Pick up or trailer

[jimbobs]

Hi gents

I am looking to get a pick up or possibly a trailer so I can carry my bikes and take the wife and kids
i am looking at pickups ,but would I need to buy a king cab or can you get bikes on a double cab , is it safe to have the tailgate down when driving,
i have seen this before but I am not sure I would like my bike hanging off the edge
How do you get the bike on the back
in the UK we use trailers a lot I don't see them in Thailand and it would also mean we have to fit a tow bar to our car ,again is it a viable option
I know a bike is for riding but I would like to do enduro around BKK and visit buriram when it opens so I would like to take the family
Any suggestions would be appreciated,

 

[jimbobs]

Thanks FDale
i have looked around for trailers and tow bar fitting with no results in Isaan
Thanks for your feed back on the Pick up, if you cannot fit your HD on properly I will have to think about what to do
A king can is really uncomfortable for long journeys and you can't fit a child seat
there may be a bracket you can fix to the bed to extend thanks anyway ile keep looking

 

[finnomick]

I know this guy isn't in Isaan, but he is a trailer specialist. His website is: www.german-trailer.com. His name is Bernhard Muenz and his mobile number is ( or was ) 086 0471238. His place is in Chonburi, a couple of kilometers from the Regent School on the highway to Bangkok but on the side heading away from Bangkok into Pattaya. There is also an American guy who lives ( lived ) in Prakhon Chai who makes trailers and fits towbars. I'll do some searching and post his details should I be able to find them.

I've transported all sorts of bikes on 4 door pickups with the tailgate down, but my kingcab is better. Remember to tie something red to your tailgate should you have it down otherwise you'll possibly attract a 500 baht fine for not doing so.

 

[finnomick]

Found it, although the link is a couple of years old. Contact: [email protected]. Phone Gary on 085 222 6708. See article on Buriram Expats site, link: utility trailors. Trailor advertised was a one ton steel trailer with built in loading ramp. Includes tow bar and electrics at a cost of 55,000 baht.

Interestingly enough, a trailor ' should ' be registered, and to have it registered it has to be examined. Thai law dictates that a registered trailor must have brakes so I suppose an un-registered trailor doesn't need brakes. T.I.T.

 

[Kawboy]

You can get a nice bike trailer at Upbeat in BKK- they're not cheap, but the quality is very good:

http://upbeat.co.th

 

[Kawboy]

^

Probably couldn't get it registered and plated- I know someone who brought in a knock-down bike trailer from the States, and even though it's DOT-approved he can't get it made legal in LOS as it has no TIS-approval- homemade trailers would have issues at any police check-point.

 

[brian_bkk]

If you are only thinking about dirt bikes..
You can get one bike in an tail gate up with some of the pickups.
Obviously you sacrifice on the family comfort in the back seat..

You can buy a ramp from 320 SP.. can't remember the price now.. (They can EMS)
There is a thread under central Thailand with the details.

Depending on how low your pickup is.. Buy the appropriate height step from HomePro.

Then you can load and unload yourself. A bit sketchy the first few times I did it. But OK now.
Had the bloody wheel spin, ramp fly out and bike and me fly in to the back of the pickup.
- Same as riding.. Momentum.. Don't pause or hesitate and get stuck in no mans land.

Trailers you will have issues with the cops.. Personally I bought a pickup as usually will ride with a mate.
So easy to throw all the gear in and secure the bikes and off you go

Cheers
Brian

 

[Changnoi1]

If you have already a pickup truck ... do not buy a trailer. For smaller bikes indeed use a ramp (tie the ramp to the car). For bigger bikes you might consider to have made a roll-on/roll-off system (like is used for cars). But this only works good on pickup trucks that are not too high.

You can get legally trailers in Thailand (with registration) but not cheap (and would look weird behind a pickup truck).

When buying a pickup truck for the purpose of bike transport be aware that some models have a much longer/shorter truck-bed. Also be aware that some models are much higher/lower.

You can leave the tailgate open, you could have have made a extended tailgate.

Trailer or truck ... proper securing the bike is very important. Do not underestimate the power of weight. You can even buy transport-hooks to install on your motorbike.

I had a Ford Ranger 2 doors, the bedding was low and long. Now driving a Toyota Vigo PreRunner 4 doors, the bedding is higher and shorter.

Enjoy!

 

[jimbobs]

Thanks guys
It looks as if I will buy a pick up truck
I want to transport my dirt bikes and my Zx6r maybe even the versys so I will have to look at which truck has the largest bed
i definitely want a 4 door though for the child seat
I am surprised there are no second hand trailers around I have found a manufacturer in Phucket and you fellers are right they are bloody expensive and they do require a registration ,weird eh
So thanks for helping me decide
Now alls I need is a truck damn

 

[brian_bkk]

Changnoi1;298908 wrote:

Trailer or truck ... proper securing the bike is very important. Do not underestimate the power of weight. You can even buy transport-hooks to install on your motorbike.

Enjoy!

Good point on securing the bike.. There seems to be a few different schools of thought on this.
I basically watched all the different ways people do it and Matt from Pattaya gave Mike and I some advice at Baan Ricky one trip.
Still see different ways and adopt these where I think it improves the securing of the bike/s

Main thing.. With two bikes in the back and tail gate down.. Now wrap the hook/ cable with ratchet around the back tyres too.
If one of the two cables goes at the front.. You could have a problem very quickly.

Last weekend.. took a few tight turns out of the national park and noticed Frank's bike move more than it should have.
Stopped and one of the ratchet mechanisms.. wasn't just right and the cable moved with the extra force of driving around a bend
- First time to have this happen

But had the a cable securing the bikes through both back tyres to the truck.. So the bike wasn't going anywhere.

Cheers
Brian

Attached files

 

[TonyBKK]

jimbobs;298919 wrote: Thanks guys
It looks as if I will buy a pick up truck
I want to transport my dirt bikes and my Zx6r maybe even the versys so I will have to look at which truck has the largest bed
i definitely want a 4 door though for the child seat
I am surprised there are no second hand trailers around I have found a manufacturer in Phucket and you fellers are right they are bloody expensive and they do require a registration ,weird eh
So thanks for helping me decide
Now alls I need is a truck damn

4-door pickups are great for family and kids, BUT they also have the shortest beds in back so you'll be hard pressed to fit even a single big bike in the back without leaving the tail gate down. I ended up buying one of the German trailers for hauling my bikes around-

Technically it's not legal to drive with tail gate down, but official fine is only 500 baht so it's not really that big a deal.

If you want to haul more than one bike safely a long bed pickup, HiAce Commuter Van (or similar) or a trailer is recommended.

Happy Trails! :mrgreen:

 

[jimbobs]

Tony
That trailer is exactly what I had in mind do the BIB stop you much
and was it difficult to get a Tow bar fitted

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

If you regularly follow the GT Rider forum you will recognize these bikes in the back of my 'Official GT Rider Rescue Truck'. If you are going to haul bikes on a regular basis, definately don't get a 4 door. Also a 4x4 is quite high.

:wave:One of these works well, and there is room for the family.

 

[finnomick]

brian_bkk;298930 wrote: Good point on securing the bike.. There seems to be a few different schools of thought on this.
I basically watched all the different ways people do it and Matt from Pattaya gave Mike and I some advice at Baan Ricky one trip.
Still see different ways and adopt these where I think it improves the securing of the bike/s

Main thing.. With two bikes in the back and tail gate down.. Now wrap the hook/ cable with ratchet around the back tyres too.
If one of the two cables goes at the front.. You could have a problem very quickly.

Last weekend.. took a few tight turns out of the national park and noticed Frank's bike move more than it should have.
Stopped and one of the ratchet mechanisms.. wasn't just right and the cable moved with the extra force of driving around a bend
- First time to have this happen

But had the a cable securing the bikes through both back tyres to the truck.. So the bike wasn't going anywhere.

Cheers
Brian

It's OK to secure the back wheels with a strap, but just make sure the bikes are in gear. If not, going over a bumpy section of road could allow the wheels to turn especially if the straps are tight. Result, loose strap. If this was my pickup with all those bars, I'd also have secured the tailgate in a semi raised position so as to not allow the bikes to move at all -- just saying.....

I also think a better idea than webbing ratchet straps are the type you can buy at most hardware shops in Thailand. They are about one inch in width and you can buy them by the kilo. They have just a little bit of give in them which allows for the movement a bike makes during the journey.

 

[Ian Bungy]

I have a Beat Trailer and they are Excellent to Deal with. Their Trailers come with Registration so No Dramas there and Totally Legal! They also Supply and Fit the Tow Bar to Your Vehicle and do the Wiring etc for the Lights. All very professional! Good Luck.

jimbobs;298948 wrote: Tony
That trailer is exactly what I had in mind do the BIB stop you much
and was it difficult to get a Tow bar fitted

 

[brian_bkk]

finnomick;298956 wrote: It's OK to secure the back wheels with a strap, but just make sure the bikes are in gear. If not, going over a bumpy section of road could allow the wheels to turn especially if the straps are tight. Result, loose strap. If this was my pickup with all those bars, I'd also have secured the tailgate in a semi raised position so as to not allow the bikes to move at all -- just saying.....

Agree on having the bikes in gear..
Unfortunately the tailgate has no give or minimal with two bikes there.
When I have only one bike in the back, able to close the tailgate with the bike at an angle.

"I also think a better idea than webbing ratchet straps are the type you can buy at most hardware shops in Thailand. They are about one inch in width and you can buy them by the kilo. They have just a little bit of give in them which allows for the movement a bike makes during the journey."

Will have a look for these and see if they work any better for my setup.

Cheers
Brian

 

[TonyBKK]

jimbobs;298948 wrote: Tony
That trailer is exactly what I had in mind do the BIB stop you much
and was it difficult to get a Tow bar fitted

I had the trailer hitch and wiring installed by Upbeat and was quite happy with the quality and service. They are located on the Bang Na-Trat Highway just outside of Bangkok. Here is a link to their website: http://www.upbeat.co.th/

I got pulled over once on the tollway by a friendly motorcycle cop, but I think he was more interested in talking about my GSXR than anything else. Chit chat, salute, and I was on my way again. The trailer was legally plated, registered, taxed and insured so didn't expect and never suffered any drama from the BiB.

Have to say however that pulling a trailer in congested traffic here is a bit nerve wracking... Most Thais aren't accustomed to trailers and I've had a few people run into it as they don't notice the trailer and try to merge behind me. On the plus side, that trailer was extremely well made and never suffered so much as a scratch, but the cars that hit it usually were not so lucky...

Once out of the city the trailer is great, but when I moved from "rural" MinBuri to "downtown" Wangthonglang I decided to get rid of it as it really seemed it was just a matter of time before it would be involved in a serious accident....

 

[brian_bkk]

"If this was my pickup with all those bars, I'd also have secured the tailgate in a semi raised position so as to not allow the bikes to move at all"

Just to add to this.. When I bought the pickup 2nd hand of some Thai friends.
They had a police General friend visiting from up north.
I asked him.. What do I need to stop the cops hassling me on the toll roads.

He said.. Those bars.. chrome coconut holders.. So off we went and had them put on the pickup.

I think it is a bit of urban myth.. That you must have all loads covered on the toll ways.
Boxes, moving house etc.. anything loose that can blow away...

Otherwise.. in a case like this with bikes.. They need to be securely fastened with tailgate up.

I have been on highway 7 coming back to Bangkok with only my bike in the back and tail gate up..
The cops have a real good look.. and stern look on their face and watch me drive past them at the toll booth.

When two bikes loaded.. Usually come back via the elevated toll way - Bangna Trat..
Too narrow and no space to pull you over and take a few hundred baht or write a ticket.

Cheers
Brian

 

[TonyBKK]

I got a ticket for driving with the tailgate down, 2 bikes in the back. 500 baht, no big deal really...

 

[George HuaHin]

Ian Bungy;298963 wrote: I have a Beat Trailer and they are Excellent to Deal with. Their Trailers come with Registration so No Dramas there and Totally Legal! They also Supply and Fit the Tow Bar to Your Vehicle and do the Wiring etc for the Lights. All very professional! Good Luck.

I can underline that and my tow bar was installed within 2h.
German-trailers in Chonburi have nice trailers too.
There is a trailer manufacturer in Udon Thani, but obviously they are not really interested in customers.

 

[jimbobs]

I have made my mind up
A trailer it is I have emailed Beat, German and one in udon Thani called twinning or something
thanks for the advice gents

 

[Ian Bungy]

Keep Us posted and share a Photo of what You end up getting and the Cost for Future reference for Others?

 

[jimbobs]

Hi Ian
I have gone for a Mitsubishi pajero and trailer
I hired a couple of trucks and we also have an old Toyota vios I found it a pain in the ass
The 2 bike trailer I want which will accommodate a small plastic fishing boat I have is 110000b not cheap
This was off German and another I have forgotten their name they quoted 89000 for a single bike trailer
There is a man in main khon kaen I have to track down Twinners trailer he is supposed to be spot on and reasonably priced but he does not seem to answer emails
I will keep you updated I go home soon and have only been using the klx on the truck
Jim

 

[Giteez]

I'm also currently looking for good truck accessories that can be used to transport my brother's bike. Is a single or drop tail trailer good to use? Are there any additional suggestions I should be taking note of? We have 2015 Nissan Navara