Tips To Trailering Two Motorcycles Long Distances
Sometimes, it's just safer to trailer your bike from home to wherever you're going. Whether your bike just isn't designed for comfortable long rides or your body just can't handle the abuse of the wind beating you up on the highway anymore, a trailer could be the solution to maintaining your ability to attend the bike rallies across the country with ease. Here, you'll find a few tips that can help to ensure your bikes safely arrive on the trailer behind your vehicle.
Choose the Trailer
Having his and hers bikes can make it a little more work to get ready to head off for road trips, but when you have a dual motorcycle trailer to load them both onto, you won't have to worry as much about all of the road-worthiness prep that would typically need to be done the day before you leave.
Decide on what type of trailer you want – do you want an enclosed trailer or an open trailer – of course, the open trailers are more affordable and easier to store, but the bike will still be exposed to the elements and road debris as you tow it behind your vehicle.
As you work to choose the trailer, make sure that you're paying attention to the weight limitations. You don't want to overload the trailer and cause damage to it, potentially lose the trailer on the highway, or even lose a bike.
Note: If space is limited around your home, consider the motorcycle trailers that fold. These models can be made just as durable as the other options, but instead of being stuck with a trailer taking up space, you'll be able to fold it and stick it in a corner of your garage – some even fold so compactly that you can store it in the bed of some pick-up trucks.
Buy the Straps
Ratchet straps are a necessity – some people make the mistake of picking up cheap straps that must be tightened by hand – this leads to loose straps and can cause the bikes to fall over during the trip. When choosing the ratchet straps, make sure that they are made of high-quality materials and that they are no less than 2-inches wide. Anything narrower than this will not provide the support that the bikes need to remain secure.
Trailering motorcycles might not have been the way you pictured traveling across the country, but your back and body will thank you when you arrive at your destination and can actually move to enjoy riding in the new setting.