Best way to trailer a bike across country?

[madmax-im]

Eagle One Express

FWIW there are trucking outfits out there that deal with handling and transporting motorcycles and other types of recreational vehicles.The best in the biz is an outfit called Eagle One Express. Their sole purpose is transporting bikes,atvs' etc...all their trailers are specifically built for that purpose.While they arent the only ones doing this...other outfits will require you to drain your gastanks and even have your bike crated.Not Eagle One...check the link...they'll give you a free quote. Also they will pick up and drop off door to door.They come to you and they drop it off to you...no inconvienience of you going to some airport or freightyard to pick it up....
http://www.eagleoneexpress.com/

[b.walker5]

Kind of irrelevant to you guys in the states, but we have a specialist bike mover in this country very similar to your eagle one express.

http://www.motorcyclemovers.co.nz/index.php

I once used them for transporting a GZ250 the length of NZ, purchased when my son was learning to ride, and found them to be the absolute best. Door to door, no hassles, no damage, daily updates by phone as to ETA, reasonable charges.

If you have to outsource for long haul transporting your ride then I would thoroughly recommend using a specialist company that only transports bikes.

[thewiz]

Well ...

I bought the black one that we all liked best ... even better in person. An original owner, kept it tarped ... beautiful condition ... the link is now gone as he has cx'd the CL ad ... got him to knock off 50 bucks too . Damn nice trailer. But I still may have to ship two other bikes and I have submitted a quote to Eagleoneexpress ... thx. We'll see what their deal is.

Thanks again to everyone who spoke up .... can't beat this group.

[thewiz]

Eagleoneexpress ...

Just got their quote in .... $550 per bike, based on two baggers. Whew!!. That's roughly a buck per pound!! Guess if it were a $40K chopper or very valuable in some other way, it'd be the 'ticket' though .... looks like a good service.

[thewiz]

best way to mount the bike on the trailer?

About a week from shove off now ... heading East. Been out here this time almost exactly 14 years. Geeez ... tempus fugits ..

Looks like I'll be shipping two 11s on a Upack type trailer that I pack myself with the rest of my hh goods and the last one on the trailer behind me. Anyway was looking for more input on the tow. I noticed that in Bikerphil's trailer photo the bike was standing straight up, front tire in a cleat. Is that the best way? Or should/could it be leaning on the sidestand and strapped in like that? My trailer has two foot steel framed plywood sides all around. Also, anyone care to opine on packing the other two in the semi trailer?... I'll have load bars and plywood.

Sorry to bother everyone with more of this tow stuff, but, although I have some ideas, I just don't know for sure and really don't wanna' experiment ... but I bet some of you do

[madmax-im]

About a week from shove off now ... heading East. Been out here this time almost exactly 14 years. Geeez ... tempus fugits ..

Looks like I'll be shipping two 11s on a Upack type trailer that I pack myself with the rest of my hh goods and the last one on the trailer behind me. Anyway was looking for more input on the tow. I noticed that in Bikerphil's trailer photo the bike was standing straight up, front tire in a cleat. Is that the best way? Or should/could it be leaning on the sidestand and strapped in like that? My trailer has two foot steel framed plywood sides all around. Also, anyone care to opine on packing the other two in the semi trailer?... I'll have load bars and plywood.

Sorry to bother everyone with more of this tow stuff, but, although I have some ideas, I just don't know for sure and really don't wanna' experiment ... but I bet some of you do

Not sure I understand how you plan to trailer these bikes...but when I trailer mine it is secured with 6 tie downs or adjustable straps...and never..ever use a sidestand or centerstand. I attach 2 straps from the handlebars(one on ea.side) then 2 from the rear seat rails and finally 2 around the front wheel rim to keep the bike from moving forward or back...finally the bike is also in 1st gear to minimize movement...with the bike balanced and centered tighten down all straps and you will not need to use any stands...the equalizing pressure of each side will hold the bike up. My trailer has tie down anchor points all around it so attaching the straps (that have hooks on both ends) is easy. Hope this helps.

[BigDick]

roll your baby onto your trailer, set her on the sidestand, then strapup the right side, just barely tight. then put straps on the left to make her stand up straight, then it's just a matter of tightening evenly to keep it upright. when you get ready to unload release the right side straps first, with your side stand down, that way the tenison on the left strap will pull it over onto the stand. easiest way I know.

[bikerphil]

I like to run the front straps above the lower triple trees if possible, and compress the front sunpension about half way. The back, hook as high as possible to the frame and compress the suspension, but not quite as much as the front. The wheel chock is nice in the front, helps keep the bike firmly planted, especially when hitting the brakes. Strap the front wheel to the chock to keep it from shifting. No kickstands! The front straps should be nice heavy duty ones. The rear, not quite as critical. I also put a chock (4X4) behind the rear wheel to keep stress off the front straps when going up a steep incline. Put the bike in 1st gear when transporting.

[DiverRay]

Also, anyone care to opine on packing the other two in the semi trailer?... I'll have load bars and plywood.

If you are loading the trailer on your own, I would do the following:
1. Use the "loops" or hooks in the trailer walls to help secure the bikes. TAKE OFF ALL MIRRORS, and ANYTHING that will bend easily!. Try to secure the bike the same way you do in your trailer. If you cannot, I would put plywood across the front, to keep the rest of the load off the bikes. Then push the bikes into the trailer, BACKWARDS if possible. Run them all the way, so the rack, if they have one, is against the plywood. Put the bike in gear, on the sidestand, and then push in #2 next to it.
Tie a rope or a short strap between the frames of the bikes, one at the back, and one near the front. Then use a ratchet type strap from the rear frame on the "high" side of the back, and the wall. Do this at the rear frame area. Use a second strap from the "low side of the other bike to the wall, so you have two adjustable straps from the bike to wall, and a strap between the bikes to keep the distance the same. Use the straps to "stand" the bikes up off the kickstand.
Do the same at the front of the bikes. Pack some "non breakable items between the bikes, with blankets or something to keep the paint nice. Add one more plywood board as a rear lock, and you should be ready.
Remember, ALL THINGS WILL TRY TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRAILER! This is the "downhill" side, the roads crown to the outside, and the vibration will try and move everything that way. KEEP THE STRAPS TIGHT! It will keep the load from shifting as easily.

[thewiz]

Some really good stuff ...

thanks for all the input. I feel much better about this pack and tow now having read the info from the posters in this thread. Thank you all very, very much. Great info ...

[thewiz]

So, DiverRay ... seems like you know 'bout these semi trailers ...

May I pick your brain a bit more, please? I think the trailer will be empty when it gets here. I have five days and 10 or 12 linear feet to fill which is 8 feet wide and 9 feet high. Other odd shaped and heavy stuff on there will be my roll away and stationary vertical compressor, five and seven foot sofa and loveseat.

Are you saying to load the bikes FIRST backwards on the LEFT side of the trailer and secure them to the left and back walls after strapping them together? then wall them off with a mattress and/or plywood on the two open sides and even overhead? Do you think I should put the compressor and tool box on that back wall adjacent to (or 'downhill' from) the bikes? I'm calling the back wall the wall that is closest the tractor ... not sure if that's considered the front or the back? ... lol. Anyway any other thoughts on packing this load, sir?

[DiverRay]

Loading front to back, and that is the wall at the FRONT of the trailer, I would put the upright compressor in the front right corner, and the bikes in the front left corner. Plan on putting some LIGHT items on the bikes, Pillows, and lamp shades, that type of thing.put the really heavy items LOW and to the RIGHT, as you walk into the trailer.
You can stand the Sofa on one end, so it will NOT take up as much room. The main thing to think about, is everything will try to move. IF IT MOVES, IT BREAKS!! try and have everything in as tight as possible, when you are done. I would put ALL the "dirty" garage items in first, plywood, and then the "not so nice" stuff, and the "good" things on the end, with a blanket and plywood for final protection. The truck WILL make two or three more stops BEFORE heading across the country. Try not to have ANYTHING of value that can be "pulled" easily from "your" area, hence the plywood.
Good luck, and we'll miss you on the proper coast!
and yes, I DID drive 18 wheelers for a living. Almost 10 years of it.

[thewiz]

thx, Ray ...

yes, I DID drive 18 wheelers for a living. Almost 10 years

Ahh-haa!! Not at all surprised. Really appreciate the info and I'll proceed as you have advised. Thank you very much.

[DenyP]

Just be awair of your weight distribution front to back. You don't want the trailor loaded so it fish tails on you while trying to drive down the road.
When I got out of the Navy, I rented a U-haul to move my stuff from Salt Lake City to Central Minnesota. The heavy stuff was my bike and tool chests. I was a body man at the time and had one hell of a lot in tools. The trip was sweet and uneventful load wise. Pay attention to the posts of those expiranced in hauling loads and good luck to you in your new home!

Deny

[thewiz]

Ok ... well the trailer got dropped ...

off here this morning. Soon as help arrived I set to work using DiverRay's plan. Gotta' say ... was scary lookin' up this ramp ... seemed steep as hell ..

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Rode the naked F up first. Yippee !! Rodeo !! The trailer and ramp is on a slight angle to the right but it went right up, we spun it around on the center stand and backed it to the front wall ... then the bagger which gave me a scare at the top of the ramp ... but no damage, no injury.



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Below is the secret weapon. The little plywood disc allowed the bike to pivot 180 degrees on the center stand with very little effort.

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Below I have just joined the bikes together with two ratchet straps. Tomorrow I'll strap 'em to the sidewalls. Ended takin' the fender off the F ... I packed a rack that would fit it too ... wish I had put it on there now. The rack keeps the fender and TL assy off the wall nicely.

and

Lots more to do over the next douple of days ... and then there's my little rig to load with the last bik but I'll show the final position of the bikes and garage stuff once I get to that point.