Help! Unloading Motolug Trailer?

[jimster]

Hi all,

I have a motolug folding trailer (the heavy duty 500kg one) for my fairly heavy (240kg plus 30kg of fuel plus large side panniers) bike. I tried unloading it for the first time at the weekend and it was impossible for me to get it off the trailer by myself - I just couldn't do it, due to the mounting bracket that grabs the front wheel and then pivots forward, holding the bike in place. Although this makes LOADING the bike really easy for 1 person, moving it backwards off the trailer requires lifting the bike up so that the front wheel bracket pivots backwards. Extremely hard when the bike weighs about 1/3rd of a ton and you're standing at a fairly awkward angle.

Any suggestions for how to safely unload this trailer by myself? Do I bounce the bike on the suspension somehow to get it to move up and backwards? Is there a way of removing the bracket to avoid lifting the front wheel over it? Should I just accept that when in billy-no-mates mode I can't unload the bike? Am I going to get pinned beetle-like under the bike?

I've watched all the videos I can find - they show the bike being loaded, but not the unloading. The instructions say "you can do it with 1 person, but we don't recommend it". Hmm.
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Current: Yamaha Diversion XJ900
Previous: Yamaha Diversion 600cc, Piaggio Zip 50cc, Honda CG125-W, Siamoto Caddy 50cc moped

[jeffyjeff]

Took a quick look at one of the YouTube videos on the motolug trailer.
It appears to have a hitch pin with a hairclip cotter that holds the wheel bracket in place. Seems it would be possible to remove the cotter and slide out the pin to enable bracket removal. If it was that easy, you probably would have tried that before posting, though.
I do not recommend bouncing the bike to try to clear the bracket. Too easy to lose control, and a heavy motorcycle in motion could easily overpower you (and, as you mused, pin you under the bike like a beetle).
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History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men - BOC

[c_dug]

[Riejufixing]

[steve the grease]

Yeah. I've ended up on the deck with the bike half on top of me and I don't recommend it. Motorcycles are in an unstable state when upright and unless some force acts upon it, the machine will try and achieve a stable equilibrium ( ie fall over) Thanks Mr Newton. They are in a stable equilibrium when lying on their side. Pulling the bike over the hump is only the first problem.- now its moving it will tend to carry on moving , often defying your attempts to control where that might be! A mate is very helpful at this point, your Misses pointing out that it's all going wrong and you need help less so.

Difficult one this . Ratchet straps down to the trailer base or ground like tent guylines don't really help, as the thing goes over they lose their tension ( how do I know this?) really you need to brace it into something above you , a couple of ratchet straps onto the carport or garage roof might help control what happens. I've also considered a very cheap electric winch off ebay to help load and gently lower the bike off the trailer, at least it would be under control in one plane. That just leaves falling over sideways to contend with.
My experience is a bit like this: Loosen ratchet straps> bike leans alarmingly> pull bike over hump> bike now moving continues down ramp> I can't keep up and bike goes over. Unloading on a slope is not recommended ( how do I know this). To those who say - 'just pull on the brake' my response ' it can all happen rather quickly'.

I now make sure that when I pull the bike over the hump that the stand is up, that I'm holding the brake and I'm in a sure footed stance anticipating that it will keep rolling and that I need to step backwards at the same speed as the bike ( a step or block at half height between trailer and ground helps here to step back onto) until it's on the deck.

Best of luck.
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All the above is my personal opinion, you can see my lips move, but I'm talking out of my arse.
I've been riding, and fixing , bikes for 50 years, in that time the more I learn, the less I am absolutely sure of.....

[stinkwheel]

When manouvering a bike on ramps, i always leave them in gear and pull the clutch to roll them, this acts as a brake so if you let og of the lever, it stops.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[sickpup]

[MCN]

I load and unload my K1300 on/off a motolug.

Its a practice thing.
Best have another body to help for the first time.
It also depends on your height and weight and physical ability.

The bike should roll out of the front socket thing just by letting it roll back with a slight bit of assistance.

Motolug weak points.

The spring loaded locator pins that help raise and lower the ramp rust and can shear.
The powder coating flakes off.
The tyres wear out real fast or burst. (Cheap to replace).
Bin the lights that come with it and buy LEDs.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Jon-W]