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irondawg

irondawg

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If y'all know me, this is a hard question to ask since I like to ride long distances (a 500 mile day is average :wink: ). I've considered buying a bike or utility trailer. I plan on putting knobbies on the GS and taking it out in the dirt. I don't think knobby tires would last very long if I rode 2, 3 or 4 hundred miles just to get to some dirt trails.

I've considered either a dedicated bike trailer or a utility trailer and build some removable wheel chocks. The size should be about 7ft wide by at least 10ft long so if needed, I can trailer 2 or 3 bikes, depending on size.

Can anyone make a suggestion.

TIA,
 
Kim and I have started looking at the same thing. We want something to haul dirt bikes with. We started looking at trailers dedicated toward carrying bikes only, but after thinking about it and looking at cost and practicality, we've decided to go with a utility trailer. They seem to be cheaper and we'll get more use out of it than just a bike trailer.



Just our thoughts.

Pete
 
Might look at KENDON trailers. Can hold 1, 2, or 3 bikes, is also a utility trailer, has optional box in front for extra gear, optional front rock deflector and IT FOLDS UP on end to store in garage. Tail section folds up and whole trailer moves about on casters while on end. Pretty slick. Two bike trailer by itself is $2,000.00 retail - kinda steep!

www.kendontrailers.com

Wild West Honda in Houston/Katy is a distributor and have a 2 bike to look at.

1fastjunebug
 
I bought a 6.5x10 utility trailer to haul my two motorcycles.

I bought it from a guy out in Mt. Pleasant Texas (east on I-30). It was $470. It has a 5000 lb. axle, full-size tires and a ramp. I'm extremely pleased with it. They can build just about anything you want. They don't make rail trailers specifically for bikes, but they build just about everything else.

If you're interested in the contact info, let me know and I'll dig it up.
 
Kidder said:
I bought a 6.5x10 utility trailer to haul my two motorcycles.

I bought it from a guy out in Mt. Pleasant Texas (east on I-30). It was $470. It has a 5000 lb. axle, full-size tires and a ramp. I'm extremely pleased with it. They can build just about anything you want. They don't make rail trailers specifically for bikes, but they build just about everything else.

If you're interested in the contact info, let me know and I'll dig it up.
Click to expand...

Please do, I too would like a convertable trailer, just afraid of the price the guys around here would charge.

I have no problem, except for altitude, putting the WR in the truck, but the TL, well, not so bad. The FJR, not blody likely.

As well, I know a SUV of some sort will be replacing the truckster in a couple of years, so it would be good to have a trailer that can handle lumber as well.

Of course, I need stable employment first :-)

cheers,
Tom
 
Tourmeister, there are also a handful of companys that make hitch mounted bike racks, although I dunno what kind of weights they are capable of. Check the ad pages in your favorite motomag. May save some initial $$ outlay, and should be less space intensive when not in use. Just an idea...
 
Check that username again ;-) That was not me posting about a trailer. I have acess to two good ones already. The original poster is the dork that got me hooked on the freaking GS :-P He suckered me in like a crack dealer... :lol:

Adios,
 
I have a 16' dual axle utility that I raised the sides up to 24" and have closed in the sides........Best thing I've owned,...........4 bikes from Texas to Deals Gap, yard work, soil hauling, furniture moving (friends will become close when you have a trailer).........If you have a place to store it, make it a utility...........
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utilitytrailer8pb.jpg

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utilitytrailer22kw.jpg
 
We have a 6.5 X 12 or 14 Utility trailer. It has a low tube steel perimeter, and my dad built some chocks for it as well as installed various eyes and an arm or two on the sides towards the front to tie off bikes at the proper angle. We can fit three full sized bikes on it, but you have to lay out the chocks so the weight is distributed evenly as to not over or under weight the tongue on your vehicle. I would rather have a utility trailer, its just more versitile. I think the price was like $700
Good luck,
Vaughn
 
I use a 5 by 10 utility trailer which will easily carry two bikes the size of my Bandit.

I bought two Baxley LA chocks, sport bikes need their sport chock to clear the lower front of the fairing. I first saw these chocks in Klaus' trailer. They hold a bike very securely with a minimum of tie-downs.

For a ramp I used a 12 foot long - 2 by 12 cut into three equal lengths. The boards are held together and reinforced by two 1.5 in angle irons across all three boards (bottom of the ramp). This gives you about 34 inches of ramp, enough you can put your feet down if necessary. I painted the ramp and added sand to the top for traction. I bought ramp brackets from Lowes.

About $285 each for the chocks, $50 for the ramp and $500 for the trailer 12 years ago.

Link for the chocks http://www.baxleycompanies.com/LAChock.html
 
I bought my motorcycle in December, so my parents bought me a 5X10 utility trailer for Christmas. I bought one of these for it.

sc2000.jpg


From http://www.condor-lift.com/

It costs around $200 with shipping and will hold the bike straight up. This allows me to load and tie down my bike by myself. It bolts to a plate you mount to your trailer floor and comes off with 4 thumb screws so I can use the trailer as a regular utility trailer. Being able to remove it is nice since I drive a Bronco and don't have a truck bed to haul stuff with.
 
This is not quite as pretty as the fancy store bought chocks........This is what I use on the floor of my utility trailer......I've made 4 of them,....It is removable, and as solid as a rock. I've had full dressers, and sport bikes secured to it.........The Chock is just there to prevent the bike from rolling forward under hard braking. The tie downs do all the lateral support.
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Went to junk yard, found some "C" channel, notched both sides bent to angle I wanted, welded, painted, and saved hands full of $..........Let's see...you and two buddies going to Big Bend........Three chocks on your new trailer @ $200.00 each........where's my calculator
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wheelchocks0013va.jpg
 
DrBlackbird said:
(friends will become close when you have a trailer)
Click to expand...

Hey Doc... Ol' buddy....how ya feeling... Fever gone yet...
1.gif
we need to talk about your trailer
 
$200 or even $285 per chock is relatively small $ when the bike cost $thousands and the fairings are at risk. These locking chocks allow you to ride into the chock, get off and tie down the bike by yourself. The two tie downs connect to the back of the bike and are only to prevent the bike from rolling backwards during trailer towing. No compression of the front forks. I bought the free standing chocks and use them in the garage when not mounted on the trailer instead of the center stand.

I saw my first Kendon trailer at the HSTA Ride the Rio event in February. What a beautiful well designed trailer. My only complaint was this two bike trailer was open between the bikes...no place to set your inside foot down. My balance isn't that good with a 500 lb bike.
 
Well...

I've been looking for over a year now, and can't really make up my mind. I've got an open 4" x 8" that I began racing with (actually the trailer for my ill-fated foray into ATVs).

Get 15" wheels if all possible. Better tire choices and slower bearing speeds. If you get something big, like a 12 foot or so, I'd strongly suggest brakes. Surge if you can afford it, then you're not fiddling with controllers and you have brakes on whatever tow vehicle you use. Even an open trailer with 3 bikes can approach the weight of a smaller tow vehicle. Besides, in a quick stop a heavy brakeless trailer may decide it wants to lead. That's bad.

Don't listen to the idiots who tell you "It's legal without 'em" It's legal to stick your head in a septic tank. Do it lately?

Don't look at enclosed trailers unless you want one. I got spoiled when I had the TrackLeather rig. It's really nice to be able to lock up all your crap, and to be able to take enough tools, compressors, spares, chairs etc to make the trip plush. You can also leave all that in the trailer at home, so you get garage space back.

As far as brands go, I can't seem to find a warm bucket of spit's worth of difference.

That's my 2¢. Not that I've looked much :mrgreen:
 
Howdy,

May I suggest Trailer in a bag...http://www.trailerinabag.com

I purchased one for around $800.00 some time ago for hauling my bike to AR.

Though it is extremely portable and you can store and transport it in a duffle bag, its gross vehicle weight is rated at 1200 lbs. This motorcycle trailer is strong enough to carry any production motorcycle built today and it can handle up to a 71" wheelbase.

When you don't need it, it easily comes apart and is stored in a large duffle bag that can be placed in the closet. They also have the option of adding another bike slot, so you can carry two bikes.

They have various resellers. The Hog Alley in Georgetown has them in stock more of the time.

Red
 
I use a small 4x8 tilt bed utility to carry my ZRX to an occasional out-of-state ride -- to save my tires as well. ;-) I replace those tires often enough without burning them square on the freeway.

The tilt bed makes it extremely easy to load and unload, and as others have said, the trailer is useful for other things as well. I don't even worry about the wheel chocks. I just roll the front wheel square against the front and strap it down. I've hauled 'em like this in trailers and the backs of pickups for 40 years, and so far so good :-)

It'd be tough to get two bikes on it, but they're available in wider models as well. They're available at most motorcycle dealers around here and popular with the 4-wheeler riders.
 
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