Motorcycle on rear of motorhome/uprating towbar

kris

Guest
Now I know this thread has been covered extensively in the past but it really appeals to me if I can safely do it.I am looking at a small scooter /bike (fancy a Honda inova 125) carried across the back of my 2007 Relay L3/H2.I have plenty of axle /carrying capacity left .The bike is 100kg and the carrier weighs 20kg.Citroen recommends a max towball loading of 100kg which I think is worked out on how the Witter towbar is attached to the fixing points on the van so I would be slightly over the limit.Is there any way I can add more fixing points to van/towball to upgrade and make it more acceptable by law?I have put the rack on the back and added a 100kg weight and the van hardly drops any,so I dont think it will overload it or make it unsafe.I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has used this method of carrying a bike,only other alternative is to carry bike inside back of van but it would be hard to secure it safely.
 
Different vehicle, but here's what we calculated for our scooter on a custom rack:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scooter weight 222kg plus we allowed 78kg for the carrier.

Distance behind the rear axle = 2425mm (Assuming 400mm behind the bumpers)

Wheelbase = 4250mm

Weight added to the rear axle = 470kg

Weight taken off the front axle = 171kg

Weight of the empty vehicle as it is now = 4000kg (250kg approx to come out when the floor framing is removed)

Axle Rating Front axle = 2300kg

Axle rating Rear Axle = 4300kg

Gross weight = 5990kg

Train weight = 13000kg (Not a mistake, the 614D can tow up to 7000kg with powered trailer brakes)

SVTech can uprate our gross weight to 6400kg from 5990kg as a paper exercise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter
 
I made a homemade motorbike rack out of some old box section. I carried a
Ty 125 motorbike on it fastened to the two tow bar bolts. On a Ford Focus. Est
All the way from Manchester to Newcastle. I could not feel it on the back steering
Was spot on handling fine. It must have weighed about 170 kilo I guess.
 
Fazerloz said:
I have a 09 lwb ducato with heavy duty tow bar and carry a 200kg bike on a EasyLifter hydraulic bike rack and it is no problem at all . I have added air bags to assist van suspension that's all. Easy-Lifter hydraulic lifting system - Tel: 01509 268400 - HOME page any doubts give them a ring.
Click to expand...

What kind of "heavy duty "towbar did you use-mine was a witter .I used to carry a BSA C15 on the back of my old Ford Cortina when I was trialing -didnt seem to struggle.I was thinking of adding a couple of extra fixing points from middle (each side of towball)to fasten towbar to Relay apron.
 
You have to watch the rating of the rear axle and the extra imposed load.

Not many motorhomes have sufficient payload or rear axle rating to carry a bike, even a lightweight one.

Peter
 
the 100 kg towbar load refers to the recommended static load of a trailer drawbar (trailer nosewight) when the outfit is stationary . the dynamic shock loads from a trailer in motion will be far in excess of this , a static load from a well secured lightweight motorcycle will not damage the towbar, even the 2 towball mounting bolts are well more than capable of carrying the load.


on a slightly different tack whats the legalities of a front mounted rack, historically they made the steering heavy , but everything now has power steering. id guess that impact with pedestrians has now made it illegal same as bull bars on 4x4s.
 
listerdiesel said:
Different vehicle, but here's what we calculated for our scooter on a custom rack:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scooter weight 222kg plus we allowed 78kg for the carrier.

Distance behind the rear axle = 2425mm (Assuming 400mm behind the bumpers)

Wheelbase = 4250mm

Weight added to the rear axle = 470kg

Weight taken off the front axle = 171kg

Weight of the empty vehicle as it is now = 4000kg (250kg approx to come out when the floor framing is removed)

Axle Rating Front axle = 2300kg

Axle rating Rear Axle = 4300kg

Gross weight = 5990kg

Train weight = 13000kg (Not a mistake, the 614D can tow up to 7000kg with powered trailer brakes)

SVTech can uprate our gross weight to 6400kg from 5990kg as a paper exercise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter
Click to expand...

again your posting doesn't answer any of the OP's questions.
 
ricc said:
the 100 kg towbar load refers to the recommended static load of a trailer drawbar (trailer nosewight) when the outfit is stationary . the dynamic shock loads from a trailer in motion will be far in excess of this , a static load from a well secured lightweight motorcycle will not damage the towbar, even the 2 towball mounting bolts are well more than capable of carrying the load.


on a slightly different tack whats the legalities of a front mounted rack, historically they made the steering heavy , but everything now has power steering. id guess that impact with pedestrians has now made it illegal same as bull bars on 4x4s.
Click to expand...

Bullbars arent illegal Bull bars - Publications - GOV.UK, they just need to be E-marked. I am not sure if there is an e mark for bike racks, front or rear mounted?

I know this wasnt OPs question, but Im not sure if a front one would be better or worse. Weight would be more over the axle and steering, but front axle limits are always lower than rear.

Putting it on the back may put you overweight on the back axle. It has a plated axle weight but the distance from the axle to the load, as well as other factors come into it. I had to do similar calculations for my van - I have 2 / 3 bikes in it, so axle weight is a factor as well as MAM.
 
motorcycle on rear rack

Will go to get the van weighed now conversion is complete and I have a conversion chart to work out how it alters with bike on back.Also intend to add two more fixing points from towbar to rear "skirt" of van .and possibly box section from chassis to towbar each side so should take the weight of approx 130 kg.I will let you know how I get on....Chris
 
Teutone said:
again your posting doesn't answer any of the OP's questions.
Click to expand...

It shows the effect on the two axles of putting the weight out the back, that it is not a simple 'bolt a bracket on' job.

You need to look further at what is being posted before criticising.

Peter
 
I have a home made rack for my MH, based on a rack from an old Hymer. I was concerned about the twisting effect imposed when cornering etc. When I welded the lightboard stays on I extended them inward so they sit firmly on top of the towbar. This reduces the twisting seen on racks mounted only on the 2 original towball bolt holes.
Tompa
 
carrying m/cycle on towbar

Got van weighed today.Totalweight =2780---front axle=1500/rear axle=1280 kg,so will weigh rear axle again with m/cycle+ rack on.Leaves 720 kg on r/axle limit and 350kg front.
 
kris said:
Got van weighed today.Totalweight =2780---front axle=1500/rear axle=1280 kg,so will weigh rear axle again with m/cycle+ rack on.Leaves 720 kg on r/axle limit and 350kg front.
Click to expand...


I'm very interested in the result you get as I use a Hope 'rac n' roll' with a 105kg CRF450 aboard but have always wondered if it would be safe for a trackbike at around 200 kg

Ian
 
I carry a 135kg Honda PES 125 on an easy lifter fixed rack mounted on a tow ball mounting. Drives fine but it is a twin rear axle van with 1000kg payload.
 
scotsy said:
I'm very interested in the result you get as I use a Hope 'rac n' roll' with a 105kg CRF450 aboard but have always wondered if it would be safe for a trackbike at around 200 kg

Ian
Click to expand...
It added 173 kg to rear and made front 43 lighter (with 130 kg bike/rack according to chart) thats with 1330 overhang..Wouldnt like to carry anything heavier though.Will let you know how it feels with bike on back.
 
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