trailers on bikes? good? : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

eodmachine · 10-27-2009, 10:20 PM

i met a fellow biker this last summer in Banff that was towing a pop up tent trailer on his Ultra Classic. i have been thinking about buying one but have heard some mixed reviews on bikes with trailers from some of the people that i ride with. from the wobbling in curves to bouncing like crazy on bumps or pot holes in the road. but from my knowledge, they do not have trailers or have towed trailers with their bikes. any input on them?

strokerjlk · 10-27-2009, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eodmachine

i met a fellow biker this last summer in Banff that was towing a pop up tent trailer on his Ultra Classic. i have been thinking about buying one but have heard some mixed reviews on bikes with trailers from some of the people that i ride with. from the wobbling in curves to bouncing like crazy on bumps or pot holes in the road. but from my knowledge, they do not have trailers or have towed trailers with their bikes. any input on them?

I have a bunkhouse camper. well two now! use common sense and stay alert. It takes some braking skill to stay on top of them. practice your front brake scrubbing. when ya learn to use the front brake at 95% then it is easier to get them stopped.
I have had some close calls a few times but I have pulled them thousands of miles trouble free.

wanna buy a used bunkhouse LOL!

David Herzer · 10-27-2009, 10:31 PM

I have pulled a Motorvation trailer behind a bike for thousands of miles and it is really no big deal. On the open highway you don't even know it's there. It takes some adjustments in the mountains but not much. I pulled one up the Alaskan Highway hit lots of pot holes and did just fine. Starting on hills can be a challange and you need a little more distance for stopping.

David

strokerjlk · 10-27-2009, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Herzer

I have pulled a Motorvation trailer behind a bike for thousands of miles and it is really no big deal. On the open highway you don't even know it's there. It takes some adjustments in the mountains but not much. I pulled one up the Alaskan Highway hit lots of pot holes and did just fine. Starting on hills can be a challange and you need a little more distance for stopping.

David

good advice
a trailer and a camper are quite diff. a camper will weigh in at 500+
so there are additional skills that come into play.

David Herzer · 10-27-2009, 10:45 PM

I agree with you about the weight, but on the Alaska trip we were out for three months, the trailer was packed and had lots of heavy camera equipment in it. I don't remember what the tongue weight was but it was heavy.

David

MadCity · 10-27-2009, 10:49 PM

While visiting my local H-D dealer, I've noticed a sticker that appears on top of the air cleaners on new bikes. It contains the standard warnings that motorcycles handle differently than cars, etc. The sticker also states you should never pull a trailer. I assume that's just standing language H-D uses for liability protection — kind of like the myriad bold warnings in your owner's manual that tell you how many things you can do that "could cause serious injury or death."

strokerjlk · 10-27-2009, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Herzer

I agree with you about the weight, but on the Alaska trip we were out for three months, the trailer was packed and had lots of heavy camera equipment in it. I don't remember what the tongue weight was but it was heavy.

David

ya they get heavy in just a couple of weeks LOL I cant imagine 3 months. but I cant wait till the day comes that I can find out!
that is one of my dream trips. I am soooo jealous.

eodmachine · 10-27-2009, 11:01 PM

how was that alaskan highway trip? i was looking at doing that for a road trip next summer coming from alaska to jasper. is there enough gas stations so i dont have to carry fuel? i did some map recon and there wasnt much on there to really let me know of what i will need. my bike loaded gets an average of 250 miles a tank. is that a good enough range between fuel stops or would i have to carry fuel? also is there any motels along the route to stay in?

David Herzer · 10-27-2009, 11:26 PM

There was plenty of gas and hotels. We never had a problem with lodging, food or gas. We didn't have any mechanical problems or tire problems. We did have lots of rain and the stretches of road that were under construction were quite muddy, but I would do it again if I could only get the time. We left from So Cal headed up the coast to Washington, over to Idaho, up to Banff, then Jasper to Dawson Creek then up the highway. We only covered about 200 to 300 miles a day and would call ahead each morning to make sure we had a hotel that night. When we finally left Alaska we took the ferry back down to Washington and headed east and made it as far as Chicago. Then we headed southwest to Colorado and then back to L.A. Of all the trips we have taken this was by far the best, out 3 months and covered 10,000 miles.
The book that helped us most was "Adventure Guide to the AlaskA Highway". We liked it better than the Mile Post.

David

eodmachine · 10-27-2009, 11:35 PM

i will have to check that out. thanks for the info. i havent been to Jasper yet, it is on my list of places to go, but Banff...is amazing. i recommend you try the Trans-Canada highway 1 from Vancouver to Calgary. Fun, great sights, and the best trip i have been on.

dickey · 10-28-2009, 01:15 AM

Sorry, but I don't believe that trailers,stereos,bluetooths,intercoms,GPS or any of that other stuff belongs on a bike. A bike is a bike, not a Winnerbagel. I wanna hear pipes,not music. I never carry a passenger,and if I need that much stuff with me I'm gonna take my truck. The idea of a bike is to get back to basics. I don't need a cooking stove or a pop up camper. But that's just me. I wouldn't, however,feel safe pulling a trailer. I don't even like to pull one with my truck. Oh, & Re: That Alaska trip--I have done it,almost to the arctic circle, & I would ONLY do it in a rental vehicle;never my own vehicle. It's too hard on a car or bike. Just my .02

DBotkin · 10-28-2009, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dickey

The idea of a bike is to get back to basics.

YOUR idea of a bike is to get back to basics. Others feel differently... obviously.

Quote:

I wouldn't, however,feel safe pulling a trailer. I don't even like to pull one with my truck.

I have towed a trailer, for several thousand miles on a couple of trips now. I feel perfectly safe doing it. A little more brake, a little more clutch is pretty much it. We haven't towed a camper, but we ride with a lot of friends who do, behind Ultras and Gold Wings. They've logged many thousands of miles, often at speeds I wouldn't want to sustain for long, without incident -- and the bikes hold up just fine.

My advice would be to make sure you pack it right to get the weight distribution where it should be. If you can feel it behind you, chances are you need to re-adjust your packing. I personally wouldn't want to do it without at least a 95" and some low restriction mufflers and intake (and a good tune).

Locodave · 10-28-2009, 01:54 AM

Hi, If the toung weight was heavy. Re-distrubite the heavy stuff to the back of the trailor? Dave

reg26 · 10-28-2009, 06:34 AM

I've thought allot about getting a trailer and think I have my mind set on this one. Watch the video

http://www.uni-go-trailers.com/

POPS87FXR · 10-28-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eodmachine

i met a fellow biker this last summer in Banff that was towing a pop up tent trailer on his Ultra Classic. i have been thinking about buying one but have heard some mixed reviews on bikes with trailers from some of the people that i ride with. from the wobbling in curves to bouncing like crazy on bumps or pot holes in the road. but from my knowledge, they do not have trailers or have towed trailers with their bikes. any input on them?

Absoultly the fastest way to get your warranty voided.
HD has put out several notices over the years about trailer towing.