Motorcycle Transport Trailers

Putting miles on a motorcycle is supposed to be a pleasurable experience.  It is just you and the open road.  A rider should  be able to take a motorcycle on extended trips just like a car.  But, without the necessary storage space, motorcycle are usually only used for day trips.  This is a shame because there is so much that can be explored on a motorcycle.

Living off of a motorcycle without the proper means to store clothes and camping equipment is not a great situation.  It is perfectly solved by purchasing a trailer to pull behind motorcycles.  These trailers drastically increase the range a motorcycle can travel and the time out.  They are also very convenient as they allow for storage of camping gear, clothes, an necessities like food and water.

What are the key points that any one should look for when purchasing a pull behind motorcycle trailer?

1. Trailer Weight - I listed this in the number one spot because trailer weight can make a motorcycle a dangerous machine.  Weight can seriously damper the response time of a motorcycle.  It can also cause the motorcycle to shift in a lane while riding.  Weight can also hold back or slow down a less powerful motorcycle.  So, it is important to buy a trailer that is rated for the type of motorcycle that you own.
2. Trailer configuration - Trailer configurations can hamper the gas millage of a motorcycle.  Boxy and large trailers cause wind drag that hold the motorcycle back.  This drag makes the motorcycle engine work harder to pull the trailer.  As the engine has to work harder it burns more gas then usual.  So, it is important to purchase a trailer that is aerodynamically configured to allow the wind to more smoothly around the trailer, reducing wind drag.
3. The trailer should not be much wider than a dressed out touring bike with saddle bags.    Remember you want a bike that is able to maneuver in and out of traffic.  A larger trailer hampers a motorcycle form accomplishing this task.
4. The height of the trailer should be less than the bottom of your tour trunk and the front should not be totally flat. Why? Because the low pressure area behind your windscreen can draw the exhaust up and forward to contaminate the rider's space if the trailer doesn't produce an adequate channel for the exhaust to flow under. It can be like having the rear window of a station wagon or van open with an exhaust leak. YOU COULD GET SLEEPY FROM CARBON MONOXIDE OR GET A SERIOUS HEADACHE. They call this the "ENVELOPING EXHAUST GAS BUBBLE".
5. Trailer design - The trailer should have a design that allows for efficient storage.  As I stated in bullet point number one, weight is the enemy with trailers.  As items shift in the trailer compartment it could also shift the trailer.  As a rider you know that you turn by shifting your weight from one side to another.  Well, the trailer is the same principal.  If weight shift to the left, the trailer will tend to be weight more to the left making the trailer shift to the left fighting the motorcycle.  Another downside to a poorly designed trailer compartment is if items from the trailer are in the storage compartment they make less room for luggage.  Odd shaped trailers make a poor companion.
6. Buy trailers that give easy access to the tires and bearings.  The bearing on the tires also need to be one that are easy to obtain at any hardware store.  In case you have a flat in a small town it should not be a problem to get the parts.

You will find having a well designed pull behind motorcycle trailer to be a treat.  It will also improve your motorcycle touring experience.

Tags: configuration, design, motorcycles, pull behind, shopping, tires, Trailers, weight