Where Do I Put MY Harley-Davidson

[Sean]

Bear in mind that either the Idaho Tote (or any of its various competitors) or the Overbilt lift (and its competitors) will add to your single-vehicle length (as opposed to a real trailer, which only adds to your combination length).

Many states restrict single vehicles to 45'.  If I recall correctly (from a giant discussion of the 48' Neoplan Megaliners that are kicking around the country), there are only seven states with limits over 45'.  Of course those states are not contiguous.

If you have a 40' coach, an Overbilt will be fine, but you're pushing your luck with some of the axle-supported extensions (I could not find the length of the Idaho unit on their site).  If you have a 45' coach, even a lift puts you over the limit in many jurisdictions.  In between, YMMV.

If you live in California, you need a special license to drive a rig over 40', so that may also be a factor.  Also, rigs over 40' are restricted to certain routes in CA (no matter what state the rig is registered in).  So forget about doing, for example, the coast highway if you have a 40' coach with a lift on the back.  FWIW.

BTW, we keep our two motorcycles in the front bay.  Out of the elements, out of sight of potential thieves or vandals, and keeping our total length to 39'5".

-Sean

[Chaz]

Sean,
  What kind of bikes do you ride?? My Harley is -for all intents and purposes- 8' long. I will have to angle it in one of my big bays to get it in the bus. But as you illuded to, it's worth it.
  Jim mentioned a "Kiss of oil".............  LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is that waht you call a "kiss"? I would classify that as a big, long, juicy, wet ...................................... you get the point!! LOLOL
  But having the bike in the bus really is the ticket.

     havin fun on two and 6 wheels,
                 Chaz

[H3Jim]

Chaz,
Now it's my turn to LMAO!  "Big, long, juicy, wet ............."

I guess kiss was kind of a euphemism to say the least.  I was trying to be polite.  I know mine sure leaks, spits, hawks more than I'd like, and no way would I want to clean that off a bike, its bad enough off the back and sides of the bus.

Sean, you make good points about length, although with my 41 footer, I've never been stopped or looked at cross-eyed.  I did drive the california coast and that section from Big Sur to Hearst castle is not one I think I want to drive again in the bus.

[Ednj]

I Just Bought A 94 MCI 102D MY First Step IS To Find A Place For MY Full Dresser H-D. Anyone Know Of Pictures Of Bikes Mounted In The Side Of A Bus Down Low Or A Way To Make A Garage In The Rear With A Lift Gate?

>
Looks like you need one of these buses, just make the whole top bike storage and your friends will want to come along.lol

[Sean]

Chaz,

You're not going to like my answer:

We used to ride big touring bikes.  I had a Honda GL1800 (Gold Wing) and my wife had a Honda ST1100 sport tourer.  When we got the bus, we measured the bay, and then set out to find bikes that would fit, but still meet our criteria: fun, fast, able to support an all-day or even a weekend touring ride.  We ended up with a pair of Suzuki SV650s.  These are real houligan bikes -- they'll wheelie if you look at them cross-eyed, with great power-to-weight.  At only 365 lbs, they are easy to wheel in and out of the bay.  And, best, two of them fit nicely into our bay, which is 5' wide and 43" tall.  We just have to take off the mirrors, and the aftermarket windscreens we bought for them.

We miss our big tourers, but everything is a trade-off.  We were unwilling to add a trailer to our traveling equation just to have the bigger bikes.  You will need to make a similar decision.  The Harley will necessitate a trailer, a lift, or extensive truss modifications to get it in the bay.  I've seen one large coach where this was done, and, to be honest, I would not be comfortable driving the coach -- they cut floor trusses out to do it, and who knows where those loads have been transferred on the structure.

FWIW.

-Sean

[Chaz]

Sean,
   I just wrote a nice long letter and then hit the wrong  #$^@&@@$@^#&#^key!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think it appropriate to write what I said. (after 4 years in the NAVY, I can get rather creative!!)
   Anyway, bottom line, I like Harleys................. but I am also a Chevy man. It's a matter of preference. (ever seen a '46 Honda, etc.?)  I'm also a retired Motorcycle Safety Instructor so I can appreciate all 2 wheelers.
  My Knuckle can fit in my bay, but I have to angle it once it's in there. It will also be on an aluminum channel so the weight distribution will be good also.
  Good thing I only have to contend with one bike, or I would have to use my trailer. The only thing I have to do is lower my handle bars.
   Maybe we can hook up sometime for a ride. The "Dragon's Tail" (Deal's Gap N.C.) is a fantastic area for ridin. If you haven't, you need to.

  Have a great one!
   Keep the rubber side down,
      Chaz

[Sean]

Chaz,

No disrespect meant on the Harley -- I had an FXRP for a couple years myself.  I'm only saying that having a bike that large is a trade-off; it makes fitting it in the bay (and probably the process of loading and unloading it) that much more difficult.

I did the MSF thing myself, teaching both Basic and Experienced RiderCourses for nine years, before they changed the curriculum a few years ago.  And yes, we've ridden the Dragon, which was beautiful and fun, but I thought a bit overhyped (spend a week or so riding the back roads of the Sierra Nevadas, or even the Santa Cruz mountains, and you'll know what I mean...).

Always up for a ride, if we ever find ourselves in the same place at the same time 

-Sean

[DavidInWilmNC]

My friend with a Harley puts hers in the shop, mostly.     The silliest things break down on it.  I have a similar question of where do I put my Yamaha?  It's hard to beat Japanese machinery, but I've heard Harley's have much better reliability lately.  I was planning on an enclosed trailer, but for the cost of a decent new one, I can almost buy a used van.  Two bikes will fit in it, it'll add next to no weight on rear of the bus, and it'll give me a vehicle for when the weather's not nice enough (or the location's not nice) to ride our bikes.  An axle disconnect, tow bar mounts, lights, and brakes should be all that I need.  Anyway, that's my plan, whenever I get to the point of actually using the bus enough to warrant any sort of toad vehicle.

David

[Chaz]

I have a similar question of where do I put my Yamaha?

.......................... naaaaaah.

[John Z]

David, not a bad solution to the towing question. I too used to ride harleys for quite a few years. In 1998 after swapping bikes on several long rides with my friends, i discovered how much i enjoyed motorcycling. I learned i was just too confined by the harleys poor acceleration, cornering, braking etc. All the things that are so wonderful about bikes were lacking on my harleys. Although i still have a soft spot in my heart for my last one, a turquoise and cream Heriatage, i would never own another one. I too am spoiled by the japanese and european bikes. Everything is there that you could ask for in a bike. I have my eye on the new Guzzi Norge! Plus you won't see half a dozen of them parked in front of every bar. A friend has fixed up a nice little tow trailer for his bikes. Carries too bikes with a hanging closet for all of their riding gear, plus a work bench and tools for doing simple maintenance. All locked up and secure. But towing a van like you suggest is neat, as it not onjly carries the bike, but gives you a vehicle to use while the bus is parked!

[NJT5047]

An enclosed trailer is the best idea.  Other than buying a coach such as a Neoplan or H3, with their huge bays, a heavy bike ain't going into an MCI bus without a ton of engineering.
A full sized motorcycle won't go into a van either (assuming your talking about something like a reg Chevy or Ford van).  A cube van would work.   We use a 1 ton Ford Econoline and often have to loosen and pull the handlebars down to get dirtbikes inside the van.  We also have a 20' enclosed trailer which works great for moving one big motorcycle.  Maybe a 16' would work better behind a bus.
Low bar sportbikes would go into the van, but it's a PITA.   No large cruiser style scoot with a windshield and high handlebars (even stock) will fit into a van.
Use the motorcycle for a toad.   Or, get a pickup for a toad and put the scoot in the pickup bed. 
Good possibility that any Harley hanging on the back of a bus is gonna get stolen. If you can see it, someone's gonna steal it at a stoplight or whatever.  Plus it'll stay crummy unlesss covered, and the cover will beat it up. 
Another issue with vans is towability.  Most are not towable 4 down.  I've got an AWD Astro Van that we installed an NP231transfer case in place of the BW AWD unit.  It's towable now.  If I wanted to.  Even an Astro weighs over 4K lbs...
Loading a  big motorcycle into a pickup is a chore...loading into an enclosed trailer with a drop-down tailgate is too easy.  And it's locked up, alarmed, and the bike stays clean.
One of the coolest toys on the market in the heavy speed cruisers is the Suz ME109.  Big V twin.  Faster than a V-Rod, very cool looking.  Big ole 240 rear tire.   
If anyone needs anything related to a Suz, Yam, or Kaw, let me know.  We're a dealer for those brands.

Best, JR

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

You guy's are making me think.....  Look out when I get thinking!

It sounds like the most pratical solution for toteing a pair of cycles is in the back of a "Pick-up Toad".

Think... Think...  Bus, toad, and 2 bikes. It sound like I would still have room in the bus for camping gear.

Nick-

[Chaz]

Nick,
  What kind of bikes are you putting in there? They would have to be pretty small.

      Chaz

[NJT5047]

Two V twins, without tour accessories will fit in a full-sized, long bed. pickup if one is faced forward and the other faces the tailgate.  The "backwards" bike is a major PITA to load. 
Items such as floorboards, saddlebags, crash bars, and highway bars would all be in the way....they would interfere with fender wells and the other bike.   
This wouldn't work with 4 cyl bikes at all.  Neither would it work with extended front ends...typical of manufactured choppers.  Gotta shut the tailgate. 
For a few big ones, one can buy an automatic ramp that will allow one person to load a pretty good sized motorcycle into a pickup.  The device uses up the pickup bed and is in the way when not hauling a scoot. 
Farmers use flat-bed bodied pickups.  The bed is a couple inches higher than a pickup, but it has a big flat bed.  Comes in 4X4 for towing 4 down.  One could safely tie down a couple big Harleys onto the 8" wide bed.
More idle thoughts.. JR
 

[Chaz]

They may "fit", but are you kiddin me??? You talk about a TOTAL PITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  There's no way I would put my scoot in a truck with another hawg. That's askin for problems. Maybe if it was a "rat", but it isn't and I don' have a way to "air drop" it in. Not to mention take it out. 
  I have done some pretty crazy stuff, seen some pretty crazy stuff and definitely like to push the envelope, but I'd have to take a pass on that.
  But for the record, I would love to see it, and see it done. Hell, I'd even help!!!! I love helping!!!!

    Guess I haven't seen it all yet, but I'm lookin,
            Chaz