Community Forums

buckeyes · 12-24-2008, 02:58 PM

My wife and I ride a Goldwing Trike, but also love using our motorhome. Our thinking is to use the Trike as our toad. We would rather ride the bike instead of drive a car when we are camped, so it makes sense to us to have the best of both worlds.
My question is for those who have used bikes as toads. We are looking at using a tandem enclosed trailer for several reasons, one of which is to keep the bike out of the elements. The other is that a tandem is less likely to have a problem when one tire gets a flat vs a single axle which could be bad. I can just see us pulling the trike on a single axle trailer, and having a blowout. Can you say disaster!
Of course we will need to install a brake controller in the motorhome for the trailer, which is no big deal. I rather like the idea of the trailer braking itself going down some of these steep slopes.
Okay, anyone have input on this, and suggestions, experiences. I welcome all of them, and thank you ahead of time.

js9315 · 12-24-2008, 03:30 PM

I have a 6x12 enclosed trailer that I use to carry my Goldwing (not a trike). The weight of the trailer with the bike inside is less than 2500 lbs so it does not have brakes. I have towed the bike on an open trailer before and like the fact that the bike stays clean in the enclosed trailer.

My trailer does not have an extended tongue so I have to be careful when I turn sharply, it is possible (mostly when backing up) to turn sharp enough to cause the trailer to hit the coach if you are not careful, an extended tongue mitigates this. My trailer is a single axle and as long as you maintain things a single axle is fine, but if I had it to over I would go to a 7x14 tandem axle, it is nice to carry some of the stuff (chairs, etc) in the trailer instead of the underneath compartments.

I do alot of work away from home and stay in the coach and use the bike as my exclusive transportation. When we both travel we will take the Mini, Mom does not drive the bike and wants to have something along she can drive...

Harm · 12-25-2008, 04:05 AM

Check out this website:

http://www.chariotmanufacturing.com/

These are very high quality and very light trailers but quite pricey. I have a 1996 model and it still looks like new.

becks · 12-25-2008, 07:04 AM

We pulled a 6x12 enclosed trailer for years with bike and gear inside. Got to a point where DW wanted a toad available if I was gone with bike. Also became a problem when it would rain for days straight. Our solution was, we now haul bike in the bed of a Ford Ranger 4x4 pickup and have the best of both worlds. I realize you have a trike and it would not fit in pickup. Just look at all options and decide what works best for you. Good luck.

Bill2 · 01-18-2009, 07:58 AM

I guess it is a little late to answer this but I just found this site. When we had our Goldwintg trike, we went to Florida for the winter and thought the same thing as you to use the trike as a toad. We had the low hauler tandem axle trailer. I guess it was ok but the wife said never again. It rained many days and was cold many days while we were there that winter. We had to rent a car a lot to get things done. The other thing is the tandem axle trailer is too heavy to handle single handed with the trike in it or even without it in it. I had a lot of trouble moving it. I also hauled the trike on a open trailer a couple of times. Once we went through a rain storm in Oh on the interstate and when we got to our destination that trike looked like it had been through WW-III. I have never seen a trike so filthy. I would never do that again. Now we have a Harley with a tow-pac on it and haul it in the back of a Chev. silverado 4x4 and have a bike loader to load it. Now we have a truck and the bike with us for the winter and love it.