27 replies to this topic

[Jonabonospen]

I got myself a towbar and adult bike rack from Autowbars (My link) in Bradford and can definately recommend the guys there. I got the car booked in and dropped it off with them on the day. I then went straight over the road to the lovely cafe and had some breakfast and several cups of coffee to pass the time. Then 2 hours later the towbar was on, the bike rack fitted, and the number board, number plate, and strappings, all ready. They gave me a run down on how to fit it all together and also some tips on strapping the bike down.

Then yesterday was the test day for using the bike on it and I took the bike out to Swaine Woods in Horsforth for my first ever time riding a trials bike. I lifted the front wheel up and in, then grabbed the rear swingarm and lifted the backend up. Got the strappings and tried to remember how the guy at autowbar's had suggested to strap it up, then tied up the loose ends of the straps and this was the result.



It got me the 20 miles or so to Swaine Woods without a problem and the same coming back. It all went really well. The bike was still securely strapped down at the end of each trip and I was very happy with it.

Edited by Jonabonospen, 13 March 2011 - 10:00 PM.

[paul w]

what about the riding? how did you get on?

[totalshell]

once you ve got used to it cut the strpping so they are closer to the correct length, loading and unloading will be sooo much easier and quicker

[Pete_Scorpa3]

Thanks for the picture. Did they give you any advice as to the max weight of the bike and how it effected the car or insurance etc?

There is another thread running about the pro's and con's of using a rack and these are some of the questions being asked.

Pete

[Telecat]

I have the Dave Cooper version. Done journeys of over 250 Miles with the bike on the back. Started with a REV50, Sherco 125 and various GasGas Pro's since 2006. Used it on three cars. Rover 25 1.6, Nissan Almeira 1.5 and currently a Mitsubishi Lancer Estate.

[High_Fiver]

looks good,I also use the dave cooper rack always found it
easy to use and store and very secure,
on a seperate note Pete_Scorpa3 is there an issue with insurance using a rack ??

[Mikey]

I used a bike rack for a year or so and always felt happy with my Gasser being strapped to the back of the car. I know it also turned a few heads too - and that'a always a nice feeling.

Although (as far as I am aware) this never happened to me, just be wary when approaching your home of being followed and, if needs be, just take a slight detour is someone is on your tail or you suspect they may be following you. I have heard stories of riders being followed home and their bikes being stolen later that evening from garages (which have doors that don't have the strongest of locks) or sheds. A bike that starts without a key and which can be sold on quickly is an attractive proposition to local thieves!

[Greg]

theres no proof ,but tong seems to be a popular "spotting ground" for the thives.

[Jonabonospen]

paul w, on 13 March 2011 - 10:31 PM, said:

what about the riding? how did you get on?

It was great fun but feeling the pain of muscles I never knew I had. Just tried keeping with basics of riding round and round on the flatest parts I could find and trying some slow turns round trees and figure 8's and stuff. Really enjoyed myself though.

Pete_Scorpa3, on 14 March 2011 - 07:03 AM, said:

Did they give you any advice as to the max weight of the bike and how it effected the car or insurance etc?

Nope. I did check out the spec for the car on the nose weight though and the bike itself is just under that, but with the weight of the rack aswell it is probably a little too heavy according to the spec sheet. But there was no problem whatsoever with the driving and handling of the car. From what I understand though, unless you have a big 4x4, something like a Land Rover or Shogun or something, then pretty much everything else exceeds the nose weight, even on things like Mondeo's and big family size cars.

Mikey, on 14 March 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:

Although (as far as I am aware) this never happened to me, just be wary when approaching your home of being followed and, if needs be, just take a slight detour is someone is on your tail or you suspect they may be following you. I have heard stories of riders being followed home and their bikes being stolen later that evening from garages (which have doors that don't have the strongest of locks) or sheds. A bike that starts without a key and which can be sold on quickly is an attractive proposition to local thieves!

Surely this is the same whether your bike is on a rack or a trailer? Definitely will be keeping my eyes open though. Thanks for the heads-up.

Greg, on 14 March 2011 - 05:40 PM, said:

theres no proof ,but tong seems to be a popular "spotting ground" for the thives.

Where did that come from? And what do you mean exactly?

[Greg]

much the same as what mikey said,but tong would seem a favourite to be followed home from, trailer ,rack or van,just be aware.

[trialsmotopat]

Mikey, on 14 March 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:

Although (as far as I am aware) this never happened to me, just be wary when approaching your home of being followed and, if needs be, just take a slight detour is someone is on your tail or you suspect they may be following you. I have heard stories of riders being followed home and their bikes being stolen later that evening from garages (which have doors that don't have the strongest of locks) or sheds. A bike that starts without a key and which can be sold on quickly is an attractive proposition to local thieves!

happens so often in mx circles....

I always check out what's behind me the last few miles home, and call it paranoid but I always drive a big loop to my road - for me where my house is it'd be pretty obvious if someone was following. If in any kind of paranoia I will even pull into a culdesac and spin it around, or pull up somewhere a reasonable distance away from my house and let everything in sight pass by.
For me it's worth a bit of extra petrol and an extra 10 mins rather than have scum break in and rob my stuff

[trialsmotopat]

just to add, something I read on an MX site - apparantly some modern phones which have sat nav / positioning capabilities embed this information as to where a picture was taken - so if you take a pic of your bike outside your house and post to internet some scrotes can find where the pic was taken.

Apparantly (I have read this though, and I am gullable, but fortunately have a **** phone )

[Mikey]

I tried to get insurance for my bike (a long story and another thread in waiting, maybe) but in the end, all I could manage was to be insured if the bike was kept in the garage and was chained to the floor by use of a chain from HMS Invincible's anchor and a piece of 5 inch steel tubing that needed to be surgically inserted into the garage floor. I was not covered if the bike was stolen when it was not welded to the floor. I was covered for going to a trial as long as it was an organised one - no cover if it was just practice.

I worked out that, if someone was to see me and follow me home, then break into my garage to nick my Gasser (if it wasn't strapped down) I would be out of pocket to the tune of around £3,500. Furthermore, I was slowly damaging my car with scratches and a dint, was regularly getting axle deep in mud (during winter, anyway) and the car's boot was starting to look like the bottom of my garden.

I bit the bullet and bought a van for a grand (£1,000 - some of the best money I have ever spent). It's awesome. No worries about being seen with a bike, I can get 3 bikes in the back and I have somewhere to change and leave all my mucky gear before getting it in the washer. Highly recommended!

[Pete_Scorpa3]

I'm thinking of going that way, for the same reasons. How does running the van compare with running a car and a trailer/bike rack?

[trialsmotopat]

I for one cannot afford (and the wife wouldn't let me) a van and the associated running costs. Again another superb reason for some people (like myself) for getting a bike rack. I'd love a nice big van though and would if I could too