Motorcycle Trailer and Towing Guide

see also: Motorcycle Trailer Tie-down Procedure and Tips

Trailer and motorcycle rail size recommendations are generalizations. Motorcycle weight and wheelbase references are approximations. If the fit is tight, measure your motorcycle to be sure that it will fit in the motorcycle rail. For more than one motorcycle line them up side by side and measure the distance from center to center. Compare this measurement to the outside rail center to center distance. If the fit is questionable, upgrade to a larger trailer kit.

Plywood Decking is not included. 3/4" plywood sits flush with the bed frame on the Magneta trailers. The deck sits on top of the bed frame on the Long Chih Industrial Co. trailers and can be fastened with #10 self-drilling screws spaced a foot or so apart using an electric screw driver.

Tie-down Brackets and Straps are not included with the trailer kits unless specifically stated. The Long Chih Industrial Co. trailers are constructed of 14 gauge U-channel. Tie-down straps can be hooked underneath the bed in various locations. There are some 3/8" holes pre-drilled around the outside of the bed frame that can be used to fasten commonly available 3/8" eye-bolts to the frame. With a minor amount of drilling, 3/8" eyebolts can be located at the most strategic tie-down points on the top of the bed frame. See: EB4 eye-bolt hardware kit

Tie-down Brackets For Carrying 2 Or More Motorcycles - For secure tie-down of motorcycles mounted close to the edge of the trailer bed, an extension bracket must be fastened to the front of the trailer bed. The extension bracket can be a 1-1/2" to 2" square steel tubing or angle iron. Pre-drilled steel is commonly available at many hardware stores in various lengths. A 36" length of square steel tubing or angle iron, cut in half is enough for both sides. Fasten 10" of the bracket to the front of the bed frame using at least two 3/8" bolts and washers. The remaining 18' extends beyond the fender width. Fasten a 3/8" eye-bolt to the end of each bracket. This will provide a tie-down point at the angle needed to keep the motorcycles upright. The MC2 extension bracket kit includes pre-cut perf tube and hardware for this purpose.

Wide Rear Tire On Short Wheelbase Motorcycle - Many of the popular street racers (commonly called crotch-rockets) are short and relatively light-weight. The model 832T or 832TA is a lightweight, cost effective towing solution, but the model TS32M rails, which are designed to fit the 832T and 832TA trailer are only 5" wide. You could upgrade to a larger trailer such as the 745TC or 861TC with the model TS76M rails, which are wider and longer, but that may be more trailer than you need just to accommodate wide rear tires. A solution is to use the TS76M rail kit on the model 832T or 832TA trailer. The TS76M has a 6-1/2" wide front rail section and wheel block. The rear rail section and ramp are 8" wide. The front rail section nests within the rear rail section. The overall length of the assembled wheel block and rail sections is 86", which is too long for the 832T/TA trailer bed, however the rail sections can be slid closer together to adjust the overall length, which must be 74" or less to fit the 832T/TA. Depending on the best rail positioning for your motorcycle, drilling may be required to fasten the rail sections to the trailer bed . The end result is a compact and cost effective solution for hauling a street racer or two.
832TA with One Wide Rail - 832TA with Two Wide Rails

Maximum Weight
*GVW is the Gross Vehicle Weight. This is the maximum rated capacity of the entire trailer, motorcycle rails, and the load (motorcycles). The maximum motorcycle size and number of motorcycles that can be carried will depend on the total motorcycle weight AND is also limited by the length of the longest motorcycle, AND widest tire width.

The smallest motorcycle trailer that we sell is the model 832T-1TS32M. The 832T trailer has a GVW rating of 1000 lbs. After subtracting the weight of the trailer, motorcycle rails, and plywood or diamond plate decking, you are left with a maximum load capacity of about 775 lbs. A good rule of thumb is a 20% margin of safety, especially if you plan to haul the trailer at freeway speeds. This leaves a practical weight limit of about 800 lbs. This trailer will typically accommodate a mix of one to three small motorcycle sizes. For instance up to two full size dirt-bikes and one 85cc or smaller dirt bike or a couple of small street bikes provided that the motorcycle length and tire width is within the limits of the rail dimensions and width of the trailer bed.

For larger motorcycles, we offer the 745TC-1TS76M, 746TE-1TS76M, or 749TC-1TS76M. These trailers have a GVW of 1800 lbs. These models will handle up to 3 large dirt bikes, 2 medium size, or 1 large street bike, depending on the size and weight.

Large Street Motorcycle Trailers
For large street motorcycles, we offer the Magneta heavy duty, tilt-bed trailers with the unique MCK1 motorcycle tie-down system. These trailers are available with low profile torsion axles, GVW capacities up to 2600 lbs., and will accommodate tire widths of 5" front and 8" rear.

Motorcycle Rail Sizes - Maximum Length and Tire Width
Overall assembled motorcycle rail length is measured from the front of the wheel block to the end of the rear rail section. When sizing a motorcycle to a rail kit, measure from the front of the front tire (where it rests against the wheel block) to the center of the rear axle (where the tire sits on the rail). This is not the same as the overall length (fender to fender) or the wheelbase (axle to axle). A close approximation can be made from the wheelbase spec by adding 10 to 12" for the radius of the front tire.

TS32M motorcycle rail/ramp fits on the models 832T and 832TA trailers. It can also be used to pack 4 dirt bikes on a 4 x 8 trailer. The wheel block and rail assembly will accommodate length up to 73.5" measured from front of the front tire to center of the rear axle. If this measurement is close, you may need to lift the rear tire slightly to remove the ramp when loading the motorcycle. The maximum tire width is 5".

TS76M motorcycle rail/ramp fits on the models 745TC, 746TE, and 749TC trailers. The larger rails will accommodate motorcycles up to 86" measured from the front of the front tire to the center of the rear axle and a maximum tire width of 6-1/2" front and 8" rear. The length is extended another 2" when mounted on the 746TE fold-up trailer because the two rail sections mount separately to the front and rear bed sections and do not overlap in the middle. When rails are used on a 4 x 8 or larger flat-bed trailer, the length is typically only limited by the length of the trailer bed. If the rear tire is wider than 8", the rear rail section can be eliminated and a 4 x 8 foot tilt-bed or wider ramp can be used for loading.