I have an aluminum 7X14 open single axle and have hauled bikes all over the country in the last 10 years and never had a problem. Can't see dragging a house behind me unless you're camping in it.
I have a 7x14 enclosed and I doubt it would fit 3 bikes with a farings and bags. My intent is to cut in a few windows, awning and some lights and outlets and an air conditioner/heater combo on the roof to use for wintertime trips south and hunting/fishing trips when a big Toyhauler is to much.
I pulled it from Indiana home to Colorado with an F150 with no trouble with 2 bikes.
I've seen enough of the Great Plains on a bike to appreciate a trailer and when one considers the total fuel consumption of running 2-3 bikes and the ability to carry some camp comforts and save on some motel costs I think using a trailer to travel from hub to hub makes good sense.
All trailers offer drag. I do not think weight plays much in this equation as frontal area. An open trailer with a single axle is cheapest to get down the road but at a price. Dual axle are better if/when you get a flat tire. Two axles give you time to pick your spot to get off the road without as much damage occurring. 4 tires cause more friction so your MPG goes down some and more for tolls.
Width of trailer is the next consideration. Wider is more fuel but more inside area to use.
Roof height. Also a consideration. A latching hinged roof will allow cargo/bikes to be loaded with minimal frontal mass. Rounded corners or angled corners, this helps the performance of the total vehicle. Think aerodynamic.
Weight. The lighter the load the better.
Have your vehicle match your purpose. Pulling a 8.5'x20 trailer with a car is not as good as pulling it with a heavier duty class truck. A lot to consider such as fuel used, gearing, tires, and brakes to name just a few. Where are you going to tow? I would not recommend towing in the NW without anything substantial including going down hill. Up hill liquid coolers are a consideration.
The bigger the trailer the more room you have but the bigger the vehicle you will need. When you get there will your trailer do what you need it to do?
I chose a 24' Featherlite that has a V-Nose, 3,500# empty before any mods, bevertail for ease of loading your bike, plenty of empty floor room when unloaded. You can use Pop-Up tents to increase your usable floor area for entertaining, cooking outdoor, seating when camping, a garage for your bike(s), another bedroom, or use your imagination. Use propane utilities for cooking as they are light and can be carried outside. A instant on water heater for showers are great. Bring fresh water if boondocking as well as a rolling gray water tote tank works well & does the job. I bring an empty water barrel and 2X built in 30 gals of drinking water quality tanks mounted to the underneath of the trailer with accumulator and water pump. I hinged a shower pan to the wall and plumbed the shower system into the wall. A scuttle hatch goes over the drain when the pan is folded down.
I purchased high quality commercial carpeting and rolled on a latex backing sealer which prohibits slippage and liquid intrusion. All is light and easy to store when you do not need it, roll the carpeting down.
Everything I have is on wheels so I can load the trailer for what activity I am traveling for. Bolt a security bar to the underneath of your trailer so you can chain up stuff like a generator or your motorcycle.
Generator(s) Get what you need and keep it as light & as quiet as you can unless it is built in. You do not need a constant high wattage, think LEDs, storage batteries & charge when you need them.
Good luck in what you decide on. And BTW no matter which trailer you buy it will never be big enough, kind of like a garage.
11-02-2016, 03:04 PM
