How do you haul your bikes?

[shang]

Not sure if this has been covered before, but I am just curious how you guys haul your bikes around? I've been resisting buying a truck for years and have been getting along with a little harbor freight trailer for yard work and bike hauling. While I will most likely finally bite the bullet and buy a truck this year, my little trailer has served me well. I've had it for over ten years and it's been through several configurations. The most recent was just done to accommodate a couple of friends driving down from Seattle to meet me here at my house in Northern Utah, then cruise down to Moab for a few days.

I was able to easily fit three bikes on the trailer by building telescoping bars for the outside bikes to tie down to.

What do you haul with?

 

[bowhunter007]

Love the trail 90 next to the Gasser. Go anywhere you want, as long as you're not in a hurry.

 

[shang]

Love the trail 90 next to the Gasser. Go anywhere you want, as long as you're not in a hurry.

That's for sure. I have several of them and that one was in the worst shape so I put a pitbike motor in it. Turns out it's the one I always ride. It's just dumb fun.

 

[pscook]

2000 Dodge Ram Van. Former Metro Vanpool rig bought at surplus. Pulled the rear seats, installed a tie bar on the bottom of the front bench, and way we go. It has a factory hitch, so I use a hitch hauler for two or more big bikes, or multiple little bikes.





And, it can haul two road race bikes (plus one on the hitch) if you desire:

 

[3beejay3]

A friend of mine used to use a dodge van similar in setup to pscook's
Worked ok til it rusted out.

I just use a pickup myself, as I have to use a truck all week long anyways.

 

[shang]

I use a hitch hauler quite a bit as well behind my BMW X5. It's really easy and quick. Plus people always seem to be using my trailer when I want to go ride.

I love the idea of a van. Especially if a couple bikes will fit inside. I keep mentioning a sprinter van to the wife but she just rolls her eyes and goes back to whatever it is she is doing.

 

[bowhunter007]

I got a "Plain Jane" 6x10 enclosed trailer. Nobody borrows it, which is why it stills looks new. Looks like every other small contractor's trailer...noone pays it any attention. Still need to install a full length awning on the "man door" side...covered seating, rain or shine. Everything inside is easily removable, for general hauling. Heated, stereo, blah blah. Won't go riding or racing without it. It's downright comfy...I must be getting old

 

[webmaster]

I got a "Plain Jane" 6x10 enclosed trailer. Nobody borrows it, which is why it stills looks new. Looks like every other small contractor's trailer...noone pays it any attention. Still need to install a full length awning on the "man door" side...covered seating, rain or shine. Everything inside is easily removable, for general hauling. Heated, stereo, blah blah. Won't go riding or racing without it. It's downright comfy...I must be getting old

I did the same - 6 X 10 wells cargo with side door and "barn doors" in the rear. I installed e-track - bolting three rails to the floor and welded it to one wall to secure loads. Also have removable pingel wheel chocks so that it can easily be used for general hauling.

I found a reasonably priced aluminum cabinet and mounted it up front. See here :

http://pitproducts.com/collections/...iler/products/overhead-cabinet-4-foot-trailer

I also put a "workstation" on one of the rear doors of the trailer...

http://pitproducts.com/collections/work-stations-and-door-cabinets/products/work-station-senior


It is nice to have bikes secure and hidden from view for overnight trips, etc. No stickers or decals on the outside so that no hint is given about what is inside the trailer....

jeff

 

[bowhunter007]

I did the same - 6 X 10 wells cargo with side door and "barn doors" in the rear. I installed e-track - bolting three rails to the floor and welded it to one wall to secure loads. Also have removable pingel wheel chocks so that it can easily be used for general hauling.

I found a reasonably priced aluminum cabinet and mounted it up front. See here :

http://pitproducts.com/collections/...iler/products/overhead-cabinet-4-foot-trailer

I also put a "workstation" on one of the rear doors of the trailer...

http://pitproducts.com/collections/work-stations-and-door-cabinets/products/work-station-senior


It is nice to have bikes secure and hidden from view for overnight trips, etc. No stickers or decals on the outside so that no hint is given about what is inside the trailer....

jeff

IMO, the 6x10 is the optimum size...correctly stuffed, a gang of bikes fit inside. I find it perfect for the "one man" overnight haul. I put the bike on a stand, against a wall...I sleep on a cot opposite the bike. Card table & chair up front...portable motel room. Everything inside at night. No windows...I figure I can exit barrel first. Did a 3 day trip recently. Keep my crap picked up & organized...makes for a tidy affair. A self-contained portable shower makes trail grime cleanup almost a pleasure. Fairly light as well. I pulled mine for over a year with an S10 with 200k on the odo. I can bairly feel it behind my Dodge.

 

[VxZeroKnots]

I have a Nissan Frontier with a hitch hauler. My lifestyle and location dictates owning a truck but I hate loading a bike into the bed as I'm short and some of the worst bike damage and injuries have come from that.

I recently bought a hitch hauler and like it but I'm paranoid and use like 5 straps. I'd love to get an enclosed trailer or a van and keep everything out of site.

 

[bowhunter007]

I recently bought a hitch hauler and like it but I'm paranoid and use like 5 straps. I'd love to get an enclosed trailer or a van and keep everything out of site.

You can weld a tube(I prefer 2" square) vertically to the tube that plugs into the receiver. Weld an elbow to section of corresponding tube(about 8-10 in long) that'll slide down the vertical tube already in place. The elbow(aimed down, of course) can be anything(weldable, of course). I've use 90d exhaust elbow from auto parts store. Drill some half inch locating holes, so it can be pinned into place. Load bike, slide part with elbow down vertical tube 'till the welded on elbow is keeping the bike from falling rearward(install locating pin). Some pipe insulation will pad against the bike.

 

[liv2day]

If I'm heading out solo to meet the guys, it's in the back of my truck. If the truck's full of our camping gear, it's on our trailer (pics below).

I'd be hard pressed to live without a truck after owning one for the last ~20 years, too versatile when needing to load/haul stuff (lumber, rocks, soil, furniture, etc). I'm not particularly fond of the crappy gas mileage (lol), but that's the price to play.

Down the road, I hope to have a toy hauler of some sort. I like the type dessertgasser picked up; want something to haul 4 bikes that sleeps our family of 4 easily.

 

[jan_b]

KTM backwards, pun intended?

If I'm heading out solo to meet the guys, it's in the back of my truck. If the truck's full of our camping gear, it's on our trailer (pics below).

I'd be hard pressed to live without a truck after owning one for the last ~20 years, too versatile when needing to load/haul stuff (lumber, rocks, soil, furniture, etc). I'm not particularly fond of the crappy gas mileage (lol), but that's the price to play.

Down the road, I hope to have a toy hauler of some sort. I like the type dessertgasser picked up; want something to haul 4 bikes that sleeps our family of 4 easily.

 

[liv2day]

KTM backwards, pun intended?

Bwahahahaha...not intentional, but I definitely like that you picked it up.

The sad thing is my buddy could probably out ride me going backwards, but at least I can give him crap about his bike sounding like a sewing machine.

 

[Elvis74]

I use my white or blue Van, depends on my mood.

 

[nknudsen]

If I'm heading out solo to meet the guys, it's in the back of my truck. If the truck's full of our camping gear, it's on our trailer (pics below).

I'd be hard pressed to live without a truck after owning one for the last ~20 years, too versatile when needing to load/haul stuff (lumber, rocks, soil, furniture, etc). I'm not particularly fond of the crappy gas mileage (lol), but that's the price to play.

Down the road, I hope to have a toy hauler of some sort. I like the type dessertgasser picked up; want something to haul 4 bikes that sleeps our family of 4 easily.

Did you take the fork springs out of those bikes??

 

[firffighter]

I've used an open trailer for years. With 3 kids who ride, I've been able to fit all of our bikes in various configurations with some full sized bikes and some kids bikes. Now my boys are getting older and we are up to 3 full size bikes and 1 KX80 big wheel. I now need a trailer that will hold 4 full size bikes!

Any ideas? Tight budget. Under $1000. 1st though was a 12' landscape type trailer. Anyone hauling 4 bikes?

 

[liv2day]

Did you take the fork springs out of those bikes??

Like things nice and tight when we're rolling for 3 hours, especially over rough, wash board gravel.

Russ - I'll be in the same boat when the boys get bigger; not sure what we'll do if just heading out for a day ride - probably throw 2 in the back of the truck and 2 on the trailer (or one with three on the trailer so there's room for gear in the truck).

Put some wheel chocks on this thing and you'd be good to go: http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/grd/4649608340.html

 

[firffighter]

Ultimately if I had the $ I'd buy an enclosed trailer large enough for 4 full size bikes. There's a trailer just down the road similar to that one Brad. Just not sure I want a dual axle as it can limit tight fit areas.

I've had my eye on this too http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/4645618078.html

 

[paulos]

My old ute, shouldn't have sold it.