motor scooters (1 Viewer)

geoffbph

Free Member
Apr 9, 2011
2
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lincolnshire
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15,979
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LP . C Class
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I'm a newbie
Have just bought our first MH an Ace Airstream and want to carry a motor scooter on our towbar. Does anyone have experience of this? What do I need to consider? All advice welcomed.
 

chrisgreen

Funster
Jul 26, 2009
5,980
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england
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since 2004
wellcome to the forum.

i dont know if the pic below is the same as your have bought,but going on my experience with carrying scooters on scooter racks your tow bar will always be over loaded?
a desent scooter rack will weigh about 30 kg and a scooter about 90kg thats 120 kg loading straight down on two bolts of your toeball,now going on the nose weight of a caravan should not exceed 75lb, from the start you are already overloading the toebar by 175lb now given that a tow bar is designed to pull, the loading on it should be horizontal not vertical.the bolts on the toeball can take 4 tons per square inch so not a problem:thumb:
now the scooter
a 50cc scooter is by far under powered about 6bhp and if you want to carry a pillion forget it,better to go for a 125cc as this has 12bhp and will carry a pilion easerly:thumb:
carrying a scooter on a rack is a bit of a gray area as far as the law is concerned,but saying all this i carry a 125 endro bike weighing 150kg all in on a scooter rack on the back of my motorhome without any problem,but in the event of an accident i think i am breaking the law.:Eeek:
then you have the problem of overhang and payload and newtons law:thumb:
 
Last edited:

tonka

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 2, 2008
10,795
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Cannock, Staffs
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Do your research very carefully..!!!
Check what your rear axle is rated at, then go to a weighbridge when you are loaded up for a trip and get the whole van and the rear axle weights.. See what spare capacity you have on the back axle, you may be surprised and it's not very much...
BUT some van's are capable, the shorter the distance on the overhang from the rear wheels to the back of the van the better. As a very rough rule of thumb anything you put on the back end will add it's original weight and around another 40% to the rear axle..
ie... say a towbar, rack and lightish scooter alltogether weigh 120kg.. BUT when fitted to the van that will increase the load on to the axle by around 168 kg.. This is NOT exact just an indication as there is a mathmatical equation to worth it all out..:Eeek:
Looking at the spec for your van it looks like max gross weight is 3500kg and the max on back axle is 2000kg.. BUT you need to check and confirm this...

As Chris has honestly mentioned he's very more than likely overloaded and illegal with the bike he carries.. So risks a fine, endorsment and possibly no insurance cover.. BUT that's his choice.

ALSO remember.. Tyres have a maximum load capacity, so when you exceed this you bring in another safety risk..

Hope this helps.... I've just been through the same process...

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chrisgreen

Funster
Jul 26, 2009
5,980
12,332
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c class
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since 2004
Do your research very carefully..!!!
Check what your rear axle is rated at, then go to a weighbridge when you are loaded up for a trip and get the whole van and the rear axle weights.. See what spare capacity you have on the back axle, you may be surprised and it's not very much...
BUT some van's are capable, the shorter the distance on the overhang from the rear wheels to the back of the van the better. As a very rough rule of thumb anything you put on the back end will add it's original weight and around another 40% to the rear axle..
ie... say a towbar, rack and lightish scooter alltogether weigh 120kg.. BUT when fitted to the van that will increase the load on to the axle by around 168 kg.. This is NOT exact just an indication as there is a mathmatical equation to worth it all out..:Eeek:
Looking at the spec for your van it looks like max gross weight is 3500kg and the max on back axle is 2000kg.. BUT you need to check and confirm this...

As Chris has honestly mentioned he's very more than likely overloaded and illegal with the bike he carries.. So risks a fine, endorsment and possibly no insurance cover.. BUT that's his choice.

ALSO remember.. Tyres have a maximum load capacity, so when you exceed this you bring in another safety risk..

Hope this helps.... I've just been through the same process...
good advice:thumb:
my max rear axle wieght is 1900kg with my rack and bike i am just under that.at about 1890kg,so leaves little payload over the rear axle,fully loaded with what i need for holidaying im just under my max weight of 3400kg,
im lucky in the fact i have use of a weighbridge 24/7 so i can check my weight any time i feel the need to.
 

Road Runner

Free Member
Jul 26, 2007
1,143
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Europe
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16
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yes
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Since before Motorhomefun
Excelent posting by the last 2 posters and what Fun is all about, total help and information and fun along side:thumb:


Blimey I have leant a from them:coolthumb::thanks2:
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
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45 +years with breaks
Rear loading
Before fitting a rear rack to your ’van, consider the following:
Link Removed
A1 = existing front axle load
(before adding on the new rear load)
A2 = existing rear axle load
(before adding on the new rear load)
L = weight of new rear load
W = wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear axle centre-lines)
O = overhang (the distance from the rear axle centre to the centre of mass of the new rear load).

Add the figure for the new rear load, and carry out the following calculations:
  • New front axle load (new A1) = A1 – [L x (O ÷ W)]
  • New rear axle load (new A2) = A2 + L + (A1 – new A1).
For example, take a ’van with a current front axle load (A1) of 1500kg and a rear axle load (A2) of 2000kg (see diagram). The scooter and its rack have a total mass of 150kg, the vehicle’s wheelbase (W) is 3000mm and the overhang (O) is 1000mm. Put those figures into the above equations and the new front axle load will be: 1500kg – [150 x (1000 ÷ 3000)]. This works out at 1500 – 49.95 which is a new front axle load of 1450.05kg. Now that we have a new A1 figure, we can move on to the second calculation to get the new rear axle load: 2000 + 150 + (1500 – 1450.05) is a new load of 2199.95kg. In other words, the scooter and rack would add nearly 200kg to the back axle, while taking almost 50kg off the front axle. You will need to compare these figures to the maximum axle loadings shown on the vehicle plate. If your new rear axle load is greater than that on the plate, then you cannot fit the rack and motor scooter.

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chrisgreen

Funster
Jul 26, 2009
5,980
12,332
england
Funster No
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MH
c class
Exp
since 2004
well done geo,you found it:thumb:
iv been looking out for this on praticalmotorhomes,but could not find it:Blush:
 

Chris

LIFE MEMBER
May 5, 2010
21,006
274,541
Funster No
11,412
MH
None
Exp
10 years
Add the figure for the new rear load, and carry out the following calculations:
  • New front axle load (new A1) = A1 – [L x (O ÷ W)]
  • New rear axle load (new A2) = A2 + L + (A1 – new A1).

Way over my head that one:cry:

Think I will stick with a bike rack. That said my bike rack started coming away from the van in Spain earlier this month. I had to take the bikes off and put them in the van. 2 adults, 2 kids and 4 bikes in the van.

We had some funny looks unloading :Doh:
 

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