My home-made motorcycle trailer.
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- Опубліковано 12 гру 2024
- I bought a small garden utility trailer from Lowe's home improvement store, and I converted it into a motorcycle hauling trailer. Here is a demo on how it works with my KTM 390 Adventure motorcycle.
Yes - trailering a bike to a handy base camp and setting up in relative comfort for a few days and exploring out from there on the bike is a VERY NICE WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The minimalist living off the back of the bike is alright for a night but the need for fresh food and especially water takes one back to town quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And of course one can try more exciting trails if the bike is not burdened with a pile of gear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And to quote the poet Robert Service- "two roads diverged in a yellow wood (he was out in autumn leaves)...................an I took the road less travelled"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The less travelled road is often the best one!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was given an old boat trailer for scrap - and rebuilt it to haul my bike - got a new axle and new lights and a wheel chock to hold the bike, put on a wood deck and got a ramp ..................but I did find that because the back wheel of the bike was sitting over the trailer axle - any bump I hit - and I went down some rougher roads - would cause the ratchet straps at the rear wheel to loosen up to the point they got dragged on the ground and got damaged....................oddly though the front straps hooked into the handle bars and the loops for the wheel chock held nicely............
Having the rear wheel come loose that way meant that although the front wheel was held firmly - the rear end of the bike could slide around in a fishtail sort of way which made me NERVOUS - wondering if the rear wheel would slide off the trailer etc...............
The solution was to crank down the two straps at the front wheel chock as normal - and to crank down the two straps at the rear wheel and then to TIE the rear down with suitable ropes - with that compressed suspension roped and held in place to minimize the bike bouncing - and then to remove the two rear straps entirely and to rely only on the ropes......................
so far the bike with two front straps and ropes on the rear have travelled several hundred miles with NO shifting of the rear of the bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was fun, thanks! Truckers use this thing with the end of their tie-downs, hard to explain in writing. They roll the end up in a tight loop, like six-inches, and they end it close to the ratchet with just a little slack left, then pass the loop under and back up around the ratchet, tuck it under the piece of itself you left, and then roll the loop, it will wind up the slack tight towards the ratchet. Get it right n tight, it holds every time.
I first saw this technique on Matt's Off Road Recovery. After that I saw it done on many other towing channels. It sure beats all of the other ways I tried to secure the ends of the straps.
I have followed your channel since like you, I am no longer as young as I like to imagine that I am. I have been downsizing going back to my original love for lightweight motorcycles to explore the backcountry.
I do like your trailer.
I noticed it is a Carry-On brand, not simply a "Lowes" trailer. I purchased my 2009 5' x 10' wooden floor utility trailer from Tractor Supply. I chose the wooden floor since I needed to carry items packed in cardboard boxes. Over the years, the wooden floor has always been an advantage for my utility applications - only a few involving gardening.
But after so many decades of technical writing, certain things insist that I comment.
It is NOT a garden trailer by any means. A garden trailer is a small un-registrable for road use trailer that gets pulled behind a garden tractor. Both very viable for their intended uses.
I do like your design. Very functional, especially with the front wheel chock.
Looks great and not too expensive.
Hey Bruce! It was great talking to you at the GLR! Good to see you have come up with a viable way to transport the bike. I really like the low-profile trailer. I have a much taller three bike trailer that is very sketchy trying to load and unload my R1250GS. I am a Senior Rider myself. I use extra Harbor Freight ramps and still feel like I'm going to die in the process. I really need something much lower in profile like what you have set up. As far as the ratchet strap loose ends, there are several different ways to roll them up and be completely safe to secure them during transport. Just go to the University of UA-cam and you will find several helpful videos.
I built a very similar trailer. I used a harbor freight chock, and luckily it is adjustable, and will allow me to let go once it is locked in, without needing the kickstand. (Maybe I have wider tires than you do) I put down a bed liner mat from Farm and Fleet over the mesh, which feels a lot better when walking up the bike. I also added a kryptonite bike tie down, and I welded it to the frame. Lets me lock the bike up pretty securely, if I need to leave it unattended for a night. I know people can steal anything, but it helps as a deterrence. Thanks for the video. It was great to see how someone else did it.
I’ve built a similar setup recently to haul my KLR from Mississippi to Minnesota and then on to Idaho. I also added a truck toolbox across the front to put my riding gear in.
I didn’t like the ramp on long trips. It pull a lot of air and cuts my mileage. I left it home and used a 2x8 plank to load.
You have a nice setup there.
You can’t have enough tie down straps on a long haul (imo).
As a suggestion, I always add rubber bungees to my ratchet straps to keep the hooks engaged while running through a bump.
What a great solution! Thanks for sharing this. I have a hitch carrier which is getting to be a little much. I think as I’m getting older and this will be a lot easier to load and unload. I have the ProTaper straps and they are really a lot more robust and they have a Velcro strip attached to them so that I can cinch down the extra strapping material to the strap
Hey Bruce, awesome trailer! One suggestion you may consider is instead of all tie downs, I prefer to use turn buckles, mounted from underside of the trailer up to the foot pegs with carbineer hooks and tighten turn buckles and the bikes going nowhere ..... just a thought to consider all the best happy trails
Thanks for the suggestions.
Hi Bruce.
From a bad experience I now use bungee cords on the tie down straps that will pull up the slack and keep the hooks "connected" when I hit bumps along the way. And for the excess straps I use small spring clamps to hold them. This has worked really good for me for a couple of decades now. And I keep everything in a bucket with a screw- on-lid when not in use.
Really good job on your videos!
Good ideas.
Nice set up. I would go ahead and bolt down the kickstand board.
Not a bad idea
I used the same sized trailer for hauling dirt bikes around, they do tend to rust out, and the mesh flooring gets rippled. The bearings need to be maintained as well, I probably put 25-30 thousand miles on mine and then sold it for about the same price as I had paid for it to a landscaper after I got a pickup. Although I usually will ride my bike instead of hauling in the truck, it is nice to be able to take along extra comfort items that you can't fit on a bike, especially a cooler.
Nice job Bruce, you’re all set to travel far and wide now. Personally I would have added eye bolts to the same part of the frame as your front ones, for your rear and middle tiedowns, rather than rely on the upper rails of the trailer, but that’s just me. Also agree with the carabiner recommendation to replace the hooks. When’s it getting used in anger for the first time, can’t wait. Ride safe👍🏼.
Thanks for the tips!
Zip ties work good
Trailer and ride. Enjoy! 🤩
I believe I would mount the side stand board down on the deck. It will bounce out on the road someday. So it will be available without having to reach with your leg to get it. Could have the bike fall on you if a slip occurred. Looks good. Like the front chock. Get a couple pair of Ancra tie downs and some Ancra soft hooks, Much better than any others I have tried. I tie my loose ends to teh hooks or straps, or both. Don't like things flapping around in the mirrors. Good vid.
I think I would have found a trailer with atleast 13" tires. Maybe even 14". Not only are tires larger, but often the axle is 3500 capacity, and the hubs and bearings are more durable. Just going from 12 to 13 gives you about 30% less revelutions per mile. The rim is only an inch larger, but the tire sidewalls are considerably taller, and the tread with is wider. My Lowes trailer with 12s had both bearing fail even with regular maintenance. Also, that mesh on the floor may fail just walking on it. Mine did. As for tie downs, I always use atleast 6 also. One strap failing can mean disaster with 2, and damage if you have 4.
Sweet ! Nicely thought out rig Bruce , a suggestion I'd like to make , don't compress the forks farther than necessary because you can damage the seals , ask me how I know hahahah...
I damaged my seals when I first towed it in a different trailer last year. Cost me $200. Lessons learned.
If you use a Condor wheel chock it will hold your bike upright while you strap it down. Cody’s more like $160, but well worth it
My 2 cents, from traveling across the country with my motorcycle in my trailer is to use carabiners instead of the hooks (you'll lose straps otherwise). I also used steel chains as a backup for the front straps and luckily I did since one strap tore and my bike would have fell...
Same experience here. Either you have to strap it down to the point it's fully compressing the suspension and possibly damaging the bike or the bouncing will loosen the straps and it's just as bad. Decent carbineers will ensure the bike won't fall as long as strap is intact. Check straps every time.
Good advice. I'll get some carabiners.
Good advice. I'd hate to lose the bike.
Nice 👍
Pretty nice, tidy DIY solution, Bruce. Looks great. Give us a follow up after you take it out on a long trip.
For your strap tie downs, there are some nice, stretchy velcro type straps all over Amazon these days that I have been able to use for various applications - I'd be concerned about rubber bands failing in the elements. My 2 cents ;)
i have had a total knee replacement 8 week ago, did it hurt boy it did, i also have a yam 400cc dragstar ready to go but me not ready yet good luck and best wishes,, from the uk
Nice affordable solution to your traveling to rally needs. You've received plenty of opinions from fellow riders already. I wonder if the front wheel chock can accommodate a 21 inch front tire or if the company makes one for such a size? I have a 3 rail trailer for dirt bikes but it's a bit tall for anything bigger and becomes a two-person operation for safety.
Yes, this one will hold 21 inch tire.
You may need larger rear wheel block and a strap. I have had my bounce out
Bruce, I went to Lowes website to find that utility trailer for $998, but was unable to find it. Do you have the SKU # for that product? Thanks, Tom
www.lowes.com/pd/Carry-On-Trailer-5-ft-x-8-ft-Wire-Mesh-Utility-Trailer-with-Ramp-Gate/3005264?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-hdw-_-ggl-_-CRP_SHP_LIA_HDW_Online_A-B-_-3005264-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxY-3BhAuEiwAu7Y6s_-MpqgkEhqG0NpJn-BV4AfqV8AzFBQ2QdL-va2vzgAaIQzdroWc7xoCK4oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Good job Bruce looks like that set up will work for you. Just wondering how heavy of a motorcycle can you put on that trailer? What is the weight capacity on that trailer?
Weight capacity is 1625 pounds.
Honest question… I’m not trying to be rude.
This is from someone who has only use a trailer to get a newly purchased motorcycle home. I’ll preface this with… we’re both retired, so time isn’t really an issue. Why is it easier to purchase and store a trailer somewhere at your home? Then, when you want to go on a motorcycle trip, you attach the trailer to your car, load the motorcycle on the trailer, load all of your other gear into your car, drive somewhere, unload your motorcycle, unload all of your other gear, pack the motorcycle, find somewhere to temporarily store your car and trailer, and then go on your trip. Just asking because I really don’t understand this. I’d much rather ride my motorcycle 500 miles than I would drive my car 500 miles. 🤷♂️
If I may offer an opinion… riding a big adventure bike long ways can be pretty tiresome compared with a nice road bike. It’s nice to be fresh when you actually start your challenging adventure ride.
@@robertgullickson8758 That does make sense, but I kind of thought that the whole point of a large adventure bike was for the long distances part of some adventure trips. I saw a lot of Honda Africa Twins, and large BMW’s, on my trip to Alaska last summer. I ride an older (2007) 600cc Honda Shadow. Not sure if that qualifies as a nice road bike, but I understand your point. My first bike was a 250cc Yamaha V-Star, and the seat on that bike was decidedly less comfortable. I crossed the country (USA) twice on that bike. I really liked the little 250, but the seat was pretty much why I looked for something else.
Still not sure I’m convinced. A car is definitely more comfortable than any motorcycle I’ve ridden, but I still would rather be on my Honda Shadow than in my Camry. As soon as I pull out of the driveway, that motorcycle puts a smile on my face. Trailering the motorcycle just seems like an unnecessary hassle.
Background info… I was an avid bicyclist my whole life. I raced bicycles during my twenties and early thirties. I did some ultramarathon riding during my thirties, forties, and into my fifties. I bought my first motorcycle at 65, just over 3 years ago, because of congestive heart failure. Every motorcycle seems easier than a bicycle, so maybe it’s just that I don’t know any better :)
It’s mostly personal preference. For example, I plan to attend the Touratech Rally in 2025 in Plain, WA. It is 500+ miles from my home, almost entirely on divided Interstate highway 5. I do not enjoy riding on divided highways, getting blown around by trucks and having a death grip on my KTM 390. Other routes would be longer and still at highway speeds. I prefer to get there safe and not exhausted. Also, I don’t have to carry all the gear on my bike. I can bring an ice chest, chair, small table, extra clothing, etc in my car. After riding routes at Touratech, I can relax on the 500 mile return trip home. And if it rains like the Giant Loop rally this year, I stay dry going home.
I’d only use the trailer for long distance destinations like a rally, a BDR in a far away state, or a destination where I’d do loop rides back to a camp where I have the trailer.
@@MySeniorMoments Makes sense. Especially when you’re attending an event where you can really use the extra camping equipment. My wife is always quick to remind me that when I don’t understand other’s actions or decisions it’s because I’m the odd one, and they are normal people. Enjoy your trips!
Odd is alright! You respectfully asked Bruce’s how he came to that decision and after his answer both you can walk away and have a great day! 😄 Odd Pierre australia