Trailering

[Xkvator]

I've never pulled one, but have talked to a few that have...a couple of them bring theirs to a dealers open house to show the art work one of the vendors have done on them...
both rack up a lot of miles with them, and one thing i've heard them say, is to have a swivel type coupler...
they say the wind(or other circumstances) can turn a trailer over without pulling the bike with it...

[Bofinn]

Here is the one I saw last year. The guy picked up the trailer to shoulder level, and then dropped it. It barely bounced once - super nice suspension. I want one really bad but the fully loaded Grand Touring (GT) package is $4,495. And I'd add another 500 in accesories probably...

http://www.bushtec.com/

http://www.bushtec.com/roadstar-07.html

[rangerider]

Originally Posted by Berserker

A trailer manufacotr was argueing that pulling a trailer was safer, cause you are not overloading the bike. But I still got to think in an emergency sittation, you are at a disadvantage with a trailer.

I've never pulled one, so don't know. Been curious.

What you really need to do is condion the misses to take less crap. You give her a trailer, your still gonna have issues where to put evrything.

You grow to the size of your tank.

I really hate to admit this, but I'm almost more of the offender with extras. I've spent years and years out on the road in a number of different capacities and tend to try and foresee too many problems. Absolutely agree with an emergency situation - I tend to adjust my driving habits to what I'm on; spent a lot of time pulling high-flash fuels and such, keens up your senses.

Originally Posted by route66paul

Have you checked out the single wheel models? They are supposed to be safer.

That tent is no good if you are pulling a trailer, there is no room for it.

Yes, I have. And I can't really tell you why I don't care for them as much. I just have the hunch that in windy situations, esp. crosswind they're a bitch. Don't ask me why, just a hunch.

Originally Posted by thrasher

Personally I would just use a quality backpacker's tent (the smaller the better), and a cover for the motorcycle. Plenty of choices on the tent. This has worked pretty well for me.

If you're pulling a trailer, there is really no need to cover it.

Good point. And I know that good backpacking tents are much better made/waterproof and stand up to high winds much better. And I do have a pretty fair all-weather cover for the EG.

Originally Posted by Bofinn

Here is the one I saw last year. The guy picked up the trailer to shoulder level, and then dropped it. It barely bounced once - super nice suspension. I want one really bad but the fully loaded Grand Touring (GT) package is $4,495. And I'd add another 500 in accesories probably...

http://www.bushtec.com/

http://www.bushtec.com/roadstar-07.html

I had looked at the Bushtec and several others. After talking to a couple guys out on the road, I arrived at this short list for a trailer:

1. Must have common size tires, common - type hitch and bulletproof wheels, torsion bar or similar suspension.

2. Has to be fairly simple in construction so if it takes a parking lot or gas pump ding it's not a disaster.

3. LED lighting. Rack on top for extras if I need it. Spot for a cooler. Lined interior so stuff doesn't get aluminum blackened.

4. A low profile so it handles crosswinds and washes exhaust fumes away at slower speeds.

While I consider myself no expert on this or any other issue I will be glad to share a few opinions. Bare in mind this is not the “gospel according to” but rather my observations and thoughts. Mike (mbkodiak) is also a “puller of trailer” and I look forward to his thoughts along with Luke as he just finished building his trailer last year. There may be others on the forum but I am not aware of it.

The “golden rule” I always start with when discussing trailers with others considering it is:

You are either pulling the trailer or the trailer is pushing you and never forget it>

The most vivid reminder of this rule occurs when you are in a downhill sweeper and decide you need to scrub a little speed. Since the trailer does not have breaks and the trailer and bike are not in line you will feel a sideward push on the rear of the bike which can be somewhat discomforting depending on the weight of the trailer and its’ load and the amount of braking used (note wet or slick surfaces will quickly compound this trait and impart a pucker in the rear of your pants as you feel the rear tire pushed out from under you). We all know we should always brake before entering a curve and then accelerate out of the curve keeping the power to the rear wheel. This riding principle is paramount while towing.

I have heard many say that their trailer pulls so well they forget it is back there. While many trailers pull superbly never and I mean never forget it is back there. A trailer by nature; increases your braking distance and allowances must always be made for that by a slight increase in following distances, increased passing distances, and attention to road surfaces and the potential for their impact on your rig. Additionally a trailer tire off the edge of the road surface, a clipped curb, or a cupped “tire rut” can all have a negative impact on your safety while towing.

I have towed a trailer since 1984 and must say there is a time and place as with anything else. Do I pull the trailer every trip --- no—is it an asset ---yes. PJ and I especially like to tow the trailer when we are going to spend several days in the same location. We tow, then unhook and ride while there. We do not always take the trailer such as when we made our trip to Alaska. We chose not to tow simply because we had no idea of the construction we would encounter and believe me three tracks in construction zones is not as easy to handle as one.

On the plus side we love not having to roll clothes, chose which one jacket to take, buy all the little travel size toilet items, wash clothes every five days, having the cooler for refreshments, being able to take the “portable bar”, carry extra shoes and sandals and having room for any extras we want to take along and or bring home. Packing with the trailer entails me backing the trailer up to the door out of the house into the garage, opening the lid and letting her put whatever she wants in it>

Just my thoughts:

Try to keep the weight of the trailer to a GVW of about 350lbs.(150 for the trailer and 200 for payload)

Pay close attention to width in relation to your bike but don't forget to insure sufficient cubic feet of storage space for your needs. (I prefer 18 to 20 cubic feet minimum.)

Wire your lights using a powered converter to draw juice directly from the battery for the trailer lights rather than putting the load on your bike's wiring.

Splurge and buy a wiring plug-in splitter rather than tapping your wiring harness. I can't stand the idea of people cutting into the bike's wiring harness.

Include a ground wire in the wiring rather than using the trailer ball and hitch as your ground. If you use the ball and hitch as ground you will sometimes get blinking of the lights on the trailer when the ground is broken due to a bump.

Expect to replace bulbs due to vibration depending on the trailer suspension system so carry spares.

Expect to drop two to three MPG in normal conditions and as much as five in adverse conditions while riding hard.

Tongue weight should be 10% of loaded trailer weight but not less than 25 to 30lbs.

If your trailer wags you may need to lengthen the tongue to correct the problem if your weight is distributed correctly in the trailer.

The quality of your hitch is important. I have seen some home fabricated hitches that were top notch and some manufactured hitches that were garbage. It is more about rigidity and strength than looks although you can have both ---for a price>

My preference ,in order, in trailer suspensions are: Air, torsion bar, leaf springs. While they will all get the job done and I have pulled more miles with leaf sprung trailers this is still my preference.

I pulled the little blue trailer with 8” wheels for over twenty years with no regrets but will admit the larger the wheel diameter the better the trailer will tow. (The trade off for both suspensions and wheels is price as the trailers with the more advanced suspensions and larger wheels tend to be much more expensive)

I have never had anything other than a fiberglass box so I cannot speak to others.

If you have never towed try it with a less expensive trailer to minimize your investment should you decide it is not for you. There are good bargains on used trailers if you will search and are not to particular regarding color. I pulled the blue trailer behind a black, red, brown, and blue bike over the years and the color in no way impacted the way it pulled. My current trailer is a black Bushtec and pulled behind a blue bike.

There are probably more “home built” trailers made with HF trailer frames and car top carriers on the road than manufactured trailers.

I have bought both my trailers used concerning myself more with how they pulled than how they looked. The blue trailer was bought used and I pulled it for 23 years and got about half my money back so the cost per year was very little.

Maintenance over that period included three sets of tires and one set of bearings along with rewiring the lights once.

The little blue trailer had none of my preferred features but served me well and always followed me home safely. I have no idea of how many miles I pulled it but it was a bunch and I’m betting it gives TJWilly many miles of service in the future>

With that said get Luke to post a picture of his because it is one nice looking rig.

I'll end this novel now but will try to address any specific questions you might have.

Maybe Mike and Luke will chime in as well>

Originally Posted by pairofnines

While I consider myself no expert on this or any other issue I will be glad to share a few opinions. Bare in mind this is not the “gospel according to” but rather my observations and thoughts. Mike (mbkodiak) is also a “puller of trailer” and I look forward to his thoughts along with Luke as he just finished building his trailer last year. There may be others on the forum but I am not aware of it.

The “golden rule” I always start with when discussing trailers with others considering it is:

You are either pulling the trailer or the trailer is pushing you and never forget it>

The most vivid reminder of this rule occurs when you are in a downhill sweeper and decide you need to scrub a little speed. Since the trailer does not have breaks and the trailer and bike are not in line you will feel a sideward push on the rear of the bike which can be somewhat discomforting depending on the weight of the trailer and its’ load and the amount of braking used (note wet or slick surfaces will quickly compound this trait and impart a pucker in the rear of your pants as you feel the rear tire pushed out from under you). We all know we should always brake before entering a curve and then accelerate out of the curve keeping the power to the rear wheel. This riding principle is paramount while towing.

I have heard many say that their trailer pulls so well they forget it is back there. While many trailers pull superbly never and I mean never forget it is back there. A trailer by nature; increases your braking distance and allowances must always be made for that by a slight increase in following distances, increased passing distances, and attention to road surfaces and the potential for their impact on your rig. Additionally a trailer tire off the edge of the road surface, a clipped curb, or a cupped “tire rut” can all have a negative impact on your safety while towing.

I have towed a trailer since 1984 and must say there is a time and place as with anything else. Do I pull the trailer every trip --- no—is it an asset ---yes. PJ and I especially like to tow the trailer when we are going to spend several days in the same location. We tow, then unhook and ride while there. We do not always take the trailer such as when we made our trip to Alaska. We chose not to tow simply because we had no idea of the construction we would encounter and believe me three tracks in construction zones is not as easy to handle as one.

On the plus side we love not having to roll clothes, chose which one jacket to take, buy all the little travel size toilet items, wash clothes every five days, having the cooler for refreshments, being able to take the “portable bar”, carry extra shoes and sandals and having room for any extras we want to take along and or bring home. Packing with the trailer entails me backing the trailer up to the door out of the house into the garage, opening the lid and letting her put whatever she wants in it>

Just my thoughts:

Try to keep the weight of the trailer to a GVW of about 350lbs.(150 for the trailer and 200 for payload)

Pay close attention to width in relation to your bike but don't forget to insure sufficient cubic feet of storage space for your needs. (I prefer 18 to 20 cubic feet minimum.)

Wire your lights using a powered converter to draw juice directly from the battery for the trailer lights rather than putting the load on your bike's wiring.

Splurge and buy a wiring plug-in splitter rather than tapping your wiring harness. I can't stand the idea of people cutting into the bike's wiring harness.

Include a ground wire in the wiring rather than using the trailer ball and hitch as your ground. If you use the ball and hitch as ground you will sometimes get blinking of the lights on the trailer when the ground is broken due to a bump.

Expect to replace bulbs due to vibration depending on the trailer suspension system so carry spares.

Expect to drop two to three MPG in normal conditions and as much as five in adverse conditions while riding hard.

Tongue weight should be 10% of loaded trailer weight but not less than 25 to 30lbs.

If your trailer wags you may need to lengthen the tongue to correct the problem if your weight is distributed correctly in the trailer.

The quality of your hitch is important. I have seen some home fabricated hitches that were top notch and some manufactured hitches that were garbage. It is more about rigidity and strength than looks although you can have both ---for a price>

My preference ,in order, in trailer suspensions are: Air, torsion bar, leaf springs. While they will all get the job done and I have pulled more miles with leaf sprung trailers this is still my preference.

I pulled the little blue trailer with 8” wheels for over twenty years with no regrets but will admit the larger the wheel diameter the better the trailer will tow. (The trade off for both suspensions and wheels is price as the trailers with the more advanced suspensions and larger wheels tend to be much more expensive)

I have never had anything other than a fiberglass box so I cannot speak to others.

If you have never towed try it with a less expensive trailer to minimize your investment should you decide it is not for you. There are good bargains on used trailers if you will search and are not to particular regarding color. I pulled the blue trailer behind a black, red, brown, and blue bike over the years and the color in no way impacted the way it pulled. My current trailer is a black Bushtec and pulled behind a blue bike.

There are probably more “home built” trailers made with HF trailer frames and car top carriers on the road than manufactured trailers.

I have bought both my trailers used concerning myself more with how they pulled than how they looked. The blue trailer was bought used and I pulled it for 23 years and got about half my money back so the cost per year was very little.

Maintenance over that period included three sets of tires and one set of bearings along with rewiring the lights once.

The little blue trailer had none of my preferred features but served me well and always followed me home safely. I have no idea of how many miles I pulled it but it was a bunch and I’m betting it gives TJWilly many miles of service in the future>

With that said get Luke to post a picture of his because it is one nice looking rig.

I'll end this novel now but will try to address any specific questions you might have.

Maybe Mike and Luke will chime in as well>

The tall Yoda knows all............just sayin'

[Bofinn]

rep points given - Nines, that was a wonderful write up....

Originally Posted by BigAlsRK

The tall Yoda knows all............just sayin'

Thank you Al>

Originally Posted by Bofinn

rep points given - Nines, that was a wonderful write up....

Thank you Jim>

Most of what little I know I learned by screwing up sometime in the past>

[Backroad Mike]

Originally Posted by Xkvator

I've never pulled one, but have talked to a few that have...a couple of them bring theirs to a dealers open house to show the art work one of the vendors have done on them...
both rack up a lot of miles with them, and one thing i've heard them say, is to have a swivel type coupler...
they say the wind(or other circumstances) can turn a trailer over without pulling the bike with it...

I believe your refering to a: Heim Joint. Standard on all Bushtec trailers.

Originally Posted by pairofnines

While I consider myself no expert on this or any other issue I will be glad to share a few opinions. Bare in mind this is not the “gospel according to” but rather my observations and thoughts. Mike (mbkodiak) is also a “puller of trailer” and I look forward to his thoughts along with Luke as he just finished building his trailer last year. There may be others on the forum but I am not aware of it.

The “golden rule” I always start with when discussing trailers with others considering it is:

You are either pulling the trailer or the trailer is pushing you and never forget it> AMEN brother...

I have heard many say that their trailer pulls so well they forget it is back there. While many trailers pull superbly never and I mean never forget it is back there. A trailer by nature; increases your braking distance and allowances must always be made for that by a slight increase in following distances, increased passing distances (that depends on your current build.. , and attention to road surfaces and the potential for their impact on your rig.

Wire your lights using a powered converter to draw juice directly from the battery for the trailer lights rather than putting the load on your bike's wiring.
These are commonly referred to as "Battery isolaters"
Splurge and buy a wiring plug-in splitter rather than tapping your wiring harness. I can't stand the idea of people cutting into the bike's wiring harness.


If your trailer wags you may need to lengthen the tongue to correct the problem if your weight is distributed correctly in the trailer. I've towed my empty and that is the only time I've ever noticed a wag.

Now that Yoda has posted, there's not much more I can add except my reasons for what I did. I have about 12k towing miles and have not had a single incident. We've been through torential rains, over steep mountains, and riden some roads that were rough enough to hurt my wrists on the bars, but the trailer didn't miss a beat.

I read from your post that you've "made" you choice. I hope it has everything your after. I compared many manufacturers during my "research" phase. The choices are mind numbing. I will add however, that I never considered the single wheel model.. You can't load or unload it unless it's connected to the bike, and that's not always the case. I seriously considered Motorvation and American Legend, in addition to Bushtec. I loved the styling of the American Legend with it's "bagger" styling, but in the end, I didn't like the suspension and wheel size on either the Motorvation or American Legend. Did I buy new ? Couldn't afford to. I got extremely lucky and found a 1994 in excellent shape for an unbelievable price. I didn't get the extra long tongue or the tongue mounted cooler. That will be corrected before summer 2009.

Our Turbo +2 is 27 c.f. We've packed tent, cook stove, lantern, extra clothes, fold out chairs, full face helmet (for when you really have to ride in the rain), Food, ice chest, pillows, air mattress, sleeping bags and yes, Golf Clubs... I didn't like the stock luggage rack, so when we had it re-painted to match the bike, I had the mounting holes filled in and I installed a chrome luggage rack made by who... "Motorvation".. It's shape and styling perfectly matches the old style tour pack luggage rack sold by HD.

Also, I'd have to give a plug for John Preston and his staff at Bushtec. They have always been very helpfull and courteous. If you haven't checked out the Bushtec Forum, read some of the posts yourself. You might find something there for sale that matches your requirements. I found my trailer on the internet through a small cycle dealer in NC. I've seen plenty of others on e-bay and other sites. You just have to know what the going prices are to determine if the deal is good or not.

[rangerider]

Many thanks guys for all the info. I haven't bought yet though am fairly decided on what I want. Like the Bushtec folks, the guy I talked to at TNT was real professional - his knowledge and willingness to adapt his design to my wants really sold me on the product. This was probably the third or fourth time I had talked to him in the last year or two.

I did in fact consider the homebuilt route. My initial idea was to find a frame and suspension somewhere and buy some diamond plate pickup boxes to mount. Past projects in this vein have generally (for me, anyway) resulted in a fair product but the time and money involved added up close to the cost of what I wanted. That and my fabricating abilities leave something to be desired from an aesthetic standpoint.

Good idea of putting the ground integral with the harness - not a fan of ball grounds. And I also had reservations of tapping into the harness; thought I'd do the fused lead straight off the battery.

I have looked a two or three hitches, have to admit I'm in the air between a receiver-type and permanent ball. Which do you use?

Originally Posted by rangerider

I have looked at two or three hitches, have to admit I'm in the air between a receiver-type and permanent ball. Which do you use?

I have had both over the years on different bikes. I have the receiver style from Hitch Doc currently. I have used a chrome hitch on all my bikes in the past so they don't look to bad. I have seen some black powder coated hitches that really look nice as well depending on the bike they are on.

Truth be told I have never taken the receiver off so I don't know that it makes that much difference. I do know some people that take them off when not pulling the trailer but I just don't bother. Even if you remove the hitch you still have the trailer wiring plug to try to hide so just does not seem to be worth the trouble>

My younger brother uses one plug at the trailer and another under his seat and unplugs under the seat and removes the wiring from the back of his softtail. His bike is white with black bags so he uses a black powder coated hitch that blends in very nicely. He only pulls his trailer a couple of times a year so he also unbolts and removes his hitch. I prefer to have the wiring secured with clamps all the way to the hitch. I use C-shaped brackets I made and leave them in place all the time. I'm just too lazy to unbolt and remove the hitch every time especially since we pull the trailer every month or so either for a road trip or a shopping trip.

[FinalBags]

I told you about Ole Nines.
He knows stuff and is one of the most humble men I have ever met......

[Backroad Mike]

Originally Posted by rangerider

I have looked a two or three hitches, have to admit I'm in the air between a receiver-type and permanent ball. Which do you use?

Originally, I had a permanent ball type from Custom Chrome permanent. Works good, but I got tired if it always being there between towing sessions. I have since went to a receiver type. Bpth the Hitch Doc and Bushtec reciever types are very similar, but I found a used Bushtec and couldn't pass up the price. Either would work fine, just make sure you properly tighten everything when installing.

i have pulled a trailer for a few years....built my own for under 300 bucks....if ya have any questions, just ask........i may(or may not....keeping up with the jist of the board) have an answer..........

didnt see this second page.........looks like a mighty fine job of answers!!!

[rangerider]

Originally Posted by chucktx

i have pulled a trailer for a few years....built my own for under 300 bucks....if ya have any questions, just ask........i may(or may not....keeping up with the jist of the board) have an answer..........

Did you build your own frame or buy one?