Large overhang equals no motor scooter rack

[Conal]

I recently became exited at the prospect of fitting a rack on the back of our Autotrail Delaware for a scooter to allow us to travel further when on sites. After reading every post I could find on the subject I narrowed my scooter choice down to a Honda 125, with a rack this should be around 170kg.
My first task was to find the length of our overhang. I googled this and ploughed though the 2015 and 2016 specifications to no avail. I then visited our storage site and measured the van. I got 860mm front to front axle, 4440mm front to back axle, and 2400mm back axle to rear. However the spec for the van states the wheelbase is 4300mm and I know the van is 7900mm in length so I settled for 1000mm, 4300mm and 2600mm respectively.
Using the formulas for the effect of an increased load at the back
Front axle: front axle load minus the sum of the new load times the overhang length divided by the wheelbase length.
Rear axle: rear axle load plus the new load plus the sum of the front axle load minus the new front axle load.
This resulted in a decrease of 103kg on the front axle, and an increase of 273kg on the rear axle.
The actual increase on the back axle may be more as I didn’t use the new overhang length including the rack for the calculation.
So, whilst many worries I read about were relating to the possibility of the rack catching on the floor, I cannot see how any motorhome with a large overhang can cope with the added weight on the rear axle of a rack and light motor bike or scooter.
Does this mean that, added to the many 3.5t “overweight’ motorhomes there are also many where the rear axle weight is exceeded?

 

[Vic]

Simple reply, yes . Not all, but most struggle with a normal load, let alone a scooter and rack. Without knowing what vehicle you have, it is difficult to give you a more precise answer.
Have you considered a tow bar and a HydraTrail?
Vic

 

[tacr2man]

The other "problem" you might have is the 60% of wheelbase rear overhang limit .

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Would something like this be a viable alternative?

 

[Spriddler]

The other "problem" you might have is the 60% of wheelbase rear overhang limit .

Ah yes; the Kardashian effect.

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[Conal]

Thanks for the responses.
Once I realised that a rack was not possible I looked at the Hydratrail but have been put of by the comments questioning its legality especially when in Spain. Its main attraction is that I could tow a Piaggio mp3. I don’t have a licence for a larger motorbike/scooter but could ride the wider wheeled option without a test. Also it would be more comfortable for two.

 

[Conal]

tacra2man
In my draft I mentioned this but, as I had not researched it, I left it out. I agree that the motorhome would probably have failed this. I am disappointed that the manufacturers do not provide advice re: these issues at the point of sale.

 

[suavecarve]

This is not the end of the dream but only the beginning.
You need to carry shed loads of wine in the front of the van to counter balance the weight at the back

Its a win win scenario

Check to see how much weight available on the rear axle if you were to uprate for £150/200 and make your money back in DVLA rent within 2 years.

 

[Badknee]

sorry to hear of your problems, as I have posted elsewhere you’ve got to get it right. We updated from 4600 to 5250kgs and kept checking the rear axles were ok.

Good luck with your final choice

 

[Badknee]

Thanks for the responses.
Once I realised that a rack was not possible I looked at the Hydratrail but have been put of by the comments questioning its legality especially when in Spain. Its main attraction is that I could tow a Piaggio mp3. I don’t have a licence for a larger motorbike/scooter but could ride the wider wheeled option without a test. Also it would be more comfortable for two.

Why are there suggestions of problems with the Hydratrail? It’s not a trailer as it’s hard fastened to your moho. More of an extension really.

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[Conal]

Badknee
There is a thread on here from 2017 which ended with the OP OldAgeTravellers coming to the conclusion that they may not be legal in Europe. I think the issue is the suspension or lack of it with a subplot relating to the combined weight a trailer can be in France before being subject to an MOT equivalent.
The posts mentioning Spain are much older so will be about the single wheeled version but there is a thread on Motorhome facts which ran from 2010 to 2015 and for 39 pages which addresses the legality issue.
My main problem is that a number of people state that the company does not answer emails and that it’s legality never seems to have been tested in court.
I don’t want to spend many £000s without being sure.

 

[gus-lopez]

It’s not a trailer as it’s hard fastened to your moho. More of an extension really.

Even if it is a trailer it would be legal.

that it’s legality never seems to have been tested in court.

Neither have A frames?

 

[Badknee]

Neither have A frames?

Your bang on there Richard @gus-lopez they are a very grey area in the uk. No law says their legal and no law says their not.
I think it may come down to a fatal accident 100% the cause being the toad and there will be a knee jerk reaction banning them.

 

[Minxy]

I'm confused by the suggestion that the Hydratrail could be an issue in Spain, its a trailer which they allow.

 

[ChrisL]

If cost is not a significant factor (they are expensive) these French trailers similar to a Hydratrail but with suspension have French standards approval (DREAL) so should be legal anywhere in Europe and look well made.

http://www.yoremorques.fr/public/remorques.php

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[Vic]

Never had a problem abroad with police abroad.
Last year in Spain I had a puncture in the HydraTrail offside tyre. I was quickly joined by two traffic police motorcyclists. They helped and protected the rear of the vehicle and saw how the HydraTrail worked. I would have thought that if a HydraTrail was illegal in Spain, that would have been the day I found out.

 

[Ridgeway]

If cost is not a significant factor (they are expensive) these French trailers similar to a Hydratrail but with suspension have French standards approval (DREAL) so should be legal anywhere in Europe and look well made.

http://www.yoremorques.fr/public/remorques.php

This is the trailer that we looked at recently. As said made in France and we have a dealer about 5km down the road that keep a few in stock. Very nice trailers and you can have them custom made if required. Price wise they are about £4kish depending upon the model.

 

[Conal]

Mindy Girl
Sorry it’s a bit of a diversion from my main point. The first post I read was related to using one in Spain. As we will be going back to Spain I was interested.
The more recent comments were made in Feb 2017 on this forum where Dave Marshall says that Armitages state that they are not legal. I didn’t want to quote others as I didn’t know if I had missed a post or thread where the question of legality had been clarified.
However, if they are not legal in the UK presumably they wouldn’t be legal in Spain.