Motorcycle rack on camper. How to fix the bike?

russki

Hi guys!

I hope someone might know how to fix motorcycle to this one. It’s a Hymer camper. The rack has a small rump, so wheeling bike on to the it is fine, but how to fix it on it (especially the handlebars is a bit of a mystery to me. There some magic steel brackets on the rack and some sort of hooks bolted to it, but the hooks look small for motorcycle wheels

Any ideas?
Almighty Google is not turning up a solution or I am extra slow/tired.

The bike is Honda VFR’98

Max Headroom

These are generally used for bicycles/moped/scooters.....you'd need to extend it out to suit your particular bike...is it adjustable maybe..??

Think you'll need to do a bit of work to it to make it safe for carrying a bike tbh...

Interceptor

I wouldn't dream of hanging a VFR800 off the back of a camper until you have confirmed the load rating for that rack. Hymer are German - you can bet your breakfast that they have a specification for the rack weight somewhere. A 1998 VFR800Fi is 208kg dry and fully fuelled could weigh as much as 240kg - you would be much better off putting the bike in a trailer. Even if the rack can support the bike you are likely to overload your rear axle and affect the safe operation of the camper.

All of this doesn't answer your question, the answer to which is 'ratchet straps and lots of them, secure the handlebars with a couple of bungee straps' but I still wouldn't.

Jaden

There is also the issue with adding a quarter of a tonne weight to the very back of a camper. I'd say it would feel like a see-saw with all that weight behind the rear wheels.

Max Headroom

AHH...didnt see the VFR bit...damn eye sh1te...tow the camper with the bike ....:o

CJhaughey

Most of those racks are setup for max 120kg weight, you are looking at hanging twice that off a lever of 50+ cm with two small box section rails supporting it.
I think you will run into trouble with axle loadings aside from anything else.
You will have a plate with weights, the Ducato usually have them on the front slam panel in the engine bay, there will be a total weight and two axle weights that add up to the max weight, the bottom weight figure is the one you want to pay attention to.
Weigh the loaded camper front axle and rear axle and then work out what will happen when you add your bike to the back.
I would bet that you will be over the max axle weight.
You need to find a lighter bike or fit an Easylifter Hydratrail to a towbar.

russki

Thanks a million, guys!

I did my research too while waiting for replies here and came to the same conclusion that VFR is too heavy even if I manage to fix it to the rack. I might get away with it on a flat road, but not in the hills or mountains.

I'm thinking to switch to either CR250L or maybe SH125i and figure out the ratchets to fix it to the rack or get Hydra Trail and keep my beloved VFR.

russki

Max Headroom wrote: »

These are generally used for bicycles/moped/scooters.....you'd need to extend it out to suit your particular bike...is it adjustable maybe..??

Yes, I can pull it out more and it clicks in. The width would be enough for VFR, but like the others suggested, the weight would be a problem.

unattendedbag

Get a loan of a Honda 50 for the holiday?

CJhaughey

I bought an MSX125 precisely for this purpose.

jimbev

https://youtu.be/Vt66nwvxlRw

blade1

I saw a camper van with a Royal Enfield Himalayan on a rack.
Not as heavy as a vfr but still over 30 stone.
I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it.

CJhaughey

blade1 wrote: »

I saw a camper van with a Royal Enfield Himalayan on a rack.
Not as heavy as a vfr but still over 30 stone.
I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it.

Ignorance is bliss, all it takes is one panic stop or a bump in the road and your bike is tumbling down the road and no insurance company will be covering it.
Rear axle weights are the big stumbling point and the only way you can get over that is to either have a very light bike or a setup that has some of the weight carried by additional wheels.
There are plenty of sideloading bike trailers but I like the look of the ones that have swiveling wheels and no pivot at the towbar then you can just reverse with no problems.
Reversing with a short trailer is not easy.

blade1

This was parked at my local Lidl earlier.