No way! Can't do it! NEVER!... These are words I've said to myself... maybe you have, too. I always loved the freedom.. the two-wheeled ride... the lean and mean way to travel! "Less is more!"

Then I had an opportunity to support my motorcycle habit by being a vendor. All I had to do was find a way to get my goods from one rally to the next and I was free! Most vendors drive a truck or motor home and trailer their bike. Pretty soon they are whining and complaining about never having a chance to ride. Not for me!

So what to do?...Well, I guess I could pull a trailer behind the bike for my booth, inventory, and camping gear.    Before choosing the trailer route, first seriously consider your motives. Do you want your honey to come along, but don't have enough carrying capacity? Do you want to lose weight in your rear end (don't we all!) without leaving essential camping gear at home? Planning on being on the road for a long time and hate to be dependent on finding the nearest Wally-world? Maybe you find your age, your bones and sleeping on the ground don't get along well together? If the answer to any of the above questions is a resounding YES, consider pulling a trailer behind the bike.  

Fred and Kathy Anderson enjoy their Kwik-Kamp

Cargo or Camper?

There are many types and brands of trailers. Without making specific recommendations, here are some guidelines for you. While not an expert by any means, I have logged more than 120K miles pulling one trailer or another. 

Basically there are two types of trailers: Cargo and Camper.  The Cargo type is great if you just need extra space to carry your gear. You will be able to carry a larger tent, more cooking gear, perhaps an inflatable air mattress... even chairs and tables. If you don't mind sleeping on the ground by all means pull a cargo trailer. They come standard single axle and two wheels or in a nifty single wheel model. I don't have any personal experience with the single wheel variety, the cargo space is too limited for my application, but they look cool and are supposed to handle nicely. 

The "pop-up" Camper will give you varying amounts of additional cargo space AND a bed above ground!

When Phillip and Martha Warren arrive, heads turn to see their beautiful color-matched Bushtec/K1200LT Combo

The following table provides a quick look at the specifications for cargo trailers only. And like any list, as soon as you commit to a particular format, you’ve either not included enough information or the information changes. And the list of options and accessories for some trailer manufacturers can add another dozen or so columns! But this should give you a good summary/quick hit of what you might want to know. (This table was grabbed off the web from msproul@jove.rutgers.edu and MOA member Phil Sikora tracked down a ton of other details to make it complete as of time of publishing in May, 2001).  

Cargo Trailer comparison guide

Whichever basic type you choose there are some general guidelines. Remember, first understand your priorities, not what your buddy has, or what was at that last rally. Trailers, unless they are homemade, are not cheap, and I have seen many bought and then sold after the first use because people weren't sure what they wanted.... Of course, this means there are a lot of barely used ones on the market!

Most of the following applies to either Cargo or Camper trailers: 

1. SIZE/ WEIGHT

How much room do you need? Picture, or actually load, the trailer with your gear in it.  Most of the stuff you are used to carrying on your bike will easily fit in most trailers, but be sure. More important is the weight. Empty cargo trailers usually weigh in at 100 lbs.... camper trailers can weigh in at 225 lbs. or more. This is EMPTY weight...it is very easy to double this loaded. Figure  approximately 10% of that total as tongue weight in a properly loaded trailer. What are you pulling it with? Most airheads can pull a smallish cargo trailer with little problem. Any bigger than that, and you probably should have an oilhead or K bike. I pulled a cargo trailer easily with my '78 R100/7, but I found the K100RS a better choice for the larger camper trailer. It's a matter of sheer horsepower... The R100 "complained" while towing the camper on the flatlands... and would not have made it over the mountains. The K with camper has crossed the country more than a dozen times, over every type of terrain, and never had a problem.  

2. AERODYNAMICS

Although this is a selling point for most trailer dealers, it really isn't as much of an issue as they might have you believe. I have found that the apparent aerodynamic quality affects gas mileage much more than handling. You WILL use more gas pulling any trailer. My son and I went to a rally on nearly identical K bikes.. his with just his camping gear strapped on the rear-seat... mine pulling a heavy, boxy camper-trailer. Even though we were running the same speeds, I put a gallon more gas in the tank at every gas stop. Your mileage may vary. Other than that, the sleekness of the trailer amidst all the "dirty air" behind most bikes doesn't make much difference, but, of course, looks good! 

3. CONSTRUCTION

The BODY PAN of most trailer is either fiberglass or poly-carbonate molded. Depending on the actual specifications, the poly-carbonate is slightly more resistant to cracking. More important is the overall quality of construction balanced by the weight factor. A thick wall will be more durable, but how heavy is it? 

What is the FRAME construction? Most is square tubing, how thick is the wall? Is it aluminum or steel? Personally I have had some bad experiences with aluminum frame construction and prefer steel although it weighs more. How are the axle and tongue attached? Bolted or welded? Being bolted on gives you more replacement options... welded is probably stronger in the long run. 

 The AXLE and SUSPENSION  components also vary greatly. Some have a one piece axle, others have two axle stubs. Some have no springs or shocks...I  find that some sort of suspension is a good thing... reduces breakage inside the trailer and improves handling. Simple trailing arm suspension is adequate and relatively light weight, although leaf springs or shock absorbers may provide an even nicer ride.... What are you carrying? computers and electronic equipment, or a 30 year old tent? 

There are primarily two kinds of HITCH COUPLERS, standard ball and a pin type. I prefer the standard ball, myself. There have been a number of times I have had to tow the trailer behind another vehicle and having a standard ball coupler has allowed me to do this. Whichever you choose I would definitely recommend a swivel connection. A 360 degree is plenty but some universal swivels are available. There is about 37 degrees of rotation on the ball alone, and not too many of us lean out bike more than that in a curve, but if you drop the bike for some reason (!) it eliminates twisting the bike's frame, which could be a VERY serious and expensive problem. I have also found it "feels" better in the twisties. Subjective? yes, but I wouldn't be without a swivel on my tongue. 

4. PRICE

The prices of trailers vary as much as the trailers themselves do. You can find a good used cargo trailer for a couple of hundred dollars...right-up to a brand new super deluxe camper model with an extra room for several thousand dollars. When making your first purchase definitely look for used...and, when in doubt, smaller is better! Too many people start out with the biggest and find it intimidating to pull... but that's what puts so many pre-owned ones on the market! 

Special considerations for campers

If you are considering a CAMPER trailer, you should also consider the following: 

• How easy and quickly does it set up?
  This is one of the biggest differences in Camper Trailers. Some of the quickest fold out and are ready to climb into in less than a minute. Others take 20 minutes or more. How you are going to travel?...if you are going to travel to one place and camp for 3 or 4 days and then head home, a longer set-up time won't be as much of an issue (unless it's raining) But if you are going to travel to a different site every night it will be a BIG issue. Does it need poles or staking out? Ask the questions you would when purchasing any tent. Only you know your own tolerance for complications at the end of a day's ride. 
• How much and how accessible is the storage space?
  Some campers fold into themselves and virtually fill the interior. Will there be enough room for all of the stuff you want to bring? Access is also crucial. Can you get to the interior compartment during the trip? Can you easily access it when it is set up? Is the whole compartment accessible? Or do you have to reach through a small opening?
• What is the fabric of the tent body?
  Some are nylon like most tents... they are lighter weight but allow light in and are less durable than the heavier canvas type fabrics. How much of an issue is this for you? I can tolerate noise better than I can light... How about you?
• Interior space is more than just an issue of bed size...
  Can you set up a table or chairs? And while you are thinking about it... How is the ventilation? Just like with any tent, bigger is harder to keep warm... but if you are usually camping in a warm climate you will want decent cross ventilation.  Enough room? Are you sleeping solo? Or is there room for two?

Hooking up your bike

Okay... so you've selected the perfect-for-you trailer... now you have to hook it onto your bike. (They are easier to pull that way!) Finding a hitch for you BMW is a major issue these days. One of the largest manufacturers recently closed and to date no others have entered the market. You can look for used Reynolds hitches for your airhead and many other BMW models... ask your trailer manufacturer for suggestions before you buy the trailer. There are several models that have no hitches designed for them, including, but not limited to, the R1100S and the K12RS.

This brings up an important point that you need to consider if your bike is still under warranty: PULLING A TRAILER IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR ANY BMW and may void your warranty. That said, many people safely pull trailers.

The hitch should attach well to the bike... most are bolted on in several places under the frame and have "hanger" rods attaching it to the rear sub-frame. It must be able to support all the tongue weight (10% of total) and disperse that weight properly onto the rear suspension of your bike. It should not be too high or low for the height of the tongue...level is best . And, last but not least, check the hitch frequently for tight bolts and stress cracks. 

On the road

Now you are ready to roll! Pack your gear in nice and snugly. You don't want loose stuff shifting on you. You also want to pack it heavier in front of the axle, this will keep it from lifting and bobbling at speed. The first outing don't hesitate to pull into a rest area and repack things if it feels funny. A properly packed and hitched trailer should not feel strange. I have done all sorts of curves with a trailer and often forget that it's there.

There are a couple of areas that WILL be different and take some getting used to: 

1. ACCELERATING
   Acceleration is appreciably slower, you simply have more weight to get moving. Normally this is not a problem... just be aware of it when you pass other vehicles. Practice. It is much like switching bikes and learning the new one's limitations. Don't get yourself in a dangerous situation because you are used to having more power... and, face it, you won't be "taking any squids off the line" while you've got the trailer hooked up! 
2. BRAKING
   Like acceleration, this will take longer, too. The increase in stopping distance depends on brake type and how much weight/momentum you have behind you. Again, practice! You will work your brakes differently with a trailer. I go through rear brake pads twice as fast because I use the rear brake a lot more. Sometimes you will want to slow the trailer with the rear brake before you "close-off" with the front. Other times, especially on steep downhill grades, you will "test" with the rear brake to make sure you have the rig under control before that hairpin at the bottom. Some people get electric brakes for the trailer. I don't find them necessary, plus they add weight and need adjustment.
3. MANEUVERING
   This only becomes an issue at parking lot speeds. You will learn to find places you can pull forward out of after the first time you can't and have to unhook the trailer. The other tricky part I've found  is at the gas station with the curbs that the pumps are on. You are much wider and longer! It is very uncool to pull out and have the trailer tire catch on that curb and make you fall down. Needless to say trailering precludes lane splitting.
4. SUSPENSION
   Our bikes’ suspensions are designed to carry a passenger, so the tongue weight you are putting on the rear suspension is usually not a problem for stock shocks. However, if yours are adjustable you may want to play with the setting. I have mine set on the stiffest setting and have no problems with it. 

As I said earlier, I'm no expert.. I just want to ride my bike and not drive a truck...and it's okay for me to pull a trailer to be able to do that. I've put on lots of miles with all that stuff following me down the road. It's do-able...and it could keep you on two (mostly) wheels.