Loading a bike into a tuck or trailer

[JONAC]

Originally Posted by oso2k

Maybe you have to be a member of that other forum to see them. Hmm. Here they are again.

Hey Os ... some fella asked how to supersport his bike on another thread ... You should post him some some pics.

That looks excellent !!! good job mate



For you Neil.....

If you go for the plank of wood option beware if you have the bike running. Once the front wheel is in the van too much throttle can spin the plank away and you're in a whole world of pain !! seen it done

[Nelly]

Originally Posted by JONAC

Hey Os ... some fella asked how to supersport his bike on another thread ... You should post him some some pics.

That looks excellent !!! good job mate



For you Neil.....

If you go for the plank of wood option beware if you have the bike running. Once the front wheel is in the van too much throttle can spin the plank away and you're in a whole world of pain !! seen it done

Mate, I will be the Plank loading the bike. So I will be doing it very carefully indeed. I think Numpty has the best option for one as stumpy as me. Use a tail lift.

Neil

[AJ Babaganoosh]

Originally Posted by pchbreeze

But with a trailer, you're limited to 55mph. Without it, you can pretty much go with the flow of traffic.

Is this some kind of law where you are? I've never heard of it. I drive mine at 70-75 all the time without any problems at all.

[Nelly]

Originally Posted by AJ Babaganoosh

Is this some kind of law where you are? I've never heard of it. I drive mine at 70-75 all the time without any problems at all.

UK law is 60 mph with a trailer.

[DefyInertia]

Originally Posted by AJ Babaganoosh

Is this some kind of law where you are? I've never heard of it. I drive mine at 70-75 all the time without any problems at all.

I've driven through most all the states and have found that most major interstates specify a different speed limit for regular vehicles vs. trailer equipped vehicles. It's often unclear whether or not a pickup truck w/ small trailer would be put in the same 55MPH class as an 18-wheeler. In any event, I rather do 80MPH w/ a loaded truck than with a trailer.

[ecurb]

The first time I loaded my bike in a truck was 15 years ago. The bike was an '87 Yamaha Radian. While riding it up, I damn near dropped it off the side of the ramp near the top (banged it up a bit regaining control). Getting it off was no picnic either. While walking it down, the back wheel went off the ramp a couple inches off the ground and I almost dropped it again.

It was 5 years before I ever had to put it on a truck again, and that time, it didn't matter. I had just broadsided a minivan that pulled out in front of me, and the Radian was toast. It took me and 3 other guys to lift it into the truck.

Thanks for bringing back the bad memories. I've been off bikes for 10 years since that day, and it took the FZ6 to convince me to get back in the saddle. Life is too short to miss out on fun like this.

Bottom line .. I'd go with the trailer if I were you.

[pchbreeze]

55 is the California law for all trailered vehicles. U-Haul and other companies even paint it on their trailers.

[OneTrack]

Originally Posted by DefyInertia

I've driven through most all the states and have found that most major interstates specify a different speed limit for regular vehicles vs. trailer equipped vehicles. It's often unclear whether or not a pickup truck w/ small trailer would be put in the same 55MPH class as an 18-wheeler. In any event, I rather do 80MPH w/ a loaded truck than with a trailer.

That's what I used to think as well...until I was pulled over by a Washington State trooper for "speeding" in my motorhome, because I was towing a "trailer", which was our car. He let me off with a warning, but it did demonstrate that all traffic laws can be open to an individual officer's interpretation.
It's worth checking your local laws to see if the trailer-towing speed restrictions apply to a bike trailer.

[JONAC]

Originally Posted by perryn

UK law is 60 mph with a trailer.

Have you eaten the highway code Neil ??!!