Bikers with motorhomes....

scotsy

Guest
We are new members here (just bought a Hymer) but already I've noticed quite a few references to motorbikes:)

Which members own bikes and how often do you get out on them?

I am a keen motorcyclist doing around 10,000 miles a year mostly on 'rideouts' with these www.northukbikers.co.uk. My current bike is a 2008 Aprilia Tuono 1000R and I'm just waiting for a test date for my IAM test after completing an Advanced Riding course which Margaret bought me for Christmas.

Would the chassis on my Hymer B584 be good enough to support a 'custom made' rack and a bike? (bike weighs 190kg dry) as most of the std ones seem to suggest 150kg as their max load. There is also the question of damage caused by weight dangling 'out back' but the 'A' class chassis seems much more susbstantial than 'conversions' I've looked under. I don't really want to tow a trailer with my bike bouncing around unseen at the back, i'd much rather have it solidly mounted which will also enable better 'security' and less restriction to speed when on NSL's and motorways etc.

See you all soon!!
Ian
 
Hi Ian, I am an ex biker, now the proud owner of a recently purchased Hymer.
I just couldnt fit all my fishing gear onto the back of my ZZR1100, and the odd time I tried I often lost bits along the way.
Wife and I decided to sell up, buy a motorhome and go travelling / fishing for a while, loving it to bits so far :)
Good luck with your van, no idea about max or sensible weights to carry on rear of van, though I am sure someone will be along soon, who can help you out.
 
high Ian...Ive got a couple of old jap bikes, one is a Honda 550/4 and the other is a Yamaha SX 850 triple,Ive had bikes since 1966 unfortunately because of disability I need a third wheel now but cant make up my mind whether to convert the yam to a trike as its a drive-shaft or nail a chair to it? but bikes are still my favorite transport when not using the camper.......
 
Hello Ian

Yes I am also a motorcyclist, with our intention to go fulltiming it has meant reducing the garage :( I am left with one bike now and am undecided about taking it with me or storing it. I did consider a trailer but didn't really fancy the idea of being compromised by dragging it everywhere. I don't think you'll be able to carry the Tuono on the back of your Hymer - too much weight so you may have to re-think your options :confused:

Once you've had a bike it's in your blood and very hard to be without one.

Safe riding.

Not sure what I've done wrong but the image is not displaying on the page although you can click on it

Stephen
 

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i drive a gt 550 i've been over to wales & england a number of times on it also the isle of man.
i use it all year round every week im out at least once or twice.
tony
 
tony said:
i drive a gt 550 i've been over to wales & england a number of times on it also the isle of man.
i use it all year round every week im out at least once or twice.
tony
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I had one of those in the 70's Tony and the GT380 before that:D

We're getting old:rolleyes:
 
Nice bike Ian, yeah I'm an ex biker too, but I always keep looking, I too would like to carry a bike on or behind my M/H, something for the future I thinks, no idea I'm afraid about the bike and the weight etc, but I would imagine it may be too heavy to carry. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Tom
 
trish and I are just back from the scottish bike show,we have a 500bullit,a 07 transalp and a velocette le.
 
Bikes on hymers

Hi I have a 544 and cary my pegaso on the back with no probs.living on the Isle of man we see a lot of campers with all sizes of bikes on the back somti:)mes more than 1 at a time
 
Thanks for all the replies, very surprising how interests merge:p

I obviously realise that by slinging an extra 200kg approx 2M behind the rear axle i would be approaching the load limit for the rear axle but my main concern was about the ability of the CHASSIS to bear the load without damage. I can alleviate the axle load by upgrading with Air-ride units and even get the van re-plated if neccesary for a higher 'payload'.

Having been underneath for a nosey already i must point out that i bought the van with a towbar and bracket already fitted (the previous owner 'jonnyro' had it fitted for an 'A' frame to tow a car).

The chassis rails seem to be quite substantial and it appears that if i removed the towbar/bracket and fitted a 'custom made' support rail for a 'channel' for the tyres that no problems would arise.

Otherwise i'll be looking to buy a trailer (watching one on fleabay at the mo) and a monitor for the 'camera' thats already fitted and pointing down from high on the back.

Ian
 
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mornin scotsy... i hear you have a blackbird too...:cool:

both fairways and i have xx's... i tow mine in a box van (room for 2 xx's) and fairways puts his in the back of his camper. :eek:

we are members of the blackbird forum ixxra.. perhaps you would like to join us over there... we ride out regularly.:D

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when with the box van and on my own i tend to use C&cc sites... always been welcomed (and helped with parking the box van)
and i've had no probs leaving the gear for a day while i've been out ridding:)


inboard motorhome garage or suspended from a bike rack at the back of your van is not an option for bikes of this weight/size.:(
a specialised vehicle required:confused:

regards;)
ajs

i'll be at hayfield with the above :D
 
I've a 1990 Africa Twin and a 2003 Triumph Tiger 955i. My Hymer has air assisted rear suspension, but I reckon both bikes are too heavy. I also have a large box trailer and I was thinking of making an internal bike rack with a slide out ramp so I could take one of them with me and keep it out of sight and in the dry.
 
Chassis extensions are an engineers job - I'd not feel comfortable about hanging a bike onto the rear of a camper without having had some basic calculations done on strength, weights and compliance.

Its not just the additional weight on the rear axle, its also the weight it will remove from your steer axle at the same time - think of a seesaw. Handling can be horrible with 250kgs hanging out the back.

I've seen a guy in Italy a few years ago struggling with a light scooter on a ramp arrangement upto the bike carrier - you've got to think about how you get 200kg safely up onto the carrier and then secured before it falls on you - especially if its 2' above the ground.

For the costs involved and the number of days a year you would use a motorbike carrier, I'd be pretty sure that a simple trailer would come out miles ahead in costs (especially as you have a towbar and camera) and with ease of use. With a simple box trailer (versus a bike trailer) you also get the advantage of being able to keep the bike undercover and use it for other items.

Hassles with a trailer is obviously parking and reversing, but after a while you just get used to spotting a good park that suits your vehicle.
 
I have a Honda Blackbird cbr1137:cool: , one day i will buy a trailer to pull it behind the motorhome as an alternative to my pug on an a-frame .
 
Thanks for all the input, very helpfull as expected:)

If i occasionally want to take my bike along i will be buying a trailer:D

I know 'buffalobill' from a biking rideout site that we frequent and i think i would be selfish to try and take the bike with me on our 'fortnightly' MH outings:rolleyes: after all ... i get the best of both worlds.

One weekend i get to ride the bike (Margaret works every other weekend)

and the following weekend we get to 'explore' new places together in our MH


Ian;)
 
ian. same here we got every 2nd week end together to go away in mhome
hannah works every other sunday. thats life.
tony
 
riding today

I took a ride up through Silverdale, Arnside, Ravenglass, then over the notoriously tricky Hardnot pass followed by Wrynose pass, Ambleside, Kirkstone pass...


over 200 miles of lovely roads and scenery:)









PS. ajs, i no longer have the 'bird' (I'm only allowed 1 x bike at a time) but mine was in the faster BLUE colour
 

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Hi ian i have a rimor motorhome based on a ford transit 3.500 ton twin wheel,its the first motorhome i have ever had.But have been biking for years .so the first job i did was to weld a motorcycle rack on the back for the wheels to slot in and bought a alloy bike ramp from machine mart.The bike i have is a 625 KTM .We have since toured yorkshire, wales .cornwall ,its a little heavy to push on to the rack but once on never moves a bit .i have booked for the TT this year and have not bin charged for the bike just the MH .so happy biking
 
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