If it was a thing of doing a week+ camping trip with wife (and especially with kids), then the bikes would really be just a run-around thing while we were at whatever stops we were at.....then yea, I'd trailer.
But it would be a smaller bike, like the Ducati Monster I'm planning on getting soon, not my SG.

But as the original question was worded....no, just because a destination is over 500 miles away would I trailer.
If the idea is "I'm going to X for the purpose of riding my bike around that area", then I'll be riding the bike to wherever X is.

Usually.
Ok, so if it was like now....cold & snowy...and I was taking the bike down to like South Arizona...I might CONSIDER a trailer. But probably not.

 

If you live in Bar Harbor and want to ride to bike week, maybe you need to leave in February to give yourself enough time to get there.....???

 

AMEN Brother.

 

I like to ride to where I'm going. Trailering just adds to the cost of the trip.

 

I would rather ride, always. But I trailer if I have too. Instead of storing the bike all winter, I trailer it south where there is no snow and ride. Lots of reasons to trailer, but just because I don't want to ride 500 miles, never. I can do 500 miles just farting around for the day.

 

February / March .... its all the same for us up here. 60 days until April !!!!

 

Have you seen Bar Harbor in February ??? Not favorable for riding !!!
And March isn't much better, just longer daylight !!!

 

It really depends for me. I've done two 6000 mile trips the last 2 years riding the whole way. Both trips were to Sturgis via other places. However, if I take my wife on a vacation the bike is in my trailer and the wife is comfortable. If I feel a need to ride on part of the trip I put the bike out of the trailer and ride while she drives the truck pulling the trailer. This year I am doing a 20 day trip to Arizona and the wife is going so the trailer will be going too. I'll probably pull the bike out of the trailer when we hit New Mexico and let her drive the truck.

Then there is the whole weather thing. Last year coming home from Sturgis was heavy rain and thunderstorms. I took two extra days to get home since it was definitely unsafe to be on the bike as hard as it was raining most of the time.

I'm no hero and there is no grand prize for riding in the lighting and heavy rain so why risk my life.

 

Here we go again. What does it matter ? I have a trailer and averaging eleven thousand miles a year on my RK. That's more than most non trailer owners. Why tire yourself out just getting to a far place you want to ride. Safety first or I guess you don't care about that either . FT

 

To trailer or not to trailer that is the question............

I have to wait for spring to come to riide and thats a hell I cant begin to explain....God I hate the snow and cold temps. I got a touring to ride long distances comfortably.......I guess for me I would never need a trailer. I can safely at 46 years old drive just as far if not further on my E glide as I could in a car. So for me trailering woould be dumb. If your bike is not comfortable enough to ride longer distances, or of theres time constraints involved for example if you are going from say Chicago to Daytona and you only have 8 days to spend on the trip after travel and the distance is an issue because of time or comfort then maybee "you" could benifit from a trailer, or if you and the family are going someplace together and its not feasable to ride alone the yes again "you " may benefit from a trailer. But in my world as it pretains to me I will probably put 200 miles on my Jeep tops from the time riding season starts and ends....and those 200 miles are hell on me.....I love too ride......I would never at this point waste my time ad money on a trailer. I just wont use it....if that ever changes then I will buy a trike. It does not mean that a trailer is bad for all as I indicated earlier trailers can be usefull for some people in some circumstances. There.....issue resolved.