Transportation of a motorcycle is an important issue for bike owners when they urgently need to move their vehicle. The goals are different: buying or selling, repairing, long-distance travel. Rarely does a driver decide to purchase special delivery equipment. We have to look for options that will ensure the safety of the vehicle on the road. The solution is a logistics service for transporting a motorcycle by car. Advantages - there are special fastening systems, the property is insured. Depending on the distance of the destination, the masses of the bike choose different methods of transportation.
How to transport a motorcycle inside a vehicle
You can use different means for delivery:
- Minibus, van - cargo models are completely ready for travel, and passenger models can be easily transformed to deliver a bike by removing the seats. The low loading height allows you to easily roll up the product and safely transport it to any distance. Plus - the equipment is protected from theft, weather conditions, and accidental loss due to a fall.
- How to transport a motorcycle with a pickup truck - even with a short body, you can deliver equipment if you put the rear wheel on an open side, which has a large margin of safety. Rear-wheel drive pickups have a low loading height and are easy to roll up.
- Car - you can transport a motorcycle across Russia, if the model is roomy enough, it is possible to remove the rear seats or partially disassemble the bike.
When planning delivery, you need to equip the car with special fastenings to guarantee the vehicle’s immobility. These are straps for fixation and a trap for the front wheel.
Motorcycle tow truck/tow truck
In our world, almost all problems can be solved with money. If you get stuck along the way due to a breakdown or need to transport a bike but don’t have a workhorse, a motorcycle tow truck is always happy to see you. They can have any kind of transport, from a regular tow truck to an adapted van.
There’s nothing stopping you from calling even a regular tow truck. Not in every area you can find a free motorcycle tow truck, then why not turn to a simple one, the main thing is to warn that you want to transport a motorcycle. It will occupy a modest place on the tow truck and will need to be securely secured in a special way so that it does not tip over. In exceptional cases, it is possible to place the bike immediately behind the driver’s cabin and attach it in the wind.
How to transport a motorcycle to another city in a trailer
Option for delivery of several or one model. You can purchase a lightweight trailer that allows you to transport equipment up to 750 kg, permitted for category B. Modifications are convenient for loading and have a low frame. Feature - you will have to buy an additional awning to cover the bike from dirt, it is difficult to maneuver.
According to the rules for transporting motorcycles, it is permissible to deliver them in the side trailer of the bike; some install a special platform. The downside is the option for moving lightweight scooter models. Heavy equipment will cause improper distribution of weight, and there is a risk of overturning on the way.
Fastening mechanism
Now let's talk about how the fastening mechanism works. It consists of 2 parts: receiving and serving. The receiver will be on the handlebar, the server will be on the back of the smartphone. To install it on your phone, you need an SP connect case or their universal mount.
The receiving and supply parts are folded together, after which the mount must be fixed. To do this, turn the phone 90 degrees until it clicks. The procedure takes 2 seconds - match the fasteners and turn. To open, turn back. A simple scheme for convenience and speed.
The contacting parts are called Microrail or microrails. They are the same for all SP connect products. Because of this, one case is enough to attach the phone to all other platforms from the company. In addition to phones, cases, covers and glove compartments are attached. Athletes will find it more interesting than others - the company makes fastenings for those who play sports.
The mount has a rotating mechanism so that you can set the desired tilt angle for the phone. In addition, there is also a choice of horizontal and vertical orientation of the phone. This is adjusted by tightening the ring on the top of the mount.
The mount is not afraid of changes in temperature and water. Feel free to leave it on your motorcycle in any conditions. Buying a phone mount SP Connect Bar Clamp Mount for a motorcycle stem is an excellent choice in favor of driving safety and comfort!
External platform
Mounting on a towbar is a method of transportation without using the trunk of a car. How much it costs to transport a motorcycle this way depends on the type of platform you purchase or make yourself. It can be large, accommodate several light bikes or one heavy one.
The platform is installed in place of the tow bar, which will allow you to transport an enduro bike, pit bike, or scooter directly behind the car.
The driver must guarantee:
- license plate visibility;
- good performance of lighting devices;
- reliable fastening of the platform.
The platform can also be installed in front of the car; this is a more complex option; not every driver can handle the controls.
Hello.
In general, this post was originally intended for “one auto resource,” but then I thought that it might also be interesting for motorcyclists. I hope it's useful. One of the main reasons for choosing a pickup truck rather than a classic SUV was the need to transport motorcycles - I have such a small hobby.
The trailer seems to me like a cruel hemorrhoid that does not bring any benefits, so I dismissed it immediately. Next, we tried the transportation of motorcycles on rented minivans (however, category “B” was not yet open to me at that time, so my knowledge about minibuses and vans was rather theoretical and came mainly from the passenger seat). It all came out like this: a van usually has the ergonomics of a minibus, which is generally not bad, but makes it much less convenient in cases where you don’t need to carry motorcycles (which is 90% of the time) - there is only one row of seats (the opposite will have an unpleasant effect on the dimensions) , in front, as a rule, there are 1+2, that is, you can take a passenger, but it will not be very convenient (with three of us, even more so), the shmurdyak can only be folded into the body - even the appearance of a photo trunk in the cabin is noticeable. At the same time, the partition does not save you from the smell of fuel if suddenly the tightness of the motorcycle fuel system is not ideal. The cross-country ability is such that once we managed to get stuck right on a summer cottage - after that we drove off the asphalt even more reluctantly and with double caution. Yes, there are options with all-wheel drive, but this does not solve the previous questions, but the price tag increases noticeably.
The advantages are a closed body, the inside of which you don’t have to worry too much about and where you can change clothes or wait out the rain, a low floor and high walls, which makes it easy to throw the motorcycle inside without a ladder, lean it on your elbow and only then start knitting. A good option for renting, but as a main car - definitely not for me.
For passenger minibuses, everything is somewhat different - the interior is more adapted for civilian use, in most cases you can quickly get rid of some of the seats, options with all-wheel drive are more common, but, as a rule, it is still not particularly useful (and Delicas, the first Starexes, I did not consider Loaves and Sables). The problem of a gas van in the cabin remains open, and two more are added to this: a lower ceiling (although 3 full-size hard-enduros fit into the same Vito without any problems) and the fact that with frequent transportation of motorcycles, a “civilian” bus begins to actively turn into motorcycle van because transportation of such goods for the salon does not pass without a trace.
So, feeling a little sad that I wouldn’t be a minibus driver any time soon, I turned my attention to pickup trucks.
In fact, from the point of view of transporting motorcycles here, everything is even worse, but overall the option seemed to me the most universal of all possible. In the case of transporting a motorcycle, you can forget about the kung (but there will still be options for installing the frame), and the side will be open (if it is not a full-size pickup, but a full-size is most likely category “C” and a separate song “He is a Kamaz driver”) — the motorcycle and the junk in the back will be available to everyone. The floor is quite high, and the height of the side on the contrary will allow you to drop the motorcycle onto the street if handled very carelessly, and throwing the motorcycle into the back is no longer so easy (although it still does not cause problems for one person, if we talk about the average shabby man and a motorcycle weighing 115 kg). There is no place to change clothes, so if you suddenly decide to go to the cross-country track in winter, you put on a thermal in the cabin, and then dance with the rest of your equipment outside. Speaking of space: when transporting your motorcycle(s), you will suddenly find that it has become much smaller and some of the junk is now traveling in the cabin. The good news is that most likely you will have an honest transfer case, much more pleasant ground clearance compared to previous options and an unplowed field for building an expedition vehicle... and this expedition vehicle will fit 2-3 motorcycles. It sounded interesting.
I wrote about the purchase of the Hilux separately, so I’ll concentrate on what was done:
1. The threads at the fastening points suddenly turned out to be under M11, the original “ears” were only on order, but it was necessary urgently - we went with a tap to M12, this greatly facilitated the search for eye bolts. 2. The first experience of transporting a motorcycle was not very successful - they threw a KTM SX85 into the back, nailed a trailer to the back and went to Karelia. On the way, we suddenly discovered that the embedded squares at the mounting points on the rear arches were trying to leave us (a problem with the 7th generation of Hiluxes) - we eventually got home without any losses, but it became clear that it would not be possible to carry two heavier motorcycles like that. As a result, I went to “one service” and asked the guys to cut out the old fastening points on the arches and weld new, larger ones instead. There are no photos, but I am more than pleased with the result. 3. The existing four mounting points were not enough, so I ordered rigging rails and 10 ears for them from a “company that produces junk for vans.” 4. Next was filling in Line-X in <another service> because... I really didn’t want to sew slats on top of the liner. Actually, that’s where the slats were nailed to the floor. 5. I picked up two folding ladders from the “manufacturer of all sorts of red goodies.”
It turned out like this:
Downloaded:
Shmurdyak had to be partially placed inside:
Based on the results of the first test, I was more than satisfied with the result - no additional devices except four ratcheting belts were required, the cruiser remained ± the same, except that rocking should be avoided outside the asphalt. Well, in the case of transporting one motorcycle, it would be a good idea to buy a trap for the front wheel, and some kind of net to insure the junk would be very useful. But that will come later.
How do transport companies transport motorcycles?
The service is a solution to an issue without the need to organize a complex process. The logistician independently analyzes:
- Transport - car, railway transportation of a motorcycle. Distance, cost, and technical condition are taken into account.
- Reliable fixation system - special retaining traps, platforms, and belts are often combined.
- The choice of route is safe and short.
- Loading, unloading.
- Property insurance - the customer does not risk incurring losses, they will be compensated.
Bonus - the transport company immediately offers several profitable options; you can track the cargo en route.
Useful tips
After loading and fixing, you can understand how the bike will behave during the journey:
- It is recommended to make several jumps in the back or trailer - this is an imitation of driving on an uneven surface; it will show how tightly the self-propelled vehicle is fixed and whether it will be subject to rolling.
- When fixing with slings, ask to hold the equipment exclusively vertically.
- The choice of belts is convenient, if there are metal sliding plaques, simply tighten them, increasing the tension along the way.
- Keep the speed limit low.
- Drain all technical fluids in advance.
Transporting self-propelled equipment is difficult; there is no guarantee that it will remain intact. You can minimize risks by contacting an experienced logistician.
Partial loading
The essence of the method is that the front wheel is securely fastened, and the rear wheel rotates, ensuring the movement of the motorcycle. For this delivery method, you need to purchase a special metal structure or make it yourself.
Flaws:
- It is not recommended to transport heavy models with a long wheelbase - during travel the bike is at an angle, liquids flow.
- Danger to transmission.
- Difficult to maneuver on uneven roads.
- There is a high risk of damaging the bike.
The technique is not recommended for long-distance travel.
How to transport a snowmobile with the help of a specialized company
This is perhaps the easiest way to transport one, two or more snowmobiles. You simply call a company that transports special equipment and coordinate all issues with the dispatcher. Starting from the dimensions of your device to discussing the route and the date and time suitable for transportation.
After you have agreed on everything, wait for the arrival of special transport and specialists at the appointed time. They will competently prepare, load and transport your winter vehicle to where you need it.
If you consider it necessary, an agreement will be concluded with you. This is usually done if there is a long move ahead - to another city or even country.
After completion of transportation, the owner of the special equipment usually checks whether it has become damaged during use. Most often this is a simple formality, but the rules should not be broken.
Securing the motorcycle during transport
If you decide to refuse the services of a logistician, you have a difficult task ahead - to create a fixation system that will ensure the bike does not move:
- Wheel trap - installed in the back of a pickup truck, van, minibus, trailer. The structure is screwed to the floor, a wheel is placed inside and fixed. You can purchase different modifications of traps. The simplest is a curved pipe that follows the shape of the wheel; there is a risk of bending the brake discs.
- Cables are a reliable fixation, without which it is difficult to ensure immobility.
- The straps are stretched so as to prevent the equipment from falling on its side.
- Side stands - the wheel rests against a corner of the body and is pulled to the stand by straps, preventing it from rolling away.
The fixation will be more reliable if you use different devices at the same time. For example, a trap and rope, a stand and straps. After a few kilometers of travel it is worth stopping to check the position of the equipment. If it moves, falls on its side, or rolls away, increase the tension of the belts.
Use Cases
A snowmobile is not only a convenient vehicle, but also a way to have fun while away your leisure time during the cold season.
Unfortunately, in city conditions it is quite problematic to afford such extreme walks, so snowmobiles are often used outside the city. In this regard, the problem of safe transportation of a snowmobile arises. Of course, today there are many professional services that specialize in transporting such equipment, but their services are not cheap, and from the point of view of convenience, this is not the best option.
The optimal solution in this case is a trailer for transporting a snowmobile, which will allow you to conveniently transport it using your car. Often, snowmobile owners use a regular car trailer to transport it. However, the problem is that such a platform is not designed for such loads. As a result, scratches and sometimes more serious damage appear on the equipment. Therefore, if you value your vehicle, it is worth purchasing a professional trailer for transporting a snowmobile.
When choosing a trailer, you must first consider the overall dimensions of the snowmobile. The vehicle must fit freely on the platform, and at the same time have a small margin, which is necessary for its reliable fixation and placement of additional equipment. The standard trailer dimensions are 150 cm wide and 350 cm long, but there are options for transporting several snowmobiles at the same time, and their width starts from 200 cm or more.
As mentioned earlier, the body for a snowmobile differs from a standard trailer, primarily the difference lies in the reinforced structure. In addition, on board such a special trailer there are fastening elements that guarantee the safety of this expensive equipment. Particularly noteworthy is the design of the rear part of the trailer, which can easily be transformed into a loading and unloading ramp. In model names designed to transport two or more snowmobiles, ramps play the function of a ladder.
