Some motorcyclists like to attach a trailer to their bike. But is that legal in every country? And if it is legal, what are the specific rules for riding with a trailer? FEMA gives you the facts.
In the development of the Third Driving License Directive the fact that sometimes motorcycles pull trailers was not taken into account (unlike with cars). The reason for this is that the European Commission seemed not to be aware that there are motorcyclists who sometimes ride with a trailer attached to their motorcycle. This means that every country can make its own rules!
FEMA collected as much information as possible to show you what the rules are in specific countries. If you have additional information that we can verify, please send it to info@femamotorcycling.eu
| Country | Allowed | Max. speed | Max. weight | Max. width | Other ** | Sources |
| Austria* | Yes | 100 km/h | 50 kg (100 kg if the bike is a three wheeler) | May not exceed the motorcycle’s width | Reflectors shall be put on the trailer to indicate its width | ANWB, SMC |
| Belgium | Yes | 120 km/h | 1 m for solo motorcycle, or may not exceed the width of the motorcycle with sidecar | With a trailer behind motorcycle with sidecar the sidecarwheel should have a brake. The trailer should have two red reflectors. No passengers allowed in trailer | MAG B, Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer | |
| Cyprus | Yes | The trailer has to be authorized by the Cyprus authorities | ||||
| Czech Republic | Yes | 80 km/h | The trailer has to be EU certified | UAMK | ||
| Denmark | Yes | 80 km/h | 150 kg | Length: 2.5 m, width: 1 m | No passengers in trailer, trailer needs to be registered | DMC, MCTC, Færdselsstyrelsen, Danish Road Safety Agency |
| Estonia | Not regulated | Not regulated | Not regulated | Not regulated | Examination Department Estonian Road Administration | |
| Finland | Yes, with full license | A trailer without suspension 60 km/h, with suspension 100 km/h | Laden weight max. half of motorcycle | 1.5 m or as wide as the towing vehicle if this is wider | No passengers in trailer, max. one axle | Finnish Transport Safety Agency (Trafi), Unit Driving Licences and Permits |
| France | Yes | Usual speed limits | Laden weight max. half of unladen motorcycle. The total weight of the coupling must not exceed the permissible total gross weight indicated in section F.3 of the registration certificate. The trailer must have an independent brake system if its total gross weight is higher than 80 kg. | Lenght 4 m, width 2 m | The motorcycle must be approved for towing a trailer. | Code de la Route |
| Germany | Yes | 60 km/h | < 750 kg | 1 m | No possibility to have trailers registered for higher speeds; max. speed on highways is 60 km/h | Federal Ministry of Transport and digital Infrastructure |
| Greece | No, but allowed for visitors | 80 km/h | No provision in national legislation regarding the riding of a motorcycle with a trailer attached to it | Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport & Networks DG of Road Safety Directorate of Road Traffic & Safety |
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| Hungary | Yes, behind L3, L4, L5 vehicles, with full license | As cars | 80 kg | Stability may not be affected, trailer may have only one wheel, no trailer allowed behind a tricycle or motorcycle with sidecar | General Police Directorate Road Safety Service & Central Office for Administrative and Electronic Public Services | |
| Iceland | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ireland | Yes | 80 km/h | laden weight < 150 kg | 1 m | Not regulated in driving license regulations, but in the Road Traffic Regulations 2003. Motorcycle over 125cc | Road Safety Authority, MAG IE |
| Italy* | No, but allowed for visitors | 80 km/h | Laden weight max. half of motorcycle | |||
| Latvia | Yes | 90 km/h | n.a. | n.a. | Only specially designed (manufactured) trailers for motorcycles | Road Traffic Safety Directorate |
| Lithuania | No | – | – | – | – | ANWB |
| Luxembourg* | Yes | 90 km/h | ||||
| Malta | No | – | – | – | – | Government |
| Netherlands | Yes | 90 km/h | Laden weight: max. half of motorcycle empty weight. | 2 m | No passengers in trailer, max. height: 1 meter, max. length: max. 2,5 meters from rear wheel motorcycle axle. With a trailer behind motorcycle with sidecar, the sidecar wheel must have a brake. | |
| Norway | Yes | 80 km/h | 50 % of bike dry weight, excl. weight of the hitch (coupling on bike) | 125 cm | If the hitch is of a ball type – width of ball min. 50 mm. The hitch system shall be approved for the load it is carrying. If the hitch is of a different type than ball – the hitch shall be registered together with the bike and the trailer in the bike papers. Bike has to be more than 125 cc. | NMCU, Thore Bergsaker |
| Poland | Yes | Motorway 80 km/h, other ways 70-80 km/h, in urban area 50 km/h | Compulsory dipped headlights in daytime, drunk passengers are not allowed to ride pillion, but are allowed in the sidecar | Div. | ||
| Portugal | Yes | Motorway 80-100 km/h, rural ways 70 km/h, urban ways 50 km/h | Compulsory dipped headlights in daytime, motorcycles are not always allowed to overtake (where cars are allowed) | Div. | ||
| Romania | Yes | A1: 90 km/h on highways, 80 km/h on express or national European (E) roads, 70 km/h on other roads, A2, A: 130 km/h on highways, 100 km/h on express or national European (E) roads, 90 km/h on other roads | 750 kg | Only one axle, trailer must be registered, have a valid insurance policy and adequate technical condition; the maximum speed with a trailer is 10 km/h under the maximum speed for motorcycles without trailers | Ministry of Home Affairs, Driving licensing and vehicles registration directorate | |
| Slovakia | No | – | – | – | – | |
| Slovenia | Yes | Motorways: 100 km/hour, other roads: 90 km/hour, built-up areas: 50 km/hour | Same rules as for O1 trailers behind cars | Ministry of Infrastructure | ||
| Spain | Yes | 108 km/h (120 km/h -10%) | Laden weight max. half of motorcycle | Trailer only allowed in daytime and with clear sight | Div. | |
| Sweden | Yes | 80 km/h | The trailer’s maximum weight may not exceed half of the motorcycles dry weight minus tools or a maximum of 150 kg’s. | 1.25 m, 2 m if bike has 3-4 wheels | The trailer does not have to be registered but must have approved tires, an ID-number, indicators, reflectors, brake lights and lights at the back | SMC, Sektion regelinformation Transportstyrelsen |
| Switzerland* | Yes | 80 km/h | – | – | No passengers in trailer, separate vignette for trailer on motorways | Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) |
| United Kingdom | Yes, with full license | 96 km/h | 150 kg or <2/3 of the kerb weight (bike+fuel+oil) | 1 m | Motorcycle over 125cc | BMF |
* Not confirmed by a FEMA member organization.
** Technical demands on sizes and weights differ: the width ranges from 0.8 to 2.5 meters, also the length differs. Motorcycle trailers are no part of the EU type approval, are not seen as O1 trailers, because O-category trailers are to be attached to vehicles with at least four wheels.
The information presented here was thoroughly researched by FEMA, but FEMA will not accept any (legal) responsibility if this information is false or incomplete.
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