Bike Hauling

The guys here know their stuff so I am back and will stay. At first I heard but did not listen, so I continued my research. I am talking about a bike lift on the back of the coach. Ya all were sooooo right and after three weeks of going back and forth with the lift maker, Liberty and Prevost the final reply from the Prevost engineer was ..NO! DONT DO IT! AT first he said 1,000 pound was acceptable at 8 inches...We won't go there!
Dam, the bike was the major reason for the coach. Needing a car also we have reviewed trailering or towing. Final result is going to buy a pick up and put a ramp in it.
Now I have many more questions. I did not like the motor ramps, I found fold ups called Safe-T-Ramp which attaches to the truck hitch. Any coments?
What is the best tow bar and brake set up? How do I find out if a truck is flat towable without taking everyones word? I wanted a SRT10, heard that wont work, so a Harley Ford is next. Thanks again for being right!

Jeff, It sounds like you do not want to pull a trailer, right? We have friends that have marathon #399 and he started pulling a F150 with a heritage softail in the back. He found that when ever he got to where he was going he had to wash the truck and then the bike. He didn't like all the work so he bought a 20' bull nose and hauls a jeep wrangler and his bike, very happy.

Hi has a side ramp door for the bike.

You can put a 2-piece drive shaft, that disingages, on an SRT-10 and pull it 4 wheels down.

It incorporates a sliding splined coller, that is cable opporated from the cab.

I pull a 1/2 ton Dodge 2WD 4 wheels down.

I have also been told that there is an electricly opporated version of this as well but I have never seen one.

Blue Ox has several lifts for motorcycles and some can also be used to tow a car or truck all wheels down, here's the link their web page: http://www.blueox.us/Carriers/carriers.htm maybe something there can suit your needs.

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Originally Posted by Jeff & (Ro)Bert(a)

The guys here know their stuff so I am back and will stay. At first I heard but did not listen, so I continued my research. I am talking about a bike lift on the back of the coach. Ya all were sooooo right and after three weeks of going back and forth with the lift maker, Liberty and Prevost the final reply from the Prevost engineer was ..NO! DONT DO IT! AT first he said 1,000 pound was acceptable at 8 inches...We won't go there!
Dam, the bike was the major reason for the coach. Needing a car also we have reviewed trailering or towing. Final result is going to buy a pick up and put a ramp in it.
Now I have many more questions. I did not like the motor ramps, I found fold ups called Safe-T-Ramp which attaches to the truck hitch. Any coments?
What is the best tow bar and brake set up? How do I find out if a truck is flat towable without taking everyones word? I wanted a SRT10, heard that wont work, so a Harley Ford is next. Thanks again for being right!

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Can you tell me what the Prevost engineer said potentially could happen if a lift is installed?

Jeff,

I have the same dilemma and don't want to pull a big trailer. I have to take the Jeep or the Hog, but can't do both. You probably researched all these lifts, but Rampage makes a nice one for a pickup. http://www.sportslift.com/cycletoylift2.html

"DAMN, THE BIKE WAS THE MAJOR REASON FOR THE COACH" Do we have that correct?

Let me think this one out....... You only need one finger to count the number of people that get a coach for that reason. A lot of us got tha P's for a lot of screwey reasons, but I think you have the cart before the horse.

Alright, alright, I don't have a bike so what do I know about it. Too many of my friends have been chopped in half on them there things. It's all a matter of luck.

Lew

Jeff,

Toybox knows a guy named Mike who flat tows an SRT10 with a Harley in the bed, you may want to check in with him. Mike used to tow his Harley in a trailer but found it to be a hassle so went to the SRT10.

Richard Beecher
96 Vogue XL 40 with 24' trailer
The Beechbus

Well I ended up getting the Excursion to tow around. I put on it and M & G engineering for braking, Blue Ox 10K tow bar and brackets to pull with and a REMCO driveline disconnect as discribed above. The best option I think to get their stubb kit and have a local and good driveline shop modify your driveline. I first bought the driveline from REMCO but ended up returning it twice before I got the stubb kit and had a local guy modify the DL. easy to work with someone local then thru the mail. If REMCO has a DL that matches your it would probably OK, but if they sound like they have done it but not too many time don't go there. Some of these new driveline have expensive parts and REMCO can't duplicate it and stay in budget.


If I hadn't gotten the "Oh we can do it" from REMCO I would never had bought the Excursion. But they told me it was a slam dunk, NOT.

GregM

By the way I saw a guy that had a SmartCar setup to haul off wheels behind his Bus. I never saw it lifted but he told everyone folks he could. I saw this last year at BUS'nUSA.

GregM

Ellen & I use the Vee nosed trailer and try to tailor our trip around the Harley.
On trips were we do not plan a ride we, like Tom, take the Jeep. Our trailer has a dressing area for the riding gear. Besides keeping the bike clean and dry we pad lock the doors for security purposes. If the weather goes belly up at a distant destination........we rent a economy car! Ken & Ellen

1. Prevost engineer's comment: He is not comfortable at all with this option. He said that this installation will create great forces and bending moments in the structural members and it may results in vibrations and also structural damages. He also mentioned that by moving the trailer hitch is not a good idea either.

2. I have always like the SRT10 so it was my first interest. Then thinking about it, I am in the Bio-Diesel transport biz and should support it with a diesel, so I called Ford and they told me F150 and F250 are not flat towable. Doesn't anybody like me? What diesel pick ups are towable?

3. After just buying the coach, yes...so I can go riding in other places then flat old Florida. Well I am not ready to spend another 10 grand right now. I like now nor do I want the hassel of going into camps with a trailer.. I am still a virgin so not sure what I mean, but I thought the pick up idea was easy. We have a Land Rover Sport I would put in the trailer with the bike if I went that way. Sooooooo confused. Thought I would just trade in the Land Rover and it would be easy. I also dont like the thought of my bike being dirty. You guys are not helping.

4. We are travelling with our pets..my wife wants a 4 wheeler there in case of anything. The rental sound good if available. Maybe just get a small enclose bike trailer that I can sell when I upgrade to a stacker. Anything I should be aware of having a small trailer flopping behind me?

5. Maybe I will win the lotto this week and then it won't matter. Does anyone have this coming weeks winning numbers?

"TO FLAT TOW AN F150 YOU WILL NEED A NEUTRAL TOW KIT."
So the first Ford guy wanted me to buy a Dodge or Chevy!:eek:

Any 2WD, rear wheel drive P-U is towable 4 wheels down, with the correct equipment.

Jeff & Bert, Everyone likes you,:p , but I for one don't want to spend your money. Well I do, but it's better if you slow down decide what you want then run it by the group and sure as S you will either get high fives or shot down. :eek:
There are a lot of variations on this theme and you have heard some.
I think you would be better off with a GM product if you want to tow 4 DWN.
Their sales brochures tell what vehicles are towable as that is a selling feature they have picked up on currently.
I do know that a conventional 4X4 pickup is towable just put the transfer case in neutral and go.
A nice Duramax Diesel in a 2500 HD 4X4 Silverado would be just fine. How long is the Bike?, for bed size! You have that dimension.
An Avalanche would be nice ,but I don't think the bed is long enough and may not be available in diesel.
The Hummer and Avalanche both have special buttons to push to setup for towing probably Escalade also.
In one of your early posts you said you were going Harley Ford, well the Ford turned me off.
Didn't want you to think I didn't like you though so here's my GM recommendations that you probably don't like:eek:

Just keep working on the problem and the answer will appear!!!!

Jeff,

You seem to want to jump before you look. Stop the loyalty to ford. They'll forgive you. Jim has the idea.

I have an idea to increase your chances of winning the lottery.

BUY A TICKET

Lew

So many questions, so little time. I say look around and see how others are solving the very same problem. There is only a finite number of variables . Write them down and list the pros and cons for each. Then you will narrow your choices.

Ellen & I are here in Virginia Beach and in comes a Alfa 5th wheel with a motorcycle in tow. This strange looking device holds the front tire and the rear wheel of the bike is on the ground.:confused: This retired Marine has been towing his Harley with this device for the past three years of full timing! Maybe I can get a picture of it and post it? Ken & Ellen

Found a picture.

FWIW a Dodge with the Cummins diesel, 4WD is towable. With the 4WD you can have an automatic or manual trannie and still tow.

At this year's Liberty rally at least two of the bikers had a lift in the bed of the pickups that allowed ground level loading of the bike and then the carrier was hydraulically or electrically raised and set onto the pickup bed.

I don't care about Ford, GM or Dodge. I think they are all problems. I have German and English cars with alot less issues then US made. I was an Auto parts mfg until China destoryed the market, I know something about the american car makers. Not much, just a little. The brand I look at is cosmedics and conforts only, the rest is only as good as the dealer's service department.

Bummer the sales people don't know any of this. I ask them, they research it and they give bad info. Am I surprized? Are you?

I hope I don't jump..I thought I was getting info. But with the confusion I just might...Crap, there are no cliffs in Fla and I close my eyes going on bridges.

Looks like the advice I'm leaning to is a bike trailer and forget about also taking 4 wheels. Looked today at Haulmark Edge. I think the value wont take to much of a beating if I decide to change the plan later on. I have been looking for used ones but to save only 25% I rather go new and pick a color to match the coach.

Thanks for all your thoughts. Will keep you updated on what I find out........... Oh yeah, forget about that Marine's bike carrier, thats all I am saying about it.

Jeff,

My trailer for the bike is a 6 X 12 Avenger and I have dragged it all over the country for 8 years with no problems. Here's a few things to look for on a trailer:

Torsion bar suspension instead of spring, much better ride
Rear jacks that can be lowered so you can ride the hog in when unhooked
"V" nose if you can, gives you a tighter turn radius without hitting the bus
Dual axle with brakes would be nice
Dovetail frame makes the trailer lower to the ground
Make sure you have enough door height if you have a dresser or windshield

Good luck...

Thanks Tom,
I thought I had it all covered except the V nose. Is it really important? I picked out a Haulmark, 8.5 x 12, tandom, but no "V". Something more now to consider.
Jeff :confused:

Jeff,

I saw a guy while backing up jack it around too short and poke a big dent in his trailer, maybe because he didn't have a long enough tongue. When I bought mine, they offered an extended tongue and I didn't get it. Now that the V noses are out, that seemed like a good way to get a little more clearance for those tight spots.

Sounds like a nice one your looking at, I didn't even know you could get a 102 wide in a 12 footer. Post a pic if you buy it.

You can find it at the Haulmark site.

http://www.haulmark.com/php/products...ype=MOTORCYCLE

Still undecided which way I am going.:confused:

Jeff and Bert:
Towed a small trailer for many years when motorcycling. Other than when I specifically go to a M/c rally I have quit trying to mix the leasure time.

When I want to ride my bike, I saddle it up and go. This is still my preferred method of touring.
When i want to play coach, I do that.

Trying to do both doesn't seem to do justice to either.

On occassion, I tow a BMW 650 on a very small trailer that I can manhandle easily--posted a picture here somewhere.

By the way, 4WD Ford ranger will hack it--big bike rear wheels hang out a bit but doesn't matter with one of those racks that you can load bike on the ground then an electric/hydraulic set up lifts the whole thing into the truck. Alternatively, all towns have loading docks with a ramp somewhere. Real handy on and off.

About every six months or so I saddle up the big beemer--K1200LT--and go see my kids--in Dallas and Las Vegas

Thanks,
I found a nice used 21 ft Paace, tall with A/C, lights, 3 doors and matches my Coach as is. I think it will hold our Land Rover and two Hogs. Trying to cut a deal on it. If anyone hears of anything else out there please let me know. I need it by mid July. My wife nixed the pick up as I was going to get rid of a car for it and she was fearful she would be driving it.