Living on boats with motorbikes

[Foxtrot]

Hi all

 

I'm looking to buy a semi triad for living on. But one of the things I love in life is my bikes. One in particular is my Honda C90 (the others can be stored at my parents.) Three things I was wondering:

 

1. With long term mooring, is there usually space to park a bike nearby a boat? I understand it might very much depend where your moored, but I've had a few problems with this bike been stolen in the past. Gypo's with battery angle grinders seem to love it.

 

2. Whats the likelihood of been able fit the bike on the boat somewhere? Its only a tinny thing. Not much bigger than push bike, and with two people could be lifted aboard. Or I'd use a plant. Does anyone ever do this? Carry a motorcycle on their boat?

 

3. Is it not cool in narrowboaters terms to have a lil chicken chaser? What do you guys make of bikers?

 

Hope I picked the right place to put this. Thanks!

 

- Foxtrot

[HappyBunny]

Hmmmm I had a similar dilemma when I moved on board last year .... I'm sure most marinas and farm moorings have parking, especially for a little bike. I looked at loads of boats, and considered all sorts of ways of getting a bike on board .... racks on the stern, turntables, hi-abs .... hours of fun was had.

 

In the end I found a boat with a long front deck and had sections cut out of the sides, and some reinforcement put in, to enable me to wheel the bike on and off. I downsized to a little KE100 for blatting about the lanes on, (which would be capable of a bit of towpath work IF one was allowed to ride on the towpath of course) and keep my other bikes elsewhere. So I can moor in the middle of nowhere, which I like, and still get to shops etc. Have had a bag of coal on the back of her no worries. Ride what works for you.

 

Despite the concern ( ) shown by some forum members about the consequences of my hull adaptations (see thread on "Continuous cruising with a vehicle" .... not sure how to link to an old thread on here) this has worked really well. It is possible to lift a small bike on and off, and I have seen many scooters put on like that ... seems like a lot of hard work .... or wheel one onto a tug front with a plank. I have seen everything from sports bikes to big cruisers and even a combination on boats. Anything is possible.

 

 

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

I had a 400/4 and used a ramp but it was really too heavy. so I downsized to the wife's 100cc scooter. Depending on where your mooring is you can use the mooring rings to lock onto but riding on the towpath is a problem. If you leave it in front of a house then you will have less problem than leaving it on its own on a pathway the kids mess about if they can. Use a cover.

[GSer]

Go for it, you'll find a way, i ve seen plenty of bikes carried on narrowboats from little scooters and monkey bikes to big twin harleys and most bikes in between.

 

Some boats are easier to load than others, a c90 should be a doddle, nice little bike too!

 

Narrow ramps, wide ramps, cranes, dereks and hiabs, front, back and on the roof and inside the boat, you'll see the lot along the canals.

 

I did see a semi trad that had been modded to take a scooter to one side of the steering cockpit that was very neat and invisible from the outside.

 

Good luck

[Foxtrot]

Thanks for the answers! I'm quickly learning you boaters are a pretty cool bunch. Your cut out of the hull is a pretty smart idea Happy, and I was thinking of somert with a front deck. This is going to be a bit of a selling point for the boat I buy. Whether I can fit something like my lil chicken chaser on, or even somert like the CD200, or the F800r. I do wonder how the authorities are about taking a bike down the pathways along canals though? I've, run down one or two in the past. All bit it, a bit cheekily. But, been that I'm going to be living on the thing, what would they make of me say, riding a few hundred yards from a mooring, up the path each morning and back in the evenings?

[Rebotco]

Thanks for the answers! I'm quickly learning you boaters are a pretty cool bunch. Your cut out of the hull is a pretty smart idea Happy, and I was thinking of somert with a front deck. This is going to be a bit of a selling point for the boat I buy. Whether I can fit something like my lil chicken chaser on, or even somert like the CD200, or the F800r. I do wonder how the authorities are about taking a bike down the pathways along canals though? I've, run down one or two in the past. All bit it, a bit cheekily. But, been that I'm going to be living on the thing, what would they make of me say, riding a few hundred yards from a mooring, up the path each morning and back in the evenings?

 

 

Have a look at this thread 3 yrs ago on the same question. My link

One of the posts there also links back to an even earlier thread on this topic.

[jelunga]

Thanks for the answers! I'm quickly learning you boaters are a pretty cool bunch. Your cut out of the hull is a pretty smart idea Happy, and I was thinking of somert with a front deck. This is going to be a bit of a selling point for the boat I buy. Whether I can fit something like my lil chicken chaser on, or even somert like the CD200, or the F800r. I do wonder how the authorities are about taking a bike down the pathways along canals though? I've, run down one or two in the past. All bit it, a bit cheekily. But, been that I'm going to be living on the thing, what would they make of me say, riding a few hundred yards from a mooring, up the path each morning and back in the evenings?

Here is a link to a boat built to accomodate a bike with detachable gunwales. I have be shown round her and it is a super boat built by Sandhills.

 

http://www.railwaybraking.com/belle/introtext.htm

 

Might give you sone ideas.

[Québec]

Hi, we saw a narrowboat on the Llangollen this summer with a motorbike slung on the stern with what looked like a relatively simple hinged gangway which flipped down onto the bank. It looked as though you could just ride it off or back onto the back of the boat. And it was a medium sized motorbike.

[Foxtrot]

Here is a link to a boat built to accomodate a bike with detachable gunwales. I have be shown round her and it is a super boat built by Sandhills.

 

http://www.railwaybraking.com/belle/introtext.htm

 

Might give you sone ideas.

 

Thats a really pretty boat, and a good idea! I think mine might be more simple. Like bunny said though, is there any danger of weakening the structure when putting cut outs into the side of the boat?

[Bones]

I saw a bike on a metal trough. the trough was welded behind the tiller on arms and wasn't in the way of the tiller, nor did it extend back too far. I used to use the trough to get my bike on and off the front deck which i only did twice (the whole enterprise was too comical for words). If you want to do similar you can have the trough i have. I don't need it and I have been wondering what to do with it. It is in oxfordshire.

[Arthur Brown]

Bike on boat isn't too hard, bike onto boat is possible even if you have to make "Hiab" from metal or a suitable davit.

 

However permission to use the towpath and it's road access may not be available and you likely wouldn't be insured for "off roading" to the boat.

[jelunga]

Thats a really pretty boat, and a good idea! I think mine might be more simple. Like bunny said though, is there any danger of weakening the structure when putting cut outs into the side of the boat?

If done willy nilly, then maybe. But if part of the design then it should be strengthened where necessary.

Edited January 14, 2013 by jelunga

[OldPeculier]

Foxtrot.

 

Are you a member?C 90 Club

 

If not, why not

[Teadaemon]

You may wish to consider BSS check 5.4.2: Are all outboard and portable combustion engines with integral petrol or LPG tanks stored to ensure that leaking fuel or escaping vapour will not enter the interior of the vessel?

 

Basically, the BSS requirements for storing the bike are the same as for storing a petrol can or gas cylinder.

[jelunga]

Foxtrot.

 

Are you a member?C 90 Club

 

If not, why not

My brother had an S90. I had a C 90. Wish I still had it. Great bike and a def improvement on the C100

[Foxtrot]

Foxtrot.

 

Are you a member?C 90 Club

 

If not, why not

 

Ha, yea, I am. Dont use the forum much, cause I'm lazy like that.

 

http://www.c90club.co.uk/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=1249

 

You may wish to consider BSS check 5.4.2: Are all outboard and portable combustion engines with integral petrol or LPG tanks stored to ensure that leaking fuel or escaping vapour will not enter the interior of the vessel?

 

Basically, the BSS requirements for storing the bike are the same as for storing a petrol can or gas cylinder.

 

Well, so long as its stored outside on the front, that should be okay? Though, I guess this rules out making the loung into a very cosy work shop

 

My brother had an S90. I had a C 90. Wish I still had it. Great bike and a def improvement on the C100

 

Is he on the group? Whats his user name?

[HappyBunny]

 

Well, so long as its stored outside on the front, that should be okay? Though, I guess this rules out making the loung into a very cosy work shop

 

 

 

[boatymum]

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[Bones]

 

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sweet!

[Barry]

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Unless I am very much mistaken that is a Triumph Bonneville on the front of that boat there. In which case that's a biggish bike to manoeuvre in a small space. 215kg wet and 2m long

 

Unless I am very much mistaken that is a Triumph Bonneville on the front of that boat there. In which case that's a biggish bike to manoeuvre in a small space. 215kg wet and 2m long

 

 

edited to add - 04 plate?

[blackrose]

A Honda C90 isn't a motorbike.

[OldPeculier]

A Honda C90 isn't a motorbike.

 

Oh yes it is.

[Foxtrot]

A Honda C90 isn't a motorbike.

 

Better be carful what you say there, or next time you ask for a cuppa, I might just use decafe, by 'accident' ( `.')

[Trix]

Oh yes it is.

yup it is im currently looking at ways of putting my c90 GS tourer on the boat the question that sprang to mind was do you have to take it off for the BSC as it has petrol in it ???

 

 

[Foxtrot]

yup it is im currently looking at ways of putting my c90 GS tourer on the boat the question that sprang to mind was do you have to take it off for the BSC as it has petrol in it ???

 

 

 

Mine still needs a bit of work before she's ready for any big adventures: