Trailering?

[Scout63]

In my mind, it's always been about hypocrisy. The first time I went to Daytona was 1982, I left Michigan February 26th on a Norton Commando. Made it to Macon Georgia before it blew a rod out the back of the case. Finished the trip on the back of my buddy's '75 BMW /6. So a decade later when I go to Daytona and see these guys show up on trailers and parade main street on their unwashed bikes and clothes pretending they made that trip got deep under my skin.

I trailer a lot. Mostly it has to do with time and comfort; there's 600 miles of hot, flat, boring road between home and the Spine Raid so I trailer. If I ever attended the Sturgis rally, I'd probably suffer the ride just to show the pictures to the pretenders I met while there. Otherwise, I'd wash my bike and tell them I trailered. There's no shame in it, there's only shame in being ashamed and pretending you didn't do it.

There must have been a tiny bit of shame showing up at Daytona in 82 on the back of a /6. Just kidding.  I’ve never been. There’s the shame.

[twowheeladdict]

So a decade later when I go to Daytona and see these guys show up on trailers and parade main street on their unwashed bikes and clothes pretending they made that trip got deep under my skin.

Did they tell you they rode all the way?  If not, then that was just your perception while they just didn't bother washing their dirty bikes that came on open trailers. 

If they did brag about riding all the way, then yes they were being dishonest which means that there was such a stigma attached to trailering that they didn't want to deal with the haters. 

[pressureangle]

Did they tell you they rode all the way?  If not, then that was just your perception while they just didn't bother washing their dirty bikes that came on open trailers. 

If they did brag about riding all the way, then yes they were being dishonest which means that there was such a stigma attached to trailering that they didn't want to deal with the haters.

You have no idea where my fingers were wrt Daytona then or now. Don't even pretend I suggested it was everyone or even the majority.

[twowheeladdict]

You have no idea where my fingers were wrt Daytona then or now. Don't even pretend I suggested it was everyone or even the majority.

No I have no idea where your fingers were.  My comment was based on what you wrote.   

[larrys]

I toured around new England on my SP from the early 80's to the mid 90's. I learned that I didn't particularly enjoy it. Do only day trips and short hops today. Much more enjoyable for me anyway. More power to the guys and gals that like long hauls on bikes...
Larry

[twowheeladdict]

I toured around new England on my SP from the early 80's to the mid 90's. I learned that I didn't particularly enjoy it. Do only day trips and short hops today. Much more enjoyable for me anyway. More power to the guys and gals that like long hauls on bikes...
Larry

Not sure about how many miles your day trips are, but when you string a lot of them together you have a tour.  No one says you have to do 300 or more miles a day to tour by bike.  Most do a lot of miles a day because of either time constraints or money constraints. 

[Tiki Joe]

I rode trip on my Road Glide but that bike is like riding a Lazy Boy down the interstate.  I've done several 500+ miles in a day and I like it.  People freak out about the Interstate but I think it's one of the safest places to ride.  No one is turning left in front of you, pulling out of a driveway, blowing through a stop sign and usually have a lot of visibility to see wildlife in advance.
Now though....I rode my Sport 1100 last night to a vintage bike night that was 40 miles away and it about beat me to death!  I don't get any direct wind on the Road Glide so it doesn't beat you down.
I'm actually kicking the idea around of getting a trailer to go to some events so I can take both the MG and Ducati along like the Barber Vintage Festival.
2wheeladdict....can you post some pics of your enclosed trailer?  I can't see them from the link without registering.

[kballowe]

Owning a tire changer increases your popularity.
You'll become even more popular when you purchase a trailer.

 


Currently, we own an Aluma TK-1 trailer, and a No-Mar tire changer.

[twowheeladdict]

I rode trip on my Road Glide but that bike is like riding a Lazy Boy down the interstate.  I've done several 500+ miles in a day and I like it.  People freak out about the Interstate but I think it's one of the safest places to ride.  No one is turning left in front of you, pulling out of a driveway, blowing through a stop sign and usually have a lot of visibility to see wildlife in advance.
Now though....I rode my Sport 1100 last night to a vintage bike night that was 40 miles away and it about beat me to death!  I don't get any direct wind on the Road Glide so it doesn't beat you down.
I'm actually kicking the idea around of getting a trailer to go to some events so I can take both the MG and Ducati along like the Barber Vintage Festival.
2wheeladdict....can you post some pics of your enclosed trailer?  I can't see them from the link without registering.

Sure.  You have a Road Glide though, so you should register at roadglide.org.  Next summer's get together is in Appleton, WI.  Great group of guys. 

[twowheeladdict]

Some photos of my enclosed trailer in use.

When I first got it and set it up with the Biker Bar for the Harley.  Plenty of room to walk around the bike. 




I also had a Harbor Freight Wheel Chock in the nose that I used to haul one bike at a time places.  When March of 2020 had me working from home I decided to make the move on the Toy Haulers I had been looking at for a while, but they were all shut down.  So I did the next best thing and decided to build my own.





After continuous trips to the public scale to weigh the trailer and calculate percent tongue weight I realized I could carry two of my smaller bikes at the same time.







or leave the bed deployed if I was changing campgrounds during a trip with one bike loaded which saved time setting up and tearing down camp.





With the bikes removed I had plenty of room for camping and sleeping for one.  If sleeping for two is needed I would opt for bunk beds over taking up all the floor space.

[twowheeladdict]

I put stabilizers front and back, and added 30 amp service with two circuits.  Everything I could lighten, I did which is why curtains instead of doors on cabinets, and all the holes I cut in the bed surface.









 

Here are some photos of my progression of use with the trailer.  I started by sleeping in the back of the truck so the bike could be inside at night.