If a bike's your only mode of transport, I can see how the ability to haul shedloads of gear with it could be an advantage.
But I still don't see the attraction of hauling shedloads away with you on a bike-based touring/camping holiday. I can even manage to be sociable without a gazebo - done it thousands of times!
Were I ever to be sat on the back of a bike towing a trailer (doubtful in this lifetime), you can guarantee I wouldn't be sat on the back of it for long, if the rider started overtaking bloody sports bikes on bends.
Other motorists don't see bikes at the best of times and they certainly don't expect to see a trailer on the end of one. Too dangerous a way to ride IMO and my safety comes first.
OK, so I might know bugger all about riding bikes, but I'd rather walk (and have done - flipping MILES!) than continue sitting on the back of something I don't feel safe on. That's just the way I am. I've caused oodles of offence over the years, but I'm alive to tell the tale... not all of those I offended are.
The reason I've posted that I've known a bike and trailer go around sports bikes was just to prove the points that:-
a) It's usually down to the riders ability to actually ride a bike in the 1st place and
b) Riding on a bike trailer combo does not have to be erm "boring" lol
c) all trailer and bike rider combo's are not all the same!
Other creature comphorts I take include a tent I can stand up in a bonus when getting dressed/undressed (Nutkin has the same attitude as WB) accept when it came to changing she def saw the benift of being able to stand up when getting dressed lol that same tent had 10 of us in the porch part of it when it was blowing like billieo up at Captain Cook Rally Bank Hol Weekend! That night was one of the best memories I've got of any rally! Especially when it was suggested i only needed to roll back the ground sheet and we could have had a fire pit (I just reached behind me and got out the gas fire lol). Shaun who is also quite dissparaging of the things I pile up on/in my trailer, and had his son with him was the 1st to pipe up and say "oh don't turn it off I've got a spare gas canister if it runs out!" lmao (same type as the suitcase type single burner cookers)
If traveling a good distance to any rallie or over night stay I'd sooner spend time under canvas/nylon than pay over the top for a B&B/motel/hotel room.
As I said it's more for felexabillty. When traveling to rallies I almost always take senic rountes and prefer to have the time to enjoy the whole weekend the trip there and back being a big part of the enjoyment for me and the speeds I'm restricted to are not a problem.
If I want to travel quicker then I do, I can travel lighter, but I still maintain that I and my passenger are ulitmately safer because the handlening of my bike is not compromised with the stuff lashed around a bike to make room for me my stuff and my pillions stuff too plus I'm riding at a lower speed for most the journey.
bluesbiker In: Birmingham in th
Posts: 2510
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I don't think i've heard of an accident involving a bike/trailer combo. so i don't see the argument or evidence for them being dangerous.
i have though heard loads of tales of overloaded bikes loosing kit.
how much kit you take to a rally is up to the individual who is taking it. I've been on trips with just a tent and bag. These days though i like to be more comfy.
I dont think i'd wanna tow with a bike though. Trike would be good for that.
As far as I know you are able to tow a trailer with any full licence, tax remains the same, a trailer can be home made as with a car trailer although it's probably better for insurance purposes if it is a professionally built model as they are tested/and rated by the companey for the use! Reg fees mmm (legal sized number plate!) That's about it!
Insurance is almost always 3rd party only! If added to a standard policy, the Goldwing owners club may have special deals available to their members for more cover. May include theft too.
I declaired about my tow bar and trailer to Footman James, at 1st they said my trailer would not be covered I said ok I'll shop around as I know that the Golwing Owners Club Members would be covered by their policies! The line went quite while she talked to her supervisor, she came back with 3rd party only! I said as my trailer was only on my bike for maybe 20 jounys a year that'd be fine how much more will it cost (nothing) came back the reply
yer but no but with a trike you really are stuck like a car!! least wiv a trailer yu can leave it at the site when yu ride out for a blast! anyway as my camping days are over its b&b's only for me!anyone know the guys who tow a white poodle in a trailer with a bubble top?saw it in weymouth once!
Just to clarify - I wasn't trying to claim that trailers on bikes are inherently dangerous, nor that there is any evidence of such.
What I was trying to say was that I personally would feel unsafe if I was sat on the back
of a bike with a trailer which was overtaking sports bikes on bends.
So far as I'm concerned, my reasons for feeling unsafe on the back of someone and therefore refusing to ride any further with them don't actually have to have any grounding in evidence or proof of accidents occurring... If I feel unsafe, I get off and I don't get back on. It's as simple as that.
Like I said, I know I've caused much offence over the years. It's not my intention to offend, it's my intention to feel as safe as I can while travelling on the roads, whether it be on a bike or in a car, so I'll continue to make my own choices, groundless or not
I get all the points about being able to get changed while standing up, having standing up shelter in rough conditions etc etc... But a rally's only a night or 2, so I can easily live without those creature comforts when necessary... and if you note, I was referring to touring/camping holidays, not rallies. If you're travelling to a rally, you tend to (vaguely) know the area/route and can plan your route/travel times accordingly. If you're on a touring holiday, it's different and I'd find it too frustrating being on a non-filtering bike and if I had to be stuck in a traffic jam, would prefer to be sitting in a car, warm and dry
Part of the fun of camping (for me) has always been about "making do" with what you've been able to carry, improvising on the fly, relying on the kindness of strangers etc etc... I've done plenty of back-packing trips on foot and there's no way I'm towing a trailer on foot just to have some creature comforts! Bit difficult when you're traveling in rough terrain too.
It's great that we've got all this creature comfort stuff available to us these days, but the experience isn't quite what it used to be when you've got an entire traveling kitchen, heat at the flick of a switch and all the rest of it.
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
Karma:
Crikey,
I only asked for a bit of advice regarding tow bars! To be honest it's each to his/her own what they do with their bike so frankly I couldn't give a toss what anyone thinks about trailers or gazebos or gas fires.
Anyway back on topic we've now got a template that i'm transferring onto steel to get the pattern laser cut and all seems to be looking good so i'll post some pics of the finished article in a couple of weeks then onto the trailer design Thanks for the advice on the legalities Hull, very important to know that before we end up with a trailer that's 3m long and 2 wide
You go for it Rusty ...just make sure your mate pays upfront lol , i've been to rallies where i was green with envy seeing other guys there with it all ...bar the kitchen sink of course . then again some guys go with a few bucks nothing more and have a good time , but i'm too old for that sh.t aaah is'nt it great to get home again . lol
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
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Must admit Exc I did enjoy the luxury of Blades tent at the weekend, being able to stand up and even a porch to sit in but you still can't beat that first night of comfort back in your own bed aaaah bliss!
I'll be taking a few creature comforts to the kids n campin rally that's for sure!
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