Bike Trailer, Part II

[greenmonster]

First off, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all here at NESR!! I hope you receive all of your wished-for presents!

I know I covered this topic in a recent post, but...I want to specifically address the posssibility, if it exists, to rent from anyone on this forum who owns a bike trailer. I'd like to go this route first before trying the "commercial" options like U-Haul, Ryder, etc. It would be from June 15-20. So, if you or anyone you know might be interested, please post here or PM me!!! Thanks, and Peace to all.
Mark

[joberly]

That's plenty of time to save up for a trailer! Then you'll have one to use whenever you want.... I think they have them pretty cheap at a Lowe's or something, I always see rows of them lined up outside and they look decent!

[greenmonster]

Schweeet!
http://www.versahaul.com/home.html

Anyone seen/heard of these? Moto-Tote makes one too. Cool, cuz you arent restricted to slower speeds by a conventional trailer. U-Haul lists the maximum towing speed for their MC trailer as 45 mph!!! Can you imagine driving to PA at 45?

[RandyO]

Originally posted by greenmonster
Schweeet!
http://www.versahaul.com/home.html

Anyone seen/heard of these? Moto-Tote makes one too. Cool, cuz you arent restricted to slower speeds by a conventional trailer. U-Haul lists the maximum towing speed for their MC trailer as 45 mph!!! Can you imagine driving to PA at 45?

consider the tongue weight capacity of your tow vehicle

IMHO they are only good for dirt/trials bikes and pedal bikes

[greenmonster]

Thanks for the tip, RandyO...I'll have to do more research on my SUV's towing capabilities with this sort of device...but if everything matches up, it'd be a cool toy...I especially have to check out its ability to carry my Ninja...they can show pics, and make all the promises they want to...I just hope it can carry more than dirt bikes and bicycles!!

[RandyO]

I might add, If I had a vehicle that was capable, spec wise, I would want to see one demonstrated, loading/unloading and driving if possible.

I would imagine that the weight of a bike hanging off the back, might change the handling of a vehicle, you might want to keep your speeds to the same 45mph as the uhaul speed limit that I rarely see observed

[R7]

Originally posted by greenmonster
Thanks for the tip, RandyO...I'll have to do more research on my SUV's towing capabilities with this sort of device...but if everything matches up, it'd be a cool toy

It has nothing to do with the tow capacity of the vehicle, it's the actual tongue weight rating. This info "should" be stamped on the trailer hitch itself. Not sure what type of SUV you have but unless it's a full size, I'd say it won't have the capacity for a street/sportbike. Dirtbikes are half the weight of sportbikes on average. You're gonna need at least a 500lb tongue weight rating for a sportbike and I "think" that equals out to 10-12k tow capacity rating

[RandyO]

Originally posted by R7
It has nothing to do with the tow capacity of the vehicle, it's the actual tongue weight rating. This info "should" be stamped on the trailer hitch itself. Not sure what type of SUV you have but unless it's a full size, I'd say it won't have the capacity for a street/sportbike. Dirtbikes are half the weight of sportbikes on average. You're gonna need at least a 500lb tongue weight rating for a sportbike and I "think" that equals out to 10-12k tow capacity rating

that's what I posted in my first post I would look in the owners manual rather than look on the hitch, many hitched are rated for more than the vehicles rear springs are rated for

most tow specs have a tongue weight capacity and a pulling capacity that is more related to the vehicles braking capabilities

[R7]

Originally posted by RandyO
that's what I posted in my first post I would look in the owners manual rather than look on the hitch, many hitched are rated for more than the vehicles rear springs are rated for

most tow specs have a tongue weight capacity and a pulling capacity that is more related to the vehicles braking capabilities

Not really, any trailer over 2,995 lbs needs it's own braking system anyways so that's a moot point

The hitch is what you want to look at in this case as each hitch is designed different and chances are, you're not going to excede any full sized SUV's payload capacity by hanging a sportbike off the back. Hitches are rated in classes, class 1, class 2, class 3, etc, etc, while they may look the same, they have totally different ratings based on design and mounting points

[RandyO]

payload capacity is the rating of what you can put over the axle, tongue weight is not over the axle, many vehicles can but 1000 lb in bed, but only 200 hanging behind the axle, even though the hitch might be rated for 500, too much weight behind the axle can unload the front suspension

you know this stuff mark, yer just tryin to get me wound up

[R7]

Originally posted by RandyO
you know this stuff mark, yer just tryin to get me wound up

Not trying to get you wound up (though it's not to hard) but I will stand by what I said about looking at the hitch.
The hitch should not be on the vehicle if the tongue weight rating of the trailer hitch excedes the rating of the vehicle at that point. It certainly will not be a factory installed hitch if it does
So what happens if you have a vehicle that can support 600lbs of tongue weight (according to the manual) and has a 300lbs tongue rated hitch on it Do you read the manual and ignor the hitch?

The only sound advise to give then is to read BOTH the vehicle manual AND the stamp on the trailer hitch?

[greenmonster]

Thanks for all the great advice, guys....I own a 2002 Hyundai Sante Fe SUV....not as big as one of those Ford monsters, but not compact either...I guess its a middleweight. I have my work cut out with the Hyundai specs, the bike weight, the trailer manufacturers specs, tongue weight, etc. Put em all in a bowl and see what I get. I always sucked at math! LOL Theres an 800 number for the maker of the trailer, so Ill hound them for more info. To be continued...

[ChR1s]

Those hitch-mounted bike carriers might be able to hold the weight of the bike, and the tongue weight might be within spec for the hitch & vehicle, but what about the torque those things must be exerting on the hitch assembly itself? Take 450 lb., now dangle it 20" out from the receiver. That'd be some mechanical advantage there. And what about the forces exerted about the axis of the hitch when the bike carrier jounces? That's a lot of force trying to twist a piece of 2" square tubing. The carriers I've seen seem just barely capable of toting a dirtbike, let alone a streetbike weighing twice as much.

[theothersean]

It might be finr for smooth straight roads but like chris said there is going to be a lot of tourque on the hitch when you hit a few new england pot holes or go down a road with corners in it.

I would trust a trailer for a sport bike before I would go for a hitch mount, but for a dirt bike it would work well.

If they changed the design some how and had the thing with more than just the 1 mounting point I might trust it a bit more.

[RandyO]

2002 SantaFe

they don't list a tongue weight, but usually it's about 10% or the towing capacity, the heaviest bike I'd dare to put on the back of a santa fe would be a trials bike, I wouldn't even put a dirtbike on the back unless it was a kids size

SantaFe's are not rated for very heavy towing capabilities

I know what it's like to hang a 400-500 lb snowplow setup off the front, that would be like just the opposite

it stresses a vehicle structurely to hang weight off the end like that

[greenmonster]

Thanks for the linky, Randy...so...here are the specs:

Standard Towing (lb.) 1200 1200
Maximum Towing (lb.) 2200 2200

Standard Payload (lb.) 1486 1486
Maximum Payload (lb.) 1486 1486

Standard GVWR (lb.) 5238 5238
Maximum GVWR (lb.) 5238 5238

Based on what I see...the standard/maximum towing, and the standard/maximum payload...all exceed the weight of my bike which is listed in the owners manual at a dry weight of 474lbs. (1997 ZX900R Ninja) Just for shits and giggles, lets say the bike is 500lbs wet. Keeping in mind that I suck at math, and dont have a full grasp of how to interpet the above specs for my SUV, where is the SUV not suited for hanging a 500 lb load off the rear, given that the lowest spec number is the 1200 lb towing rating? I'd sure appreciate the edumacation!

[Manny]

It is 2 totally separate issues.

1. How much can the car pull behind it when that weight is on wheels.

2. How much weight can the car suspend in mid air behind it supported by only the trailer hitch, essentially tipping it backwards and redistributing the center of its mass.

Perhaps this isnt the best analogy, but
think about pulling a wagon full of bricks - you probably can pull it no problem, now think about holding all those bricks with one hand behind your back and walking with it.

That being said, Versahaul lists most cars capacities right on their web site and it looks like your car is in the 200 pound region depending on the specs.

[Rice-rocket1]

My Tahoe has a 750lb tongue weight with a 7000 lb tow capacity and I wouldn't put any thing more that a dirt bike hanging off the back.

You also have to remember that the amount of tongue weight allowed is affected by the amount the vehicle is loaded (payload). If the vehicle has a payload of 1750 lbs and is carring four passengers at 250 lbs each, 500 lbs of beer and munchies in the back then the allowable tongue weight is reduced to 250 lbs.

[R7]

Originally posted by greenmonster
Thanks for the linky, Randy...so...here are the specs:

Standard Towing (lb.) 1200 1200
Maximum Towing (lb.) 2200 2200

With that kind of tow rating, there's no way you can hang a bike off of it, especially a porka like the ZX9

[beet]

if your crazzy & try it i would go slow & pull off often 2 check your load IMO your going 2 b over loaded
your going 2 hang 600 lbs off the back of that little suv
hope your front tirers stay on the ground
that thingy your putting the bike on got 2 b 100 lbs easy + 500 = 600 lbs

[R7]

I guess mine is pretty heavy duty, the trailer hitch says 1,500lb tongue weight and 16,100lbs tow capacity

[greenmonster]

Thanks for all the input, guys...looks like I'll be slabbing it after all...unless I get a traditional single rail towed trailer. God, that would suck, having to do 45 mph! Im sure my SUV could pull the bike on a two wheeled trailer, tho. Maybe I could even do 65 mph w/o too much worry. Its just that 7-8 hours on the ZX seems more like an exercise in self-torture! My knees, neck, wrists and shoulders are going to pay the price, even with occassional pitstops. The thing is, Ive been riding since '86, and have had my share of discomfort from long rides, but Ive never done one of this duration, not all at one time. Oh, if only I was 25 again! lol. Luckily, I'll be riding with others, so I'll just have to suck it up and smile through the pain! Definitely gonna have to look into a mod for my stock seat. Been meaning to do it for a long time, anyway. Now I have the perfect excuse. Maybe a Corbin, a Sargent, or even those "beaded" type coverings. Some people swear by them. Anyhoo, thanks again guys for all the help. Hope I can return the favor(s) sometime. Cheers!!