Motorcyles and trailers - split from America's Quietest Roads

[user 22017]

Closed campgrounds wouldn't be a big deal if you're traveling In a van or other enclosed rig but on a motorcycle it's harder to find a place to just pull off and bed down for the night.

Sorry. Forgot that you were on a motorcycle. I understand now. Have you ever tried those motorcycle trailers that convert to tents on a platform? The bed/sleeping part is on the platform and the tent extends to provide an eating area on the ground. (Room for a camp table and chair)

 

[user 423]

Forgot that you were on a motorcycle. Have you ever tried those motorcycle trailers that convert to tents on a platform?

I did shop for something like that and found a few for sale in Tucson but that's 100 miles away. They're not exactly cheap either.

I've never towed a trailer behind a bike but understand that it's a bit tricky and it will negatively affect panic braking. If I did mostly straight superslab it probably wouldn't be too bad but I always stay on the scenic, curvy back roads.

It would be chancier on my bike since even though it's very powerful, it's not one of the really heavy models like the Honda Goldwings and Harleys.

I did think about getting a small single wheel cargo trailer for all my gear. I had about 65 lbs. of camping equipment and tools because I planned to be gone most of the summer. A new trailer and a custom hitch would have been $3000+. Used ones are rare and cost almost as much.

A couple of bad choices on camping gear helped make the few times I did camp a not so comfy experience. Made worse by old bones and to give me more reason to wuss out and get a motel.

Thing, is if I can get this bike sorted out, or buy something else, I plan to possibly do it again next year.
"While I still can"...he said again.

 

[user 22017]

Have you tried driving a bike with a side car? Would they be more stable for pulling a trailer?

Edit: Or a trike?

Here are some pretty cool motorcycle campers:

https://blog.bikernet.com/these-motorcycle-campers-make-me-want-to-live-on-my-bike/

 

[user 423]

^Those are neat but all are way bigger than I would attempt to pull. I wonder really how much some of those are used since they're really not so practical. A side car or a trike setup would add quite a bit of weight and adding a trailer would put you over the GVWR unless you had a huge bike. You would see a lot of wear and tear and have high costs for tires and other maintenance probably. I like to lean in the curves (that's the whole point of riding a bike!) so a trike or side car doesn't appeal to me. Here's a cheap DIY trailer I saw a few years ago online that is owned by a guy who's about 80. It wouldn't be that comfortable or weatherproof but is kinda neat:

 

[user 22017]

That is very cool.

 

[user 423]

Here's a single-wheel Uni-Go hooked up to the same model bike that I ride. Just to haul gear. I had a huge dry bag that rode behind me on the passenger seat that made it hard to get on and off. It also affected the handling of the bike. A trailer would probably do that too depending on riding conditions. You'd have to be really careful:

 

[deryk_the_gypsy]

If you are up to the idea of pulling a 4x8 harbour freight style trailer stretched to 5x9' I saw a canvas bowtop style truckbed tent for around $450. I have a 2010 transit connect but I also have my solar electric recumbent trike...https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44671&start=15 I am thinking of building the box and put the trike inside and then set it up and camp! Pretty light weight.

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/canvas...-ft-bed-estimated-restock-date-oct-15th-2022/

 

[tx2sturgis]

I pulled several styles of 2 wheel motorcycle trailers and that convinced me to build my own DIY single wheel trailer.

THAT is the way to go (single wheel trailer) unless you really need to carry a lot of stuff.

 

[user 423]

If you are up to the idea of pulling a 4x8 harbour freight style trailer stretched to 5x9' I saw a canvas bowtop style truckbed tent for around $450.
https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/canvas...-ft-bed-estimated-restock-date-oct-15th-2022/

That's a neat DIY camper but way too big for a MC to pull. Unless you had one of those V8-powered trikes. I was considering building something like that to pull behind the '68 VW bug I bought as a project but it turned out the engine wasn't rebuildable. Here's a couple below that might work OK for a larger bike. Would have worked well with a VW,too:

 

[deryk_the_gypsy]

I am sure my little transit connect would much rather pull something like the VW is towing... Wish they had more trailers like that, I have other friends that camp on the weekends and are getting too old to set up a tent but too poor to buy a rig and trailer...a simple setup is nice. I am land bound now, but hoping in the next year or so that will change...

 

[Malamute]

I havent seen any small, light ready to go fold-out campers on small motorcycle trailers, but they may exist.

Weight of bikes and sidecar vary quite a lot. Gold wings are more in the land yacht class then my H-D is (1984 FXSB, 612 lbs curb weight), they are even more than the full dresser H-Ds (800-ish or so lbs depending on how much junk is bolted on them). My sidecar weights a little under 200 lbs I believe, 2 geezerly people could load it in a van relatively easily. I put a hitch on it, both for a winch attachment point and to be able to pull a small trailer if i get doing more adventuring on it.

I dont believe a trailer affects GVWR other than tongue weight. Braking would be affected, but its likely you could find out online if its an issue with your model bike. I suggest a visit to the advrider forum for all sorts of motorcycle travel and camping info, as well as sidecars. Its a wealth of information on all aspects of riding and 2 and 3 wheel adventuring

I saw a decent small 2 wheel motorcycle trailer on facebook for around $600. I didnt jump because I have many other priorities at the moment.

No offence meant, but it sounds like youre talking yourself out of some things without having good information to work with. I got the sidecar both because of an injured back and hip and to be able to take my dog. I found what many others did, its definitely different, but very much fun in its own right. I also wish id tried one years ago. Going fast around corners isnt the reason I ride, now or the main reason in the past. It was fun at times, but when I stopped going fast I stopped getting speeding tickets. Ive mostly ridden because I love to ride and love the machines (older H-Ds), going fast on corners isnt a primary feature, though was fun when younger. Oak Creek Canyon in particular was fun, as Im sure it will be with the sidecar when i get back there again. Think more like SUV instead of sports car.

Sidecars can have brakes, which increase overall braking ability when needed. Not sure of small trailers can be fitted with brakes, but its likely possible if one ran one heavy.

This guy is one of my adventure heroes. He had a BMW with ural sidercar fitted to it and rode all over the western states with his dog for about 10 years in the summers.






Quiet roads. One of my favorites over time has been US 89A between Marble Canyon Az and Jacob Lake Az. The road between Jacob Lake and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is also pretty nice. In the off season it can be like post apocalypse driving. Nobody out at certain times of the year.

 

[user 423]

^Thanks for the input. I didn't mean to dis sidecar use and if I had a dog or a partner to haul along and if I could afford it, that would be a good choice. I prefer 2-wheels now not so much to go fast but because curvy roads bring that old sh1t eatin' grin back. This bike I bought last year ('98 BMW K1200RS) is the first road bike I've owned in 30 years that I've been able to take on a long trip. It's been mostly small dual-sports and trail riding for all that time. If traffic is light, I usually motor at a pretty sedate rate. The thing has way more power that I would ever use (156mph top end/11.6 quarter).

I haven't been on ADVrider much lately but have spent time there for tips on the TAT, CDR and Shadow of the Rockies ride. I've been wanting to do a long offroad trip like that for years but I'm limited in a couple of ways. I even bought the maps and GPS info for the SOTR a few years ago but wasn't able to do it. Thin finances, old bod not too cozy with camping (chronic back pain), other health concerns popping up and all.

I love those old HD's too and had a '57 pan when I was a kid. Spent more time working on it than riding it..LOL. Even worked for HD for a short time 25 years ago.

 

[Malamute]

Im wanting to try some of the state BDR rides, at least parts of them (Backroad Discovery Route, dirt roads across the state). Az, NM, and Wy sound interesting. Some sections can be a little sporty, some arent too bad for a bigger bike. Ive been watching some ride reports on ADV Rider and facebook. I need to look up the others you mentioned. They are familiar but I dont know much about them.

Im not likely to do any long sections at one shot, but just getting out in the hills on dirt roads is a lot of fun. I did it quite a bit on my 1947 Knuckle I built. I started from the ground up pretty much and rebuilt all the motor and trans, fresh (used) parts elsewhere with new seals and bearings etc as required. It was pretty trouble free for a few years of cross country riding and all over Arizona. It was hugely fun at the time.

I need the electric start now, but like the older stuff a lot. Im planning an early panhead project bike (48 to 52-ish), but the general riding bike will probably stay the 84. Having a lot of time on my hands, I realized that the 83s and 84s had the VIN number on the left case, so Im planning to swap the right case to a Pan case. I love the looks, but still retain the electric start on the left case. STD made conversion pan heads that drop on Shovel cylinders. If I dont turn up a set of those, theres other options. It would be basically Panhead right half, electric start shovel left half. Not as cool as a complete pan motor, but way less expensive and have the better electric charging and starter, not to mention I already own it. I have a 1950 R case to use, and access to the line lapping tools to set up the lower end correctly.

Im going to wimp out and do short trips on the bike, day rides and overnights, using a cargo trailer camper to haul the bike and stay in for winters in Az. Long ago I spent years living outside and sleeping on the ground most of the time, Im ready for more comfortable camping now. I think I can carry enough sleeping pads on the sidecar rig for overnighters now and then, and stay in the camper the rest of the time.

 

[user 423]

Nice ride. First year EVO. I remember on a thread you discussing logistics on how to load it into a cargo trailer. I hope you end up with a decent setup. I'm not sure if I will be wintering in NM or at QZ yet but I'm hoping by then I'll have a dual-sport to haul with me for outings and groceries. I live quite a ways from any urban center, so it's hard to find much. Prices are crazy,too.

Sounds like you're in gearhead heaven with all those projects in the works.

Just think how much a '47 knuck or '57 pan would be worth now.

PS: I mentioned that pulling a trailer might put you over GVWR but meant GCVWR.

 

[Malamute]

Nice ride. First year EVO. I remember on a thread you discussing logistics on how to load it into a cargo trailer. I hope you end up with a decent setup. I'm not sure if I will be wintering in NM or at QZ yet but I'm hoping by then I'll have a dual-sport to haul with me for outings and groceries. I live quite a ways from any urban center, so it's hard to find much. Prices are crazy,too.

Sounds like you're in gearhead heaven with all those projects in the works.

Just think how much a '47 knuck or '57 pan would be worth now.

PS: I mentioned that pulling a trailer might put you over GVWR but meant GCVWR.

Its actually last year Shovel, but I think some Evos were starting to be sold, with a handful of leftover Shovels sold in the 85 model year, they may have been a police order.

I bought my knuckle in about 1980 for $1200 as a basket case chopper with a worn out motor. I bought used parts to build a swingarm frame road bike out of it, had the lower end rebuilt, had the cylinders and heads done, I assembled it all, later built it up as an 80" motor and a bunch of other odds and ends, rode the heck out of it for a number of years, then sold it for $2500 in the late 80s. Last I saw earlier this year a complete knuckle motor and title, not necessarily a running motor, would bring $20k or so. Pans arent as bad, you can buy a motor and title for $6k-ish, modified running bikes in the low teens, stock original types run higher, but thats all still out of my budget.

But yes, i enjoy messing with them, even building motors. Building a bike from a basket case or even from the ground up is good fun. The 84 has had quite a few changes since I got it, and of course was nowhere near stock when I got it. I had to fix all the style faux pas the previous owners committed. Its still a slow work in progress.

OK, that makes sense on the GCVWR. I havent seen figures on bikes but they are probably around somewhere.

 

[Morgana]

This ^^ sounds like so much fun.

 

[user 423]

Edit: Oops. I waited too long to post.

Reply to Malamute:

^LOL..after I posted that I realized they don't list GCVWR for bikes! I just know that you'd have to be careful adding weight. The K12 has triple discs but weighs 625. With me and loaded bags on it, we're looking at nearly 1000 lbs. It's top heavy too compared to a GW or HD and that might add some quirkiness if pulling a trailer. Now that I think of it, on my recent trip there were several times that having a sidecar would have been a good thing. Coming off the sidestand when there's gravel (made worse by my wonky knees) or when it's raining. Plus they make you a little more visible to the cages.

This bike needs a seal replaced in the final drive housing but that won't be too bad. Some of their models have belts and I wish this one did. The worst problem is the timing chain making noise and I don't know if I want to mess with it since I don't have a good place to work on it. It's used just as a grocery getter right now and I may just keep it till it croaks then part it out. I found that this model is not all that comfortable and I bought it without doing much research on it since I got it fairly cheap. I had to add bar risers and also lower the pegs to make it halfway fit me. It's not a bike to fall in love with like a mellow old HD, that's for sure.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Dang, I miss my sidecar rig. The most fun you can have on 3 wheels! Especially when you have a passenger and then you fly the chair around right hand turns...what a HOOT!

I have a friend who has one for sale but I really can't afford it right now.

Or maybe...no...well...ok if....NOPE....ok how about....STOP IT!.....double dang....

 

[Malamute]

Dang, I miss my sidecar rig. The most fun you can have on 3 wheels! Especially when you have a passenger and then you fly the chair around right hand turns...what a HOOT!

I have a friend who has one for sale but I really can't afford it right now.

Or maybe...no...well...ok if....NOPE....ok how about....STOP IT!.....double dang....

Here, let me help enable you

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/...market-no-inmate-ads-allowed.492526/page-1182
Theres sidecar rigs from all over the country posted there, every imaginable make and type.

 

[hugemoth]

Here, let me help enable you

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/...market-no-inmate-ads-allowed.492526/page-1182
Theres sidecar rigs from all over the country posted there, every imaginable make and type.

Here's my sidecar rig from the late 80s.