# Carrying a motorbike - RV weight limit



## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

All, was thinking to make a raising rack to carry a 500cc bike on back of the chevy.

I have never found the weight plate on the rv though  I have looked..

this RV looks identical to mine, same engine and sure the same chassis..

Ebay item

Max weight 4560kg ... Mine was weighed for it's last MOT and was around 4250 with, I presume, an mot tester in it.. (also, 50% fuel, lpg and cupboards all full)

300kgs remaining isn't very much really.. a couple of people and their gear could almost get to that weight.. I thought the margins would be a lot higher with an RV, I guess mine is at the limit of it's chassis's capabilities..

A motorbike and it's rack could be 300Kg straight off 

John


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Google is your friend. 

THIS LINK shows weights of some common Honda bikes, which might give you a good idea of what's what.

Dougie.


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

Thanks Dougie.. yep have got the weight at 174 dry.. wikipedia useful too  

Bike is a GS500 Suzuki.. I wanted to take it for a personal reason, as it belonged to a long time friend who used to bike with me (and also did some camper van tours of europe) he is no more now  and I thought he would have liked to see his bike being used in this way...

but... if it's taking half my available payload.. not so sure..

John


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Hi John

Well, the Suzy is definately a better bet than the Viffer is, weightwise!

I did 40k odd miles on my 750 FV. It was a lot of good things, but light wasn't one of them!

I'm looking at one of these for putting on a rack sometime in the future. Road legal, claimed dry weight of 72kg, and looks a hoot!


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

Hi Kijana

 like it 

yep Viffer def. too heavy as well, shame..

I guess an easy option is a trailer..


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Hi John

Yes, I spose a trailer is one option.

Another would be to get someone else to drive the rig, and you ride the bike  

A bike is the one thing I miss fulltiming. I must get out & hire one for a quick blast soon. . .

Bruce


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

well well..

Went for MOT on Fri, and passed 

First thing was the weigh-in.. last year with full LPG and Petrol, was 4300 approx..

This time, half petrol and half lpg, but full fresh water, 4620!! 


A few extra items may have been on the van but struggling to work out where the weight came from ,,,

worst still, the apparant MAM (guess... from the ebay RV in my first posting) , is 4560KG..

So, to summarise, An american RV with one passenger and generally full cupboards etc is overweight? can't be true... it was designed to sleep 6!

How can/would I (or police, DVLA) find the MAM of a 25 year old van with carries no weight plate? Dougie...

(will try another google attempt now)

John


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

Well I am a much happier bunny today 

I looked at the 'Chilton' manual that came with van (A proper version of what haynes now are) and it usefully picks-apart the VIN of my van, saying it was made in Canada :O but more importantly, it has a J designation, in the corresponding table that = 10,000-11,000 lbs  


so being 10164 lbs at the weigh in is no problemo....

quite why I have a range for the GVW is anyones guess.


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

a year on...

still no idea what my GVW is, or my max. axle weights...

I presume I am responsible for knowing the correct KG's and displaying them for interested parties...

I just rang DVLA and they patched me through to VOSA

apparently, If I fill in a VTG10 and pay £23 VOSA will issue me with a GVW certificate... then I guess I am legal (having got someone else to make a plate)

then I will find out I am overweight 

anyone want a hand re-built 250 kawasaki 4 stroke - 130kgs


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## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

Its the Max axle weight that is important.

On my RV the weight plate details the max axle loadings and the GVW etc. The Plate is above the drivers' seat your's should be plated somewhere. You really do need to find it. If you PM DamonDunc, he may know where it is on your RV.

I had mine checked at MOT time with and without the Bike and rack on board and found that I can only carry the rack and 110kg bike if I run with at the max half water *and* max half fuel. So I tend to run with the minimum amount of water I can and that way can add more fuel if necessary.


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

thanks John

I have spoken to an RV owner in the states, who has the same age,chassis and coachbuilder as me, albeit a different layout. He told me where his sticker was, but nothing on my van.,. have searched all over to no avail.

The papers have gone off, VOSA may even ask me to go to Guildford so they can inspect it...

problem is, this is his limits
GVWR 8900 lbs
GAWR Front 3400 lbs
GAWR Rear 6000 lbs

My total weight was about 9500lbs when last weighed, and I was not overly loaded.. I accept that without the axle loadings I cant tell much, but I think I am already over the limit without the bike and rack

My base vehicle manual suggests a GVWR of 10-11,000 for the purposes of brake testing, according to my chassis number.. I am quite stuck really..
John


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

well the was fruitless ..
VOSA just rang me straight back this morning and said, sorry, we know less about your vehicle than you do.. we'll send your logbook back and sorry....

this is nuts


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Have you thought about e-mailing the manufacturer of the vehicle and giving your chassis no.and thereby getting the answer from the horse's mouth.
tony


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

John

Give SVTech a ring they are able to issue VIN plates and were able to re-plate my Lexington. They knew all about the design axle weights for the base vehicle and were able to add an extra 200Kgs to the rear axle on my existing plate - which was enough to get me legal without me doing any expensive mods. (they charged £60.00)

I dealt with Gareth Marsh on 01772 621800
have a look at www.svtech.co.uk

Hope this might help

Roger


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Surprised no one has mentioned the effect of the overhang which will multiply the weight of bike and rack on the rear axle.


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

thanks all, Gemmy yes on to that now.. even went to a Chevy dealer yesterday, as a long shot, but no luck as europe..

Roger, will try that

Aultymer, yep I appreciate the overhang problem.. I have weight I can remove from rear of the axles, if it will help allow the bike to stay.. Mainly the generator, which looks like it weighs as much as a small bike anyway.. the rack could also be part aluminium, which would loose about 30kgs...


ultimately though, until I know what the rear axle can cope with, and what its supposed to cope with, I am a bit stuck.. I have looked at the four rear tyres and know their max loadings.. the ride rite air suspension should help everything too..

I am getting there


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hello johng1974,
Couldn't see the add on e-bay detailing your RV but assume it's on a front engined cut away van chassis.

Unless you have a rear engined diesel rig virtually all US RV are overweight when loaded. This is irrespective of the paople it can sleep.

Our early 35ft. Chevy Winnebago only had a payload of 600lb. when tanks were full. Winnebago's answer was to half the tank capacities.

Ray.


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

Ray thanks... hmmm.... I always thought the yank tanks were ok with payload... seems they suffer like europeans can...

I will let you know what I can find out.. I haevn;t got an add on ebay though? (ahh I looked back through the post.. yep that was an RV similar to mine, a year ago on ebay) 

John


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks for the pic John, and can confirm any loading of more than a bicycle on the back will not only overload the rear axle but afect the steering considerably. I assume your fuel tank is behind the rear axle also. 

Back in the 80s we hung a 72cc motorbike on the front of our Dodge Champion RV which improved handling no end. I kept it covered with a black plastic cover to try and avoid being pulled for a dangerous projection. Worked well for two years.

Ray.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Looks like a generator hanging out the back as well.

Ray.


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

thanks Ray....


the fuel tank is a fair way towards the axle I think...
the genny could definately come out, its a long way back.... and looks heavy....


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

this is a pic from my chilton manual that goes with the van..

My VIN has a 'J' as its 4th letter, so according to the book, it's GVWR should be 10-11000 lbs... (4500-5000kgs) .. no one else will concur with this though... and it gets me no nearer knowing the axle limits..

well keep trying..


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes johng1974,
You are correct according to my Chevrolet Motorhome Chassis Guide 87 onwards. 10 to 14,000 lbs. Have you ever weighed each axle loaded to normal use?

My manaual also says a Service Parts ID sticker for the 'G' series van is on an inner hood panel surface. So on the underside of the bonnet. 

It only shows the fuel tank just between the frame rials behind the rear axle.

Ray.


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

hi Ray

I will weigh the axles as soon as I can, probably at the MOT in a couple of weeks...

Yep have the service sticker but does not mention weight 

Yep re fuel tank...

I may get some pushbikes


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