Transporting a motorcycle on a trailer – standards and legal issues
Do you dream about taking your motorcycle on a long journey? Would you like the motorcycle to be your companion on your family trip? So, you need an additional vehicle to transport it. You have several options to do this. The first is to hire a professional transport or bus to pack your valuable cargo. On the other hand, the simplest solution available to virtually anyone who wants to transport a motorcycle on their own is a trailer dedicated for your passenger car. What standards do you have to meet and what should you pay attention to in order to transport a two-wheeler safely and legally on a trailer? Let's find out!
Trailer for transporting a motorcycle - Regulations
The first basic issue is having a car with which we can tow a trailer, a hook mounted on the car and a category B driving license. The Highway Code contains provisions specifying that a driving license of category B entitles the driver to tow the light trailer. It is a trailer whose permissible gross vehicle mass (GVM) does not exceed 750 kg. The overrun brake is then not required. But that's not all. A driver with a category B driving license may travel with a trailer other than a light trailer, provided that the total mass of the set does not exceed 3500 kg. It is essential that the actual total mass of the trailer does not exceed the actual gross mass of the vehicle.
Driving with a trailer requires more practice and additional skills from the driver. You cannot forget about it when parking or passing other vehicles. If you do not have the appropriate experience or competence, ask specialists for help.
Speed limits in Poland - how fast can you drive with a trailer?
Special limits and restrictions apply to drivers who use a passenger car with a trailer. In built-up areas for such vehicles, signs increasing the speed limit above 60 km/h do not apply. This means that when transporting the motorcycle on a trailer, you must travel at a speed of up to 50 km/h. On single-carriageway roads, the speed limit is 70 km/h. On motorways and expressways it is possible to travel with a trailer up to 80 km/h.
Trailers for transporting a motorcycle - Summary
The best choice for transporting a motorcycle will be the trailer dedicated for this purpose. A motorcycle trailer is the safest and proven way to transport any two-wheeler.
Note: The legal norms described in this article apply to the territory of Poland.