Carrying a bike with a travel trailer

JTR

JTR

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I've been thinking of bugout situations a lot lately. And I have a large, well equipped travel trailer, that I would probably want to use in such a situation. Problem is, I have a regular box pickup truck that I don't think would hold my bike without the tailgate down. I also am unsure about towing my trailer with the tailgate down. I'd really like to not leave my bike behind.

Anybody know of solutions for carrying a bike while towing a travel trailer? For reference, the bike weighs 550lbs. I have no problem upgrading the truck for extra weight. I know they have those carrier kits that go on the back of an RV, but I'm not sure if a travel trailer has the frame strength for that, as it's not really what they intended, not to mention 600lbs added to the rear probably takes too much off of the tongue(suppose I could ballast that with cases of water stored in the front bedroom or even just filling the fresh water tank). The trailer is a 2019, so frame rot isn't a worry, and I do believe there is enough room within the axle capacity.

Thoughts?
 
Holy that's a lot of bike to load.
Lightweight toy hauler might be your best bet. They are very nice and I bet you can get great prices right now.
 
Measure the bike first and see how much room you need in the bed. Can the gate be left part way down. Do a mock up with some scrap wood or cardboard.

Is there room on the trailer tongue or a way to modify it. I don't like the idea of it being on the back.
 
Trials said:
Holy that's a lot of bike to load.
Lightweight toy hauler might be your best bet. They are very nice and I bet you can get great prices right now.
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A toy hauler would be ideal ofcourse, as it would also keep the bike out of the elements and secure. However, not really an option as I'm a bit upside down on the trailer that I have.
nobbie48 said:
Measure the bike first and see how much room you need in the bed. Can the gate be left part way down. Do a mock up with some scrap wood or cardboard.

Is there room on the trailer tongue or a way to modify it. I don't like the idea of it being on the back.
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Bike has a 64.6" wheelbase, I'll measure from tail to tip, I may be able to get it in with the tailgate slightly tipped and held up with a chain or something. If the rear tire will sit on the bed, I suppose I could remove the gate entirely. The trailer tongue is a pretty good idea, I'm pretty sure that I can move the propane rack forward and relocate the battery box. Next time I see the trailer I'll take some measurements, unfortunately it's stored almost an hour away, and with covid I don't know if I can get access easily.
 
I would build a modified rack for the back of the trailer. Make sure it doesnt interfer with lights and have a ride on / ride off option. Go have a look at Expedition Portal website , there are a lot of guys doing exactly that. You may want to weigh the trailer once its concocted to get the balance right and keep tongue weight where you need to be for safety.
 
If you know the trailer model the specs and floor plans are usually on the net. You would need a tongue extension to not pinch the bike in turns and that would increase your tongue weight significantly, I wasn't even able to make that work with a dirt bike. Modification of your current trailer to put the bike inside if that is an option, would overcome a lot of problems, like weight distribution.
 
JTR said:
A toy hauler would be ideal ofcourse, as it would also keep the bike out of the elements and secure. However, not really an option as I'm a bit upside down on the trailer that I have.

Bike has a 64.6" wheelbase, I'll measure from tail to tip, I may be able to get it in with the tailgate slightly tipped and held up with a chain or something. If the rear tire will sit on the bed, I suppose I could remove the gate entirely. The trailer tongue is a pretty good idea, I'm pretty sure that I can move the propane rack forward and relocate the battery box. Next time I see the trailer I'll take some measurements, unfortunately it's stored almost an hour away, and with covid I don't know if I can get access easily.
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How about a diagonal position in the bed or front wheel at an angle? I'm not sure of what braking stresses would come from the asymmetrical load.
 
Whatever you do, don't do the double trailer option that some try. And eventually find out the hard way that there's certain legalities and requirements for such that most don't meet.

That said, these things exist that give you a ride on/ride off platform at the *back* of your existing trailer but are not technically a trailer as they are affixed to the trailer in such a fashion that they are considered an extension of the trailer itself.

a117b52f2a4008bb331a74a8103967a1.jpg


Edit: I apparently missed your last paragraph where you said you'd not ideally want to go this route. At least this model removes a lot of the extra weight but I believe still creates warranty issues.
 
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I know you said you prefer not to go this route but here it is.

It powered by an 18V Drill
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If sideways in the bed with the tail gate closed works...then yeah, that's the simplest option, although a bit of a PITA to load and unload when your bike isn't ecactly a lightweight. And getting it in and out is one of those things that ends up on YouTube blooper fairly often.

As for our trucks ability to carry that sort of weight, well, it'd be time to crunch the numbers. Will need your trucks GVWR, Rear GAWR, Empty weight of the truck, typical weight of the passengers and gear you load into it when travelling, and the tongue weight of the trailer. The rest is just math.
 
That gizmo @oioioi posted is the ticket. No youtube moments loading, clean and simple. I know OP you said this wasnt your first choice, but it makes sense for a lot of reasons IMO.

and sorry, that gizmo is not cheap.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Whatever you do, don't do the double trailer option that some try. And eventually find out the hard way that there's certain legalities and requirements for such that most don't meet.

That said, these things exist that give you a ride on/ride off platform at the *back* of your existing trailer but are not technically a trailer as they are affixed to the trailer in such a fashion that they are considered an extension of the trailer itself.

a117b52f2a4008bb331a74a8103967a1.jpg


Edit: I apparently missed your last paragraph where you said you'd not ideally want to go this route. At least this model removes a lot of the extra weight but I believe still creates warranty issues.
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lol That one looks like an accident waiting to happen unless you only tow it on smooth flat roads.
 
Trials said:
lol That one looks like an accident waiting to happen unless you only tow it on smooth flat roads.
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Well, people have been using them for a long time, they're still being sold to this day, and there's tons of them out there, so yeah, there's that.
 
Trials said:
lol That one looks like an accident waiting to happen unless you only tow it on smooth flat roads.
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They are crazy expensive but work great hinged at the trailer so they move up and down.

Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk
 
PrivatePilot said:
Well, people have been using them for a long time, they're still being sold to this day, and there's tons of them out there, so yeah, there's that.
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Not on some of the roads I've pulled a trailer on! :LOL: Heck that thing would not even make it up the first hill on my driveway without a wreck.
That rear castor would either do nothing or lift the back end of the trailer higher then it should be sooner or later. Yes, I should think that tag along would kill your trailer warranty.

... You know what happens when you jack up a travel trailer by it's rear bumper? <- the doors might not open because there is so much flex in the frame and bodywork.
 
Trials said:
Not on some of the roads I've pulled a trailer on! Heck that thing would not even make it up the first hill on my driveway without a wreck.
That rear castor would either do nothing or lift the back end of the trailer higher then it should be sooner or later. Yes, I should think that tag along would kill your trailer warranty.

... You know what happens when you jack up a travel trailer by it's rear bumper? QUOTE]That's not how it works the platform has a big hinge between it and the trailer so it floats and rides on the caster.

Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk
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That's not how it works the platform rides on the caster and is on a big hinge at the back of the trailer so it rides on the caster all the time.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Well, people have been using them for a long time, they're still being sold to this day, and there's tons of them out there, so yeah, there's that.
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Their called toy totes my sister and binlaw had one on their 5th wheel. Worked good far as I know.
 
There is vertical articulation between the trailer and the swivelwheel trailer....just not horizontal articulation like a normal trailer would have.
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