Bike movers - that go on your towbar?

[Crabby]

Anyone use one like they sell on trademe? Sort of thinking about one to put on the back of my commodore wagon, but I had visions of the bike bouncing off down the road, how stable are they?

[Jay GTI]

I have one that sits on the back of my old 7 series beemer. The bike rack itself is very stable (looks flimsy as hell though), but it's your tow bar that will be the main issue. I had one made specifically for the rack and it stillflexes enough so the bike moves around all over the place, flexing backwards and forwards over big dips. The guy that made the towbar had even seen a towbar fail from flexing too much. I solved it by shutting the boot on the end of a tie-down and hooking the other end around the frame of the bike to hold it in place. Not ideal, but it works.

In the end I gave up and bought a crappy bike transporter ute instead, much easier...

[Crabby]

Towbar is all good, tow a 1.5 ton boat with fairly high tongue loading, but yeah im thinking for all the pissing around i might as well buy a trailer.

[Jinxycat]

strangely enough, barty and i were talking about this the other day, i was looking at one for my VZ commodore station wagon!

[Crabby]

yeah i got a vx wagon, the idea appeals as it makes me more independent, also easier to find a park, at the same time I don't want to loose my new mx bike off the back lol

[nzspokes]

Towbar is all good, tow a 1.5 ton boat with fairly high tongue loading, but yeah im thinking for all the pissing around i might as well buy a trailer.

You have to check the bars weight rating not how much it can draw. You may be able to tow 1000kg but it will only handle 70kg vertical. I sell bicycle racks for cars and some of those just with bicycles can rip towbars off cars if the ratings are exceeded. :no:

[fastoyz]

hey do you have a link to them on trademe? i have looked a while ago but couldnt find any, as for the stability pretty sure a box hitch would be the go

[D3ALN]

seen these on trademe a while a go when I didnt have a ute or van and they were selling for around $700 easier to buy a cheap trailer.

[Jinxycat]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/trailers/single-axle/auction-400811761.htm
need a high "tongue load" towbar, like a rece type.

[flyingcr250]

i followed a car that had one of these on sunday, and the amount of flex the carrier had sent chills up my spine, :confused:

[Crabby]

i followed a car that had one of these on sunday, and the amount of flex the carrier had sent chills up my spine, :confused:

That says it all.. Think im getting a trailer :laugh:

[doddzee]

I threw this one together recentley the bike stays really stable but you definatley want to have a good towbar.

I built this one with a pivoting arm which the frame slots into (joys of no linkage) and I tie onto the foot peg mounts. This way i did not have to a cossmember running out from the front for you to crack your shins on and I would get it closer to the car. The arm folds down so i can still put the tailgate down.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii25/Doddzee/rack.jpg

There is only about $100 of materials in it not including the LEDs so its fairly cheap if you can build them yourself.

[Padmei]

Don't forget the old rear shock absorbers. The weight isn't that much but it is cantilevered out.

[Jay GTI]

You have to check the bars weight rating not how much it can draw. You may be able to tow 1000kg but it will only handle 70kg vertical. I sell bicycle racks for cars and some of those just with bicycles can rip towbars off cars if the ratings are exceeded. :no:

Yeah towbar guy (North Shore Towbars) mentioned a standard towbar is usually rated for 70kg vertical. Mine is rated for 110kg vertical, which means with a full tank and with oil, I'm right at the limit. As flyingcr250 says, they do move around alarmingly in operation (hence my additional tiedown).

The plus side is they are easily removed and tucked into the corner of the garage, you don't need to take up space with a trailer and you don't have to pay the additional insurance, tax, WoF etc that I do now with my ute.

I think I paid $385 for mine, from memory, still have the details of the trademe guy if anyone wants them.

[andy mac]

I don’t have room for a trailer so purchased a trademe rack. It’s made of channel section with a ramp and carries my 135kg WRR on a Toyota Camry stationwagon. The towbar flexes under the weight so I use tiedowns to lock the bike solid to the roof rack- it wouldn’t work if I didn’t do this. Also had heavier rear springs fitted. Tying on the bike & light board takes longer than loading a trailer.

I take the bike away on holidays and have done 4000km with no dramas. There were no extra costs on the Cook Strait ferries – every fourth vehicle has bicycle racks.

[Jay GTI]

Tying on the bike & light board takes longer than loading a trailer.



Ah good point... mine doesn't have the luxury of a ramp, so loading it requires a bit of strength. I'm a stocky bloke, so can pick up the front and rear wheels and load it in myself, but after a particularly hard day's riding it can be a struggle.

Luckily dirt bikers are an awesome bunch and there hasn't been a time yet when someone hasn't offered to help me put the bike on after a ride.

[mattnzl]

These flash aussie ones look the business (hydrualic lift!!)
http://www.ezimotow.com.au/index.htm

Cheaper to just buy a trailer though :(

[random rider]

I had one...sold it but miss it at times! I put on a new Mondeo - love work cars for free petrol - but had to get it rated for the down force.

The do rock a little the heavier the bike. Mine is a KX125, but I used a strop that I connected to the baby seat "clip things" inside. Worked a treat and no rocking.
Travelled from AKL to Tussock and no worries. Just make sure you put a mock up of your plate number on it so the cops don't worry. They are always intrigued with it but happy :Police:

I had no issues in getting the bike on the back as more technique but after a ride it is pretty tough.

[B0000M]

make your own.

get 2 bits of box section steel, weld them to the outer edges of your tow bar.

slot 2 bits of smaller box section inside them.

get a channel of some kind of your choice for your bike to slot into, just as you would on a trailer. attatch this across ways over your 2 bits of box section hanging out the back.

no stress on your tow bar toungue

same stress on your rear suspension.


note on overhanging loads - you're allowed to overhang the sides you your vehicle by 200mm each side and 1m out the back before you need flags or lights etc on it. on wider vehicles this will be ok, on a commodore maybe not