Trailer (non-enclosed)
Tourer
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 274
Likes: 17
From: West Slope Colorado
Are you looking for new purpose built bike trailers?
I have an older three rail that will carry three dirt bikes but hold one EG fine. I also have a 7x14 enclosed that will hold 3 big bikes and a lot of gear (probably could fit 4).
If I wanted to haul 2 big bikes in the open I'd repurpose a tandem axle boat trailer. Plenty of capacity and room for two rails and deck in between.
I have an older three rail that will carry three dirt bikes but hold one EG fine. I also have a 7x14 enclosed that will hold 3 big bikes and a lot of gear (probably could fit 4).
If I wanted to haul 2 big bikes in the open I'd repurpose a tandem axle boat trailer. Plenty of capacity and room for two rails and deck in between.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 704
Likes: 45
From: Western Washington
You shouldn't need brakes for that amount of load and your towing vehicle, however the DOT normally dictates whether or not a trailer has to be manufactured with brakes based on it's GVW rating. Once you go to a trailer with tandem axles it usually puts that trailer up into the GVW range of needing brakes - in most states. Tandem does track/tow better going down the road for sure. Also tendency for less bounce.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,920
Likes: 77
From: dallas
dont need a tandem trailer necessarily if trailer is designed for the weight you are carrying. I used a flatbed 5x10 for a 700lb bike no brakes pulled by a truck similar to yours, total wwight was 1500 lbs.. did not need brakes. My camper has brakes and weighs 3k lbs, and ITS NICE TO HAVE BRAKES. Electric brakes for a trailer are relatively cheap.If I were buying a trailer to pull two 1000lb bikes, I would get one of the following:
1. tandem alluminum with brakes, expensive but trailers well and lighter
2. a purpose built steel trailer with brakes ( tandem) used ( many on the market where I live) heavy but easy pull
Open trailers for me are best choice because you don't have all that extra weight. But bike gets dirty and rained on.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by oakmossy; Dec 18, 2015 at 09:03 AM.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,053
Likes: 982
From: Kansas
I pulled two Electra Glides on a single axle steel trailer with motorcycle rails (5,000 lb. GVW) behind a 2007 Tahoe 2WD. No brakes on the trailer. It has 14" wheels, too. I bought a new ball mount that made the trailer ride level, and I carefully adjusted the tongue weight. It trailed like it wasn't even there. Proper balance/tongue weight is important.
I needed to stagger the bikes with one about 18" closer to the front than the other bike so they wouldn't touch at the handlebars. I put 2 carpet covered 4X4s under the frame of each bike, one fore and one aft, and then cinched them down with good quality ratchet straps. (Stress on "good quality" straps.) The 4X4s kept the bikes from bouncing up and down or bottoming out the suspension, as well as adding some lateral stability. Then I ran a strap from each front wheel to the front of the trailer, and from the rear wheels to the rear to keep them from moving forward and back. Total of 6 straps per bike. Pulled them for about 3,000 miles with no mishaps.
Check the straps every time you get fuel...or more often if you can. They WILL loosen up!
I needed to stagger the bikes with one about 18" closer to the front than the other bike so they wouldn't touch at the handlebars. I put 2 carpet covered 4X4s under the frame of each bike, one fore and one aft, and then cinched them down with good quality ratchet straps. (Stress on "good quality" straps.) The 4X4s kept the bikes from bouncing up and down or bottoming out the suspension, as well as adding some lateral stability. Then I ran a strap from each front wheel to the front of the trailer, and from the rear wheels to the rear to keep them from moving forward and back. Total of 6 straps per bike. Pulled them for about 3,000 miles with no mishaps.
Check the straps every time you get fuel...or more often if you can. They WILL loosen up!
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,053
Likes: 982
From: Kansas
I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'.
Last edited by Frank the Real Biker; Dec 18, 2015 at 10:23 AM.