Hooniverse Asks: What’s the greatest vehicle for towing a motorcycle?

It’s two-wheel Tuesday so I want to pay some love and respect to our motorcycle-loving friends. I may not ride, but I look on with envy as you roll past. Often while splitting traffic here in California. Constantly checking my mirrors, I appreciate and notice the thumbs up given when I yield proper lane space to your fast-moving machinery. But there are times when your motorcycle, dirt bike, moped, etc needs a tow. What’s the greatest tow rig for a motorcycle?

One of my personal favorites is a BMW 328ix Touring that had been massively modified. The car, built for Stan Chen, is a 2014 BMW wagon nicknamed Von Doom. This rig wears a ton of M Sport parts, an AccuAir suspension, and some minor performance upgrades. A matching trailer complete with an AccuAir setup of its own was also commissioned and used to tow a 1973 BMW R75.

The car is called Von Doom. The Raft is the trailer, and the bike is called Lil Doom. It’s one hell of a package when all put together, and I’ve actually seen it in person. It’s just a fantastic build done with in a crisp, clean manner that’s both head turning and wild, yet still completely usable on a daily basis. In fact, with its Thule box and matched trailer, this show wagon is one of the most usable builds out there.

What would be your ideal motorcycle tow setup? What’s a crazy cool tow rig you’ve seen? Let us know, in the comments below.

[Featured Image courtesy of Big-Euro.com]

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23 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What’s the greatest vehicle for towing a motorcycle?”

  1. Manxman Avatar

    I didn’t know you had to have anything specific to tow a motorcycle. I’ve put hitches (usually Hidden Hitches bought online) on what ever I’m driving. The funnest was on my 2001 Mustang convertible. I have an 8 foot with ramp trailer that has paid for itself over the last 12 years. Lately, its been loaned out more than I’ve used it to buddies whose bikes have died.

    1. Batshitbox Avatar
      Batshitbox

      Hidden Hitches bought online
      You make it sound so nefarious, like the next headline to take down a local politician.

    2. salguod Avatar

      I have a 2″ receiver hitch on my 2007 Prius. Most Prius hitches are 1.5″, I bought and installed this one because I wanted to use a cargo carrier and I already owned one for a 2″ receiver. It tucks up under the bumper nicely with only the receiver itself visible.

      I wouldn’t actually attempt to tow anything with it, however.

  2. mdharrell Avatar

    Technically a motorcycle, technically a car, technically a trailer, and technically a licensed driver. Clearly I prefer matched sets.

    https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1692/24104006120_e356d170f5.jpg

    1. crank_case Avatar
      crank_case

      All it needs is a set of inverted commas mounted at either end.

  3. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    What was the question again?

    https://www.hoax-slayer.com/images/retriever.jpg

  4. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    This so much, every serious biker I know uses a Ford Transit or similar, plus you can sleep on it at race weekends. It’s what Guy Martin uses..

  5. 0A5599 Avatar
  6. Rudy™ Avatar
    Rudy™

    My choice? Anything with a trailer hitch. :o) I’ve been halfheartedly scooter shopping (two-wheel variety, not old-man-at-grocery-store variety), and realized the only way I’ll get one home is with a trailer. I can’t tow too much in weight, but I could just about do all but the very largest motorcycles. I have a U-Haul close enough to pick up a trailer for a day rental. I suppose if I were really into something like dirt bikes, I would have a more specialized towing setup. But it would be a tow, and not a van or anything–a trailer I can afford, an additional vehicle I cannot. Insurance costs alone make it prohibitive here.

    1. Lokki Avatar
      Lokki

      Can’t you show up at the dealer’s with a check, a helmet, and a nice pair of gloves and ride it home? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6f72dccdef1c8929ab36dfecefad057a740cb743fa28bd1d28aa53e13cebdc6d.jpg

      1. Rudy™ Avatar
        Rudy™

        Good point. But I’d have to walk to the dealer (or private owner), since we don’t have mass transit in Detroit (other than filthy buses in various stages of dilapidation), and I’m already over my allotment of new walking shoes for the year. And if I get one a few hours away, I’d have to drag an empty refrigerator box behind me so I have a place to sleep overnight if it’s too long for a day’s walk.

        So yeah, I think I’ll just rent that trailer… ?

  7. neight428 Avatar
    neight428

    I don’t enjoy towing anything. I don’t do it enough to feel anything in the drive apart from all the imminent ways that I am likely to screw it up. Doing so in a nice car would just make things worse. I second the van idea, or barring that, some super duty diesel with a lot of baking power rated to tow quadruple what I would ever actually attempt.

  8. mdharrell Avatar

    If it’s not too late I’d like to change my answer to “Put the motorcycle inside the mural van.”

    https://images.craigslist.org/00606_dQLjuj57epP_600x450.jpg

    https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/d/olympia-1976-ford-ramp-truck-hodges/6803624771.html

    *Serving suggestion. Your mileage may vary. Mural van sold separately.

    1. crank_case Avatar
      crank_case

      Or at least they’ll get round to putting the bike in the van once they’ve dealt with the munchies and laughed at their hands for three hours.

  9. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    Not sure they are still making them, but the Razorback would be the ultimate van conversion for motorbike hauling. I has a bed that is lowered flat to the ground, so the bike can be rolled straight in. They did them on VW Transporters and Fiat Ducatos, both fwd to allow for complete replacement of the rear chassis.

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Is the backseat passenger supposed to sit inside that enclosure behind the rider, or is this an attempt to create a motorcycle with zero rear visibility?

  10. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    A sidecar on another motorcycle, like the guy who used to take his Bultaco Astro dirt track racer to the track on his Gold Wing. I’ve seen bicycle racers do similar things in Portland, one guy used a bakfiets to move his mountain bike, although the more common option was to ride a road or cyclocross bike to the track with race wheels starapped to a backpack.

  11. Vairship Avatar
    Vairship

    Plus you can park your rig without worrying about getting the motorcycle stolen.

  12. Troggy Avatar
    Troggy

    As a regular volunteer at a race track for club meets I see some unusual setups, but probably my favourite is the guy who uses a 4th gen Toyota Starlet to tow his track bike.
    The car belonged to his wife and was decorated by his daughter, so it’s resplendent with motivational rainbow-and-sparkles bumper stickers.