Motorcycles & Trailers.
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RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
My father-in-law has a goldwing and makes a lot of two week rides with his goldwing club. He is looking at buying a trailor for this next ride he is doing. Three weeks out is a long time, and with the changing weather conditions you get while riding, a trailor seems like a good idea.
For the wife and I, we have yet to take a ride more than an over nighter. We both work, and the vacation time we get, we take the kiddo's along. I would love to hit some road, but until I hit the lottery and retire, it will remain to be overnighters.
Someone commented on the cooler, and why need them? On my father-in-laws wing, he has a hitch and platform to hold a cooler. I know 'conveinent' stores are all around. But it is nice when we ride together to stop whenever we want and have a cold one (him beer and me water). I have actually just found a setup by Rivco for taking a cooler. I might just buy it. They have a mount that has the brake lights on it, since a cooler would block out my tail light.
For the wife and I, we have yet to take a ride more than an over nighter. We both work, and the vacation time we get, we take the kiddo's along. I would love to hit some road, but until I hit the lottery and retire, it will remain to be overnighters.
Someone commented on the cooler, and why need them? On my father-in-laws wing, he has a hitch and platform to hold a cooler. I know 'conveinent' stores are all around. But it is nice when we ride together to stop whenever we want and have a cold one (him beer and me water). I have actually just found a setup by Rivco for taking a cooler. I might just buy it. They have a mount that has the brake lights on it, since a cooler would block out my tail light.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Cuero, Texas
RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
Trailers are very handy. We have a Neosho Starlite 14 that we use on vacation. Carries everything we need on vacation. We even use it to go shopping for a change instead of the car. We go to a lot of Rallies so we also pull a Bunkhouse for camping out. Very comfortable for the wife.
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RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
ORIGINAL: TexasRedneck
Lemme write this real slow so you kin comprehend it.....it's called T O U R I N G. It's also called "keep Mama happy". She loves ta ride, but loves ta have her "stuff" along, too. More important to me ta have her happy than not, so to me, not a biggie.
So....what's yer average mileage on a trip? We've found that given the variety of terrain we'll cover, just the various jackets can be a challenge ta have along. We've been on the plains @ 100 degrees, an' in blizzards the next day.....
Lemme write this real slow so you kin comprehend it.....it's called T O U R I N G.
It's also called "keep Mama happy". She loves ta ride, but loves ta have her "stuff" along, too. More important to me ta have her happy than not, so to me, not a biggie.So....what's yer average mileage on a trip? We've found that given the variety of terrain we'll cover, just the various jackets can be a challenge ta have along. We've been on the plains @ 100 degrees, an' in blizzards the next day.....
My mileage ? Well it really has to do with the rally or where it's at. I average about 30K a year. Im running out of room on my most perfect SG even with a leather touring package so the thought crossed my mind about a trailer. Once I found a trailer worth looking into i found it cost half what my bike does. GEEEEEESH !
I really dont have issue about something to drink and we don't usually stop but every 165 miles to gas up. Thats usually only 1 Hr 50 min or so so we see no use in a cooler. We like to camp at times but were running out of room fast on the bike. REAL FAST. Got to find a deal on a trailer or mail my crap to the rally LOL
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RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
ORIGINAL: B dog
My mileage ? Well it really has to do with the rally or where it's at. I average about 30K a year. Im running out of room on my most perfect SG even with a leather touring package so the thought crossed my mind about a trailer. Once I found a trailer worth looking into i found it cost half what my bike does. GEEEEEESH !
I really dont have issue about something to drink and we don't usually stop but every 165 miles to gas up. Thats usually only 1 Hr 50 min or so so we see no use in a cooler. We like to camp at times but were running out of room fast on the bike. REAL FAST. Got to find a deal on a trailer or mail my crap to the rally LOL
My mileage ? Well it really has to do with the rally or where it's at. I average about 30K a year. Im running out of room on my most perfect SG even with a leather touring package so the thought crossed my mind about a trailer. Once I found a trailer worth looking into i found it cost half what my bike does. GEEEEEESH !
I really dont have issue about something to drink and we don't usually stop but every 165 miles to gas up. Thats usually only 1 Hr 50 min or so so we see no use in a cooler. We like to camp at times but were running out of room fast on the bike. REAL FAST. Got to find a deal on a trailer or mail my crap to the rally LOL
The big thing w/the cooler (to me, at least) is the ability ta stop any time fer something ta drink - even at the hotel (they git REALLY proud of their drinks in their machines!). We grab a 12-pack of whatever, ice it down an' we don't gotta buy 'em by the each. hmmm....165 miles in 2 hours? Ah wanna ride on THEM roads! Ah usually cruise 'bout 80, but find that between traffic an' road conditions on the back roads, our true average speed is 'bout 60-65. Keep an eye on eBay an' the GWRRA website's classifieds - you CAN find a "deal" if yer patient!
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: St George, UT
RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
If you can't fit in the trunk and saddle bags, you don't need it. Cash is lighter and takes less room.
Granted, this was 30+years ago, but I had a Calafia trailer, and I pulled it on a road trip to Arkansas. There were three couples on three bikes. We loaded the trailer with camping gear and other stuff we needed, like a small jack so as to lube and adjust the drive chains, and extra oil. The bikes carried the clothes and pills. Of the eight travel days, we actually camped once!! It was too cold at night, and the one time we camped at Las Cruces NM, the wind blew so hard our tents wouldn't stand up. So we dragged that little trailer over 3000miles and got very little use out of it. On top of that, it had boat trailer sized wheels, and the bearings wore out halfway through the trip. The trailer pulled just fine but in those days of drum brakes, it was definitely taking longer to stop.
I sold that trailer to a friend of mine, and he pulled it around for a couple of years more. Then one day in Colorado, the axle attach point broke, skewing the wheels off center and darn near spilled the motorcycle. He pulled the license plate off it, and tossed into a canyon.[:@]
Granted, this was 30+years ago, but I had a Calafia trailer, and I pulled it on a road trip to Arkansas. There were three couples on three bikes. We loaded the trailer with camping gear and other stuff we needed, like a small jack so as to lube and adjust the drive chains, and extra oil. The bikes carried the clothes and pills. Of the eight travel days, we actually camped once!! It was too cold at night, and the one time we camped at Las Cruces NM, the wind blew so hard our tents wouldn't stand up. So we dragged that little trailer over 3000miles and got very little use out of it. On top of that, it had boat trailer sized wheels, and the bearings wore out halfway through the trip. The trailer pulled just fine but in those days of drum brakes, it was definitely taking longer to stop.
I sold that trailer to a friend of mine, and he pulled it around for a couple of years more. Then one day in Colorado, the axle attach point broke, skewing the wheels off center and darn near spilled the motorcycle. He pulled the license plate off it, and tossed into a canyon.[:@]
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RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
Yeppirs - and the early Model T's hadta be backed up hills 'cuz they didn't have fuel pumps. Does that mean cars ain't no good? Like anything else, there've been advances over the years - some good, some not. Some trailers are still built like the one ya had 30 years ago....but that Bushtec ain't. One of the demo's they do is ta lift the trailer to waist high with the tongue on the bike, then drop the trailer - it does NOT bounce - not once. It settles to the ground and STAYS there. The airsuspension system takes a HUGE bite outta the bounce ya git with standard leaf or coil springs. The tongue is a heim-joint design, which means that the trailer can flip 360 degrees without impartin' torque onto the bike itself. The 20 or 21-inch wheels dampen the wheel hop ya git outta speed bumps, potholes, etc.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Nebraska
RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
If she sees one of them there trailers, I can only imagine how long it would take her to pack.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: lancaster, pa
RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
I bought a tent for 20 bucks at kmart and then after camping tossed it. same thing w/coffee maker and tools and even made a gaskett out of an old tin can to fix a loose pipe. Pillows and blankits are always on clearence for a few bucks if needed then toss. no cleaning,packing,unpacking,desiding what to bring.. A trailer is like a cool idea and maybe not seeing it wright now but isnt it like half way technology like tvo?
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From:
RE: Motorcycles & Trailers.
Well, it's like the trip we're takin' this June....leavin' Texas whar it'll likely be in the low 80's. Goin' ta Lake George, NY whar we're likely ta encounter 30-40 degree weather. With a trailer, ah kin take gear appropriate for BOTH climates easily, along with the usual "stuff". No tryin' ta tie it onto the bike somewhar - jest a nice, neat pack that goes into the lid-mounted suit bag for easy access when needed. To be sure - there's a lotta times I wished we packed lighter, but there's been more times when ah wuz grateful we had the room ta pack stuff in ta make the trip more enjoyable. Trailerin' ain't fer everyone, for sure.