Trailor law

anybody know the legal weight & size of trailor you can tow with a sidecar outfit? dvla dont seem to know.

Hi Hank

I suggest you speak to these guys

If they don't know there's no hope...

Cheers

Dave

PS I also found this bit of info at this site

MOTORCYCLE TOWING INFORMATION - CURRENT LAW
Legally for a solo motorcycle to tow it must have an engine capacity over 125cc. The trailer must not exceed 1 metre in width and the distance from the rear axle centre to the back of the trailer must not exceed 2.5 metres. The motorcycle must clearly display its laden weight. The trailers laden weight must not exceed 150kg or 2/3rds the motorcycles unladen weight, which ever is the lower value. You cannot tow more than one trailer and passengers are not allowed to be carried inside the trailer.

A motorcycle/sidecar combination is treated as a solo motorcycle. A trike unit is legally treated as a 3 wheeled motorcycle (a motorcycle/sidecar combination is not!). A trike can tow up to a maximum gross weight of 254kg. All other trailer details are as per C + U Regulations.

Got the following information from DVLA/DOT by email a couple of months ago:
from the enquireies section, the applicable part is from the trailer construction and use stuff but this is the important stuff. (ive cut it down a bit to only show the relavent information
this is laminated and kept in my trailer, in case freindly policeam , needs to be informed of the legality of my trailer

hope this helps.

************************************************** *
Trailers Drawn By Motor Cycles


Statement

This fact sheet is produced as general guidance about the legislative requirements in Great Britain for agricultural quad bikes. Every effort has been made to ensure that it is factually correct but recipients should check with the producers of this document if they are unsure about the validity of a particular regulation after the date of publication or if they have reason to believe any part is not correct or is now out of date. It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner/driver to ensure that the vehicle at all times, when used on the public roads, complies with the appropriate legislation.


Regulation 84 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (C&U allows motorcycles (defined as being vehicles having less than four wheels and weighing less than 410kg unladen) to tow trailers within certain limits.

Regulation 84 is as follows
(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use or cause or permit to be used, on a road a motor cycle
(a) drawing behind it more than one trailer;

(b) drawing behind it any trailer carrying a passenger;

(c) drawing behind it a trailer with an unladen weight exceeding 254kg;

(d) with not more than two wheels, without a sidecar, and with an engine capacity which does not exceed 125cc, drawing behind it any trailer;
or

(e) with not more than two wheels, without a sidecar, and with an engine capacity exceeding 125cc, drawing behind it any trailer unless
(i) The trailer has an overall width not exceeding 1 m.
(ii) The distance between the rear axle of the motor cycle and the rear most part of the trailer does not exceed 2.5m.
(iii) The motor cycle is clearly and indelibly marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible position with its kerbside weight;
(iv) The trailer is clearly and indelibly marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible position with its kerbside weight; and
(v) The laden weight of the trailer does not exceed 150kg or two thirds of the kerbside weight of the motor cycle, whichever is the less.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) (b), (d) and (e) do not apply if the trailer is a broken down motorcycle and one passenger is riding it.

Regulation 84 (1) (c) refers to a three wheel motorcycle not being a motorcycle and sidecar. In Regulation 84 (1) (d) and (e) the expression "without a sidecar" is intended to mean that it would have only 2 wheels if a sidecar was not fitted. It is not intended to mean that you cannot tow a trailer when a sidecar is fitted.

A copy of the Regulations can be obtained from `The Stationery Office' (TSO, formerly HMSO). The Regulations can also be found in "The Encyclopaedia of Road Traffic Law and Practice" published by Sweet and Maxwell (Online Legal and Regulatory Bookshop from Sweet & Maxwell). This publication is continually updated and contains both the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) 1986 Regulations and the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989. It is available in most large
reference libraries.

The address of the Stationery Office is PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke St, Norwich NR3 1GN (tel 0870 600 5522, e-mail: book.orders@tso.co.uk, online ordering:TSO Online Bookshop - Bookshop ).


If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:

Transport Technology and Standards 3
Department for Transport
Zone 2/04
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street Telephone: 020 7944 2078
London Fax: 020 7944 2196
SW1P 4DR Email: TTS.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk
************************************************** ******

thank to all for that i'll try a make sense of that when i've finnished war & peace

Yeah - typical government verbosity innit?

My post summarises that lot - I think

Cheers

Dave

[Trevor]

Any idea what the drawbar weight should be, it is normally about 50lbs on a car or van.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Trevor

Any idea what the drawbar weight should be, it is normally about 50lbs on a car or van.

For a Road king, the ideal drawbar weight is 20lbs-30lbs.
I'm aiming for 25lbs on mine.

Brian.