower capacity trailer.

Please keep me posted about your Bergman, although it is a larger engine than I intended. (Still, you can never have enough cc, can you?!)

Steve

my thoughts exactly when i built the trailer.

why build one to suit a specific bike when the bike may be changed for a much heavier one in the future.

this one will probably cope with a Goldwing/Espancade or even a large Harley Davidson.....not that i'd ever want one:winky:

the Bergman is an 05 reg AN5 model.
tax and test 'til may next year.
without looking i think 39,000 miles.
comes with a GIVI rack and removable top box.

not 100% on selling yet but in the region of £1300 if i do.

it'll be advertised on here first and posted as such.
 
OP
OP
steveclecy

steveclecy

Free Member
Jun 10, 2009
880
580
Wirral
Funster No
7,066
MH
C Class
Exp
Since June 2009
What an interesting concept the EZ Scooter trailer is. Slightly restrictive in towing capacity, but it looks like it does not articulate, with the road wheels castering to allow it to turn, or have I got that wrong?

But no price listed. That sounds a bit scary....

Steve

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,202
48,792
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
Here is my shortlist

Link Removed

and

Link Removed

hi autoquest,

the pheonix doesnt give a load capacity and without that its pretty much hit and miss.....i dont trust folding trailers either but thats my choice:thumb:
i only just trust my folding ramp and that has a 350kg max rating.

the Eze-tow is rated at 150kg which isnt very much unless you have a small scooter/bike.....and if i remember right at one of the shows they were in the region of £600.:Eeek:
steves looking at a bike at 175kg.
 

Forestboy

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 31, 2007
5,023
8,338
Forest of Dean
Funster No
46
MH
A Class Hymer B694 tag
Exp
9
I tow this Link Removed behind my RV it is good up to 80mph very well balanced and over engineered. We carry either a 1300 FJR Yamaha 260kgs or a 650 Kawasaki Versys 180kgs. The trailer is fully adjustable so you can get the balance just right, I have 2 settings marked one for each bike. It is so well balanced Jan can wheel it around on her own with the Kawasaki loaded on it. Also I can load and unload (Kawasaki only) without being hooked up to the towbar, makes life so much easier when on a site. It also has the added benefit of folding in half so easy to store when camped if need be.I bought his trailer expecting to do at least 20k miles with it, not sure the lightweight ones are up to that. and I looked at a dozen or so before I bought his one.
Good luck:thumb:
 

Autoquest

Free Member
Oct 13, 2008
389
36
Small EU backwater
Funster No
4,406
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2007
The ezetow is still in development with regards to a higher weight category for motorbikes, I have been speaking to Micheal Hunt who is making them with a view to buying one but sadly he is a little poorly at the moment - The price is a little eye watering at £1100 though,

The trailer is fixed at the two outboard ends which means that reversing it ceases to be a problem, check out the video

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqo8y9m3y4o]YouTube - 20090609120407[/ame]

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Forestboy

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 31, 2007
5,023
8,338
Forest of Dean
Funster No
46
MH
A Class Hymer B694 tag
Exp
9
Wow that looks brilliant no need to even unhook.
Easylifter have something similar which was on show back in January but is still not in production.
 

N&K

Free Member
May 26, 2008
220
42
Berkshire
Funster No
2,836
MH
Swift Sundance 630L
Exp
5
Hi

We have an Erde CH 750, which has a 750 gross weight which is about 550kg pay load. The trailer takes upto 3 bike channels, we only use one. There is a whole range of accessories for the trailers, ramps, spare wheels etc.

We bougth ours from http://www.indespension.co.uk/ they were very helpful and even gave advice on strapping the bike on.

Here is the CH750 without any bike channels on:
Link Removed

Here is a bike channel:
Link Removed

Accessories here

but they also do a 450 and 330, smaller trailers, this is probably the one you mentioned:

Link Removed

listed here on Western Towing Web Site. The indespension web site doesnt seem to be working at the moment

We have towed our bike all over, Italy , Spain etc, no problems at all. I shared your concerns about overloading the trailer or at least being close to the capacity of the trailer, for this reason I decided to get a slightly bigger trailer with a better pay load so ensure it would with stand hitting potholes on Continential roads and in case we bought a second bike. The trailer is very solid to tow, positioning the bike is fine. Having no sides and only a frame makes it very easy to add load straps where suitable.

I have a picture of our bike on the trailer, but not on this computer, I'll upload it to show you the trailer in action if it helps.

This year in Germany, i saw a very interesting trailer which seemed to collapse to the ground allowing you to simply ride the bike on a ground level then the whole trailer lifted with two rams, i wrote down the make but lost it.

cheers

N&K
 
Last edited:

N&K

Free Member
May 26, 2008
220
42
Berkshire
Funster No
2,836
MH
Swift Sundance 630L
Exp
5
I have a Pheonix trailer for my 240 kilo BMW K1200S
Link Removed

Thats a neat looking trailer. Always interested to see how other people strap their bikes on too, you do it very similar to me. My bike is also 250Kg, I have a small mountain of Loads straps.
 
OP
OP
steveclecy

steveclecy

Free Member
Jun 10, 2009
880
580
Wirral
Funster No
7,066
MH
C Class
Exp
Since June 2009
Thanks to everyone who has contributed. Frankly, although I like the concept, £1100 for the EZTow (if I have got that right) is too much, and too little carrying capacity. I don't actually think I would ever get my wife on board a large bike, and I think a medium capacity scooter will end up as the best compromise, both for my commute and two-up sightseeing/shopping trips.

One thing that perhaps I should have pointed out in my original post is that I would like to store the trailer at home, and in order to do that, I would have to carry it to its storage position (on its side), and I think the 60 kg Erde would be manageable for two adults - if it is too difficult, perhaps we can get something like a skateboard to carry the weight whilst we steer it down the side of the house.

N&K, if you were responding to my point, my concern is more along the lines of UNDERloading as opposed to overloading. I don't want it bouncing over cats eyes and things, which I think could be a greater problem, both to the load and things like the bulbs in the lighting board, than being close to the weight limit

But we have not made our mind up and will watch the forum with interest.

Thanks

Steve

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
C

calypso

Deleted User
i am thinking of getting a trailer, just had a tow bar fitted to the motorhome and now starting to look at trailers for the bike. a harley davidson which weighs approx 350kg. have seen one by www.motolug.com as i have limited storage room.
but to load the bike one must walk it up the trailer feathering the clutch till the front wheel locks. but found one by www.trealestrailers.co.uk that one can push the bike into the wheel-lock then winch it onto the trailer and strap it down single handed, seems the best option at the moment. i was told that the trailers made by van aiken that had airbags that you inflated once the bike was on board. that the air bags deflated whilst the trailer was being towed causing the bike to fall, and get wrecked.
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top