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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December 20th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
We tent camp alot and I've seen plenty of these. We have a very small motorcycle, so we just dream about getting one when we get a bigger bike. All of the owners I've talked to really enjoy their pop up. Most have really huge motorcycles, like Honda Goldwings or some thing.
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December 20th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I had one until it caught fire from a wild ember from a fire. I liked it alot and it was very comfortable. I still have the trailer and I now use it as a place to store everything when I am going on a trip. It holds clothes, tents, sleeping bags, and anything else that will make camping enjoyable.
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December 20th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Don't have one, but have borrowed one. The safety of pulling them is directly related to the bike, load and experience of the rider.
I wouldn't even attempt to pull one with anything smaller than my Goldwing. Braking can be a real issue, and the wing has very good brakes. There is a variety of these available, here's a few.
http://www.roadmancampers.com/
http://www.trailmasterinc.com/aspen/aspen.html
http://www.leesurelite.com/index.htm
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December 20th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I have a Bunkhouse camper that I pull behind a 93 Honda 1500cc Goldwing. I bought it new in 2001 and have put at least 50.000 miles on it. My wife and I spent almost 2 years on the road living in it most of the time.
I would not try pulling it with anything smaller than a Goldwing. To reduce the tongue weight on the bike I have a tow dolly mounted between my bike and the camper. It makes it easier to pull but it makes my rig very long (23') You have to be real careful where you park and try not to make any wrong turns.
As far as safety, it is probably not as safe as not pulling a trailer. You just have to be more careful. I don't go as fast when pulling it but at 70mph there is no sway or any feeling of a trailer behind me. Stopping distances increase and take offs are slower and gas mileage decreases.
I love my camper and am very glad I bought it. Below is a link to Bunkhouse's web site. If you have more questions, e-mail me.
http://bf-specialties.com/
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December 20th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
I have seen them both on the road and in web pages.
Yes, they are pretty much safe if the weight is okay for your motorcycle.
The one I saw had a gross weight of 750 pounds, and the owner was quoted as riding a GOLDWING, and he could carry a passenger as well. It did not say he could stop as fast as before, nor that he could accelerate as he did before. But I cant afford a gold wing, for the odd moment I want to go Motorcycle camping with a queen size bed.
Storage was accessible from inside or out.
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December 20th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
yes harley davison has them
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December 20th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I found some on ebay:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=3&campid=5335989975&toolid=10001&customid
I am not sure about their safety, since I haven't owned one, but they look pretty cool.
Good luck.
AK
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December 20th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
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
References :
December 20th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Just fold a tent into a back pack easier:)
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December 20th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
don't have one .\, but they are safe. any bike that is 500cc or larger will have the power to pull one, but you need a hitch mount and they are u\more easily found for larger bikes. you could build one if you knew what you were doing and had some blueprints though.
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December 20th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I no longer have my bike trailer… It wasnt a pop top.. but will give you my thoughts on them..
The trailer was built by me 20 years ago.. I used the back end of a Morris Mini.. I took the frame of the rear end & made it narrower by cutting & welding it.. keeping the original suspension & bracing it to the mud guards I fabricated..
the trailer over all was 4 feet wide & 5 feet long from hitch to rear end..
I used a standard car hitch to hook the trailer to the bike..
the ball was attached to a frame that hung off the frame under the rear seat..
I towed the trailer a few dozen times loaded with tents, sleeping bags, food, beer, clothes, & sundry items ..
Enough for 2 people for a week away…
the greatest distance covered in one stint was fairly short (around 70 miles).. but had no problems going up/ down hills
or around corners..
I was carefull when loading the trailer to make sure it was balanced & kept around 30 Lbs of weight on the hitch..
The size of the bike is going to astound some people…
It was an SR 250 Yamaha…
so you dont need a big bike to tow a trailer…
although the top speed of the bike was affected I had no problems cruising on the flat at 60 MPH..
hills did slow you down a lot & you had to keep changing down gears… but you cant expect a 250 to pull that much uphill….
never had any trouble with the bike or trailer…
one piece of advice I can give you… when towing make sure the trailer dosnt weigh more than the bike & passengers…
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40 years riding & counting…
December 20th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
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