Bike Towed Trailer

I'm hoping to do Solo around Aus around this time next year. A health
issue means that I will need to carry batteries and equipment. I'm a
bit worried about the weight of this stuff around 20 to 30 kg on top
of standard stuff. The bike will be the R1200RT, ie enough power.
Has anyone got any opinions re bike trailers on long trips? All
opinions appreciated.

 

I've use one behind the Trumpy, a Classic ultra-light. Most of the time I
didn't know it is there. In tight twisties I could feel some push-pull,
but nothing to be particularly worried about.

Some years ago I recall a bloke on a ZZR, at one point he'd forgotten the
trailer was on the back, and he had hit 180 + before remembering, looked
around it was sitting well. I've had the trumpy up to 130 with the
trailer, no problems.

Ensure you balance the load in the trailer, seems to be the golden
rule. .

Fuel consumption will increase somewhat. From memory on the Trumpy
economy dropped from 17-18 k/l, to 14-15 k/l.

cheers,

 

I know nothing about towing trailers, so I'll keep quite on that, but...

what kind of batteries are you talking about?

I've recently fitted a new battery to my BMW, bought from this mob in
the states http://www.shoraipower.com/default.aspx

It appears to be about three kilos lighter than the standard BMW battery
and works fine, so far.

If the gear you need to power requires 12 volts (they also do 5 volts)
then getting lighter hi-tech batteries may help solve your problem.

Remember, too, that your BMW has a decently powerful charging system.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

On 10/03/11 9:04 AM, CrazyCam wrote:

Ooops...that was a typo, they do 12 and 6 volt, not 5.

The 12 volt for the Beemer is just incredibly light
..

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Well it's certainly worth a look. My current system uses 2x6 volts in
series, charges on the run and works perfectly, but is quite heavy as
a downside. I note that the CPAP manufacturers (for example) are now
producing lithium ion battery packs that are quite cheap (my home made
one was expensive), and weigh in at less then a kg. I will definitely
check that out.
Anyway. still interested in trailers and opinions thereof.
Thanks Cam and Paul_h so far...

 

Be more positive, George...... "I'm going to do..."

What is the "standard" stuff?

Are you intending to camp, or are you taking a tent, gas cooker, 12 V
fridge, and 3 slabs of beer, just in case you don't make it to the next
town? ;-)

OK, no direct knowledge, but.... an R1200RT is designed to carry a
payload of.... whatever it sez in the handbook, probably something in
the order of 200 to 240 kilos.

My BMW is, by the book, capable of carrying 215 kilos of rider and
pillion and/or luggage.

It is _not_ designed to tow a trailer

So, you could add the complexities of fitting a tow coupling, then a
trailer, to carry extra gear.....

Mate, good engineering principles.... keep it simple!

Throw technology and money and logic at lightening what you really need
to carry and you should get to ride the bike round Oz.

I suspect that, if you go down the route of the trailer, the story will
end up........"Maybe NEXT year, I'll do the round Oz."

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Ah yes of course... I'm going to do...

Camping, yes! Then there's other stuff like clothes, water,
tyrepliers, toolkit... the list goes on.

Well yes, I never thought I would overload the bike, but it would be
very top heavy, and that might be an issue. The question is though
would a trailer solve this?

Very good advice, lines up with I thought anyway. Thanks for that.

 

Fit a sidecar George, they are magic,
you would be surprised as to how much gear you will be able to carry in one

 

He's got a Ural with a sidecar, George...

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Very true
The Ural has been considered as the outfit of choice for the big one,
but poor power with poor top speed, spoked wheels and a few other
things seem to make it a poor choice for the big one when compared to
the perfectly lovely RT. The Ural is great for short range dirt stuff,
and it can carry a good load of camping gear, cameras, easels etc, but
I won't be taking it 10000 or more km around oz.

Re: GWF's suggestion to stuff up the things I like about the RT with a
side car. That solution is much more permanent than a trailer, and I
like the RT as it is TYVM, so no suggestions that involve permanent
changes thanks.

I've had some good input re trailer, mostly negative though. It looks
as if I go with the RT, using innovative load carrying solutions. I
think keeping the c of g as low as possible is going to be an
essential part of the innovation, is that correct?

 

I'm no touring expert, having only done a small amount some years ago,
but I'd go with the RT+trailer option. Much more fun, unless you're
going to hoon, which I'm sure you're not.


=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Sorry George, I didn't realise that you already had a chair but,
it appears that I have been corrected by the most knowledgeable one of the
group here.

 

No problem, George, I appreciate the input.

 

Good thinking.
I've got a long time to think this out, so I'll take whatever time it
needs to check out the luggage and means of carrying it. All I know is
that lugging a heavy bike around streets and back tracks when loaded
top heavy is not my idea of fun. Maybe I do something wrong - dunno
but I prefer to be able to travel at walking speed without puckering
up with whoopsie-daisy near drops, let alone completed ones. Yes, I
know how to drive slowly but Murphy always brings an errant
pedestrian, vision impaired 4wder or unexpected and unavoidable long
pothole etc. I suppose I can invent ways to sling luggage low without
compromising lean angles and overall width - all it will take is
research. Positive words about trailers would be nice but I don't want
lies

 

I had a look at trailers a while back with the idea of taking gear into
town by motorcycle instead of car.
The things that put ME off apart from the cost was...
The issue of parking.
I also like to filter through the traffic at times.
Trailers also have a load limit... thinking it was around 200kg.
I have never towed with a motorcycle though.


Quick eBay search looking for the one i saw trhe other week foudnt
these...

<http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Motorbike-Trailer-/150671080585?
pt=AU_Trailers&hash=item2314b23c89>

<http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Motorcycle-small-car-trailer-/110752317670?
pt=AU_Trailers&hash=item19c95a40e6>

<http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/motorbike-and-trailer-/320764748442?
pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item4aaf11a29a>

<http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-MOTORCYCLE-TRAILER-PLANS-Honda-Gold-Wing-
Harley-Plans-/190523977138?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5c1d2db2>

hth

 

Dunno about being the most knoweldgeable, George, but I do know that
I'm still waiting for _you_ to provide a clue as to where I might go
to read about the RAE having sappers secretly building bridges in
Vietnam in March 1963.

In the meantime, here's the VVAA's Chronology of Australian
Involvement In Vietnam:

http://www.vvaa.org.au/calendar.htm

No one seems to have told them that the RAE snuck in there, building
top secret bridges, well before the AATTV arrived.

Come on, George, fess up...

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Ooops. Make that 1962.

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

"GWD" wrote

I bought a bike trailer in 96, and it has been to Adelaide and back,
to Sydney, as well as seven or more trips to PI from Perth. I estimate
it has done about 45,000 kms. I purchased it new from the manufacturer
in Adelaide. It was his first one after buying the business from Frog
trailers. When I got it it had rubber torsion suspension, which turned
into a disaster after a while so I had it converted to a live axle and
leaf-springs. After that, it was terrific. It tows quite well but you
need to remember to stay away from kerbs in the corners. I carried a
tent, sleeping bag and mattress, 2 x 1 kg gas-bottles, stove, gas
light on a stick, two chairs, a table, ten litres of extra fuel, and
lots of other stuff that I thought I might need for three weeks away
from home at a time. I found it much easier to tow a trailer than to
tie all, or half, of that stuff on the back. At a campground I would
have my tent up and be sitting in my deck chair and table with a
beverage and a cigar before the other people got their bikes on the
stand.

I gave up the cigars some years ago. Cigars and a pipe killed my
granddad at 96. Poor bloke went before his time.

Theo

 

How the **** did we get from motorcycles to you carrying on about
someone else not being in vietnam ?

Shit that's right, you had no choice but to bring it up, when there's
absolutely no need to - why not just cross post in alt.i.love.copter.6
like you normally do for attention ?

 

I assume getting a CPAP each night isn't an option for you. A mate had
one, never saw it but he described it as "well worth the hassle". Hope
it's doing you as much good as it did him.