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Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

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Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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Old 12 Nov 2010
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hooking a KLR to 4WD
Planning on following two friends in a 4wd on our voyage. Any ideas on attatching a a KLR to say an old landcruiser or a 4wd of some description depending on what we find. I have seen some bikes hooked onto the rear... Is this possible with KLR? Roof cage? But then how do you get it up there...???
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Old 13 Nov 2010
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buy a pick up
no mystery
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Old 13 Nov 2010
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You mean something like this? The KLR is a big bike, I don't how well that would work out. You would probably be better off with something like this.
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Old 17 Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by fastfreddy View Post
Buy a pickup.no mystery
Agree with Fred and then It should be understoood that you put the bike IN the box of the pickup truck. The Dangling bike rack at the rear may well work fine on freeways but it will be very prone to break off once you start crossing rough terrain and topes.Think of all the leverage (Force=mass X distance, isn't that how it goes?) a bike stuck out back will have on the mounting hardware and the truck suspension.
These racks and trailers are primarily designed to haul light dirt bikes and commuter bikes from a city home into the boonies or to the trailer park using smooth highways.
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Old 17 Nov 2010
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...met up with this guy in Argentina last February. Notice that the platform is made of basic mat'ls and seems fairly light weight, but he has a small winch to get the bike on and off.

This Way UP!: Gobernador Gregores to Estancia Telken - February 24
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Old 17 Nov 2010
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Aside from taking a pick-up, the easiest and least expensive way is to use a front wheel tow hitch bracket, with the front wheel and handlebars secured to the bracket / 4WD by ratchet straps.

Fabricate the bracket with a piece of metal approx 60cm long and about the same height, which is just wider than the front tyre. Secure it to the vehicle (I was able to secure the bracket in place of the tow ball) and then tie the front wheel down with ratchet straps. Tension the ratchet straps so the rear wheel is just trailing on the ground.

If you plan on towing long distance, it makes sense to remove the chain to reduce transmission wear, however for shorter trips I wouldn't bother.

This method is actually surprisingly effective - I have towed a bike over 3000kms using this technique, including rough dirt and sand.
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Old 17 Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by Matt Roach View Post
If you plan on towing long distance, it makes sense to remove the chain to reduce transmission wear, however for shorter trips I wouldn't bother.
I have read convincing descriptions of why this is a very poor idea, although it's not a subject I really know anything about. There was something about the transmission being lubricated by engine power, not by the turning of its output shaft. Therefore running with the chain attached but the engine off was deemed a very, very bad thing.

Maybe this depends on what brand or model of bike. Maybe it's a myth. On the other hand, I'd hate to cause any major failures down the road just by being too lazy to disconnect the chain.

Don't blame the messenger....especially one as essentially ignorant as I.

Mark
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Old 18 Nov 2010
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As Andrew says, lifting is a problem or risky without enough hands - and if all the weight is carried by the TLC it's hard of the back springs. I did something like Matt describes in 80s in the Sahara and a few times since then.
Handy, cheap (old 125 MX swingarm welded up), secure, light, and very easy to hitch a bike on, but probably best for occasional rather than full-time use as if nothing else it will get in the way of rear access. We towed that DR for a couple thousand miles across the desert back to France with no probs. On hot days it was a nicer place to sit than in a 101!

Since then I learned a block or rock between the front tyre top and mudguard helped 'lock' the ratchets off against something solid, not semi-compressed fork springs - and that if you turn sharply the bike kind of swings out and lays down, but wont self right, (it leans over on bends).

As mentioned, the chain idea makes sense for all but the shortest hops. Or tie off the bars and tow it backwards? Less messy and probably better for the headstock in the long run. And it wont lean on bends.

There's some truly terrible footage of the DR being towed at about 3.10

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Old 18 Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by markharf View Post
I have read convincing descriptions of why this is a very poor idea, although it's not a subject I really know anything about. There was something about the transmission being lubricated by engine power, not by the turning of its output shaft. Therefore running with the chain attached but the engine off was deemed a very, very bad thing.

Maybe this depends on what brand or model of bike. Maybe it's a myth. On the other hand, I'd hate to cause any major failures down the road just by being too lazy to disconnect the chain.

Don't blame the messenger....especially one as essentially ignorant as I.

Mark
Ok, I got curious (in my state of abysmal ignorance), so I went and found the post on the DSN KLR Yahoo group. I had the conclusion correct but the specific reason wrong. Someone asked about towing with the rear wheel on the ground and the chain intact, and this was one of several similar answers [begin paste]:

Re: towing

You can not do that! The rear wheel turning will turn the chain and thus the
secondary side of the tranny. The oil delivery is on the primary side of the
tranny. You tranny will go up in smoke.

[end paste].

Hope that helps.

Mark
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