New way to transport a motorbike

[mojo]

Saw this in a car park today in USA. He said it's great but too low on this car,better on his pick up tow hitch which is higher.Purchased Amazon .No more trailers ?

 

[Geo]

New to you maybe
been available here fir a very long time
in fact i still have the single wheel shoe from an easy lifter version

 

[ymfb]

Would be interesting to see how the motorcycle rear tyre and rotating parts last.

I’d think it’s good idea as a “get me home” device, rather than something like the Hydra lifter which I would be happy to use for many 1,000s of miles.

 

[Guigsy]

Would be interesting to see how the motorcycle rear tyre and rotating parts last.

It's probably be quite a bit less wear that if you rode the distance.

 

[Norfolk Nomad]

Probably works okay in the us where the roads are straight, compared to our roads.

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[Shrimp]

I would think the main part of the bike would still be trying to lean & then you would get a certain amount of stress on the headstock/forks!

 

[Lenny HB]

Would that count as an A frame in Spain.

Sorry get the popcorn.

 

[PhilG]

Not liking that . looks like more hassle than a trailer.

 

[vwalan]

been around for years . had mine about 30yrs . i copied an intertrade version that the rac used to use. . was great for towing trikes around as well.
but in truth the rear brake should be made to work . the rules say ok if doing a recovery but for towing if brakes are fitted they must work.
yes tyres etc take a bit of a beating.
bike shouldnt lean at all the straps keep the bike upright. or should if fitted properly.

 

[gus-lopez]

Would that count as an A frame in Spain.

Sorry get the popcorn.

No worse! Straight towing a vehicle= illegal.

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[ChrisL]

That would be quite a lot of weight on the tow ball with larger bikes i would think.

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

Can't see any light bars or tow vehicle number plates either.

 

[Northernraider]

Seen a few of those a mate used to have one too ...I'm sure he had a problem with a large pothole once that did a fair bit damage to his bike

 

[tacr2man]

as @vwalan says . Good idea , but illegal as shown . eg braking , rear triangle needed , reg plate , depending on combination tow hitch overload . Popcorn requirement

 

[pappajohn]

How do you operate the rear brake?

The trailer law in the UK states .. If fitted, all brakes must work regardless of vehicle weight.

There is no exception for motorbikes.

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[Nicepix]

Over here in France I've seen a trike towed that way. It was a Dutch van so presumably it was designed for the long haul, front wheel suspended and rear wheels on the road.

But as has been said before; it is illegal in France, although there is a private advert on Leboncoin at the moment for a French motorhome equipped with an A Frame and tow vehicle all for sale as one lot.

 

[gus-lopez]

it is illegal in France, although there is a private advert on Leboncoin at the moment for a French motorhome equipped with an A Frame and tow vehicle all for sale as one lot.

I've seen A frame adverts here in Spain on milanuncios. ..............................with the proviso " not legal to be used on the road" Why on earth would you be buying it then ?

 

[vwalan]

its possible with a trike to use a sliding hitch . then using a short cable hooked on the brake pedal if its a foot operated rear brake the brakes can work.
i had a clip on my foot bars to take the cable , mind i didnt always adjust it properly but it looked legal. hee hee.
there isnt much weight even with my 1500cc kawasaki drifter being towed going on the hitch. all down to angles etc .

 

[Northernraider]

Over here in France I've seen a trike towed that way. It was a Dutch van so presumably it was designed for the long haul, front wheel suspended and rear wheels on the road.

But as has been said before; it is illegal in France, although there is a private advert on Leboncoin at the moment for a French motorhome equipped with an A Frame and tow vehicle all for sale as one lot.

Yep and I saw several with a frames on my way through France just a few weeks back.
Didn't see any in Spain but they still seem pretty common in France.

 

[River gypsys]

We pulled our gold wing all around France using one of these, there really easy to use and there's no worry about trailer parking and storage.
There was no undue wear and tear on the bike and the French police didn't seem to have a problem with it. They are not acceptable in Spain or Portugal though so we traded up to a MH with a garage, swapped the wing for scooter and off we went again.

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[Guigsy]

So the legality issue is that according to the letter of the law, it has to be braked if the item being towed has brakes? Even if the brakes are designed to be used when the vehicle is under its own power?

 

[tacr2man]

So the legality issue is that according to the letter of the law, it has to be braked if the item being towed has brakes? Even if the brakes are designed to be used when the vehicle is under its own power?

If its a trailer , which what it would be claimed to be , then if brakes fitted they must work efficiently

 

[Guigsy]

If its a trailer , which what it would be claimed to be , then if brakes fitted they must work efficiently

But unbraked trailers of a higher weight are fine?

 

[tacr2man]

But unbraked trailers of a higher weight are fine?

The way the regulations are framed , allow upto 750kg un braked
but at any weight a fitted brake system has to work efficiently ,
if the m/cycle didn't have a rear brake then it would be OK , but then it wouldn't be legal on road as a m/cycle ! catch 22 !

 

[pappajohn]

So the legality issue is that according to the letter of the law, it has to be braked if the item being towed has brakes? Even if the brakes are designed to be used when the vehicle is under its own power?

Yes, some tried to get round the 'under 750kg unbraked' weight issue by towing such as the French Aixim which has a physical Unladen weight of less than 750kg but came unstuck on two factors..... The relevent weight is the gross weight and brakes are fitted to the car so they must work
There's simply no way round it... If you tow a car or bike with at least one wheel on the road it has to have functional brakes regardless of weight.

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[Spriddler]

The rear wheel is being driven (not driving) the opposite way compared with when the bike is ridden so the chain and some gearbox internals are rotating the 'wrong' way. A mechanic pal in the Trade told me it's not advisable for auto (i.e. Twist 'n Go) bikes/scooters but then I guess they're light enough to go in the garage or completely off the ground on a towbar rack.

 

[franknjan]

Made a similar thing in the 70's to tow a trials bike. Impossible to reverse, even a metre. The bike just turns and tucks under the rear of the tow vehicle. Could cause serious damage to bike or tow vehicle.

 

[pappajohn]

I had to recover my 250 Suzuki off the North York Moors after the crankshaft snapped in two.
No towbar on the car so took off the front wheel and mudguard then dropped the forks in the open boot.
A few rachet straps to keep it in place. Good job cars had steel bumpers and open boot inner panels in those days.
Trouble with that, the bike leans the wrong way in corners.... Drastically....putting a hell of a load on the headstock and spoked rear wheel.
Would I do it again?
Not a chance.

 

[Guigsy]

I had to recover my 250 Suzuki off the North York Moors after the crankshaft snapped in two.
No towbar on the car so took off the front wheel and mudguard then dropped the forks in the open boot.
A few rachet straps to keep it in place. Good job cars had steel bumpers and open boot inner panels in those days.
Trouble with that, the bike leans the wrong way in corners.... Drastically....putting a hell of a load on the headstock and spoked rear wheel.
Would I do it again?
Not a chance.

I can see there'd be quite a lot of strain going on there. I guess the issue is the headstock axis isn't vertical (and it's made even less vertical when you lift the front wheel). If it was just the wheel that was clamped and the bike could still pivot around the wheel hub, that'd allow it to lean to remove the strain... but would it lean the wrong way?

 

[pappajohn]

but would it lean the wrong way?

Yes, because of the rake of the forks and they cannot lean into the turn.
In a right turn the top of the forks are forced to the left because of the rake angle... If the forks are forced left so is the bike.
Of course, if the forks were 100% vertical there would be no problem.

Another scenario....
Place the bike on its side stand and turn the steering away from the stand until the wheel is vertical.
Now, without moving the steering lift the bike upright.... The wheel is now Leaning the same way as its turned.
If the wheel is clamped vertical in a towing frame you can't lifted the bike upright and leans the opposite way to the turn.

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