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Bike transport on tongue of trailer

87warrior

Hidey Ho
Joined
Feb 8, 2022
Member Number
317
Posts
102
Location
Kansas
I have a small camping trailer that I built to drag down rough roads. Unfortunately when I was designing and building it, I did not consider how to transport a bike with it. Has anybody added a motorcycle carrier, similar to those hitch carriers, to the tongue of their trailer? What was your experience? Is there any disadvantage to transporting a lighter weight bike on the tongue of a trailer?

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I believe this trailer can easily handle +300lbs of WR250R on the tongue. The trailer has a 2.5x2.5x1/4" backbone from end-to-end, the frame is 3/16" channel and it has a 3,500lb brake axle with 1,200lb springs (x2). Tow rig (SUV) has a 7,000lb/700lb hitch on it and the trailer is coupled with a 15,000lb pintle and 10,000lb lunette ring. Currently I estimate the trailer weighs about 750lbs and has about 65lb of tongue weight.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Do I just take the truck?
 
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I don’t see any problem with that. That is a long tongue. It should have plenty of room from the tow vehicle, when jackknifing the trailer.
Thanks for your input. The tongue is long enough for a +90° jackknife where the tow rig's bumper will be about 2' in front of the enclosed portion of the trailer. I did this for kayak transportation but looks like it might work in my favor for bike transportation as well.
 
I have a small camping trailer that I built to drag down rough roads. Unfortunately when I was designing and building it, I did not consider how to transport a bike with it. Has anybody added a motorcycle carrier, similar to those hitch carriers, to the tongue of their trailer? What was your experience? Is there any disadvantage to transporting a lighter weight bike on the tongue of a trailer?

1644517124740.png


I believe this trailer can easily handle +300lbs of WR250R on the tongue. The trailer has a 2.5x2.5x1/4" backbone from end-to-end, the frame is 3/16" channel and it had a 3,500lb brake axle with 1,200lb springs (x2). Tow rig (SUV) has a 7,000lb/700lb hitch on it and the trailer is coupled with a 15,000lb pintle and 10,000lb lunette ring. Currently I estimate the trailer weighs about 750lbs and has about 65lb of tongue weight.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Do I just take the truck?

if you add a bike to the tounge, you might concider to relocate the spare to the back to counter balance the unit.
 
Something I just though of, it might be better to build some type of double hitch for the tow vehicle. Putting the bike back further, in front of the trailer body, exposes it to the roost from the tow vehicle. This could be especially bad if you ever get caught in a snow storm, where they use deicing agents on the roads.
 
Built the trailer in hopes to accommodate the hitch hauler on the back.
14% tongue weight without the bike, 10% with the bike and no water in the rear tank, 8% with full water.
All weights are with my 215 lb Sherco X Ride.
It will turn slightly past 90 degrees with a 42“ hitch length.

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Built the trailer in hopes to accommodate the hitch hauler on the back.
14% tongue weight without the bike, 10% with the bike and no water in the rear tank, 8% with full water.
All weights are with my 215 lb Sherco X Ride.
It will turn slightly past 90 degrees with a 42“ hitch length.

12E7AF21-1762-4E7C-A87A-7E63E04DF6E5.png



563C98F6-2EEF-4288-BFF4-A16225D53BDF.jpeg
Your set up is pretty awesome. What is the loaded weight of the trailer without the bike? I can't imagine it is much over 1,000lbs.

I do have a rear receiver on the trailer. It is the back end of the 2.5x2.5x1/4" backbone and would probably support 300lbs of weight. I don't know how that would affect the trailer balance though.
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Something I just though of, it might be better to build some type of double hitch for the tow vehicle. Putting the bike back further, in front of the trailer body, exposes it to the roost from the tow vehicle. This could be especially bad if you ever get caught in a snow storm, where they use deicing agents on the roads.
That's a good point. The trailer already gets hammered pretty hard with mud 'roost' from the tow rig.
 
Your set up is pretty awesome. What is the loaded weight of the trailer without the bike? I can't imagine it is much over 1,000lbs.

I do have a rear receiver on the trailer. It is the back end of the 2.5x2.5x1/4" backbone and would probably support 300lbs of weight. I don't know how that would affect the trailer balance though.
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That's a good point. The trailer already gets hammered pretty hard with mud 'roost' from the tow rig.
Total weight of the trailer with the essentials is 1250 lbs.
12 gallons of water, diesel heater, refrigerator, awning, ceiling vent, 200 watts of solar and related electrical equipment, full led lighting inside and out, water pump, shore power, inverter, etc.
It has a 2“ X 2” X 1/4” wall center tube for front and rear receiver hitch, I added a second receiver to the back of the trailer and the Jeep for absolute stability on the bike platform.

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With that much tongue space I think it would be perfectly fine. I would definitely do a roost shield of some sort in front of it tho.
 
Is the tongue long enough to allow mounting the bike in line with it? If so, could you hitch it with the bike loaded?
Dang, that is thinking out of the box! I'll have to put a tape measure to the WRR and verify, but I think the bike will be a little too long to fit on the tongue, between the hitch and trailer body.
 
Why not put the bike crossway as aft as possible on the tongue. Then add 20" or whatever to the tongue to maintain the desired full jackknife
 
Specs of your materials and running gear are good for a big load. If you built it so the axle position fore and aft is adjustable, like lots of boat trailers, put the bike anywhere and then adjust for proper tongue weight with axle position.

You mention 65lb now. I’d try to get that to something like 90-100 with the load in the photo. Reduce fore and aft pitching and let tow vehicle rear suspension control it better. With the bike up there I’d shoot for well above the standard 10% of trailer gross. (‘60s summer jobs included running canoe trailers in some ugly places)

I would definitely cross the tongue on your design.
Nice looking rig.
 
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