Home
Ren's Biking Blog
Towing With A Motorcycle
Blog Date - 18 December 2017
Over on another page Rob has brought up the subject of motorcycle trailers. I have been looking at setting up a trailer for quite some time and I think this subject is worthy of some further exploration.
This is Rod's rig. The 250 'Zuma manages the trailer fine.
First off - is it even legal? Apparently so here in the UK at the time of writing. Please see the link below
https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-motorcycle
It seems I cannot tow with my CBF125. This is slightly disappointing but I do understand why. If nothing else it makes the learner laws less complicated (you cannot ride anything above 125cc as a learner therefore a learner cannot tow a trailer). You could argue that 125cc motorcycles are too small to tow a trailer but then if the trailer is very small....?
I need to ensure the kerbside weight of the motorcycle is clearly and indelibly marked and the same applies to the trailer. There are guidelines as to how the kerbside weight is calculated on the page but it does raise a question. My CB500X has a given kerbside weight of 196kg. However if *my* motorcycle has a towbar fitted that adds say 10kg to the mass of the bike is this counted? I suspect it probably is but I am not a lawyer so don't take my word for it.
At 196kg I can tow 2/3rds of this weight or 150kg, whichever is lighter. 196kg dived by 3 gives...where is my calculator...65.33333kg. Times this by 2 gives 130.66666kg. I can tow 130kg using my 500 (being cautious and not taking into account any additional weight from the towbar).
So - how much does a small "off the shelf" trailer weigh? Halfords have a small Erde trailer that weighs in at 55kg. This would give me a potential legal load of 75kg. Blimey! I could carry Sharon AND 25kg of luggage. Please note it is illegal for anyone to ride in a trailer I am just making an observation. I would also need to check the width of this trailer as motorcycles cannot pull any trailer over 1 metre wide.
Halfords Erde Trailer.
Searching for motorcycle trailers is quite hard - because of course this brings up plenty of trailers to put your motorcycle(s) on to and only a few little trailers for your motorcycle to pull.
I'm still at the thinking phase. I have concerns regarding handling. I am wondering if it's worth the effort. Would it not be better just to take less crap with me rather than get a trailer and take more? Do I make my own trailer? One wheel, two wheel? Mounting methods? Wiring?
I am open to suggestions.
Are you in the motorcycle trailer business? We'd love to try out your product and write a review here on Bikes And Travels. Contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
Reader's Comments
Bob said :-
I once bought a ZZR600 rat that had a trailer made from the front forks from a scooter. The forks provided suspension and the trailer was coupled to the bike with a universal joint from a truck prop-shaft - complete genius, the UJ allowed the trailer to pitch and turn but eliminated yaw so the that it was always aligned with the bike and the whole combination had the same single track footprint as a solo motorcycle.
19/12/2017 09:40:52 UTC
Pocketpete said :-
Are you going enough to remember the rd350lc sidewinder.
That acted as a side car. Big enough for a hobbit perhaps.
19/12/2017 10:56:47 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Bob - I have seen several single wheeled trailers with a universal joint as the coupling and it does make sense. The only problem is slow uncoupling but that too has it's pros and cons. I don't suppose you've any images of the old rig?
Pocketpete - I remember the sidewinders. They weren't specific to any bike. The old licence laws allowed you to ride any size motorcycle on "L" plates as long as it had a sidecar. The sidewinder allowed learners to ride Z1000s on "L"s with this weird little thing stuck out at one side that was supposed to lean with the bike.
Don't fancy one meself - I could go for a Neval or Dnepr combo though. Blooming expensive these days and not so hot on fuel consumption.
19/12/2017 13:28:07 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
It wouldn't have to be slow to uncouple - if you got one from a prop shaft with a sliding spline then you could weld the outer spline to your towbar arrangement and drill through the splines then fit a pin and R clip to hold them together (or even a padlock if you wanted it to be secure).
WRT combinations - my first "proper" bike after the Francis Barnett I started with was a Norton 500 16H with a rather elegant Watsonian Avon sidecar as I'd neglected to pass a test. Sidecar outfits can be great fun after you learn that you have to steer them not lean.......
19/12/2017 14:16:45 UTC
Alex said :-
Hi ,
im currently gathering parts for a trailer to tow with my motorcycle ,
i must admit , when i forst read the rukes that i understood it to be , a bike larger than 125cc but have since realised it includes 125cc ,125 and above , it says nothing about Lplaters NOT being able to tow. as you said , a 125cc bike ,the trailer will be proportionatly light.
im going for a mono wheel type. i have a grand desing and a quick and cheap design , doing the quick one atm because of the cost. and i can getvstarted on it , bit by bit.
im hoping that by the time im ready to tow i will jave passed both Mods this month so i can move up from my YZF R125 to my new VFR800.
MY QUESTION IS:
LIGHTS AND NUMBER PLATE.
i haven't found anything for bike trailers. the trailer could potentially be as long as 2 and a bit meters .
if i dont block my lights or plate do i need ones on the back of the trailer ???
What have you managed to find out since this blog was posted ? please advise.
Thanks
14/01/2024 17:55:59 UTC
Alex said :-
Hi ,
im currently gathering parts for a trailer to tow with my motorcycle ,
i must admit , when i forst read the rukes that i understood it to be , a bike larger than 125cc but have since realised it includes 125cc ,125 and above , it says nothing about Lplaters NOT being able to tow. as you said , a 125cc bike ,the trailer will be proportionatly light.
im going for a mono wheel type. i have a grand desing and a quick and cheap design , doing the quick one atm because of the cost. and i can getvstarted on it , bit by bit.
im hoping that by the time im ready to tow i will jave passed both Mods this month so i can move up from my YZF R125 to my new VFR800.
MY QUESTION IS:
LIGHTS AND NUMBER PLATE.
i haven't found anything for bike trailers. the trailer could potentially be as long as 2 and a bit meters .
if i dont block my lights or plate do i need ones on the back of the trailer ???
What have you managed to find out since this blog was posted ? please advise.
Thanks
14/01/2024 17:56:01 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Hi Alex, All the best with the trailer build.
Just two things to watch out for:- firstly the trailer dimensions. The trailer can be a maximum width at any point of 1 mtr and can have a maximum length of 2.5 mtrs measured from the motorcycle rear axle (so need to be careful with this if towing the trailer with more than one motorcycle as the length from the axle to tow ball may vary).
Second is the bike engine capacity. As I understand the rules the bike must be 125cc or over. Most 125cc bikes are 124cc so under 125 cc.I believe the YZF R125 is actually 124.7cc.
14/01/2024 19:32:01 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
84.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a motor cycle—
(a)drawing behind it more than one trailer;
(b)drawing behind it any trailer carrying a passenger;
(c)drawing behind it a trailer with an unladen weight exceeding 254 kg;
(d)with not more than 2 wheels, without a sidecar, and with an engine capacity which does not exceed 125 cc, drawing behind it any trailer; or
(e)with not more than 2 wheels, without a sidecar and with an engine capacity exceeding 125 cc, drawing behind it any trailer unless—
(i)the trailer has an overall width not exceeding 1 m;
(ii)the distance between the rear axle of the motor cycle and the rearmost part of the trailer does not exceed 2.5 m;
(iii)the motor cycle is clearly and indelibly marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible position with its kerbside weight;
(iv)the trailer is clearly and indelibly marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible position with its unladen weight; and
(v)the laden weight of the trailer does not exceed 150 kg or two thirds of the kerbside weight of the motor cycle, whichever is the less.
(2) The provisions of paragraph (1)(b), (d) and (e) do not apply if the trailer is a broken down motorcycle and one passenger is riding it.
14/01/2024 23:30:09 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Thanks folks. I don't have anything to add of any use as presently a trailer is not on my radar.
16/01/2024 07:47:44 UTC
Name
Comment
Add a RELEVANT link (not required)
Upload an image (not required) -
Uploading...
Home
Ren's Biking Blog