FAQ – renting a motorcycle trailer

Booking is fully digital and possible around the clock. Choose your location on trailer-swarm.de/mieten, set your rental period, pick optional extras and complete the booking online. You immediately get a confirmation email with all the details. You get the access code for the hitch lock at pickup, after filling in and sending the pickup form – by email and text message.

Payment is handled securely and digitally by our payment provider Stripe. We accept credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard) and PayPal. Cash payment is not possible.

No, we do not charge a deposit. You pay the rental price when you book, by credit card or PayPal. Your payment method is kept on file for any later claims (e.g. damage, late return, fines) in line with § 6 of our T&Cs – you will be informed beforehand.

24/7 – around the clock. Pickup is completely contact-free via our digital locking system. You receive the exact parking spot (coordinates) by email before your pickup time. You get the access code for the hitch lock at pickup, after filling in and sending the pickup form – by email and text message.

Often, yes. Pickup and return run around the clock and contact-free, with a digital code for the hitch lock – no fixed opening hours and no surcharge for the time of day. A rental day is always the calendar day from 00:00 to 23:59. Example: you pick up on Friday morning and return on Sunday = 3 rental days; with a rental company that has fixed opening hours you often have to pick up on Thursday and can only return on Monday (= 2 days more). You see the exact price for your dates directly in the booking calendar.

Yes! If trailers are available, you can also book at short notice – even on the same day. Simply check availability online in the booking calendar.

From €35 per day. The price depends on the rental period – longer rentals are cheaper. All prices are final prices including 19% VAT. During booking you always see the exact total price.

No. You book and pay on our website, without an app and without registering. For pickup and return you do need a smartphone with a camera, mobile internet and access to your emails. As soon as you have sent the pickup form at the trailer, you get the access code for the hitch lock by email and text message.

Before your pickup time you receive the exact parking spot (coordinates) and step-by-step instructions by email. You get the access code for the hitch lock by email and text message after sending the pickup form.

Park the trailer at the agreed location, secure it with the hitch lock and wheel chocks, and fill in the digital return form (link in the email). We recommend taking photos of its condition for your own protection.

No, one-way returns are not possible. The trailer must always be returned to the same location where you picked it up.

Yes, on the following terms: up to 7 calendar days before the rental starts you get 20% back. With less than 7 calendar days or a no-show there is no refund. With the Flex option (20% surcharge) you get 100% back up to 2 calendar days before and 50% between 1 and 2 calendar days before. The rental starts at 00:00 Europe/Berlin on the pickup day. Details in our T&Cs.

Yes, as long as the trailer is available for the following period. Contact us as early as possible by email or phone to arrange an extension. An extension is charged at the price current on the day.

A late return costs €12.50 per hour or part of an hour, but no more than 150% of the daily rental price per 24 hours. Please let us know immediately if your return is delayed – often we can find a solution.

Swept clean and empty. Normal dirt is fine. Heavy soiling (e.g. oil, bitumen) may incur cleaning costs.

For our trailer a standard car licence (class B) is always enough – regardless of the weight of your tow vehicle, because our trailers have a fixed gross weight of 750 kg. Only if your tow vehicle itself has a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 t do you need the matching licence class for it.

Class B is always enough for our trailers: the B96/BE threshold only applies to trailers with a gross weight of more than 750 kg, and our trailers have a fixed gross weight of 750 kg – regardless of the weight of your tow vehicle. Only your tow vehicle itself may need a different licence class, from a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 t.

Yes, if your licence is valid in Germany and entitles you to drive the tow vehicle with a trailer – our T&Cs require exactly that. EU, EEA or Swiss licence: valid, nothing else needed. US Forces Certificate of License: valid in Germany only; for the EU travel package you also need your US licence and an International Driving Permit. Visitors from outside the EU without residence in Germany: your licence is valid within its categories, together with an International Driving Permit or an official German translation – unless it is in German or meets the 1968 Vienna Convention. US licences always need one. Non-EU licence with residence in Germany: valid for 6 months after you move here (on application up to 6 months longer); after that you need a German licence. This is a summary, not legal advice.

Our trailers come with the Tempo 100 approval (100 km/h) from the factory. Whether you may actually drive at 100 km/h depends on your tow vehicle: it must have an unladen weight of at least 2,500 kg (X factor ≤ 0.3) and meet the other Tempo 100 requirements. Check it with our Tempo 100 calculator.

Yes, you must be at least 18 years old when you book and hold a valid driving licence.

Yes, as long as that person holds a valid driving licence that entitles them to drive the combination. As the renter you are responsible for making sure every driver holds the right licence.

A lowering trailer lowers its loading platform almost to ground level. This makes loading and unloading easy without steep ramps – even on your own. The gas-spring lowering makes loading even heavy motorcycles straightforward, up to a total payload of 500 kg.

Identically equipped, tilting motorcycle trailers – Tempo 100 possible with a suitable tow vehicle. All have 3 motorcycle wheel cradles, tie-down points, a hitch lock and wheel chocks. Max. 750 kg gross weight, unbraked, always drivable with a class B licence.

Our trailers have a 13-pin plug (standard in Germany). If your vehicle only has a 7-pin socket, you need an adapter. You have to bring it yourself – we do not provide adapters.

Our trailers have a gross weight of 750 kg. The unladen weight is approx. 250 kg – so the payload is approx. 500 kg (the combined weight of all motorcycles transported).

The nose weight is the weight your car's tow bar can carry vertically (typically 50-100 kg). The load must be distributed so that this limit is not exceeded – approx. 4–7 % of the trailer weight should rest on the drawbar.

Before you set off, check: tyres and brakes, sufficient nose weight and towing capacity according to the vehicle registration document, working electrics (bring a 7→13 adapter if needed), mirrors adjusted so you can see the trailer.

Yes! Thanks to the lowering mechanism you can easily push the motorcycle on by yourself – no steep ramp, no help needed. The gas spring makes lowering and raising easy.

No. Motorcycle wheel cradles and tie-down points are there, but you have to bring suitable ratchet tie-down straps yourself. We recommend at least 4 straps per motorcycle. Elastic ropes are not permitted.

Put the motorcycle in the wheel cradle, set it on its side stand and secure it to the tie-down points with at least 4 straps. The fork should be slightly compressed. Make sure the load is evenly distributed and stays within the permitted nose weight.

All common motorcycles and scooters up to 2.35 m long, up to approx. 500 kg in total (all motorcycles together). From small 125s to big tourers such as the BMW GS, Harley-Davidson or Honda Gold Wing. If you are unsure, just contact us.

That depends on width and weight, so there is no blanket answer. The 3 motorcycle wheel cradles sit side by side in a line, so the widths add up: the motorcycles themselves must fit within the inner width of 155 cm; only the handlebars may stick out, up to the overall width of 205 cm at most. Handlebars and mirrors must not touch. Also important: stay within the axle load and nose weight, distribute the load evenly, and the gross weight (including the trailer) must not exceed 750 kg.

Only with the EU travel package booked (€3/day). Without this option, use is limited to Germany. With the EU package, use is allowed in all EU member states and in Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City and Switzerland, provided your tow vehicle is insured there. Details in our T&Cs.

Yes, all trailers have motor third-party liability insurance with the statutory minimum cover. Damage to the trailer itself is not insured – for that we recommend the optional damage protection option.

The CDW limits your liability for theft, fire or explosion, storm, hail, lightning, flooding and collisions with game or other animals to a €50 excess per claim. Cost: €3/day. Damage caused by accidents, operating errors or overloading is not covered.

Without damage protection you are liable for damage to the trailer that you caused, up to the repair or replacement cost (§ 13 T&Cs). With the damage protection option (CDW, €3/day), your liability for theft or attempted theft, fire/explosion, storm, hail, lightning, flooding and collisions with game or other animals is limited to a €50 excess per claim. The CDW does not cover damage from accidents, operating errors, overloading, incorrect hitching/unhitching, manoeuvring errors or vandalism – § 13 applies here. Report any damage immediately (within 12 h at most) and document it with photos.

With the Flex option (20% surcharge) you get flexible cancellation terms: a 100% refund up to 2 calendar days before the rental starts, a 50% refund between 1 and 2 calendar days before. The rental starts at 00:00 Europe/Berlin on the pickup day. The Flex fee itself is not refunded.

Secure the scene of the accident, call the police if anyone is injured and report the incident to us immediately (within 12 h at most) by phone or email. Document everything with photos and note the contact details of everyone involved. Details: § 14 T&Cs.

No, we do not offer separate breakdown cover. If you break down, contact us immediately. You arrange recovery and transport to a workshop yourself. Get in touch straight away so that we can find a solution together.

Document any damage right away with photos from several angles and enter it in the digital pickup form (link in the start email). Report safety-relevant damage immediately. Damage reported later is treated as having occurred during the rental.

Secure the breakdown site (hazard lights, warning triangle, high-visibility vest), contact us immediately and describe the problem. We will give you instructions or arrange a replacement trailer if needed. Recovery to a workshop is your responsibility.

On public spaces where parking is allowed, following local rules. You may unhitch it from the tow vehicle – then always secure the trailer against rolling away (wheel chocks, hitch lock). Do not use private or paid parking spaces.

Yes, all trailers have GPS tracking to prevent theft and to confirm their location. The data is not used for tracking or marketing purposes and is normally deleted after 30 days at the latest, unless longer storage is needed to establish legal claims. You can find details on data protection in our privacy policy.