Bringing a motorcycle?

My tandem drives are either 249 or 256, with the exception of one that is 240, never had anything said back before the law changed a couple of years ago. My tri drives are 261 or 268, well under the length allowed now, but 268 was the maximum until 2017. With BC going to mostly tri drives, they have basically just accepted the 268 inch wheel base rule now for all trucks, although technically a tandem is not supposes to exceed 263 inch wheel base. They also made a new rule ( It’s Official! BC Allows Long Wheelbase Tractors | BCTA ) a tractors overall length cannot exceed 12 meters which is 472 inches in BC. In BC if just pulling one trailer your overall length cannot exceed 23 meters which is 75'6" without a permit. Doubles length is longer aka Super B is allowed to be overall longer by 14'9" or a total of 27.5 meters or 90'3" but they do make you shorten the tractors wheelbase up a bit itself. The new law as of 2017 also allowed for a longer wheel base in tri drives up from the 268 inches it was previously. Interestingly when I pull lowbed and have on my booster or a jeep they consider me as pulling a double for overall length allowance, but never mention my tractors wheelbase, which i think is actually a few inches too long. My booster is 4 meters or 13'1" long to get the bridge distances required for the full legal axle weights. Basically I am always considered oversize though, even with an empty low bed in tow, I am too long and too wide. I just permit for it annually and go. Low bedding isn't for everyone, because you are always calling for permits, and 75% of the time they make you stop at the scales for a chat. The energetic ones if its a sunny day go outside and measure everything, and check my chain down handy work. If raining or snowing, they don't 90% of the time and just accept what i have told them. Really they are easy to get along with if you don't lie.

 

I liked oversize loads in Yokon, BC and Alberta, much easier to get along with your scale guys than ours, generally speaking.
Even when they were pretty strict on the 244, I got by and crossed the scales with 252 without them ever measuring me. I have friends with longer rigs that were caught, not a real big deal the first time usually, but get caught again and it could get stupid expensive.
I know BC used to have some funny laws as far as overhang and such. I pulled a 53 foot step that the back axle slid up to a closed position, to be legal in BC, but was stopped in Prince George, and by the formula they used with the percentages, I had too much rear overhang, luckily I was empty, so I could spread it back out and be legal.

Are you saying a regular tandem truck can now be 263 inches without a permit and we would legally be able to pull oversize, all else being legal?
That would chap a few guys I know off that runs out of Edmonton for Lynden, they had to spec their new trucks at 244, and with all the exhaust bs could only fit something like 80 gallon tanks on them. lol

 

Yes the new laws allow a 263 inch wheelbase tandem drive.

 

Ps. Sorry for getting off topic OP, and for my excessively long post back a few posts.

 

I have heard a lot of talk about putting bikes on or in the tractor, but nothing about storing one under the deck of a trailer. There's an enormous amount of room under most trailers for a light bike to be stored, but the fuel system of the bike would need to be able to handle being stored on it's side. Not sure if that's an idea-killer.

I imagine a sort of sideways hinged clamshell that you slide the bike onto, then crank it up with securement straps or whatever. The clamshell supports the bike, and protects it from road trash.

 

I, bet most fuel systems would be problemetic at best, and it would be hard to keep from scuffing one up. I would think at least.

We did stray off a bit much, but that is some good news I am glad to learn.

 

Due to the height of the frame rails a person would need a fairly long ramp to keep it from being too steep. But a steel tray bolted down sideways for the tires to sit on right behind the headache rack would work good. A folding ramp would be best so it was say two 6 foot sections for a 12 foot length overall. More protection from bugs, and the weather to. I would personally make it so the tray would be able to be ridden up onto either end and off either end, so that a person can ride the bike up, and ride it back off.

 

I have seen several guys that haul bigger bikes, including full dress harleys, and they usually had a crane setup built behind the headache rack. Long ramps would work well for dual sport bikes though.

I would also be a little wary of hanging one on the front bumper too, It would take a much harsher beating up there than behind the sleeper.

 

They make electric scooters that have 20+ miles of range and go 40 mph for less than a grom.