tow bar for bike or trike - help (1 Viewer)

movan

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Can anybody give me any advice - or say don't do it - on having one of those tow bars for a trike that lifts up the front wheel automatically please?

Also, anybody towing trikes/cars how difficult is it compared to driving without one and what do you have to take care over ..... such as when first drive motorhome after a car give plenty of space turning left so back wheels don't go over kerb:Doh:
 

Road Runner

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Have you got a trike?

Is it the one in your avatar?

I have towed a car, caravan and bike trialer no problems
 
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movan

movan

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Yes John. The one in the picture. Just a sec see if I can get link.

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It's like the one in the picture but silver. I have been saving up for ages for a tow bar which I don't have to lift as problem with one arm lifting heavy things.... I am nearly there I think.

BUT I am scared of towing it. When I drove to Carmarthen I imagined I had the bike on the back and believe me I was terrified.... it would have taken me six hours to get there instead of three if I'd had the bike on the back.

Oh, sorry, whilst you are on.... how do you go on if you have to stop off overnight because you can't get where you are going in one go... Do you have to unhook it every time? Complete novic at towing .. oh had a little trailer tent but I was young then so nothing scared me.:Smile:

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Wildman

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sorry Joy lifting the front wheel so it is towed on the rear wheels makes it a trailer the brakes on the rear wheels must then work for it to be legal.) so using a seperate trailer is the easiest way to remain legal. (I think pappajohn has a suitable trailer for sale). You can almost forget a small trailer is there except for reversing. In answer to your other question no you don't have to unhook it if you stop overnight.
 

Road Runner

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WOW thats great, your a bit of a girl aren't you:winky:

Lifting the front wheel on some form of device, will look what thee yanks do.

More to the point overnight how do you secure it to the tow bar rather than unhitch it.
 
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movan

movan

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Thanks Roger, It is an automatic, does that make a difference? The man in the shop said it did.

Because of the operation I had I need something that will lift by air pump or something ... and this one will. Tell you what, I will find out exactly what I am talking about so you can advise me properly. It is over 12 months since the man in the shop explained to me so I will find out info on the 'air pump' bit and come back.

In meantime, help on towing would be much appreciated. thank you.

Poppajohn does yours have an automatic lift up at the front?

I can't have a full trailer as nowhere to store it. Garage too small. Just fits the bike in.:Smile:

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movan

movan

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John I was thinking if stopping overnight on a car park or something. A bit wary of the length allowed on CLs. It's probably one of those things that once you get in and do it, then everything becomes obvious ..... isn't it ..... PLEASE SAY YES.:Sad:
 

Road Runner

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I towed this around for 11000 miles.



If a toad is under 750kg it can be towed with no brakes Roger:winky:
 
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movan

movan

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That link looked similar to the one I was thinking of as easy to store. Not sure what you both mean about the brakes but will go and have another look at the link. Thank you both.

John, do you mean it is easy to tow? Are you aware of a 'pull' on the van when you are towing..... would I know if the bike had come unhitched or turned over on its side!!!:Sad::Eeek:

What about if there is a strong side wind

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Road Runner

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Roger a toad under 750kg do not need to be braked :winky: Car like an axmin can be towed unbraked


Brakes or no brakes?
Small trailer may have no brakes whereas bigger units must have brakes fitted. The law says that a trailer must be fitted with brakes if its maximum weight permitted exceeds 750kg or the kerbweight of the car is less than twice the loaded weight of the trailer. On heavier models, brakes will be fitted as standard but on small models they may well be available as an optional extra. We would always recommend having brakes. Another good piece of advice is never to tow a trailer which when loaded weighs more than 85% of the kerbweight of your car


I am sure other will be along later to confirm this (so wont argue:winky:)


Joy wind would not affect the bike whereas a caravan yes, you would feel the difference if you lost the trailer.
 
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Road Runner

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Roger you might be right re the brakes, when I bought my frame it was not necessary under 750 kg but looking now seems your right:winky:

My tow car was 1100kg so braked

My opinion if you already driving a motor home a trailer like the bike would be fairly easy.
 

vwalan

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hi, i used to build trikes as a living.roger is correct. i would advise a trailer built abit like a boat launching trailer. could then not need brakes .must have high speed bearings and tyres. very light construction.
i used a single spec frame similiar to what the rac used at the time for trailering bikes ,front wheel in spec dragging rear wheels never had brakes and was never stopped. if i was i could say it was recovery.
i built vw trikes the front wheel was very light to lift into the spec,it was also possible to drive it onto the spec with care. i think you may never get stopped and checked but if you do it could be costly .cant really advise anyone to break the law.
it would be possible on a manual trike to make the hanbbrake cables work the brakes or use a sliding hitch and fit a cable to the brake pedal like the a frame boys /girls use. cheers alan.

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Road Runner

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Here's the answer just drop the tailgate and run up onto it and roll backward off, saw a few ar Americana last year. But £695.

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This guy will tailor it to suit you with full platform and tailgate.

Safety wise you can only do so much.

If you facied it you could have a motormover on it like my caravan to shift the trailer around.
 

Wintonian

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sorry Joy lifting the front wheel so it is towed on the rear wheels makes it a trailer the brakes on the rear wheels must then work for it to be legal.)

Are you sure? The bike weighs well under 750 Kgs, which is, I believe, the weight above which brakes are required in the UK. (In France, a trailer plated at less than 750 Kg does not need to be braked.)

I would have thought a quad trailer would have been simpler for you. The trailer can be hitched to the camper, then the trike can be driven up ramps onto the trailer and secured. The drawbar weight of the unladen trailer is quite low, so that should not be a problem. The trike would have to be reversed onto the trailer, of course, because of the rear engine - you need positive weight on the draw bar. The ramp angle could be a problem because of the low ride height of the chassis and the long distance between axles. And the trailer could be stored on its side, given a small bit of kit to allow it to be turned over. :Smile:
 

vwalan

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we all work under the same rules .if the front wheel is lifted on to a spec the rear wheels of the trike are fitted with brakes ,and they must work. same rules throughout euro zone. i think the pheonix trailers are over manufactured to carry a trike.you need a u channel as the spine bolt axle to it with triangulated braces,small platforms for rear wheels .possible removable ramps .needs to be made very light construction then wont require brakes.i have seen them made from channel as thin as armco barrier steel and galvanised .think simple simple simple.
cheers alan.

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Road Runner

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we all work under the same rules .if the front wheel is lifted on to a spec the rear wheels of the trike are fitted with brakes ,and they must work. same rules throughout euro zone. i think the pheonix trailers are over manufactured to carry a trike.you need a u channel as the spine bolt axle to it with triangulated braces,small platforms for rear wheels .possible removable ramps .needs to be made very light construction then wont require brakes.i have seen them made from channel as thin as armco barrier steel and galvanised .think simple simple simple.
cheers alan.


Alan movan is a single lady and would like to keep things simple so the easier the trailer the better that's why I suggested thje pheonix trailer and ramp:winky:
 

vwalan

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having looked on their site i would say a longer version of their towdolley is required .channel for front wheel use their ramps for back wheels .easy all sorted.
visualise a boat trailer for a small dingy .cheers alan.
 

davejen

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Thanks Roger, It is an automatic, does that make a difference? The man in the shop said it did.

Because of the operation I had I need something that will lift by air pump or something ... and this one will. Tell you what, I will find out exactly what I am talking about so you can advise me properly. It is over 12 months since the man in the shop explained to me so I will find out info on the 'air pump' bit and come back.

In meantime, help on towing would be much appreciated. thank you.

Poppajohn does yours have an automatic lift up at the front?

I can't have a full trailer as nowhere to store it. Garage too small. Just fits the bike in.:Smile:
Hi, unfortunately with the trike being automatic you WILL have to trailer it or you will damage the transmission, sorry for the bad news but you don't want that do you?:cry:
Cheers, Dave:thumb:

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pappajohn

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Roger a toad under 750kg do not need to be braked :winky: Car like an axmin can be towed unbraked





I am sure other will be along later to confirm this (so wont argue:winky:)


.

Sorry john, rogers correct.

if a trailer is <750kg it doesnt legally need brakes, but if brakes are fitted then all brakes must work...usually by the overrun system.
this applies to ALL trailers whether its a true trailer, bike, trike or car.

my trailer, while it is ok weightwise at 550kg gross, wouldnt be suitable for a trike.
its only 2mtrs long.

if the trike is a VW engined, autobox then dont tow it with the drive wheels on the road. you'll kill the gearbox in a few miles.
 

pappajohn

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Are you sure? The bike weighs well under 750 Kgs, which is, I believe, the weight above which brakes are required in the UK. (In France, a trailer plated at less than 750 Kg does not need to be braked.)

. :Smile:

the trike has brakes.... therefore it becomes a braked trailer for the purposes of the law...if brakes are fitted they MUST work, regardless of weight.
 

dave jm

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For those that know would this system work...looks expensive for what it is so surely in the right hands it could be made for half that price>>>>Link Removed

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rainbow chasers

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That should be wnat you are looking for - make sure that it is certified though, as will any equipment like this due to construction and use if anything should go wrong
 

dellwood33

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I don't think the last 2 items will do you much good Joy - automatic, rear wheels being towed, probably B*gg#r to transmission as was mentioned previously :Sad::Smile:
 
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movan

movan

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Thank you everybody:thumb:

Davejm, I have tried to reply to your pm but it won't accept my response. I have notified Webmaster and will try again shortly.:Smile:

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dave jm

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Thank you everybody:thumb:

Davejm, I have tried to reply to your pm but it won't accept my response. I have notified Webmaster and will try again shortly.:Smile:

Trying to make the choice between a small car or get my youth back:ROFLMAO: and by a trike and be the oldest swinger on site.
I agree..the web site i put in was for advise on towing a manual trike not an auto:thumb:...Dave
 

jhorsf

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Regardless of what these people who make the dollies say the brakes on your trike MUST WORK or you are using a trailer with brakes fitted that do not workhardhat

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