Anyone carry a scooter on a California rear rack?

[Racingt]

I'm thinking of buying a 120kg scooter, wondering if it would be possible to carry it on a rack, tow bar mounted, or do I need a small trailer? I notice the tow bars are rated for 120kg, wondering if the nose weight will take it. Has anyone got any practical experience of doing this? Thanks

 

[Vagophile]

I'm thinking of buying a 120kg scooter, wondering if it would be possible to carry it on a rack, tow bar mounted, or do I need a small trailer? I notice the tow bars are rated for 120kg, wondering if the nose weight will take it. Has anyone got any practical experience of doing this? Thanks

I have a motorbike weighing 105kg and I have both a tow bar mounted carrier and a "castor wheel " carrier, both used with my previous motor home. If you do the maths using the principle of levers round the fulcrum of the rear wheels of your van with a normal load in place, you will be able to determine if the load is within acceptable limits. With my previous motor home, depending on load carried, sometimes it was and sometimes it was not. I bought the tow bar mounted rack first, then found (by being put on a weighbridge) that I was overloading the rear wheels when in full long term holiday trim. I think it unlikely that the tow bar mounted rack will work with the Cali. In any case, do you want to open the tailgate? In my view a trailer would be a better bet, but it does have some disadvantages, especially if your reversing skills are limited.
The attached pic is of my "swivel wheel" trailer which is a Hydra Trail Easy Lifter.

 

[Vagophile]

I should add that it travels without the small castor wheels which are only for moving the kit around in the garage.

 

[sidepod]

Just did a double take........that’s a plastic crate as a top box right??

 

[sidepod]

In reply to the OP, there are plenty of post on bikes/scooters lashed to arse end of a Cali.

Seek and he shall find.

 

[Vagophile]

Just did a double take........that’s a plastic crate as a top box right??

Greek style.

 

[Racingt]

Thanks Vagophile, thats a great looking little trailer. I will do the maths, but I'm pretty sure a carrier won't work, and thats the best trailer I have seen. Tried a Motolug, but never felt comfortable towing it, the bike rocked all over.

I have a motorbike weighing 105kg and I have both a tow bar mounted carrier and a "castor wheel " carrier, both used with my previous motor home. If you do the maths using the principle of levers round the fulcrum of the rear wheels of your van with a normal load in place, you will be able to determine if the load is within acceptable limits. With my previous motor home, depending on load carried, sometimes it was and sometimes it was not. I bought the tow bar mounted rack first, then found (by being put on a weighbridge) that I was overloading the rear wheels when in full long term holiday trim. I think it unlikely that the tow bar mounted rack will work with the Cali. In any case, do you want to open the tailgate? In my view a trailer would be a better bet, but it does have some disadvantages, especially if your reversing skills are limited.
The attached pic is of my "swivel wheel" trailer which is a Hydra Trail Easy Lifter.View attachment 58310

 

[Mickyb123]

Armitage trailers.
think they go for about 1300£ I haven’t got one myself but assured they are pretty good. But still a trailer so not fixed to the van

 

[Racingt]

In reply to the OP, there are plenty of post on bikes/scooters lashed to arse end of a Cali.

Seek and he shall find.

Yes, cheers.

Armitage trailers.
think they go for about 1300£ I haven’t got one myself but assured they are pretty good. But still a trailer so not fixed to the van

Thanks Mickyb123. Today is the first time I've seen a side loading trailer, now I've seen two. They look really secure, and I'm a lot happier about trailing one of these, than the traditional type. I guess the rack isn't going to work, need to get my head around a trailer. Many thanks for your post

 

[sidepod]

Experiences of heavy load on rear of California

Im considering one of the motorcycle carriers on my T6, not a towbar one (which I have had before and too flimsy) but a chassis based one which is rated up to 250kg. I see t5 photos with GS 1200 hanging off the back. I get the whole payload thing but I travel very lightly and mostly on my own...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Racingt]

Experiences of heavy load on rear of California

Im considering one of the motorcycle carriers on my T6, not a towbar one (which I have had before and too flimsy) but a chassis based one which is rated up to 250kg. I see t5 photos with GS 1200 hanging off the back. I get the whole payload thing but I travel very lightly and mostly on my own...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thanks for highlighting this thread. I'm probably going to go for the side loading trailer. I really didn't want one of the long ones with 8 inch wheels, but both the side loading options highlighted look really good - I need to check the overhang, ie width of trailer compared to Cali. Great responses, thank you

 

[campandfly]

Reimo - E-Bike carrier, scooter carrier for AHK, 120kg payload

Clutch carrier for e-bikes and small motor scooters with drive-on ramp (#46361) - 973,82 €

www.reimo.com

 

[Anthony1]

I have a motorbike weighing 105kg and I have both a tow bar mounted carrier and a "castor wheel " carrier, both used with my previous motor home. If you do the maths using the principle of levers round the fulcrum of the rear wheels of your van with a normal load in place, you will be able to determine if the load is within acceptable limits. With my previous motor home, depending on load carried, sometimes it was and sometimes it was not. I bought the tow bar mounted rack first, then found (by being put on a weighbridge) that I was overloading the rear wheels when in full long term holiday trim. I think it unlikely that the tow bar mounted rack will work with the Cali. In any case, do you want to open the tailgate? In my view a trailer would be a better bet, but it does have some disadvantages, especially if your reversing skills are limited.
The attached pic is of my "swivel wheel" trailer which is a Hydra Trail Easy Lifter.View attachment 58310

This set up will limit you to 60mph I guess.

 

[Vagophile]

This set up will limit you to 60mph I guess.

Yes, but I usually have no desire to travel any faster.

 

[WelshGas]

Yes, but I usually have no desire to travel any faster.

You could consider one or two e-bikes in place of the scooter. More options then.

 

[Moose]

Now that’s a bike rack, this passed me on the M3 doing about 80mph. Tried to research the manufacture but no luck.

 

[California4x4]

View attachment 58428
Now that’s a bike rack, this passed me on the M3 doing about 80mph. Tried to research the manufacture but no luck.

I can’t tell from the picture. Is the roof rack a structural part of the bike rack?

 

[Moose]

I can’t tell from the picture. Is the roof rack a structural part of the bike rack?

If I recall it had 2 straps attached to the roof rack, but the roof and bike carrier looked like separate items.

 

[Dottie]

How do I carry my bike/trailer combo?
Dottie is having mri tomorrow. Our long walks may be over, but she’s loving tootling about behind me.https://www.doggyride.com/

 

[California4x4]

How do I carry my bike/trailer combo?
Dottie is having mri tomorrow. Our long walks may be over, but she’s loving tootling about behind me.https://www.doggyride.com/

Don’t let Danny MacAskill dog sit though!

 

[Legin]

To the OP

I'm thinking of buying a 120kg scooter, wondering if it would be possible to carry it on a rack, tow bar mounted, or do I need a small trailer? I notice the tow bars are rated for 120kg, wondering if the nose weight will take it. Has anyone got any practical experience of doing this? Thanks

OP You could do this at 120Kg. No direct to towbar one will be suitable because of the bending moment on the hook.
Off the shelf Cate in Germany make a suitable rack for your needs. I photographed the swiss one on the Autoroute in France last year.

I tow with an Erde trailer which is very stable and always thought those motolug look a bit flexible. I cant see these sideways things are any advantage over the erde

I intend to go the Cate route but probably a diy one but thats just me. I have done the sums (for 250kg) and the only issue is really the rear axle load. I suspect at 120kg your ok but you would need to check.

Lots of advantages over a trailer if you want to get somewhere unconstrained by lower speed limits, my main reason for the change and easy of reversing etc

 

[Vagophile]

To the OP


OP You could do this at 120Kg. No direct to towbar one will be suitable because of the bending moment on the hook.
Off the shelf Cate in Germany make a suitable rack for your needs. I photographed the swiss one on the Autoroute in France last year.

I tow with an Erde trailer which is very stable and always thought those motolug look a bit flexible. I cant see these sideways things are any advantage over the erde

I intend to go the Cate route but probably a diy one but thats just me. I have done the sums (for 250kg) and the only issue is really the rear axle load. I suspect at 120kg your ok but you would need to check.

Lots of advantages over a trailer if you want to get somewhere unconstrained by lower speed limits, my main reason for the change and easy of reversing etc
View attachment 59204View attachment 59205

Does this system rely entirely on tie down for movement restraint?

 

[Legin]

Depends what you bolt to it. Think of it as a blank canvas to put what you will. I would have a front roll in chock then the rest is tie downs.