Forum Discussion

LarryAck's avatar
LarryAck
Explorer
Jun 01, 2015

Towing A Motorcycle

We have been out of the RV hobby for a few years, and we are now retiring and want to get back in. We have taken up riding motorcycles, and want to take our bike with us, wherever we go.

Question for any riders. We are looking to purchase an enclosed trailer to hitch on the back of the MH. How do you move these things when you are backing into a site with a 40 ft MH.
  • We wanted and need a vehicle, so for us a pickup with a Blue Ox Sport lift. Works great plus it give you a lot of other options when you travel.
  • I pull a 210 lb bike inside a single axle 6x10 cargo trailer. Despite being tied down securely the bike and loose cargo gets tossed around pretty good inside the trailer. It's a much more violent environment than when behind the SUV. I suspect the long distance from axle to hitch amplifies any sudden movement, however slight it might be. I could tie the bike down with more points . . . .

    Cargo trailer is nice because everything inside is clean when I get there. Security too.

    For backing with the trailer I turn on the backup camera. You can center on the marker lights and top edges on the trailer. You know pretty quick if the trailer is straight. Backing into a camp site would be pretty tricky . . . .

    Best,
    - bob
  • I have a flat bed trailer that I carry my quads on and used to carry my Harley on. When I got to a campsite I would unload the toys and then I had a wheel on the tongue jack of the motorhome and I would push the trailer by hand wherever I wanted to keep it. An enclosed trailer is going to be a little heavier, but as long as you're on fairly level ground if you get a wheel for the jack, you'll probably find you can push it around fairly easily. They also make dollies that are designed to lift trailers by the ball hitch and you can push it around with one of those too. And if it's too heavy for that, I've even seen little electric and gas powered dollies that are designed for moving trailers around.
  • Larry,

    You might consider a dual axle enclosed trailer as they are a lot more stable with our without the bike or bikes inside which enables you to disconnect the trailer, load or unload the bikes then park the motorhome. I only have a single axle trailer, but a much smaller motorhome than you and don't have trouble backing into spaces, although I do look for a pull through when available. I also have a rear view camera which helps to keep the trailer from jack knifing too far before I correct.

    Hope this helps.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    The simple answer is you back it into the site or try and get a pull through site. Normally a short trailer behind a long vehicle is hard to back up, BUT because of the long overhang off the back of a MH it's a lot easier than you would think. Click on "How I tow" below as it's much the same as a short trailer and I back up often without unhitching.
    *Here are some of my posts on hauling a motorcycle on the MH as it's nice to have a car when it's raining. Putting it in the back of a medium size PU is another option.