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Class A Towing trailer with car and Motorcycle

JCat
Explorer III
Explorer III
Has anyone put a motorcycle lift in an enclosed trailer to tow behind your RV ?

Here's the deal.

I want to bring my corvette and my Harley with me when I travel.
I looked at a 24 foot enclosed trailer and the bike would have to go at an angle and would be too close to the vette.

A 26 foot would be perfect. But I can't find a reasonable priced one.

I looked at putting a lift on the RV by the trailer hitch and was quoted $10k, due to the way the frame on my Mandalay was built by the factory. So no go.

Now I am thinking I should get a 20 foot trailer, enclosed and put a lift in it so the bike could be up in the air about 3 feet, above the vette.

I'm not talking about a service lift. I have seen these garage lifts that with the right framing under them would support the weight.

Anyone done something like this ?

Thanks
JCat & PCat
2004 Mandalay 40D
CAT C7 350 HP
16 REPLIES 16

JCat
Explorer III
Explorer III
Bikeboy - The vision in my head is to have the Harley in the front of the trailer, front wheel forward pointing at the rv. Lift the bike up 2 to 3 feet, lock it in, then pull the nose of the corvette under the lift.
At least that's how I think it would all work, but from a vision to a reality things always change.
JCat & PCat
2004 Mandalay 40D
CAT C7 350 HP

C20
Explorer
Explorer
Well posting pics here is a pita. We brought a stacker trailer
2017 Newmar Essex
97 Jeep Wrangler
16 HD CVO Street glide
2015 Challenger Hellcat
2021 Hellcat Durango
2020 ram 2500 Cummins

Bikeboy57
Explorer
Explorer
Something to think about is the weight balance of hanging a harley on the back. Yes, the ride height control valves will compensate to keep the rear up, but you WILL be taking weight of the front tires due to the fulcrum effect from the harley. Too little weight on the front tires results in poor steering. I have a friend with a bmw bike on a hydralift mounted on the back of a newell. He can tell a difference in the handling with and without the bike. Just something to chew on.
Richard and Rhonda
1999 Newell
Subaru Outback toad

C20
Explorer
Explorer
We bought stacker trailer last summer to haul the Jeep, Harley,and a V8 chopper trike. Not sure how to post a pic
2017 Newmar Essex
97 Jeep Wrangler
16 HD CVO Street glide
2015 Challenger Hellcat
2021 Hellcat Durango
2020 ram 2500 Cummins

ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Explorer III
They are pretty good at checking racing rigs coming out of Vegas for length also.

JCat
Explorer III
Explorer III
Thanks for the feedback, been off fixing my RV for the last week with normal, as in something always breaks, repair items.

On the overall length issue, I have seen highway patrol in CA pulling people over and measuring the overall length. This typically happens to people coming from the offroad areas in Glamis and Ocotillio Wells.
Not seen it anywhere else, but you never know.

I had a stacker 10 years back, and now I'm kicking myself for selling it as that is the best solution as someone pointed out.

My vision is a small lift just for a Harley, that would be over the vette just a foot or 2. But as someone said, I need to cost it all out. Might just cost the same to buy a used stacker, instead of a 20 ft trailer, beefing up the framing, adding a lift, etc.

I gotta run the numbers.
JCat & PCat
2004 Mandalay 40D
CAT C7 350 HP

C20
Explorer
Explorer
We bought a stacker trailer. 22’ long. Can haul the jeep, Harley and the wife’s chopper.
2017 Newmar Essex
97 Jeep Wrangler
16 HD CVO Street glide
2015 Challenger Hellcat
2021 Hellcat Durango
2020 ram 2500 Cummins

rjstractor
Nomad
Nomad
JCat wrote:
Has anyone put a motorcycle lift in an enclosed trailer to tow behind your RV ?

Here's the deal.

I want to bring my corvette and my Harley with me when I travel.
I looked at a 24 foot enclosed trailer and the bike would have to go at an angle and would be too close to the vette.

A 26 foot would be perfect. But I can't find a reasonable priced one.

I looked at putting a lift on the RV by the trailer hitch and was quoted $10k, due to the way the frame on my Mandalay was built by the factory. So no go.

Now I am thinking I should get a 20 foot trailer, enclosed and put a lift in it so the bike could be up in the air about 3 feet, above the vette.

I'm not talking about a service lift. I have seen these garage lifts that with the right framing under them would support the weight.

Anyone done something like this ?

Thanks


Without looking up numbers, I would think that putting in the hardware to double stack a Vette and a Harley in a 20 foot trailer would cost far more than buying a 26 foot trailer.

But you could also look at it from another angle- You have a 40 foot diesel pusher and you want to take along a Vette and a Harley. You obviously want to roll big. If you want to roll big, you gotta pay. Figure out the best way to roll what you want to roll, and what it costs, it costs. If it costs too much, maybe you should scale back your roll a little. 😉 If it were me I would put the lift on the MH to haul the bike, and put the car in an 18' enclosed hauler if the Vette was either classic or brand new. In between, I'd go open flatbed.
2017 VW Golf Alltrack
2000 Ford F250 7.3

Blackdiamond
Explorer
Explorer
Buy a stacker trailer
03' Fleetwood Southwind 32VS
Enclosed Trailer hauling the toys
05 525 EXC KTM
15' FE350s Husqvarna/KTM
07 Rhino, long travel, 4 seater

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
ferndaleflyer wrote:
Now that is a hoot right there! Over length? For several years I towed all over the country at about 75ft total. Here in NC we are allowed 90ft Went from 75 down to 70 then down to 66 where I am now. Over 100,000 trouble free miles. Many states have changed their length and frankly most just don't care about an RV.


Sammy Hagar and I think a lot alike, I can’t drive 55 either, or 65 or even 70.

I generally drive 100k to 150k miles a year, and other than in town, rarely go anywhere near the speed limit.

Up here if you’re only going 15 mph over the speed limit you’re being pushed off the road, at 20 to 30 mph over the limit you’re just keeping up with traffic.

It’s been that way for me for more than 40 years, I’m yet to get a ticket.

So you’re saying there’s no more speed limits and they couldn’t give me a ticket now?

Great, I’ll tell them you said so..LOL.

ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Explorer III
Now that is a hoot right there! Over length? For several years I towed all over the country at about 75ft total. Here in NC we are allowed 90ft Went from 75 down to 70 then down to 66 where I am now. Over 100,000 trouble free miles. Many states have changed their length and frankly most just don't care about an RV.

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
A 26’ trailer behind a 40’ MH would be illegal in all but a handful of States, the vast majority have 65’ limits.

Also, since overall length is an “equipment regulation” not a drivers license privilege there is no reciprocity, if you are found to be in violation you are parked until you can solve the illegal situation.

wallynm
Explorer
Explorer
Great quote

ferndaleflyer wrote:
Not exactly the same thing but I have a 30ft enclosed and can haul my 65 442 race car with the Smart car in front of it. I also have a 20ft open Featherlite and can put the Smart on there in front sideways and the car fits behind it. At the race track there are all types of stacker trailers with cars, golf carts, 2nd cars, street cars, etc up top. If you can afford a Vette, a class A, and a Harley you can afford a good trailer.
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ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Explorer III
Not exactly the same thing but I have a 30ft enclosed and can haul my 65 442 race car with the Smart car in front of it. I also have a 20ft open Featherlite and can put the Smart on there in front sideways and the car fits behind it. At the race track there are all types of stacker trailers with cars, golf carts, 2nd cars, street cars, etc up top. If you can afford a Vette, a class A, and a Harley you can afford a good trailer.