Haul on a trailer or pickup?

[Derek Young]

As Ron said, my wife and I have used her Tacoma for many road trips with one or two motorcycles in the back. It is a 4x4 with a 3" lift which makes it fairly high. We have 2 folding steel ramps that store nicely between the bikes. I built 2 wheel chocks that mount to the rail along the top of the box. The Tacomas have a continuous rail on the front and sides that allow you to easily slide tie down hooks to where you want them and lock them down. It's a great system.



It's pretty snug but the both fit in there nicely.



This was Yellowstone in 2012 on the way to the rally in Colorado. Had to load the bikes in the mud and snow. I try to find a spot with a little higher ground to back up to. It makes loading much easier.

I'm building a trailer to tow behind my SUV for this year's Black Hills rally. It will have a fairly low deck and a folding ramp gate.

Derek

[FJscott]

Hey Derek, I'll be Bringing Donna's back up bike. She looks better on it than I do

Scott

[Derek Young]

Hi Scott. She sure does look good on it! That`s one sweet motorcycle!



Thanks again for the loan!
Derek

[yamaha fj rider]

I like trailers over the back of the truck. Lower to the ground makes it easy to load and the back of the truck is available for storing my gear. You will use more fuel pulling a trailer and half to deal with the extra length. I also have a shell on my truck, taking that on and off sucks.

Kurt

[~JM~]

Try to find a trailer with a long tongue on it. Some have an extendable tongue. The longer length will come in handy when backing up. Short tongued trailers will jack-knife on you much faster.

[FJmonkey]

Try to find a trailer with a long tongue on it. Some have an extendable tongue. The longer length will come in handy when backing up. Short tongued trailers will jack-knife on you much faster.

+1

A longer wheel base on the truck and a short wheel base (hitch to axial) on the trailer makes backing up a real $#@&!!!

[movenon]

Try to find a trailer with a long tongue on it. Some have an extendable tongue. The longer length will come in handy when backing up. Short tongued trailers will jack-knife on you much faster.

+1

A longer wheel base on the truck and a short wheel base (hitch to axial) on the trailer makes backing up a real $#@&!!!

Your tongue weight should be 10-15% of the total loaded trailer weight.  Backing a short wheel base trailer can get interesting.. The key is to back real slowly and to do small corrections immediately. I mean just at the hint of the trailer moving and if it gets over 10 or 20 degrees out of control don't fight it,  pull forward and get it back in "trim" then start over. 

And no matter how good you are, you will be a bad day and of course you will have an audience of the whole neighborhood of beer drinking friends giving you advice  .  But there are those in the bleachers and those on the field.....
George