This guide will show you how to tow a motorcycle with another motorcycle safely. It’s not a very challenging thing to do if you have a motorcycle trailer around. Without a motorcycle trailer, make sure the towing rope is not long, and the rider of the towed motorcycle must be focused.
Some experts recommend putting your left foot on the silencer and pushing the towed motorcycle with your leg. You could get 100km pushing your motorcycle with another in this manner. However, since the silencer can snap off, you can place your leg on the rear footpeg instead. Your legs will hurt after about 10 minutes, though.
If there is no option to tow your motorcycle with a car, then a motorcycle is your best bet.
Can You Tow a Motorcycle with Another Motorcycle?
Yes, you can tow a motorcycle with another motorcycle, but you require a higher level of teamwork to avoid crashing. You must maintain a certain speed level and not slow down for some reason, otherwise, the towed motorcycle rider will fall over.
Towing a motorcycle with another motorcycle may not be legal, except you follow lawful guidelines. Also, if you are towing a motorcycle with no trailer, avoid highways if possible, and ensure that you’re towing a short distance, especially when riding in strong winds.
How to Tow a Motorcycle with Another Motorcycle
If it is necessary to tow another motorbike with your motorbike, especially out of a desolate location with no commercial tow truck, do it. Inform your partner knows that the towing speed does not exceed 15-20 mph. If you misplaced your motorcycle key, follow our guide to start your motorcycle without a key.
Below are the steps to tow a motorcycle with another motorcycle:
Get a Rope
Get a twenty-foot or more of a strong rope for towing for easier maneuver. Just make sure the rope is mid-length. If it is too short, it can run the towed bike into the back of the towing bike. And if the rope is too long, it can pendulum the towed motorcycle around and unobservant road users will try to pull in between the motorcycles. If the rope is not strong, no towing.
Wrap Rope Around the Frame Downtube or Across Steering Bar
You always require a rope in your emergency kit for occasions like having a broken motorcycle in the middle of nowhere.
Wrap the rope around the front downtube of the broken motorcycle frame above the front tire once so that it can’t slip and interfere with the wheel. Place the rope along the side of the motorcycle forks and not between them to avoid keeping the towed motorcycle rider from steering when necessary.
Also, you can run the rope over the steering tube across the handlebars of the towed motorcycle. Placing the rope on the steering tube makes it central on the motorcycle to make steering flexible. The rider of the towed motorcycle will hold the rope in place with one hand and can drop it during an emergency.
Note that slacking the rope can cause it to come under the front wheel of the towed motorcycle, resulting in a crash.
Secure the Other to the Rear Carrier of the Towing Motorcycle
Secure the other end of the carrier on the rear of the towing motorcycle. You can also secure it to the frame at the upper shock mount, just opposite the drive chain to prevent the strap from dropping into the sprocket and chain.
Towed Motorcycle Must Keep Close Behind
The towed motorcycle rider must stay behind the towing bike at all cost. Otherwise, the towed bike rider will go down in the sand on their face. None of the riders must try to go around to either side of motorcycle. Otherwise, the rope will cross-up their forks, causing a crash, or will pull the motorcycle out from under the rider.
Ride the Bike Gently
The towing motorcycle rider must be gentle and take up the slack slowly while starting. Also, the towed bike rider must anticipate when the towing bike brakes and try to brake first, or at the same time to avoid jerking. When the rope slacks, it can drop on the road and the motorcycle runs over it, which might cause injury. The towing rider should check their mirrors regularly to be sure that the other rider is comfortable.
A Motorcycle Hitch Trailer: Safer Way to Tow a Motorcycle with a Motorcycle
If you have other towing options and you’re not in a desolate area, you can tow the bike with a trailer.
The trailer must be wide enough to give the towed motorcycle stability when cornering. If you are getting a trailer, depending on your state, you may have to register it as a trailer.
Read also: no jack, no problem for motorcycle
The trailer should have a fork brace from the front tire to the triple tree for balance. It makes the motorcycle lock solidly and the fork springs do not receive all the pressure.
You may use six straps, preferably the ones made with latching carabiner-type hooks, you don’t want a strap to pop loose.
Find out the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of the trailer you are using to tow your motorcycle. The weight must be capable of holding your motorcycle; otherwise is a ‘no’. Note that you want about 10-15 percent (according to GMC) of the trailer’s weight on the tongue.
Final Thoughts
Towing a motorcycle with another motorcycle can take the better part of an hour and a half to cover 8 miles because both riders want to be gentle and careful.
Before you commence towing another motorcycle with yours, discuss the problem of a long ride and the possibility of a crash with your towing partner. The rider of the towed bike must always follow the rear tire of the towing bike and stay off brakes except when going downhill. But going downhill requires holding the brake gently to avoid slipping.
