Motorcycle carriers

Stovepipes · 24 Jun 2019 at 19:27

I don't think I'm really in the market for one just now but I'm kinda curious, especially as I should probably never bet let anywhere near a trailer.
I've never seen these things in the UK, assuming you have the right vehicle are they legal & does anyone have any experience of using one?

Stovepipes · 24 Jun 2019 at 20:20

Cheers. I'm very confused by all this. the "Tongue weight" or "nose weight" of the various vehicles I've googled could no way support a normal motorcycle unless I'm missing something. My NC700 is 211KG that seems to be a fair bit over the maximum capacity of even a Toyota Land cruiser Or Mitusbuish L200 Pick up.

Stovepipes · 25 Jun 2019 at 14:11

Foghorn Leghorn said:
Don't forget you have to take into account the weight of the carrier too. Sadly very few vehicles you can use that type of carrier on with a regular road bike.

Yeah that's the thing I cant find a single vehicle that can support the weight of a normal bike let alone the carrier too yet the video clearly shows it can support a sports bike so what is going on there?

Stovepipes · 25 Jun 2019 at 17:01

vanpeebles said:
Even for a heavyweight like a disco, they have a nose weight of 150kg.

Yeah that's why I think we're either missing something or these thins are dodgy.

This chap is putting a Ducati 1299 Panigale on a what I think is a Hyundai Sante Fe I wonder if there's a difference in rules between the UK and US that allows them to do this but not us. Or perhaps I'm getting terms mixed up, Is nose weight the same as Tongue weight?

Stovepipes · 25 Jun 2019 at 20:12

Fireskull said:
Does it not depend on the class of hitch? I know for LR's you can get different hitches that can have up to 400kg on them, which would be enough for a sportsbike and one of these carriers.

You could be right but I have no idea how any of this works. It's one of those weird areas where I'm not doing well googling it.

This tow bar has a nose weight of 350KG so I guess that should be enough for the carrier and a bike surely?

https://www.towbarexpress.co.uk/landrover-discovery-5-towbars-now-available/

Wonder what the deal is with with insurance assuming this is all kosher?

Stovepipes · 25 Jun 2019 at 20:15

Rroff said:
A lot of pickups don't really like a lot of weight hanging off the end of the ladder frame like that - puts a lot of strain on what is probably the most vulnerable part of the design - they are fine with it sitting on the frame though (from what I can see seems to be the cause of a good number of the snapped in half L200 Tritons and Navaras though the owners deny using them in that manner).

I have no idea I just noticed a pickup truck being used in the ads for these carriers so assumed they were a good choice.

Stovepipes · 26 Jun 2019 at 18:47

Fireskull said:
https://www.discountramps.com/identifying-vehicle-trailer-hitch/a/B43/

Some info here from a company that supplies said carriers.

Yeah that's the US company from the video I posted but I can't seem to find anyone selling them in the UK. If these were legal for big bikes surely loads of people would have one.

I found one company selling them for motor homes but even then the weight limits are quite low. I have a suspicion that probably due to some EU ruling they're not really allowed here even if a vehicle can make use of them and that's why I can't seem to find them for sale.
I think if I ever want to drive my motorcycle somewhere I'll need to learn to use a trailer.