Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Motorcycle for towing cars - GIF

  1. #1
    Jon
    Jon is offline Jon has agreed the Seller's Terms of Service
    Administrator
    Supporting Member
    Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    26,365
    Thanks
    8,085
    Thanked 40,133 Times in 11,738 Posts

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to Jon For This Useful Post:

    dubbby (Aug 19, 2020)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member Big Sexy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    164
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked 26 Times in 23 Posts
    Big bikes usually have the horsepower and torque to tow but I would think the clutches would have to be much stronger.

    2,000+ Tool Plans

  4. #3
    Supporting Member Crusty's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Dry Gulch, Tx
    Posts
    749
    Thanks
    220
    Thanked 854 Times in 325 Posts

    Crusty's Tools
    The lack of braking power is the big flaw in this system. There isn't enough brake force and traction available to stop the weight of the bike and car in an emergency stop.
    If you can't make it precise make it adjustable.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Crusty For This Useful Post:

    will52100 (Dec 5, 2019)

  6. #4
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,619
    Thanks
    2,176
    Thanked 9,112 Times in 4,361 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Crusty View Post
    The lack of braking power is the big flaw in this system. There isn't enough brake force and traction available to stop the weight of the bike and car in an emergency stop.
    those fold up bike mounted tow dolly's have inertia braking. Not a lot of braking power is required to stop the weight of those small vehicles. Plus it is not likely the tow is going to be much further than the next exit where the downed vehicle will be transferred to a bed tow rig and hauled to the repair facility.
    It is much more expedient to have tow bikes servicing the busy motorways than the larger bed tow rigs. One thing that has me curious is would one of these tow bikes carry booster cables and possibly a can of emergency gasoline incase the stalled vehicle is only out of fuel.
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  7. #5
    Supporting Member IAMSatisfied's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    The desolate ranch country of Northeastern corner of New Mexico, USA
    Posts
    394
    Thanks
    269
    Thanked 245 Times in 126 Posts

    IAMSatisfied's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Crusty View Post
    The lack of braking power is the big flaw in this system. There isn't enough brake force and traction available to stop the weight of the bike and car in an emergency stop.
    Perhaps the "hydraulic trailer" has hydraulic brakes? It seems that would be a must and a no-brainer.

  8. #6
    Supporting Member Crusty's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Dry Gulch, Tx
    Posts
    749
    Thanks
    220
    Thanked 854 Times in 325 Posts

    Crusty's Tools
    That makes more sense if the dolly also has brakes because a mc is clearly inadequate for the task. Excuse my ignorance.
    If you can't make it precise make it adjustable.

  9. #7
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,619
    Thanks
    2,176
    Thanked 9,112 Times in 4,361 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Crusty View Post
    That makes more sense if the dolly also has brakes because a mc is clearly inadequate for the task. Excuse my ignorance.
    Just think of the car dollies behind the RVs the better ones have what is called inertia activated hydraulic brakes Not because the RV needs more braking power but because the brakes on the dolly help to keep the tow from trying to jack knife.
    I friend of mine recently bought a Prevost motor coach. Then he was looking to buy a used tow dolly After having me look at a couple I told him unless he had time for me to strip one to the last bolt and rebuild it back to new plus add brakes to it that I advised against him buying used.
    He asked why not.
    For one thing you don't know how well or even if it had been maintained. if a used one even had brakes they were most likely electric garbage when new because they always install the minimum size just to meet their ad stating brakes when it was sold new. If used and with hydraulic inertia the previous owner probably would have just taken for granted they worked and never had them inspected or serviced. SO buy a new one specked to your needs because a 5or 600 dollar used one is going to cost you more than twice what a new one will by the time we replace any worn parts and you pay my labor.
    I drove him to a dealership where he bought a new one after we had haggled with the salesman to get everything we wanted. His first trip from my place to Las Vegas some fool swapped lanes in front of him and lost control My friend brought the big bus to a halt like it was nothing and the little car on the dolly stayed right where it should straight behind him.
    n He told me that he now understood why I was so instant on having brakes on the dolly that you could depend on
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  10. #8
    Supporting Member Crusty's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Dry Gulch, Tx
    Posts
    749
    Thanks
    220
    Thanked 854 Times in 325 Posts

    Crusty's Tools
    Ya know, I got to recollectin' and I can't recall a single time that I've ever used a vehicle dolly like that. The vehicles I've hauled have always gone onto some sort of a trailer deck.



    2,000+ Tool Plans
    If you can't make it precise make it adjustable.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •