Comments on: Correct swivel for 2.5″ tongue

By: Dale Coyner

Dale Coyner — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 01:08:04 +0000

Unless there is something that directly modifies the action of the ABS circuit, adding the Voyager kit and towing a trailer won’t affect how the system works. You’re adding rolling weight to your rig which is going to affect your stopping distance, but the conditions that trigger the ABS (wheel lock) will remain the same.

By: Henry Thompson

Henry Thompson — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Hello,
Just purchased a used two wheel trailer to pull with my 2009 Kawasaki 1700 CC Voyager, soon to have a MTC-Voyager Trike Conversion kit attached. My question is, the Kaw has ABS brakes, the trailer has a dry weight of about 90 pounds. Will the ABS brakes be affected by pulling a trailer? KAW weighs about 895 pounds, Voyager kit about 185 pounds more.
Is there a chance that ABS will malfunction because of the trailer weight when loaded? (Expect laden weight to be about 100 pounds, we travel light)

By: Dale Coyner

Dale Coyner — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:48:10 +0000

Hi Michael – that’s a common concern among prospective new trailer pullers. “Does my bike have what it takes.”

The short answer, for your bike, is yes. You could pull pretty much any designed-for-a-motorcycle trailer or camper you care to pull.

I tell folks the answer is based on a couple of criteria, primarily motor size and braking power. You want to have enough power to pull a trailer without adding undue stress to the drivetrain components, specifically the clutch, transmission and driveshaft/belt/chain. When an undersized bike is pulling a too-big trailer, that’s where you can create mechanical wear issues. With your size bike, I don’t think that’s a problem.

Once you get it up to speed, you want to also be able to stop it. A bike with disc brakes is preferred, a bike with dual discs up front is best. Your bike has dual front discs.

As a rule of thumb, I tell folks to pull a loaded trailer that doesn’t exceed half the bike’s wet weight. Your bike is around 800 lbs wet, the larger Time Out is 340 lbs, the Easy Camper is around 320 lbs. Even if you put some gear in them, you should be in good shape whichever way you decide to go.

By: Michael Treadway

Michael Treadway — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:25:33 +0000

I am shopping for a motorcycle trailer. I have never pulled one. I am leaning toward the “Time Out” or the “Easy Camper”. I ride a 2008 Yamaha Stratoliner. is this enough bike to pull then? any advice will greatly be appreciated.

Thanks
Michael

By: Dale Coyner

Dale Coyner — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:36:48 +0000

Hi JT, that’s an excellent question, thanks for asking. I’ll try to give the most unbiased answer I can…

The pro’s on a single wheel trailer: It follows the same wheel track as the bike. It can be wheeled into your motel room at night for security. It looks cool and turns heads. The main con is that it won’t carry as much. Folks do tend to fill them up quickly as they become accustomed to traveling with them. A single wheel won’t have room to carry a spare or a cooler. And in terms of value, they’re 2 to 5x the cost on a square foot basis compared to a two wheel trailer.

The pros on a two wheel trailer: They carry more gear for less money. Weight is not necessarily that much greater than a single and most will easily swallow bulky items with room leftover. You can strap a spare and a cooler onto the tongue without taking up room inside the trailer. Cons: If you’re a heavy leaner you’ll want to avoid hitting the very inside of a curve just to avoid having your trailer drop off the road shoulder. Two wheel motorcycle trailers are generally made to be no wider than the average bike, so this is typically not an issue, just something to be aware of.

To be completely honest, I can’t say what it feels like to pull a single wheeler because I’ve only ever towed two wheelers. At one time or another I’ve towed all the different models we represent and the reason I chose the lineup I have is because I think they represent the best combination of value and quality. Everything I sell, trailers, hitches, swivels, wiring, etc., is made in the USA.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

By: Jack Thibault

Jack Thibault — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:11:55 +0000

Hi,
I will be buying this year (trailer).
Camping day’s are done with. All i am looking for is a small trailer for the extras.
Can’t make up my mind between a dual or single wheel trailer.
What are the pro’s and con’s of both in handling..ect.
Got a Victory Vision to pull with. Enought torque to pull.
Never pulled a trailer behind a bike…but did pull my share at work and home with cars and truck..

Just can’t find any info to compare the + and – of the dual & single wheel trailer. But i am leaning on the single side. Which one is easier to handle behind a Motorcycle ?

Thanks J.T.