How To Haul A Motorcycle With Your Rv (the Right Way)

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Motorcycle strapped onto an RV.

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Rolling your motorcycle into nan backmost of your RV sounds for illustration nan benignant of roadworthy travel Instagram influencers navigator up successful a fever dream of wanderlust and caffeine. But successful reality, hauling a motorcycle pinch your RV isn't conscionable a matter of strapping it down and hitting nan road. Do it incorrect and you consequence wrecking your bike, your rig, aliases both. So here's really to do it nan correct way, pinch your sanity and suspension intact.

You could person a custom-built Campervan aliases a huge Brabus Big Boy luxury RV but first, find really you'd want to haul your motorcycle. There are 2 main approaches –– mounting it to your RV utilizing a hitch-mounted carrier, aliases towing it pinch a dedicated trailer. Hitch-mounted carriers connect straight to nan rear of your RV and cradle your motorcycle supra nan ground. These are cleanable for space-saving setups but are constricted by weight constraints. Dedicated motorcycle trailers, connected nan different hand, rotation down your RV and connection much stability, capacity, and flexibility. The correct prime depends connected your rig's tow ratings and your willingness to woody pinch other gear.

You'll besides request to facet successful your motorcycle's weight, axle weight rating, authorities towing limits, and nan full Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of your setup. And yes, these numbers really matter because if you transcend them, you're not conscionable breaking nan law, you're risking a white-knuckle travel pinch compromised handling and braking.

Hitch a thrust aliases tow nan line

A personification attaching a trailer onto a hitch.

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If you're reasoning hitch-mount, commencement by figuring retired what benignant of hitch your RV's rocking and its tongue-weight limit. That's nan number that really matters, not nan towing capacity, beacuse you're not towing anything. You see, a motorcycle bearer isn't a trailer, it's a lever that presses downward connected your rig's spine. And dissimilar tow capacity, you can't conscionable beef up your lingua weight pinch a mates of bolt-on upgrades. Push that limit and you're not conscionable flirting pinch harm to your hitch aliases frame, you're asking for squirrelly handling and sketchy braking erstwhile things get spicy connected nan road.

Let's opportunity your RV has a Class III hitch pinch a tongue-weight standing of 350 to 600 pounds. A motorcycle bearer is an easy choice. It's compact, comparatively inexpensive, and doesn't require a trailer hookup. The only drawback is that even a modular motorcycle tin push 350 to 550 pounds, and that's earlier factoring successful nan weight of nan carrier. So you're cutting it dangerously adjacent to your hitch's max rating, and a lighter motorcycle is ideal.

Heavier aliases aggregate rides to beryllium hauled? Flatbed unfastened trailers dispersed nan load complete 2 aliases much axles and accent your hitch a spot less. You'll still request tie-down points, instrumentality chocks, and a loading ramp, but nan bid of mind is worthy it. Most RVs person capable towing capacity to haul a motorcycle connected a trailer. Just remember, towing a trailer changes really your RV handles and brakes, and knowing the easiest measurement to backmost up a trailer is helpful.

Dedicated motorcycle trailers are nan golden standard. They're purpose-built, pinch debased loading heights and integrated tie-down systems. They besides thin to beryllium lighter than general-purpose trailers, which helps support your towing setup wrong safe limits.

Tie it down for illustration your bike's life depends connected it (because it does)

Two motorcycles strapped connected a trailer.

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Now that you've picked your hauling method, it's clip to really unafraid nan bike. This is wherever excessively galore RVers helping it, only to find their beloved two-wheeler leaning sideways astatine nan adjacent remainder stop. Don't beryllium that person.

Use due ratchet straps aliases cam buckles, not bungee cords, and unafraid astatine leat 4 coagulated points, pinch 2 astatine nan beforehand and 2 astatine nan rear. Ideally, spell for nan little triple character up beforehand and nan framework aliases plaything limb astatine nan rear. Compress nan suspension somewhat erstwhile you strap it down truthful nan motorcycle doesn't bounce. And usage a instrumentality chock if you've sewage one. It's not conscionable helpful, it's almost basal for keeping nan beforehand instrumentality from flopping around.

Before you deed nan road, double-check each strap. It would thief to ensure that nan trailer is level. Check them again aft your first substance stop. Vibrations and bumps tin loosen things up. And remember, your motorcycle isn't conscionable other luggage you're towing, but a instrumentality that deserves respect — particularly erstwhile you're hauling it down your moving picnic location successful a bid to bask it astatine nan destination. 

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