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Those who transport their bike (and other vehicles like ATV), what trailer you got? I'm looking at one that only needs new tires so I'm replacing old ones with the same Mickey Thompson tires and one of tail light bulb. We used to load the atv at the truck bed, thought a trailer would make life easier.

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I have a Big Tex 30sa trailer 5x10, sometimes I wish it was a little bigger, I can get 2 bikes easy, 3 bikes if I do some funny loading.  Next one may be an enclosed trailer, 6x12 or bigger,  I put new bias-ply trailer tires on last year with a matching spare.  I don't get heartburn loading my bikes in a trailer, trying to get them in the back of a truck worries me, I see people who do it all the time, and never seen them drop a bike, just like my trailer better.

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I got Towblazer - A Kendon knock off.  Fits 2 full size bikes or 3 dirt bikes.  Excellent quality and tows like it isn't even there.  Stands up against the wall in my garage when not in use.  I love it.

The only issue is the fact that its wheel base is much shorter than that of my truck, which makes backing up or making 3 point turns with it almost impossible.57ea7cb5edc155de44d73ca3.jpg?width=1024&

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I bought a TSC landscaper trailer for cheap as it was a little rusty .it works great and friends do not borrow it to haul dirt and gravel as the bottom is just mesh so no overloading problem .

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I've thought about getting a trailer before, only needed one once though. It took 3 of us to get my Vfr in my bed easily. I have a lowered truck that will be getting a wheel chock once it's back on the road. 

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Well I go both ways...hah!  Here I have returned to soft bags for a quick trip and meetup with the SO and bonding for the trip home.  Most times I just use the truck for the VFR.  But I have used the trailer a few times with the middle bike. There is no perfect solution so I have both.

5869a76a8972a-DSCN2202-CanyonDancer.JPG

 

Here I am being rescued by the same SO after a Kidney Stone attack while in camp on a "hot" VFR tour.

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Usually I combine the VFR truck ride with some sort of other event.

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Sometimes a trailer does hit the spot.  My 2nd generation Kendon which is over 12 years old.  It does seem to make sense in this scenario?

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If you get a trailer make sure you have at least two rails as it is inevitable that a buddy wants to tag along.  In this case I was bringing another bike for my bro. I really like the option of the truck or the trailer.  As I wrote in a thread "But It is a Dry Heat" last year getting across the desert and setting up a base camp often works out best for me and optimizes the riding experience. Sure beats a survival experience.

 

 

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The prime advantage of the Kendon is that most of the time it sits ....standing up in the garage and is NOT rusting in a field. Enduring another tough San Diego winter in Borrego Springs setting up a base camp with some clingers who do have trucks or a trailer!

16390211551_cc6a1209f6_z.jpg 

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I've got an Aluma 548.  Got lucky and found a killer deal on a used one.  250lbs empty, low deck height, torsion axles and a ride on gate.  I've towed it loaded with my 6th Gen behind a base model, 5 speed Civic.

 

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Another thing to consider is fuel economy and towing speed. With the VFR in the bed, I see little affect on fuel economy but suffer maybe a couple of mpg with an open trailer. When I park the VFR on the middle rail the mpg loss is less. An enclosed trailer would be worse still.  Also in California you are limited to 55 on the slab. The CHP even warned me once for a trailer in the car pool lane even though I had several folks in the truck! 

 

I just ran out to the Colorado River two weeks ago and frankly taking the KLRs by trailer was a delight.  Why slab out and back for 500 miles when you can cruise in the truck.  Plus you can bring a lot more comfort crap along! I could stuff two KLRs in the bed but that would mean less crap and the potential of a load mishap. After all, junk expands to the room available.

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Maybe I use the truck/trailer on 50% of my major MC trips.

 

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I've got an old school snowmobile trailer. It's a 3x8 trailer, so it probably won't even fit a newer sled, but perfect for a single bike. 

Weighs maybe 200#. Tows like it's not even there. 

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I picked up this enclosed trailer last fall after getting my Goldwing.  It's a 6 X 12 and has a lot of room for the Wing.  Though I haven't tried it yet, I think I could get the 2 VFR's in and tied down securely.  As stated before, the down0side to an enclosed trailer is the loss of mpg's I get with my truck.  On the up-side, if I end up traveling through a lot of rain or nasty weather, the bike stays nice and clean and ready to ride when I get to my destination.

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, crakerjac said:

 

You win.

LOL, Not a contest, I custom built so that it would do what I wanted. Designed it for my Dirt bike. the rectangle portion of the deck is 3' x 5' and the v nose adds a foot. The rail is longer to accommodate loading and unloading and keep the bike from moving side to side and the hitch is a full 360 degree swivel. I set the rail off center about 3 inches so that I could bolt a lockable gear box to the deck next to my dirt bike. This allows me to store all my dirt gear and change when I reach my dirt destination and lock up my street gear in the box. It was a couple months getting it all figured out and to also have the correct tongue weight for towing properly. 

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outlaw... how do walk?

 

 

had to edit my post, I have been thinking about you trailer set up while at work...

 

its like a mullet, all work in the front and a party in the back...lol ok maybe funnier in my head considering I am tired as hell but still

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On ‎3‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 6:07 PM, NodakVFR said:

I picked up this enclosed trailer last fall after getting my Goldwing.  It's a 6 X 12 and has a lot of room for the Wing.  Though I haven't tried it yet, I think I could get the 2 VFR's in and tied down securely. 

 

That should not be a problem, we had a CB500x, a VFR800 and my Guzzi V11 Sport in a 6x12 V-nose and we did not take advantage of the V-nose, so two VFR's should be a cake walk.  The three bikes were tight, uncomfortably so, but two bikes would be easy.

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3 hours ago, 3dcycle said:

outlaw... how do walk?

 

 

had to edit my post, I have been thinking about you trailer set up while at work...

 

its like a mullet, all work in the front and a party in the back...lol ok maybe funnier in my head considering I am tired as hell but still

 

 

This pic has been up here before, The party can be in the front as well! Taped and ready for the track.

 

 

Toronto.jpg

 

 

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I teach riding, so I am always out trying to learn and improve. I spend time on the street, in the dirt and on the track. Never to old to learn. I wanted to ride from New York to Alaska on the Vmax and knew I would not make it with the fuel capacity so decided a trailer was the way to go, took many years to get a hitch and a trailer, never made the trip and decided I wanted to town my dirt bike since I hate driving the truck to go places. Created the trailer and it worked. Had a student in my advanced class who was going to two a trailer (Camper) across Canada so I rode with my trailer to show him technique and teach him. Have towed the dirt bike to Vermont for riding, Canada of course and all over California.

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the trailer is not what makes your balls so big it is cool, but to tow a hawk like that, now that's impressive must be what 3/4 the weight of the vmax. I have always said what I need is a gl1800 with a trailer hitch so I can tow my 919 (now gone) around the country, no need to slab it on a sport bike.

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IMG_1831[1].JPG

 

this is how I transported my viffer home. the was a long trip just shy of 1000 miles round trip just to get it. wheel chock strapped to headboard 50 straps holding the bike in. on shorter trips I will use a trailer, but this was a big one and I knew the speeds would get over what a trailer should ever do so I loaded it up. bike was near buffalo NY and I am on the VT/NH line in the NEK. speeds on i90 topped 90mph for about 2 hours, just keeping up with traffic most of the time. would not have wanted bike on a trailer for that.

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1 hour ago, 3dcycle said:

I knew the speeds would get over what a trailer should ever do so I loaded it up. bike was near buffalo NY and I am on the VT/NH line in the NEK. speeds on i90 topped 90mph for about 2 hours, just keeping up with traffic most of the time. would not have wanted bike on a trailer for that.

I'm in Rochester, NY.  Went to Florida with a trailer to pick mine up.  Didn't quite hit 90mph, but the cruise was set at 80mph through much of West Virginia on the way home.

 

1/2 hour after picking it up...explains the shit eating grin. :biggrin:

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