1) Do you have one?
2) Are they safe? (someone told me it was unsafe to pull them.)
3) How big of a bike do you need to pull it?
Any additional info you have to give me would be so great!
Thanks!
Had one, 20 years ago. Towed over 10k miles including one 5 week, 6,000 mile trip
You certainly have to be aware of what is different with-than-without-it back there and adjust for the changes. Like most equipment, they are only as safe as the operator.
Stopping, or, let me say, HARD stopping, as was mentioned, can be tricky, to say the least.
And think very carefully as to how you're going to handle that rig going around a curve at 55mph and, OMG! you gotta stop or crash into an object on the road! You are leaned over into the turn (yes, even with a trailer on! -It ain't no sidecar!)
You can't let the trailer get out from square behind you or it will push the back of your bike sideways and turn you around. Not a pretty picture!
Live through it and I'll ride with you anytime!
Safe? Only if you are.
I had a, then, new Goldwing ('82), a wife and trailer. The trailer had an 8' x 4' body, the top went up, the "wings" unfolded to make an 8 x 8 off-the-ground tent with a hard roof. Very slick. And storage 6'x3'x 16" deep. Overall, 21' long and with two of us and fully loaded trailer and bike, hit the scale at 1800lbs. (I was 240, she 130)
That 6k trip was from IL to Phoenix, AZ, San Diego, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and back to Chicago AREA. We camped as many days as not.
A big trip with a big load takes BIG equipment, for power and braking safety.A trip like that one, I would not go smaller. Like trucks & trailers (talking pick-ups here, not semi's), the towing vehicle has to be robust enough to handle the pushing, pulling and shoving that the trailer is going to give it.
For shorter 2-3 day trips, I'd shop a much smaller trailer and then find a bike strong enough to haul & halt your rig.
This trip was planned for a long time, and in that order -a trip to remember, accommodation's (comfy trailer) and bike to handle the job.
BTW, the trip? No problems with bike and/or trailer (cruised @ 65+ open road), rained (on the road) a few times (rain suits or motel) minor. "Tipped over" once, at the bottom of a freeway exit, next to a truck-stop, in a down-pour. We were almost stopped (rain on oil slick pavement…), 3 - 4 mph max, and the tires just slipped out from under us. Bike went over, just on to the crash bars (there to protect my legs, and did!) and it "popped" us off like a tired bull. All in slow-motion! Amazing! We "hit" the pavement and did not slide more than an inch or two. No scratches, to us or the bike!
The trailer? Sat there, upright, waiting for us to get it together and get out of the roadway.
Shheeeesh! Sorry to babble on so much!
GO! ENJOY!
Plan ahead, be smart, be safe and tell me about it when you get back!
Ron G303
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12 26th, 2008| 
