Travel by motorcycle

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Motorcycle transport solutions

Caravans, mobile homes, trailers, transport systems

Travel by motorcycle
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Travel by motorcycle

Travel by motorcycle
How do you travel by motorcycle

Vacation. A few days out, forget the stress and hectic pace of everyday life. Now just pack the four-wheeler and don’t forget the two-wheeler. MOTORRAD shows the best way to take the bike on board and gives tips for safe transport.

Jorg Lohse

06/05/2007

Whether the family is in the car or the journey to the holiday destination seems too far: there is always a reason to go on holiday without a motorcycle. Then you have arrived at the oasis and look forward to relaxing and switching off. Suddenly, however, a motorcycle hums up from a distance. The wind blows around the driver’s nose, the azure-blue, cloudless sky is reflected in his sunglasses. You look longingly afterwards and suddenly you worry a lot that only revolve around one topic: Why don’t I have my bike with me…?

A good question, because transporting a motorcycle is not rocket science. In the MOTORRAD editorial team, various bikes have to be piggybacked on every day, whether on trailers or in vans. Clearly, with the routine of professionals and together with the right equipment, loading is a matter of minutes.

The easiest and cheapest solution is the trailer, provided the car has a suitable coupling. However, you have to get used to a speed limit on the journey (in Germany and neighboring countries on average between 80 and 100 km / h).

The piggyback motorcycle transport is much more complex. In addition, a maximum of one bike can be carried with you, and a helper should be on hand when loading. The suitable vehicles, however, are by no means limited to mobile homes. With a suitable carrier system, vans or so-called SUVs can also transport a full-size motorcycle weighing up to 300 kilograms using a rear carrier.

Anyone who has a suitably large vehicle can take their motorcycle on board without any problems. The necessary equipment can be quickly accommodated in the vehicle. How you can best take your beloved saucer with you on vacation and what you have to pay attention to when loading can be found under the individual links.

Rent a motorcycle

Does it have to be your own bike? For a few days, you can also find a suitable saucer at the holiday destination. Those who find out in advance can even garnish their dream vacation with a dream bike.

There is a well-worn 125cc Enduro at almost every vacation spot. However, if you do research before the trip, you can go on tour with a very well-kept pedestal. In the MOTORRAD special issue “Unterwegs Spezial”, volume “Europe, the South” (reorder service 0711 / 182-1229) we have listed the most important rental stations in this region with all the information about motorcycles and prices. A Ducati Monster 620 is available in Italy for just under 60 euros per day, while a three-day rental of a BMW F 650 GS costs around 175 euros in Greece. And for 87 euros a day you can drive a veritable Harley-Davidson Road King through Marbella, Spain. One of the best networks is offered by the Munich company GS Sportreisen (phone 089/27818484, www.gs-sportreisen.de). Here you can rent motorbikes all over the world from the comfort of your own home. Even if many landlords offer helmets, it is advisable to bring your own clothing (helmet, jacket, boots) with you.

Conclusion: A very attractive option for people who only want to do a few laps in the holiday country. Obtain offers in advance.

Send the bike

Why do it yourself? Let the professionals do it. The motorcycle goes on vacation with a forwarding agent. Group travelers in particular get their money’s worth here.

There are quite a few freight forwarders who take care of the motorcycle with professional equipment and transport it to the desired location. However, it is not cheap. For the return trip to southern Europe, you have to calculate between 500 and 800 euros. It gets cheaper when large groups travel. Motorbike haulage company SKS (www.sks-bikeshuttle.de) offers groupage transports to large meetings. Smaller companies can be found via Google (search term: motorcycle transports) that chauffeur motorcycle travelers on vacation with minibuses and trailers. The tour to Lake Garda, for example, costs around 300 euros there and back for man and machine.

Conclusion: More interesting for groups who want to save the tedious journey by motorway. Hardly recommended for single travelers.

On the trailer


Travel by motorcycle

This is how you bring every bike on vacation.

Get to the car, get on your bike and drive off. The trailer is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to transport a motorcycle. Provided the car has the right hook.

If you have a trailer hitch on your car, you shouldn’t think twice about transporting a motorcycle. For him, the trailer is the most pragmatic solution. A trailer for a motorcycle is available from around 500 euros on average. 700 euros are enough to charge up to three motorcycles.

When loading, however, routine and without various aids, a helping hand is required. Special solutions such as lowerable trailers (from around 2000 euros), in which the motorcycle is pushed onto the guide rail and lashed at ground level, are therefore attractive. The trailer can then be raised back to driving height using a compressor or a foot pump. Another advantage: when not in use, the hanger can be folded up and stowed away to save space. A second possibility is offered by so-called tipping trailers, where the motorcycle can be driven directly onto the rail (price from around 3800 euros).

Bikes that are on open trailers are of course an eye-catcher for thieves. If you want to protect your best piece from theft, you should consider lockable box trailers, which are available in extravagant shapes (from around 5500 euros) and even as mini caravans (from around 8000 euros) that can optionally be equipped with several sleeping places.

Conclusion: A simple knitted trailer with three stand rails is ideal for bikers who occasionally want to take their motorcycle with them on vacation without much effort. It is good if you can team up with several interested parties when buying. Charging requires routine, but it can be achieved quickly. We recommend trailers with 100 km / h approval.

Plus minus trailer:

plus

  • Available from 500 euros
  • Can be rented quickly if necessary
  • Holds up to three motorcycles, depending on the version

minus

  • Requires driving experience, especially when maneuvering
  • Open not theft-proof
  • Speed ​​limit

Really accelerate with the trailer

If you want to be on the move quickly, you should get a trailer with Tempo 100 approval. This must have stabilization devices and hydraulic axle shock absorbers, the tires must also be approved for at least 120 km / h (category L) and must not be older than six years (production date). It is important to attach a Tempo-100 sticker to the rear. In addition, the towing vehicle must be braked with ABS. Be careful when driving abroad. Very different speed limits apply here (information from ADAC).

Addresses followers

ComSys, phone 07072/914630, www.composite-sys.de; Folding garages for trailer mounting

Excalibur, phone 02266/47999931, www.excalibureurope.com; extravagant box hangers

Knaus, phone 08583/211, www.knaus.de; Box hanger in caravan format

Polo Motorrad, phone 0180/5225785, www.polo-motorrad.de; Standard models from 479 euros, rental possible

Ruku followers, phone 07844/91870, www.ruku-rheinau.de; Tipper trailer for one or two motorcycles

Van Vossen, phone 0031/521/360980, www.vanvossen.de; Hangers that can be lowered to floor level

Rent trailers

Why buy a whole trailer when you can rent it cheaply anywhere. A rental company can be found quickly and prices can be researched on the Internet.

When buying a new trailer, a simple trailer costs between 500 and 750 euros. A rather expensive undertaking for those who only want to use it once or twice a year. You also need a parking space. On the other hand, what does the rent cost? There are rental stations nationwide in almost every larger town. In addition to business directories, many rental locations can also be found on the Internet (search via Google), and prices can often be researched online. Petrol stations and your own motorcycle dealer are also good starting points. The Polo shop chain also offers trailer rentals at almost all locations. Depending on the region, a single-axle trailer with space for two motorcycles and 100 km / h approval costs an average of between 80 and 100 euros per week. For a two-week holiday with a bike, the additional costs would be quite acceptable, especially since no additional maintenance and upkeep costs have to be calculated for the rental vehicle.

Conclusion: For anyone who would only use a trailer for an occasional trip on vacation, renting it is the better alternative.

In the car


Travel by motorcycle


Bilski

Most vans have space for a motorcycle.

The spacious family carriage as cargo space for the two-wheeler? Is also possible. However, the car needs to be well prepared before being transported, and the loadmaster should have a few tricks up his sleeve.

There’s room in the smallest hut. This wisdom can easily be transferred to motorcycle transport by car: “Do you remember how we squeezed two enduros into the Renault R4 back then …” – this or similar experiences occurred to many a MOTORRAD editor in the context of this story. The meanwhile widespread vehicle category of vans, in particular, often swallows a bike without major modifications.

However, there should be a stable mounting device for the motorcycle in the vehicle. In addition to eyelets that are firmly anchored in the ground, a stable bracket that holds the front wheel is particularly important. Only in this way can the motorcycle be securely lashed and thus reduce the risk of the machine becoming a fatal projectile for the occupants in the event of an accident. Finally, you can find out everything about correct lashing on page 74. The motorcycle dealer Beinert has a wide range of necessary accessories such as transport rails, retaining brackets and eyelets in its online shop (see addresses).

But car manufacturers have also discovered motorcyclists among their customers. Drivers of the VW Multivan (model series T5) can, for example, order the “Easy In” transport device (1550 euros) as a factory accessory, with which the bike can be conveniently pulled into the vehicle using a remote-controlled winch. However, transporting a motorcycle in a vehicle is only conditionally suitable for a vacation trip. On the one hand, there is plenty of space, and without a partition, the gasoline vapors from the bike are very annoying in the long run.

Conclusion: Transport in the vehicle is not for the family on vacation. Who wants to sit their child for hours next to a monster that smells of gasoline and rubber? This can be remedied, however, by separating the passenger and cargo space. The big advantage is that the motorcycle can be stowed away quickly and safely in just a few simple steps.

Plus minus in the car:

plus

  • Theft-proof transport solution
  • No speed limit
  • Faster use after vehicle preparation

minus

  • Costs a lot of space
  • Gasoline fumes that are harmful to health in the interior
  • Usually only holds one motorcycle

When things get tight in the car

Fold down the handlebars, pull the fork in the springs or remove the front wheel. With a few tricks, almost any motorcycle can be stowed in almost any car. Our tips for dedicated do-it-yourself freight forwarders.

Trick number one is usually sufficient. With the mirrors removed, normal street bikes fit into smaller vans or vans without any problems. If the height is still not sufficient, it helps to loosen the screw connection of the handlebar and turn it downwards. Just as effective: pull the fork into the springs using a lashing strap between the wheel axle and handlebars or the lower triple clamp. Depending on the motorcycle, this can save up to 15 centimeters in height. In the case of particularly stubborn cases, such as crossers with long legs or supermoto, the removal of the front wheel and replacement with a small wheelbarrow wheel, available in every hardware store, helps. Lowered in this way, the bike can easily be loaded into small box vans such as a Renault Rapid. Work better with helpers the first time.

Addresses for car accessories

In addition to suitable vehicles, the right transport accessories are particularly important. Lashing straps are available from motorcycle dealers or in the shops of the mail order chains (Louis, Polo, Gericke), other transport accessories at these addresses:

Stockel Karosserietechnik, phone 02564/568307, www.stockel-karosserietechnik.de; Vehicle conversions or upgrades for motorcycle transport.

VW Commercial Vehicles, phone 0511/7980, www.vwn.de; Transport device for installation in the VW Multivan.

Zweirad-Center Beinert, phone 05241/92360, www.beinert-online.de; numerous aids for transport in the car.

Via rear rack


Travel by motorcycle


archive

Motorcycles on the rear rack are not rocket science, they work almost like a bicycle.

The bike on the rear of the vehicle is not uncommon. But many porters would also pack the motorcycle without any problems. Provided that you can find stable suspension points on the car. And this is the problem.

Motorhome outfitter Alfred Weih, primarily working for Hymer-Mobile, sets the limit very high: “Our rear rack easily packs 300 kilograms!” This means that clear statements are made about the hardware. However, it becomes critical in the periphery. Because the rear rack requires a stable suspension, which is not always provided ex works. Motorhomes in particular pose major problems for the developers of rear carriers.

Because the rolling house is usually constructed in such a way that the forces are directed not only into the frame but also into the superstructure walls. That’s enough for normal driving, but not for a motorcycle hanging from the rear. Solid subframes are required here, which are screwed to the vehicle and increase the carrier price to up to 3500 euros.

It is much easier to attach to classic transporters or vans. Due to the vehicle geometry with stable suspension points, motorcycles of up to 300 kilos can be balanced on the rear, depending on the model. The prices including the mounting kit for the vehicle are on average 1000 euros. However, packing is not child’s play. A 200 kilo bike can only be stowed on the rear rack with a lot of help and routine. It’s easier if you buy a lowerable carrier that pushes the motorcycle up to floor level. Cost: at least 2500 euros.

Conclusion: The acquisition costs are high, assembly is complicated and loading is often difficult. If you want to transport more than a feather-light 250cc Enduro, you should switch to other solutions. Particularly suitable for those who use the space in the vehicle for other purposes or who do not want to raise a speed limit.

Plus minus rear carrier:

plus

  • No speed limit
  • No special driving experience required
  • Storage space in the car is retained

minus

  • Partly requires expensive special solutions
  • Only holds one motorcycle
  • Is difficult to load

Addresses rear rack

Many carrier systems are sold through mobile home dealers (regional address search using the yellow pages). As a rule, they can also do the assembly or work with a specialist workshop. The following addresses are also recommended:

Alfred Weih, phone 07525/2400, www.alfred-weih.de; Lowerable rear rack for motorcycles, up to 300 kilograms on request.

Elbe Twinny Load, phone 0221/9565290, www.twinny-load.de; removable rear rack with a payload of up to 300 kg. Attachment kits for vans, SUVs and vans.

Sawiko, phone 05493/99220, www.sawiko.de; Rear rack for mobile homes in weight classes from 150 to 200 kilograms.

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