Help w. Trailers

Hi everyone - I got my son a CRF50 for his birthday and now I've "been forced" to find something dirt worthy for me ...so now I've got a big dilimna - I need a trailer.

Does anyone know where a person should go in the DFW area to buy a trailer that would work w. 2-3 bikes. I'd like something small (and would love something used to save some $).

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Sean

Don't know where to find a used one but I would suggest what ever you get that it has full sized tires instead of the little trailer wheels. I would get at least an 10X8 to allow for plenty of room and to keep it from being too big. If I can locate a picture of my set up I'll post it to give you an idea of how mine is set up.

Thanks Hemibee! Would you also recommend avoiding the rail-only types? I've found a few of those used w. the bigger tires.

Found a picture, not a very good one but it will give you and idea of what I'm using for our bikes.

Darkrider said:

Thanks Hemibee! Would you also recommend avoiding the rail-only types? I've found a few of those used w. the bigger tires.

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I've got nothing against a rail only trailer, I almost bought one instead of the one I now have. After a couple of trips with the utility trailer I was glad I had it. In my way of thinking the pros of the utility trailer out weigh the pros of the rail trailer.

Here is my trailer. The first picture is what it looked like when I bought it. It cost me $300 initially and over time have done "upgrades". Its a 5X10 and has provided me over 40,000 trouble free miles between here and TN and countless trips to the track and other local stuff. +1 on getting full size tires and ALWAYS KEEP THEM AT MAX INFLATION. Even better would be to get real trailer tires, but the extra cost for such a small trailer with relatively light loads isn't worth it.

Nice setup! I'd have to figure out where to store it with one that size...but it would be a sweet way to get the bikes around.

Darkrider said:

Nice setup! I'd have to figure out where to store it with one that size...but it would be a sweet way to get the bikes around.

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Fortunately, we have a very nice storage place less than a 5 minute drive from our house. We keep it there in the same stall as our boat.

Kendon makes some really nice stow-away trailers but good luck finding one at a decent price!

I'm selling my heavy duty 3-rail trailer...

Made from 1/4" steel c-channel and using leaf springs, this trailer will handle a heavy load!

The rear section of the three rails have been widened for 190 rear tires on sport bikes (larger will probably fit as well). There are 2 new 15" 6-ply trailer tires on this trailer, and it tows like a dream. I have regularly done 300+ mile trips towing this trailer with 2 sport bikes on it at 80+ mph.

There is also a new flip up trailer jack with a wheel which makes moving the trailer around very easy, even loaded! Trailer also has a new light kit installed, 1 7/8" receiver, safety chains and is ready to go.



Asking $850 obo

The angle-iron utility trailers such as l8rg8r and hemibee show are the best value. They can be had new for next to $400 or so. Usually, everything is new except the wheels and tires, which come from junkyards. Because of the source of wheels and tires, the hubs can be drilled for most any bolt pattern. Figure out your bolt pattern, and a spare wheel is as close as the junkyard. On my trailer, I specified a bolt pattern to match my tow vehicle--no trailer spare necessary. I also provided the wheels to match the aftermarkets on my tow vehicle, and sprung for new tires instead of the used that would have come. A 5x10 trailer will easily haul three dirt bikes and a tool box, along with a week's worth of camping gear.

All the 5x10s I've seen have 3500-pound axles and springs, and fitting a set of P235/75R15 tires provides a smooth ride and well over 4000 pounds of tire load capacity. I buy the cheapest tires Walmart sells because, well, they are half the price of trailer tires and wear slower. However, the passenger car tires do dry rot in 5 years or so (trailer tires last a year or two longer), but Walmart pro-rates replacement cost based on remaining tread life. The last set of dry-rotted tires I took back to Walmart still had 90+% of tread left, so they pro-rated at 100%. All I paid was $1.70 FET for two brand new tires, mounted and balanced.

KenH said:

The last set of dry-rotted tires I took back to Walmart still had 90+% of tread left, so they pro-rated at 100%. All I paid was $1.70 FET for two brand new tires, mounted and balanced.

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whats wrong with that

If you are in a hurry and price is no object, I concur with the 5x10 utility trailer. If you need rails, just stick some 2x4's on there with screws. Got anyone you know that has some property to store it on? Let them use it sometimes for storage fee. Just make sure that the trailer is easy to retrieve when needed. A while back, I went in halves on a 5x10 and never ran into major issues with the partnership. Doing the halves makes it easier to go a little bigger to do the toolbox in the front idea for carrying dirty or wet gear that doesn't get blown out of the back of the truck.