The bike is in the garage, the destination is 1,500 kilometres away, and you want to ride the moment you arrive. Or you have bought a bike that cannot get home on its own wheels. Either way you need to transport the motorcycle so that it arrives undamaged and you stay on the right side of the law. This article covers the three usual options, which licence class is enough for the combination, what matters for weight and drawbar load, and how to strap the bike down step by step. It describes German rules; if you drive elsewhere, check the local regulations.
In short
- Options: motorcycle trailer, van, or a rear carrier on a motorhome. With a rear carrier, only a fraction of the rated load is often left.
- Licence: Class B allows trailers up to 750 kg. Heavier ones are allowed as long as the combination does not exceed 3,500 kg. Up to 4,250 kg you need B96, above that BE.
- Load securing: Under section 22 of the German road traffic regulations (StVO), the bike must stay put even in full braking or a sudden evasive manoeuvre.
- Strapping down: fix the front wheel, tension the straps alternately left and right, compress the suspension by no more than half, secure the rear separately, re-check on the way.
Transporting a motorcycle: the three options
Motorcycle trailer
Two designs are common. On a low-loader the platform sits between the wheels, the loading edge is low and the platform is often narrower. On a high-loader it sits above the wheels, gives more width and needs a higher or longer ramp. Many motorcycle trailers have guide rails and a front wheel chock. Tilting models may only be loaded in the intended position with the supports folded out.
Van
The same securing rules apply in a van as on a trailer. Because the loading edge is higher, you usually need a longer, slightly curved ramp. A front wheel chock that rests against a sturdy bulkhead stops the bike from moving forward. Lashing eyes at the height of the chock make securing easier. A second ramp or step lets you walk alongside the bike instead of balancing on the ramp.
Rear carrier on a motorhome or van
Depending on the model, rear carriers hold up to 300 kg. That is only the carrier's rated load. What can actually go on it depends on the permitted axle loads and the permitted gross weight of your vehicle. In the German registration certificate (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I) you find them under items 8.1 to 8.3 (8.1 and 8.2 for two axles) and F.1. The carrier's own weight counts as payload. MOTORRAD magazine gives an example where only 100 kg is left out of a theoretical 300 kg. That is enough for a scooter or a light enduro, not for many road bikes. If the supplier calculates the possible load from the axle loads, you need a weighing report for the registration entry. If the carrier or the load covers the rear plate, you must repeat the plate on the vehicle or the carrier (section 12 (10) of the German vehicle registration ordinance, FZV). More on that in our article on the motorcycle number plate.
Which licence covers the combination?
You drive the towing vehicle with Class B (car, van or motorhome up to 3,500 kg permitted gross mass). How heavy the trailer may be is set by the German driving licence ordinance (FeV):
| Class | Allowed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| B | Trailers up to 750 kg permitted gross mass. Heavier trailers as long as the combination has at most 3,500 kg permitted gross mass. | § 6 FeV |
| B96 | Class B vehicle plus trailer over 750 kg when the combination is over 3,500 kg but at most 4,250 kg permitted gross mass. | § 6a FeV |
| BE | Class B towing vehicle with a trailer up to 3,500 kg permitted gross mass. | § 6 FeV |
An example: a car with 2,000 kg permitted gross mass and a trailer with 1,300 kg make 3,300 kg. That is still fine with Class B. If the trailer is 2,000 kg, the total is 4,000 kg and you need B96 or BE. For code 96, section 6a FeV requires a driver training course. The minimum age is 18, or 17 with accompanied driving. What counts are the permitted gross masses in the papers, not what happens to be on the scales.
Weight, drawbar load and payload
The trailer's payload is its permitted gross mass minus its unladen weight. Your motorcycle plus luggage, ramp and accessories must stay below that. Drawbar load (Stützlast) is regulated in section 44 StVZO. For rigid-drawbar trailers up to 3.5 t, the minimum drawbar load the towing vehicle must take is 4 percent of the trailer's actual gross weight, but no more than 25 kg is required. The technically permitted drawbar load of your towing vehicle is set by its manufacturer. Check that value before you load.
Speed limits with a trailer
With a car or motorhome up to 3.5 t towing a trailer, the limit outside built-up areas is 80 km/h (section 3 (3) StVO). On motorways and similar roads it is also 80 km/h for cars and motorhomes with a trailer (section 18 (5) StVO). 100 km/h is possible with the German "100er-Zulassung". ADAC's motorhome rental service describes it for caravans (as of December 2024): the towing vehicle needs ABS and at most 3.5 t permitted gross mass, the trailer must be designed for at least 100 km/h, and the tyres need at least speed index L and must be no older than six years. A testing organisation such as TÜV, DEKRA or GTÜ inspects the trailer, the registration office enters it and you fit a sticker on the rear. The approval is valid only in Germany. Whether your motorcycle trailer can get it is for the testing organisation to decide.
Load securing: what the law requires
Section 22 (1) StVO requires the load and the securing equipment to be stowed and secured so that, even in full braking or a sudden evasive manoeuvre, nothing slips, tips over, rolls back and forth or falls off. For motor vehicles and trailers that are not lorries or buses, the German fines regulation (BKatV) lists 35 euros. With endangerment it is 60 euros (items 102.2 and 102.2.1 of the annex). Avoidable noise from the load is 10 euros (item 103). I have not checked whether penalty points apply.
Strapping the motorcycle down, step by step
The guide is based on the advice from POLO Motorrad and MOTORRAD online (October 2026). Where they differ, it says so.
- Secure the trailer and set up the ramp: The trailer stands firmly, ideally hitched, with the handbrake on. The ramp fits the loading edge and the tyre width, does not slip and is secured against sliding away. Loading is safest with two people.
- Ride on centrally and fix the front wheel: Ride up slowly and straight, with the front wheel into the chock or the trailer's wheel holder. In a van, support it against the bulkhead or side wall. According to POLO, a cable tie on the front brake lever keeps the bike in position while you strap it. The side stand can help at first, because the bike should stand upright when strapped.
- Strap the front: Attach the straps to solid points such as the lower fork bridge, the frame or lashing eyes. Plastic parts, fairings, mirrors, exhaust, cables and brake lines are unsuitable. Soft loops protect the fork bridge. At the handlebar, use loops made for the purpose, with the strap as close to the fork as possible. Do not pull with too much force, or you bend the bar or the controls.
- Tension alternately left and right: Set one strap lightly pre-tensioned, then the opposite one, until the bike stands upright. Then fold in the side stand and keep tensioning alternately. The straps should also hold the bike lengthwise; an angle of about 45 degrees is ideal according to MOTORRAD.
- Limit the suspension travel: The fork should compress, but not to the limit. POLO mentions about 50 percent, MOTORRAD recommends 30 to 40 percent and at most half. More strains the suspension and lets the tension fluctuate while driving.
- Secure the rear: In a van, attach one strap each on the left and right of the rear, for example at the pillion footrests, frame sections or grab handles. Plastic is not suitable.
- Check the straps and stow the ends: Hooks should have a safety catch. Ratchets tension more strongly and safely than simple cam buckles. Close them fully and tie down loose strap ends so they do not flap in the wind and damage the paint.
- Check again: Check the tension before setting off and regularly on longer journeys. The sources give no fixed interval, but an early stop shortly after the start is a good habit.
Common mistakes
- Straps attached to fairings, mirrors, exhaust or brake lines
- Suspension fully compressed or, the opposite, strapped too loosely
- Only flat straps that hold sideways but let the bike slide under braking and acceleration
- Rear not secured separately
- Worn or damaged straps, hooks without a safety catch
- Payload, axle load or drawbar load not checked
If you plan a longer trip with the bike on board, take a look at our articles on planning tours in Europe, the motorcycle trip packing list and cases, soft bags and tank bags. If something breaks on the road, there are breakdown tricks with cable ties. For the other rules that apply to riders in Germany, see motorcycle rules in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
Which licence do I need for a motorcycle trailer?
With Class B you may tow trailers up to 750 kg. Heavier ones are allowed as long as the combination has at most 3,500 kg permitted gross mass. Up to 4,250 kg you need B96, and for a trailer up to 3,500 kg with a heavier combination, Class BE.
Do I have to secure a motorcycle on a trailer separately?
Yes. Section 22 StVO requires the load not to slip or tip over even in full braking or a sudden evasive manoeuvre. The fines catalogue lists 35 euros for offences with a car and trailer, 60 euros with endangerment.
How far should I compress the fork when strapping down?
Not beyond half of the suspension travel. MOTORRAD recommends 30 to 40 percent, POLO mentions about 50 percent.
How fast may I drive with a motorcycle trailer?
With a car or motorhome up to 3.5 t, the StVO sets 80 km/h. 100 km/h is possible only with a 100er-Zulassung. ADAC's motorhome rental service describes it for caravans, and it is valid only in Germany.
Sources
- § 6 FeV: Classification of licence classes (Federal Office of Justice)
- § 6a FeV: Class B with code 96 (Federal Office of Justice)
- § 22 StVO: Loads (Federal Office of Justice)
- § 44 StVZO: Support devices and drawbar load (Federal Office of Justice)
- Annex to the BKatV: fines catalogue (Federal Office of Justice)
- Motorcycle transport: loading and strapping (POLO Magazin, in German)
- Ramp, chock, straps: loading a motorcycle correctly (MOTORRAD online, in German)
- Rear carriers for motorcycle transport (MOTORRAD online, in German)
- 100 km/h approval for caravans (ADAC motorhome rental, in German)
Last checked: November 2026. Rules and fines can change.
