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I've been towing bikes on open trailers for over 35 years and I've never had an issue. I feel bad for the guy that worries about their bike taking a nick here and there .......... WTF!
Exactly. If someone doesn't want a nick on their bike they shouldn't ride it. Leave it in the garage until Bike Night at the local HD dealer and haul it there on...er, IN a trailer and roll it out into the parking lot. Push it back in and haul it back home. No dirt, no bugs, no scratches...just fingerprints from pushing it in and out of the trailer.
Originally Posted by Beaux
Picture is a 12x6.5 (3500# single axle, no brake) trailer with 2 dressers staggered. Both are in chocks, fronts tied down and rear tires between blocks. Spend some time on tongue weight calculation for the stagger and then give it hell to your destination!
BTW ......... I've had buddies that opened their enclosed trailer after a haul and find cycles scattered ............... at least with an open you can see whats going on back there!
Yup. I have trailered my bike a grand total of once since 2005. Got invited to stay at a house with friends in FL for Bike Week. Since it was snowing where I lived I thought it was best to haul it down there. Picked up a buddy and his bike in St. Louis as I passed through. We stopped for fuel and a couple guys in a pickup with an enclosed trailer pulled up to the other pump. We talked a bit and they mentioned that their bikes were in the enclosed trailer. When we got back in our vehicle and drove off we laughed about the guys with the enclosed trailer. Everybody knows that a real biker hauls his bike on an open trailer.
If going with an open trailer, get one that has a Rock Guard on the front.
That way they will not look like the two Bikes with dirty snow all over them.
Even if you ride everywhere (which I do - I've not yet had a reason to trailer my bike around), it's good to have a trailer and support vehicle. If you take big trips in groups, it's nice knowing that "Suzy" is back there behind the pack with the trailer in case somebody breaks down. It's come in handy before.
I've got a Sure-Trac 7' x 12' open utility trailer with a ramp gate. I got it for about $1500, brand new. Single axle, no brakes, and a 2000 lbs carrying capacity.
Bolted three chocks in the front, straight across (measured and spaced so that two Road Kings could be loaded side by side), and tie-down points. It'll carry two Road Kings in tandem (no staggering needed), or a single bike in the middle chock. It tows great.
I have an aluminum Worthington single axle 5 x10 that hauls 1 bike. Only weighs 400 lbs and ramps stores underneath.
They also sell 2 bike trailers.
Made in USA.
ON a related note, I highly recommend radial trailer tires.
I just put a set on my trailer and it pulls much better, but my old tires were
junk that came on it, so anything would have been better than those things.
They really smoothed out the trailer, I barely know it's behind me.
Do they all come with radials these days?
I would also highly recommend the Aluma line. All aluminum construction under 400 lbs with torsion axles. Tows beautiful and plenty of room to safely load any bike. I like the diamond plate rock shield for protection up front. Single new was under $2k with aluminum wheels and radial tires.
I've used a "Drop-Tail" open trailer for the last 3 years hauled 2 Ultra Limited's back and forth from Ohio to Florida as well as back and forth from Tennessee to Ohio w/o any problems or concerns. Great trailer! I replaced a single bike Kendon with it as the Kendon would "sag" out the axle when the limited was trailered for more than a few hours causing the trailer to be rigid.
BTW ......... I've had buddies that opened their enclosed trailer after a haul and find cycles scattered ............... at least with an open you can see whats going on back there!
A. Your buddies don't know how to tie down.
B. At least with guys that use enclosed trailers and don't know how to tie down... their bikes won't be scattered all over the highway, endangering other drivers.
My point is, learn how to tie, where to tie, and more importantly where NOT to tie.
And use plenty of straps, they're cheap compared to paint.
I tend to overkill, when I trailer a bike, I have chocks bolted in my trailer, and still use no less than 6 straps per bike.
I ride when I can, but if you've never lived in the snowbelt of Northern Michigan, you may not understand that there are 5-6 mionths that you cannot ride due to show and ice, and the only way to ride is to pull them south. About the worst thing you can do to a Harley is subject it so salt spray. They are NOT like a cage that has a level of corrosion protection. I rode one of my Harleys in the winter, got caught in a snowstorm on a toy run, and ran through some salt treated roads to get home. Everything but the paint began to rust in a couple months. No matter how much polishing I did, the rust returned.
Y'all do what you want... I spent $2500 on this trailer a couple years ago after selling my 18 footer. I drug it out of storage to help a friend move in the rain a month or so ago, then brought it home for a cleaning and a new set of tires.
I want to trailer two Roadkings to FL. I would like it to be tandem. Does it need brakes. I prefer non-enclosed for general weight reduction. Suggestions?
Thanks
GregT as you can see from the replies getting the Kings to FL. is not a problem,open or enclosed-tandem or single axle- brakes or no brakes, but with an enclosed trailer you can roll into any State Park or campground roll the bikes out and you have a roof over your head if you want to save a few bucks on motel rooms,buy the best you can afford to keep it will last for a long time.
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