Best trailer setup for 3 bikes?

[xxaarraa]

Hey guys,

A small group of us (3 guys, 3 bikes) are headed to Deals Gap next month and we are looking for some feedback on the ideal trailer setup. Here is the issue:

1. None of the trailers we own can carry more than 2 bikes and we would rather not take 2 tow vehicles for just the 3 people.
2. The UHaul 6x12 trailers seem very heavy and I am not sure if we can actually fit 3 bikes on one of those? Assuming we can't drill a rental trailer for chocks or restraints, so how does one get 3 bikes on there?

If anyone's got a 3 rail trailer big enough to fit 3 street bikes (combined weight of maybe 1200lbs), any chance we can rent/borrow for the trip? We all have Piutbull TRSs and front wheel chocks on our existing trailers that we can move over if possible. All feedback welcome, thanks guys.

A.

[TheIglu]

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That's a 6.5'x12'. Yes, there are 3 bikes on there.

I'll let you know how it works. It is leaving for Deals Gap tomorrow night like that.

[xxaarraa]

- - - Updated - - -

That's a 6.5'x12'. Yes, there are 3 bikes on there.

I'll let you know how it works. It is leaving for Deals Gap tomorrow night like that.

Cool, I don't see any tie-downs so if you take pics after it's all setup, please do share.

We are going only in October (5-12), so if it works well for you, want to let us borrow/rent it from you?

[TheIglu]

Cool, I don't see any tie-downs so if you take pics after it's all setup, please do share.

We are going only in October (5-12), so if it works well for you, want to let us borrow/rent it from you?

It was just a staging setup so I could figure out where to put the chocks (made of 2x4PT btw, no need for $250 Condor chocks). No tie downs, but I have 3 runs of 10' e-Tracks to anchor to.

They will be strapped in tonight.

I'd consider renting for the right price.....

[nhbubba]

I totally pictured you guys having nothing but pimped out enclosed trailers until you started talking about the ramp acting as a sail the other night.

[TheIglu]

I woulda bought a enclosed, but with all the reasons to get an open, and the single reason to get an enclosed, the open made more sense for me right now.

[nhbubba]

Oh, I hear you.



That trailer is borrowed, but basically lives in my yard now. Worthington 4x8. Were I spending money I'd get something between yours and mine; 4x8 (maybe 5x10), stake side, but with the ramp.

Although there isn't a chance in hell a trailer this size would fit three bikes. Not with the wee aboard anyway.

I wonder if 5x10 is enough for three mid-sized sport-ish bikes.

[wheelieman14]

I have a 6 x 12 enclosed trailer with small storage workbench in the front. 3 bikes would be tight. 7 x 14 Enclosed would be ideal for 3 bikes, though it appears that 6.5 x 12 can also be made to work. Strapless stands, Condor Stands, etc. seem to take up less space than using tie downs with wheel chocks.

[xxaarraa]

Oh, I hear you.



That trailer is borrowed, but basically lives in my yard now. Worthington 4x8. Were I spending money I'd get something between yours and mine; 4x8 (maybe 5x10), stake side, but with the ramp.

Although there isn't a chance in hell a trailer this size would fit three bikes. Not with the wee aboard anyway.

I wonder if 5x10 is enough for three mid-sized sport-ish bikes.

Not sure I would tie down the bike to the wooden sides. Don't you have tie downs on the floor?

[nhbubba]

Image is deceptive. Tie downs are hooked to the aluminum frame of the trailer under the stake-sides. There are no tie-down hooks in the trailer itself.

I fully admit to going a little buck-wild with the straps. I don't tow bikes often and really did not want to be that guy and fuck up that clean, nearly new bike he just bought.

[xxaarraa]

Image is deceptive. Tie downs are hooked to the aluminum frame of the trailer under the stake-sides. There are no tie-down hooks in the trailer itself.

I fully admit to going a little buck-wild with the straps. I don't tow bikes often and really did not want to be that guy and fuck up that clean, nearly new bike he just bought.

haha, I hear ya. Look into retractable tie downs or racing straps with soft loops. Those cheap harbor freight fabric tie downs will flop about everywhere, catch on your wheel one day and bring the whole party to a halt (ask me how I know).

[keeena]

The smallest footprints to fit 3 sportbikes would be a 6.5 x 10 vee-nose (= 6.5x12 rectangular) or 8x8 snowmobile trailer. Open trailers will give you better mileage & should ring in at ~2k lbs. I've towed a similar setup to Iglu's with a sedan to NJ and it was cake. What are you towing with?

[xxaarraa]

The smallest footprints to fit 3 sportbikes would be a 6.5 x 10 vee-nose (= 6.5x12 rectangular) or 8x8 snowmobile trailer. Open trailers will give you better mileage & should ring in at ~2k lbs. I've towed a similar setup to Iglu's with a sedan to NJ and it was cake. What are you towing with?

6.5x12 would work; any idea if the UHaul 6.5x12s have center tie downs? Towing with a Toyota 4Runner.

[SprintPoser]

How much does it cost to rent the U-Haul trailer?

I bought a new-old stock 6x10 trailer for $550, spent another $150 adding Black+Gray wheel chocks, welded on some removable extensions for the tie-downs, and had a really cool setup which I got to keep (until I decided to sell it off.) For the relatively small investment, I had a very versatile setup that could be used to haul 1, 2 or up to 3 bikes and took literally seconds to switch configurations.

If there's any way to make the investment, each time you use it the cost is further forgotten.



Set-up for two bikes, note the solid steel extensions inserted into the pipe I welded on. Just a litte wider than the trailer fenders, but not beyond truck mirror width.


Single bike set-up. Notice the steel extensions are simply reversed for stowage when not required, reducing the overall width of the trailer back to normal.

[xxaarraa]

How much does it cost to rent the U-Haul trailer?

I bought a new-old stock 6x10 trailer for $550, spent another $150 adding Black+Gray wheel chocks, welded on some removable extensions for the tie-downs, and had a really cool setup which I got to keep (until I decided to sell it off.) For the relatively small investment, I had a very versatile setup that could be used to haul 1, 2 or up to 3 bikes and took literally seconds to switch configurations.

If there's any way to make the investment, each time you use it the cost is further forgotten.

Set-up for two bikes, note the solid steel extensions inserted into the pipe I welded on. Just a litte wider than the trailer fenders, but not beyond truck mirror width.

Single bike set-up. Notice the steel extensions are simply reversed for stowage when not required, reducing the overall width of the trailer back to normal.

Pretty sweet setup! We each already have trailers (small 4x8s), no point getting another trailer to own.