Motorcycle trailer wanted - UK

Robin Webster said:
Also can fit in the boot of the car so you can do motorway speeds on the way to pick a bike up.

http://www.motolug.com/

Robin  :D
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Dellortoman said:
Is the trailer not rated for motorway speed?
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No! The trailer can be as good as you like but there is a speed limit which is 60mph(96kmh) for caravans and trailers on dual carriageways and motorways in the UK.
If no trailer then you can do 70mph (112 kmh) or above as most people seem to get away with up to about 80mph (129kmh).
Many counties have some sort of 'speedo error' allowance , but some don't.
 
a14rgs said:
Robin, thanks for the link. What are they like in use? They just look so bloody spindly to me (see my initial comment re wheelbarrow wheels!).
I've seriously considered one of these, but thought I would gather other's opinions before taking the plunge - https://www.phoenixtrailer.co.uk/product/single-folding-bike-trailer/

Alan :)
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Alan,

I?ve used it quite a lot be it to go racing or taking bikes for a service and I am very happy with it. The lightest bike I?ve had on it was a Honda TLR 200 trials bike through to the heaviest a Ducati 1200 Multistrada.. No problems.

I?ve pressed on towing it when late and you don?t know it?s there.

I worked for an auction house for a while and recommended one to them. They are picking up four bikes a day all over the country and have had no issues

Where are you? You can come and look at mine if you wish. As it comes apart it?s not in the way so it?s a keeper for the I might use it again one day moments.

Robin.  :D
 
Dellortoman said:
:)

Is the trailer not rated for motorway speed?
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In the UK we are only allowed 60mph towing and not allowed in the outside lane of a motorway, so, it can pay to stick it in the boot if traveling unloaded.

Doesn?t mean it won?t do more than 60mph if asked though! 😏

Robin  ;)
 
If you want a "heavy duty" and very robust one, I have a "Groskorth" trailer since over 20 years. It is built on the base of a horse trailer, comes with brakes and - if you want - rebound damping, offers almost anything in terms of comfort that you want and runs nicely behind the car (on German highways, I was filmed by the police with 125km/h - I haven't even recognized the trailer....)

the one for 3 bikes looks like this:

3motorradseite_595.jpg


They have solutions for up to 6 Bikes! see: http://www.groskorth.de/motorradanhaenger/index.html

Not sure what they charge these days, mine was 2.700DM (roughly 1.350?) 20+ years ago. Assume it will be around 2.000 - 2.500? today...

They can build you what ever you like. If you want a platform or a "tent" in addition or a box for the tensioning belt, that would not be a problem, just a question of price and fabrication time. I modified mine slightly but am still very happy with it!

My 3-bikes trailer can carry 750Kilos. this is enough for 3 Laverdas...
 
I looked at Motolug trailers before.
In addition to looking spindly they recommend that you do not tow it unladen (as it will shake itself to bits I suppose).
This means that you will have to dismantle/reassemble on the bikeless leg of the trip, every time.

When in Spain I bought an Erde 2-bike one from Norauto.
If I was taking only 1 bike it was a matter of unbolting one of the rails and moving it to the centre of the trailer, a 2 minute job and easier than rebuilding a Motolug.
 
Grant said:
I looked at Motolug trailers before.
In addition to looking spindly they recommend that you do not tow it unladen (as it will shake itself to bits I suppose).
This means that you will have to dismantle/reassemble on the bikeless leg of the trip, every time.

When in Spain I bought an Erde 2-bike one from Norauto.
If I was taking only 1 bike it was a matter of unbolting one of the rails and moving it to the centre of the trailer, a 2 minute job and easier than rebuilding a Motolug.
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I'm viewing an Erde 2-bike trailer this evening, which has the option to move one of the rails to the centre of the trailer.
Thanks for all the very useful input :)
 
Grant, having raced cars for 20 years and bikes for five it is fair to say I?m not scared of speed and making progress! I must have had my Motolug ten years and it?s still going strong.

Nothing to worry about.

Robin  :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
 
The Erd? is a good trailer, it's just that these things are getting too high as age gets on making loading a heavy bike a risky bussiness.

Get one of these. Just fix wheel blockers at the front and ride up.

http://www.erde.fr/expert/fr/gamme-plm

http://www.erde.fr/expert/fr/gamme-plc

Paul
 
I found my Erd? ok but a bit flimsy, as most of them are, but streets ahead of a Motolug.
They are all built down to a weight/price.

I recently bought a trailer locally after I sold the van. It was a bought one that had been added to. Sturdy as hell, but heavy too, and only takes one bike.

These things are usually for sale in local websites. Check there before buying new.
 
Robin Webster said:
In the UK we are only allowed 60mph towing and not allowed in the outside lane of a motorway ...
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Now that I think about it, we used to have a speed limit for trailers here, but it was lifted many years ago. There are now no restrictions for towing a trailer. Not sure about caravans as I've never owned one.

The trailer speed limit was probably introduced way back when most trailers were dodgy home made contraptions that were likely to rattle themselves apart or have handling problems at speed :D

When I first got into motorcycles, we also used to have an 80kph speed limit for a motorcycle carrying a pillion passenger. But that was also sensibly dispensed with about 40 years ago. But I remember getting pulled over (along with a couple of mates) by a cop way out in the middle of nowhere for doing over 80kph with a pillion about a year after the law was repealed. One of my mates told the cop that the restriction had been lifted and he flew into a rage. He went all red-faced and screamed at us for about 5 minutes, shaking his fist at us. I thought he was going to have a stroke or something, then got in his car and sped off. Very strange behaviour.
 
Dellortoman said:
When I first got into motorcycles, we also used to have an 80kph speed limit for a motorcycle carrying a pillion passenger. But that was also sensibly dispensed with about 40 years ago. But I remember getting pulled over (along with a couple of mates) by a cop way out in the middle of nowhere for doing over 80kph with a pillion about a year after the law was repealed. One of my mates told the cop that the restriction had been lifted and he flew into a rage. He went all red-faced and screamed at us for about 5 minutes, shaking his fist at us. I thought he was going to have a stroke or something, then got in his car and sped off. Very strange behaviour.
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Policeman is one of the favourite occupations of Sociopaths, it's about CONTROL and POWER over others, making people uncomfortable and squirm gives them a kick, so if you turn the tables then it doesn't tend to end well.
Other favourite occupations for Sociopaths:CEO+Politician+Lawyer+Journalist+Salesperson+Surgeon+Clergyman. Mr Trump is a likely candidate!

As for trailers, I may be in the same position sometime soon.
Youtube is awash with motorcycles falling off pick up trucks etc. So for me the lower the trailer the better.
The ideal is a ramp that goes down to ground level and then wheel the bike on and lift up!
 
Cosi is right, a van is best and you can sleep in it too  :D

I test drove a Vauxhall Vivaro van recently, 1.6 twin turbo diesel same as a Renault Trafic. It was fast, quiet, comfortable and nice to drive and has a 3 year 100,000 mile warranty.
You can pick up pre-reg models with virtually no miles on for under ?12000 + VAT from Renault themselves.

A car doesn't seem to make any sense to me anymore.
 
I much preferred the space and enclosed nature of my van (compared to a trailer) but it was a PITA driving something 2.5 metres tall, 5 metres long and 2 metres wide. Left hand drive didn't bother me but restricted parking was why I old it and went back to 4 x 4 plus trailer.
But I could stand up inside it without crocking my neck.
Shame they don't make vans with extendable roofs that you get in camper vans. Down when empty but extendable to head height when required.
 
Yes the van I tested was long wheel base but had a low roof which is necessary for access to car parks (don't mention the war)
An extending roof is a great idea, maybe like the old VW camper vans had but otherwise the new vans are really user friendly and economical.
 
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