I can get most of my smallish camping gear on my
Road King but it limits the amount I can bring.
Sometimes packing the bike can be a challenge.

Opinions please on packing a bike or buying a trailer
with some room for extras?
ie lower gas mileage, stability, safety, more, bigger gear.
Any noticeable where and tear on a bike pulling a trailer?

Any suggestions are welcome

Happen to be looking at an lumina xl trailer.

 

35 years ago my lady and I toured all over the western USA on a Gold Wing both with and without a trailer.


In the past I was guilty of trying to carry too much crap with me. Admittedly I used to camp and cook. Now its motels and restaurants.


My suggestion now it to pare back the amount of "stuff" you think you need. As George Carlin would have suggested: carry a smaller version of your "stuff". Enjoy the freedom of traveling light and NOT dragging a trailer around.


YMMV

 

Been known to pack a mule or two myself....

 

I've piled my bike with too much crap and I've pulled a trailer, I would much rather pull a trailer. If you load it correctly and account for the added weight when you take off and stop, it can be a lot easier than handling a bike w/a tour box piled too high w/stuff. Gas mileage will probably only drop 3 or 4 mpg. But then w/a trailer you tend to collect more stuff on your trip! LOL!

 

If I were to get a trailer, I'd have to look hard at these. I've seen a few, they track like a dream. http://n-line.com/

 

I have pulled trailers with Goldwings and Harleys. Never had a problem with handing or noted a big drop in MPG. Made life much easier for us. Everything dry and locked in the trailer rather then crap all over the bike in plastic bags. Nicer at rest stops/ meals when you leave the bike alone. Down side, friends will ask you to carry their crap, you will bring crap you really don't need, Start up cost of trailer/ hitch and wiring, storage of the trailer when you get home. For me, Now that I am getting back into MC touring, I am looking at the Unigo single wheel trailer, high cost but acts like a rolling suitcase.

Good Luck, safe trip JIM

 

I can easily take off for a couple of weeks on my own using just the bike for toting what I need as I hotel and restaurant my way around, I would think I could do the same when camping, but add the OL to the mix and I thinking trailer.

I doing a trip with her in June and I am trying to decide whether a trailer would be the way to go, we will be staying in hotels for (2) weeks, I am planning on having her do a dry run packing to see how it looks.

I have read a couple of entries on this forum that make a lot of sense when packing for a long trip, by bringing old throw away's and picking up cheap cloths along the way, makes sense to me, but I fear the wife will have a different outlook.

I am wrestling with spending 3K on a trailer setup, I know once I have it, it would be much easier to bring all the stuff she wants, but do I really want that, having to deal with storing the trailer (renting a storage unit??) and how often would I use it??

 

You can always look for a used one, but having to pay for storage would not be worth it.

I bought a used Mortorvation a few years ago.

 

I'm looking at a lumina xl trailer for $1495 with
free shipping from USA trailer co.
I have to assemble it.
Anybody have a best guess on the cost of
a trailer hitch with the electrical hookups for
2009 Road King?

 

Look at the Unigo trailers, you wheel it into your home, pack it like a suitcase, tows great, wheel it into the hotel room and live out of it. When you get home, store it in a closet. No I don't work for the company.... LOL I also had a Bushtec trailer, towed great, looked great and when I got home I was able to hang it on the wall of the garage. Price, Bushtec with paint and hitch 6K, the unigo the way I want it will cost me 2700.

Be Safe JIM