Only 600 miles to the Black Hills from me, but last June trailered the bike. My daughter went with me, and the drive each way was the longest we've been together in several years, nice quality time. Rained nearly half the trip both ways, would not have been much fun two up on a motorcycle. Last riding day there, battery died on the bike (barely a year old), was able to rescue it with the trailer and at that point, just left it on the trailer and finished the day together without riding. Her never forget trip with Dad would have been memorable for being pretty miserable without the trailer. I'm already planning to trailer my next long trip, take two bikes and just enjoy the riding I'm going there for. Nice having tools, extra helmets, snacks and all the clothes you might need on a long trip. Extra bike won't hurt either, would've been nice on the Hills trip. I've done my share of thousands of miles with snow, rain, insufficient clothing, and a pup tent and sack of whatever tied on the back of the seat, nice to be comfortable when you're over 70. I can remember wishing I had a trailer on a miserably cold trip in my 20's. Feel like I've paid my dues, gonna enjoy all the comfort and convenience I can now.

 

Oops, my mistake. Mine is actually a RV toy hauler. It's a camper, with fold-outs, etc.

 

In the many years I've owned cargo trailers there are several things I've noticed which differentiate the really good units. Axles tend to have better weight ratings and will often be rubber torsion suspended (as opposed to leaf springs). The hitch may be a Bulldog-type or other strong locking mechanism. Fenders will be of heavier gauge and able to endure some weight or contact without flexing/bending. Flooring can be any thickness but will tend to be thicker on better trailers. Optional polybead (or other) floor covering can be had. Better interior finish work. Stronger base frame using either C-channel or rectangular box tube instead of angle materials. Crawl under them and the welds will look smooth and professional. Tires will be name brand and typically a good radial. Better trailers will often use LED lights everywhere. I'm also seeing a lot of the better brands using screwless aluminum exterior panels, which avoids the inevitable stains coming from each screw head as it rusts or oxidizes after a few years.

It all adds up to a more expensive trailer, but I think the benefit is a trailer with longer life, less hassles and better resale value. I'm usually on a trailer lot once a year and the absolute majority of cargo trailers are ordered and built to sell at a certain price point. They are typically pretty basically equipped and priced to encourage their sale. Most trailer sales people tell me it's typical for them to make additions or modifications to these units as part of the sales deal. Buyers will add things like spare tires, D-rings, E-track, wall anchors, ramp assists and extra inside lighting.

 

I recently went from my old Kendon single to this Pace American 6 X 10'. Painted the interior {took about 4 coats before I had decent coverage}, added a number of pieces of E track and secure the bike with four ratcheting tie downs {I attach to the four highway bars and pull forward into the large front wheel chock}. E track makes 2 by joist hangers that accept any 2" {2 X 4, 6, 8 etc}. I used 2 X 6's using the lower to secure my LP cylinder, BBQ and firepit. To the upper Ii screwed a sheet of 3/4" plywood to the bottom of the 2 X 6 securing it to the forward end of the trailer with multiple "L" brackets. This provides lots of storage for helmets, tools, misc gear etc.. Last I added a nice coat rack to the side for our multiple jackets.

We tow this combo behind our 24'Class C motorhome and the bike and trailer weigh 2,220# {well under my 5,000# tow rating}. The last three years we have averaged 9,000 miles towing while riding 15 -18,000.

 

The cargo trailer doesn't just sit there in the way when I'm not hauling, either. I have too many bikes to fit them all in the garage and have room for a car, so there's a couple sidecar rigs in it for the winter so I can put my rusty winter rat van in the garage and not have to clean snow and ice off it every time there's a storm. Summer, don't want to be unloading and loading it every time I want to use it, the rusty van can sit outside then.

I could have gotten one $1000 cheaper than the one I did, but it would have had thinner, screwed on aluminum panels and thin angle pieces for the side and top frame. The cheap one probably would have worked, and been a couple hundred pounds lighter, but I felt better about this one with an all welded square and rectangular tubing frame. Also, this one has a higher rated ramp load, and since my Harley sidecar rig and I together are around 1500 lbs, thought that was a good idea, too. Resale... might be a little better, most folks probably wouldn't know the difference and be willing to pay more than the cheaper ones, but around here, people ask pretty close to what a new one costs; that, and how rusty all the used ones I looked at were, drove my decision to buy new.