June, 2008
Loading your trailer for motorcycle use:
A Question of Balance
When loading your trailer for a long trip remember to keep enough of the weight forward of the axle center point to maintain a positive hitch load. If you put too much in the rear of the trailer, the coupler will be pulling up on the hitch point all the time. That is not a good thing. Most hitches for motorcycles state a hitch load of about 20 to 30 pounds. Try to balance the load so you've got a 5 to 10 pound hitch load at the coupler. Try to pack so the load will not shift to the rear under acceleration and back to the front during breaking. Packing items like blankets and sleeping bags at the back of the trailer to help support the front to rear stability is a good idea.
If you are carrying a heavy item like a large ice chest, be sure to position it in the center of the trailer just forward of the wheels or the center balance point so it helps maintain the positive hitch load without over loading the hitch plate. Be sure to pack around it to keep it from moving side to side or front to rear.
One of the worst things you can do is to overload a trailer for the motorcycle. A load limit of 300 pounds gross including the trailer is the outside weight a rider should consider for even a large touring bike. The more weight, the more control you surrender in critical maneuvering and panic braking situations.
Another worst case motorcycle cargo trailer scenario is to forget the trailer is behind the bike. This is easy to do with some small trailers as they handle so well and are small enough to be out of sight of the motorcycle rear view mirrors. If the trailer is hard to see in your mirrors, mounting a small flag on the trailer that you can see in either mirror is a good idea. This will give you a gauge for moving into traffic lines, as well as being a reminder that the trailer is back there. Finally my last warning on loading a cargo trailer behind your
motorcycle is to ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK to be sure the coupler is LATCHED and LOCKED! Safety chains properly attached to the motorcycle should ALWAYS be used too. If you ride in a group, no one will take kindly to your trailer coming loose in front of THEM, believe me. And if you have a receiver type hitch on your motorcycle, be sure the lock pin is in place THROUGH THE HOLE IN and not BEHIND the draw bar.
Let’s talk a little about hitch couplings.
There are several types of couplings between the motorcycle and the trailer. There are the:
> Ball and socket
> Ball type with a swivel
> Universal-joint type with a detachable pin
> Pin and swivel type
The coupling you choose should be:
> Non-slip, non-loosening, and no-binding
> Easy to hook and unhook
Free moving
While towing your trailer, you must remember to ride closer to the center of the road. You have the width of your trailer to worry about. Be careful of the “oil strip” in the center of the road at intersections. Also, watch for uneven road surfaces and road edges which can unbalance the trailer.
Everyone going to Region C have a SAFE RIDE,
if you do find yourself in a situation with a driver
remember…never mind who’s right, ride so you’ll be left.
