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There are lots of reasons to trailer a bike...purchasing, selling, moving, breakdowns, getting to a region or rally faster, by-passing bad weather, adding riding to a business trip, etc.
For those that have a need to trailer for any reason, does anyone care to share your set-up tow vehicle & trailer set-up (size, type, pros, cons, pics) and any good / bad experiences related to hauling your bike(s)?
Having good tires and keeping the wheel bearings well lubricated using "buddy bearings" goes a long way in making any trip trouble free.
Also a fresh battery for the "break-away" brakes (if equipped) and making sure the electric brakes and lights work properly before every trip is a must.
I've towed bikes and snowmobiles for years in open and enclosed trailers.
THe only bad experiences that I've had was due to using the "open" style of "S" hooks.
If you choose to use a strap with "S" hooks make sure that you buy the ones that have the "locking spring" on the hooks that prevents the hooks from coming disconnected in the event that the strap loosens.
I work construction and spend a good part of the summer away from home so my trailer allows me to have a bike or two with me on the road or otherwise I wouldn't be able to ride very often! serves as good storage away from home mine is 6.5x12 bigger would be nice but it works fine!
14 EZ Hauler sloped v-nose snowmobile / motorcycle trailer. Dual torsion axles with brakes. Tows sleds and bikes like a dream. Headed out to Sturgis with it this year.
I've trailered my 2018 FLHCS a couple of times with good success. Once to Florida (about 3000 miles total) and another to Pennsylvania (about 1000 miles). I took a less expensive option, as do many, by buying an open utility trailer and setting it up to haul my bike. I did not even buy a truck, but used my medium sized SUV which has a 2000 pound towing limit (I'm just under that). Here are the steps I took:
>Carefully reviewed my Mazda CX5 towing capacity and reviewing trailer and motorcycle weights. Decided it was a "can do" project.
>Finding a suitable hitch. Went to Etrailer.com and got the correct harness and frame-mounted hitch. Installed the wiring harness myself. About $200 cost.
>Looked for a new utility trailer at <1000 pounds total. Decided on an AMO 5x10 ft (A510G) trailer and found a local outfit that sold them. Decided on 15" tires. Trailer has 3500 pound capacity. $1200 cost.
>Found a local RV sales company to mount the hitch. $50 cost.
>Tag, title for trailer was about $120 for first year.
>Bought a Wheeldock chock. $225 cost. Mounted on trailer. I also take this off and use it in my garage. It's great!
>Bought a high-end lock for the trailer so someone can't easily hook up and steal the trailer. Trimax model #UMAX50: $55.
>Modified trailer to make it suitable for hauling bike: Added a board to underside of bed, perpendicular to bed boards under rear wheel of bike ($10). Added an additional square tubular steel frame piece to center of ramp to better support bike when loading/unloading ($50). Added 8 eye-bolts to frame to hook up straps to keep bike better secured when driving ($50).
All totaled I have about $2000 in the trailer. Photo of trailer before final modifications:
For those that have a need to trailer for any reason?
I use one of three for work fairly regular ...but not bike specific
either a heavy dual axle equipment trailer and two single axle trailers (one enclosed, one open)
If pulling a single axle trailer and not exceeding it's capacity, any 1/2 ton pic-up or full size SUV will handle it just fine.
Go to U-Haul and have a class III hitch installed ('bout $500 installed OTD) if you're not comfortable or have the tools/place to install it yourself
in general, for bikes, quads, etc, you don't need the additional expense or wt capacity of a dual axle trailer unless you intend to haul more than 2500 pounds of load regular .
Pulling a trailer with combined wt of 3000 pounds isn't hard.
STOPPING fast can be, as many (most?) single axle trailers don't have brakes
tongue wt.
ever seen a trailer swaying going down the hi-way?
it's because it's improperly loaded and not enough tongue wt.
Distribute the load so there is ample tongue wt....general rule of thumb is 10%
Meaning if trailer and load weighs 3000 pounds, there should be 300 pounds on the tongue/hitch
lastly, don't forget it's back there when pulling into places and not thinking about how you'll have to maneuver to get out and back on the road .
and if enclosed trailer, be aware of height
Unfortunately, that tandem setup isnt legal around here. I sold my fifth wheel for a motor home so I could pull the bike when we camp. I have a Tacoma otherwise.
Thanks for the detailed response and picture. I'm planning to do almost exactly the same thing. I have a Silverado and a 7 x 12 V-nose enclosed, but I don't want to take out a loan out to buy gas for a 2500 mile trip!
Wife's daily driver is a 2017 Equinox with the V6 AWD and a 3,500 lb. tow rating. I have a 5' x.8' open utility trailer that looks much like yours, except mine is showing the wear and tear of hauling lumber, gravel, railroad ties and anything else you can imagine for years. I'm going to sandblast & paint it, and install a new deck, new lights, new tires, and a new set of 3,500 springs. It's a tilt bed, so I won't have the ramp on the back. It also has electric brakes, so I'm going to add a brake controller and harness to the Chevy.
I'm also planning to build an enclosure for the bike using 1 1/4" pvc pipe and a heavy duty fitted vinyl cover. (think shopping center parking lot cart corral style). It will be a lightweight weatherproof assembly with a zippered back panel, and can be easily removed when not hauling the bike. It's the best weatherproof, lightweight, low drag, low cost solution that I can come up with. I'll post pics when it's done, which will be before we head out to Sturgis this year. The wife can't make the entire ride due to health issues, so we're trailering from NC to her family's place in Nebraska, then we'll have a 400 mile ride to our hotel in Custer.
Chief 150: Thanks for the thanks. A refurb on your open trailer will do the trick.
I just take off the windshield, strap the bike down well and go. Drove through rain (quite a bit) and a little bit of sleet on my Florida trip last year. The bike can take it fine. Just a quick wash at my destination and it looked like new. The bike is made to stand up to wet weather. We've all ridden in the rain. You might want to think twice about a home-made cover that will catch the wind and may rip anyway. Just a thought.
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Trailers
