Nose weights

Chas · Post by **Chas** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:47 am

As I understand it the maximum nose weight for a towbar on a Bongo is 85kg. I want to transport my enduro bike on the back of my Bongo (when I get it). If I can I'd like to avoid trailers which leaves the option of a bike rack (the interior is too nice to remove the seats and but a bike in).

My bike (Gas Gas EC300) weighs 100kg plus say 10KG for fuel and whatever the weight of the rack is puts it well over the nose weight.

Does anyone know what the max nose weight is based on? Is it the structure of the vehicle, suspension spring rates a combination of the two or something else?

Is there any way I can modify a Bongo to carry a higher nose weight?

Am I going to have to bite the bullet and get over my fear of towing?

Chas

scanner · Post by **scanner** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:38 am

As I understand it nose weight is in addition to the GVW load in the vehicle, so if you don't have a full load IN the back you can surely carry it ON the back instead, what you can't do is both.

I've seen enough crabby old Mondeos carting a speedway bike around on a rack. If they can cope with that your Bongo should cope with your bike.

It might be worth investing in some coil spring assisters as well though, others on here swear they improve the ride and handling even without a bike on the back.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:08 pm

I carry my Beta Alp on the back and it weights as much as yours Chas. I'm also looking at fitting air suspension bags to the bag to stop it bottoming out on the bumpstops.

http://www.airliftcompany.com/

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:49 pm

Would think you need to know the max axle weight then
have it weighed see how much is to spare.
If you get pulled and it is getting more common to
pull campers with bikes on the back that's what they
will do.
Looked in my book but it only gives all up wight not axle wight.

scanner · Post by **scanner** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:02 pm

Wot no Isle of Wight?

Sorry............................................

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:51 pm

scanner wrote:Wot no Isle of Wight?

Sorry............................................

Ooooh!! - scanner did a pippin

scanner · Post by **scanner** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:05 pm

I was nowhere near that pip when it died..................

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:13 pm

scanner wrote:I was nowhere near that pip when it died..................

Steve L · Post by **Steve L** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:49 pm

Surely towbars are designed to tow, not to carry and that is the reason for the noseweight limit. I've not checked this but if the noseweight limit of the Bongo is 85kg then compared to a lot of vehicles that is generous.
As far as I am aware the noseweight limit is to protect both the towbar mountings and the rear chassis.
The noseweight limit is presumably for a towball which is no more than 6" from the rear of the vehicle. To carry a motor cycle must mean that the weight is placed much further back than that, increasing the stress on the chassis and bracket mountings.
Towing is no problem once you are used to it. Personally I'd certainly feel safer towing that weight, than having it rest on the bracket mountings.

Chas · Post by **Chas** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:07 pm

Steve L wrote:Surely towbars are designed to tow, not to carry and that is the reason for the noseweight limit. I've not checked this but if the noseweight limit of the Bongo is 85kg then compared to a lot of vehicles that is generous.
As far as I am aware the noseweight limit is to protect both the towbar mountings and the rear chassis.
The noseweight limit is presumably for a towball which is no more than 6" from the rear of the vehicle. To carry a motor cycle must mean that the weight is placed much further back than that, increasing the stress on the chassis and bracket mountings.
Towing is no problem once you are used to it. Personally I'd certainly feel safer towing that weight, than having it rest on the bracket mountings.

I can't fault your logic and that's one of the reasons I'm trying to find out if the Bongo can be modified to increase the maximum noseweight. I would have been prepared to risk things on my Mondeo but that was an old banger. I've just ordered a Bongo and intend to keep it for a long time.

One of the biggest problems with towing is storing the trailer, both at home and when out riding. I recently stayed at a hostel in Wales and, while most of us had vans/pickups to transport bikes one guy had a trailer. This meant he ended up using 2 parking bays instead of 1 and parking was at a premium.

One possible solution is a foldaway trailer (like this http://intertradeuk.co.uk/catalogue_php ... ucts_id=41 ). The place I was going to buy an ex-AA T4 (before I heard about Bongos) from reckoned he could get me an ex AA one for a reasonable price but he hasn't got back to me. Anyone know of a supplier of ex AA trailers?

Chas

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:35 pm

I have one - they're pretty bulky and heavy

kawasaki kid · Post by **kawasaki kid** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:09 am

The reason for noseweights on towcars varing is that the noseweight is set by the car maker and the definition of noseweight is" The maximum downward weight permissable on the coupling point" eg. the towball - it basically to stop you overloading the towbar and ripping it off the car if you hit a big bump - it is aimed more at caravan towers and larger trailers. Hope this helps.