Trailer Size?
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3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2012
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From: Union, WV
Trailer Size?
Planning a trip next month and we're gonna haul two sportster 1200 Custom bikes. What size trailer will we need? What's the minimum size we can safely haul them on? Thank you in advance for your help! I have learned a great deal just "lurking" on this forum!
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 557
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From: Colorado
I had an 8' bed which was good for the bike and it fit drywall as well. 21" wheels.
Don't get small wheels. They overheat the bearings on long trips. They're intended for hauling lawn mowers around town.
Don't get small wheels. They overheat the bearings on long trips. They're intended for hauling lawn mowers around town.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,007
Likes: 126
From: Manassas, VA
I got a 6x12 enclosed that'll haul two Softails and gear, no problem.
If it were an open trailer, you might get away with 5x10, as long as you staggered the bikes or put one in frontwards and one backwards. You gotta think about where you're going to install tie-down points, too. The 6' wide gives a nice triangulation for the front tye-downs. Maybe try taping or chalking a 5x10 rectangle on the floor and see what you see.
If it were an open trailer, you might get away with 5x10, as long as you staggered the bikes or put one in frontwards and one backwards. You gotta think about where you're going to install tie-down points, too. The 6' wide gives a nice triangulation for the front tye-downs. Maybe try taping or chalking a 5x10 rectangle on the floor and see what you see.
Last edited by HarleyScuba; Apr 29, 2012 at 08:17 AM. Reason: nunya
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
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From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Are you planning on using a open or enclosed trailer?
If it's open you may get by with a narrower (6 ft) bed because the handlebars can overhang the sides. If the trailer is enclosed, you'll probably need 7 or 8 ft wide depending on the width of the bars on the bikes. You also have to be able to walk around the bikes to tie them down with an enclosed.
Obviously the trailer has to be long enough for the bikes. You may be able to save on the width of the trailer by using a trailer that's a bit longer than needed. This allows you to put one bike in backwards and not as far forward as the first. That way the bikes handlebars don't interfere with each other.
As for tire/wheel size, I don't recommend 12" or smaller wheels for anything but local hauling. Use 13" or larger wheels to keep the wheel revs down on the highway, 14 or 15 inch are ideal. Wheels any bigger usually raise the trailer bed too high off the ground and make loading/unloading a problem unless the trailer has a drop axle.
Edit: You may be able to get 2 bikes in a 5' wide in staggerd formation, but a 5' wide trailer has a pretty narrow wheelbase. With 2 bikes on-board, that can make for poor lateral stability (trailer tipping over) if you run info adverse conditions or mountain roads. JMHO
If it's open you may get by with a narrower (6 ft) bed because the handlebars can overhang the sides. If the trailer is enclosed, you'll probably need 7 or 8 ft wide depending on the width of the bars on the bikes. You also have to be able to walk around the bikes to tie them down with an enclosed.
Obviously the trailer has to be long enough for the bikes. You may be able to save on the width of the trailer by using a trailer that's a bit longer than needed. This allows you to put one bike in backwards and not as far forward as the first. That way the bikes handlebars don't interfere with each other.
As for tire/wheel size, I don't recommend 12" or smaller wheels for anything but local hauling. Use 13" or larger wheels to keep the wheel revs down on the highway, 14 or 15 inch are ideal. Wheels any bigger usually raise the trailer bed too high off the ground and make loading/unloading a problem unless the trailer has a drop axle.
Edit: You may be able to get 2 bikes in a 5' wide in staggerd formation, but a 5' wide trailer has a pretty narrow wheelbase. With 2 bikes on-board, that can make for poor lateral stability (trailer tipping over) if you run info adverse conditions or mountain roads. JMHO
Last edited by cHarley; Apr 29, 2012 at 08:40 AM.
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3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2012
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From: Union, WV
We were thinking open trailer. Our friend was going to let us borrow an open 5x10 if we thought they would fit. I never thought about wheel size. Thank you all so much for your input! I really appreciate it!
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 535
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From: Saint Johns, FL
I'm pretty sure you'd be fine with a 4'x8' open,, Sporties aren't that long. Sporties are only 88in long.
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