Motorcycle for towing cars - GIF

Motorcycle for towing cars.

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Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...3166#post98280
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...726#post136807
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...669#post136572
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...522#post135927
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...2673#post96840
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...397#post142549

Big bikes usually have the horsepower and torque to tow but I would think the clutches would have to be much stronger.

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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crusty

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.

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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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crusty

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.

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Perhaps the "hydraulic trailer" has hydraulic brakes? It seems that would be a must and a no-brainer.

That makes more sense if the dolly also has brakes because a mc is clearly inadequate for the task. Excuse my ignorance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crusty

That makes more sense if the dolly also has brakes because a mc is clearly inadequate for the task. Excuse my ignorance.

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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

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.