trailer

[rcmac]

Just bought a 6' x 12' enclosed cargo trailer to haul our bikes. My wife has an 800 and I have a 1500. With the bikes in the trailer they are staggered. What is the best way to tie the bikes down? Do you use the frame or handle bars? Would you tie to the floor or the walls? Suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[KevyzToy]

Get a couple of Baxley Chocks. BAXLEY TRAILER COMPANY motorcyle trailer chock

Front tire goes in the chock. It will hold the bike up. No need for the kick stand stand. Flip the little lever on the chock to lock it. Attach a couple of straps to the rear somewhere. Mount a couple of eye bolts to the floor of the trailer a couple feet or so in front of the rear wheel. Hook the strap to the bolts and tighten. Bike won't go anywhere.

I'm a little anal though. On my trailer, I still strap down the front, but it's really not needed.

The Baxley chocks are great. I use them in my garage.

[rcmac]

those are a bit spendy but they sure look like they would work good. thanks

[Tall Trees]

Another choice is the Condor Pit Boss trailer stop.It can be used in your trailer or in your garage. Condor Motorcyle Products I was given one as a gift & it`s the ol cats *** .

[TejasDevil]

Just bought a 6' x 12' enclosed cargo trailer to haul our bikes. My wife has an 800 and I have a 1500. With the bikes in the trailer they are staggered. What is the best way to tie the bikes down? Do you use the frame or handle bars? Would you tie to the floor or the walls? Suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Where did you get your trailer, what kind is it?

I looked at a couple of the trailers from the Baxter site that was posted on this thread, they look really nice. Thinking of getting one for those longer hauls where you don't want to ride the bike the whole way, plus you don't have to worry about the weather.

Any other good sources for trailers?

[rcmac]

I bought this trailer used from my brother in law. $1500. and looks like new. It's a DTC brand made in South Dakota

[nhshadow]

ok small discalimer - I have horses also, but.....

Before I left on trip to Tn (inlaws) I found a used 2 horse trailer that needed a bit of work. I had looked into renting a 6x12 enclosed, would have run $400-500. Bought a ramp load trailer for a little over 400 - put about 200 into tires, fender, fixing some other sheet metal holes, pretty minor stuff. All told I have less than $700 into this. Loaded my 900 custom and a buddies Versys, and headed South. Made a great trip with me, wife, 3 kids, buddy and his girlfriend in the Tahoe, luggage and bikes in the trailer. As a plus I still have a trailer to move horses around to local events.

I used a wheel chock similar to Condor pit boss, but I too was anal and had both bikes tied on all 4 corners. Never know what kind of road construction you can find

Short story long, look around for a good used, ramp load, horse trailer. Steam clean out the inside - use it and flip it if you want.

[mittens01]

You can get a good inexpensive chock at Ha'rbor Freight Tools. They have a couple of style (I've bought both) one for my trailer and one for the garage. They run about $40 for the trailer mount chock, and $80 for the free standing.

[lh4x4]

I had a 6X12 that I hauled a VTX1800 and a M109R in. I used the Condor trailer chocks but that was before HF came out with theirs which are almost as good but for a third of the price.

Use eye bolts through the floor with large washers on the under side. That is the strongest possible connection. The floors are usually 3/4" and the walls are about 3/16".

Measure the width of both handle bars and the interior width of the trailer. With mine the two handle bars combined left 8" less than the interior of the trailer width.

So I set each chock half of the handle bar width plus 2" from the wall. That left 2" from the wall and 4" between the handle bars. there was no need to stagger them.

Next in a single axle trailer 60% of the weight should be ahead of the axle. It is easy to come up with a rough placement. take the measurement of the lenght of each bike. The curb weight of each bike and guess the center point.

With my bikes i knew where they would balance on a bike jack. Move that center point 60% of the lenght of the bike ahead of the rear axle.

Secure the chock to hold the bike in that location.

The eye bolts (four per bike) should be ahead of the tie down point on the bike. In other words they should both front and rear pull the bike into the chock.

With the trailer loaded 10% of the weight should be on the trailer hitch.

If each bike is 600 pounds and the trailer is 1200 pounds then 240 pounds should be on the tongue. I measured mine with a bathroom scale and the method that I described hit it on the head.

It may seem like a lot of trouble but a trailer with the weight to far to the rear will fish tail like mad at speed. Too far forward and the tow vehicle will will squat and handle poorly.

Do not strap to the handle bars as they can collapse if you hit a serious bump. The best straps are the ratchet type the friction ones tend to slip.

Towing is a serious business. Check the tires before you go and the wheel lug nut torque. Wheel lug nuts have come loose on trailers with regularity.

Check the straps at every fuel stop.

Secure all the other items that you put in with the bikes. The torsion suspension that is on most trailers now really jars the contents of the trailer.
So keep that in mind.

I have towed for 40 years and have seen almost everything. Boats, cars and bikes.

Once I let my oldest son strap in his own bike in my trailer when we were headed to Daytona. He has towed for years also. When we got to the first fuel stop his bike was laying on my brand new bike. I haven't killed him. Yet!

[TejasDevil]

I think I'm just looking for a single bike trailer right now. Tried Craigslist to see if there is anything local for sale, but it's mostly just utility trailers, like the lawn services use. I'm looking more for something like this: Baxley Trailer Company I like the features, but it's a bit pricey. I'll keep looking, maybe someone is selling a used one somewhere.

[drumster40]

If you bought your trailer used (even from a buddy), first thing I would do is have the bearings checked, greased and possibly replaced. Buddy of mine did like you, bought a trailer 2 days before leaving, tied the bikes down and headed to Daytona one year. Somewhere in NY / NJ his left wheel was wobbling and he had a hell of a time finding a place to repair it to head down. It could have been a total disaster! He dodged a bullet! I always carry an extra set of bearings just in case! Just my 2 cents

[rustydog]

I use a Haulmark 6/12 enclosed. Don't tie anything heavy to the walls you will pull them in on a accident. You need to put multiple sets of D rings to the floor with some metal plate under the floor plywood. Chocks are available thru this link
Trailer Motorcycle Chock at Discount-Trailers.Com
I bought a couple of chocks with extra mounting hardware kits so that I can configure 1 or 2 bikes. I use the I channels (from tractor supply) on the sides to secure plastic storage boxes that sit on the floor.

[rustydog]

Some trailer pic's.

[rustydog]

As you can see the trailer is used a bike garage.
I also converted the trailer to electric brakes. I like to be in control of the load and also have the break away feature.

[mittens01]

You should check this out:

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

[Mick327]

Some trailer pic's.

I just bought a 6 x 12 trailer just like that. $3,000 out the door. It is a Transhaul. Nice lookikng trailer. How did you secure the E track to the walls? I have the E track on the floor and would like to install some on the walls also. Did you bolt it clear through? How does it hold up on the long haul?

[rustydog]

My I track is just screwed to the side walls. I just use it to keep floor items from shifting. I would use properly mounted D rings for securing bikes.

[rfb92345]

Trailer?..........................We don't need no stinking trailer!

[rcmac]

Thanks for all the great info and pictures. I've learned so much from this forum on numerous topics.