The dangers of trailers

[CatatonicBug]

I just had to pass this along to anyone who might be interested in adding a trailer to their bike.

My neighbor has been a biker for years, and ridden many makes of bike. Earlier this Summer, he traded in an Ultra Glide for a new HD Road Glide and a used Road King for his wife. He also hand made a trailer to tow behind his bike. Wood-framed, teardrop-shaped aluminum shell with a sound system and carpeted interior. Really very nice IMO.

Last weekend, they decided to take a trip and trailered 3 bikes and the bike trailer down to Lake of the Ozarks, Branson, and that area. The spent the week there, and returned last night. It turns out, on Thursday, they were riding down the highway at about 55mph, he was leading, towing the trailer. The cage they were following slowed quickly, and he slammed on the brakes. The trailer lifted up off the ground and swung around and swiped him off the bike! The bike then went solo into the rear of the cage. His half-helmet flew off his head, and he lay in the road, in the opposite lane of traffic. The trailer was upside down on the pavement beside him and the bike. A van in the oncoming lane ditched off the road to avoid hitting him. He was air-lifted to the local hospital, where they stapled his head and let him go 4 hours later. He ended up with staples in his head, a severe concussion, and road rash on both arms (no jacket, of course) which the hospital did nothing to clean out, along with pneumonia. Thankfully, he is mobile, but in severe pain, and his bike and trailer are likely totaled.

Had he not been towing the trailer (or at least drastically increased the following distance), he most likely would have been able to stop/swerve in time to avoid a crash. Scary stuff, and I don't envy him or his wife in dealing with the situation. Wear that armor folks - you never know when something like this might happen.

[Smash]

Glad he's gonna be ok.

Absolutely a great reminder that towing a trailer SHOULD significantly change how you ride, especially if it's a heavier trailer.

ATGATT folks!

[Elevener]

OK, I get why they trailered the bikes. Thats typical with the half helmet and no gear.

But why in the world would you trailer the trailer? To make people more convinced he actually rode somewhere?

[CatatonicBug]

OK, I get why they trailered the bikes. Thats typical with the half helmet and no gear.

But why in the world would you trailer the trailer? To make people more convinced he actually rode somewhere?

To be honest, I'm not really sure on that one... I think the idea was to make the long part of the trip in the truck, then do the rest of the vacation on the bikes. Then, meet pack up with the truck to haul the whole mess home again. Seems like it would have been a lot more enjoyable to just ride the whole way, but maybe the 4 hour ride is too much on a HD?

[dpotter58]

So he got pneumonia from the wreck?

[CatatonicBug]

So he got pneumonia from the wreck?

Evidently, that's what his wife said. Not being a medic, I'm not sure what could cause fluid in the lungs, but it happened.

[natemoen]

As with cages and trailers you MUST increase following distance. It takes longer to stop.

On a side note. Think it would work to add electronic trailer brakes to MC trailer? that certainly would have helped if not prevented this.

[DGXSER]

One, he made the trailer way to light obviously, and apparently put nothing of any weight inside it. Honestly, it sounds like a lesson in making your own stuff if you do not know what your doing.

As to the pneumonia, that is a common occurance with any kind of chest injury. I was in ICU for three days so they could monitor my lungs due to some bruising of the lungs, and see that I did not get pneumonia. They also gave me this contraption which had a tube I had to suck air in from until the plunger inside it went up to a certain level. I had to use it three times every hour for the first couple months. The purpose was to keep my lungs inflated and reduce my liklihood to get pneumonia.

[crazy steve]

As a rider who towed a trailer behind my XS for a number years, I can say that it sounds like his problem was the trailer was too big and too heavy.

Trailer weight including loaded items should never be more than 25% of the bike weight (not including rider/passenger). Even at that percentage, you need to be careful. Go more than that, and you're risking just this sort of thing. It's also very important to keep the weight down low.

I towed mine regularly from '78 through '85, and as long as I kept the loaded trailer weight below 150 lbs, I never had any issues. I did increase my stopping distances, but tracking and cornering were never a problem. This could lead you to a false sense of security though, so caution was always my watchword.

The only time I ever had trouble towing, I overloaded the trailer (no choice at the time, I had to get 'stuff' someplace..). The trailer did try to 'push' the bike that time, and I never repeated that. I don't think trailer brakes would be an answer, as the extra weight penalty of a brake system would be worse.

At one time (late 70s/early 80s), bike trailers were very popular and you could buy large 'motorcycle' tent trailers that would sleep up to six (I'm not kidding!). After numerous accidents (some fatal), the bike manufacturers all came out against towing and bike trailers pretty much disappeared off the market.

If you're going to tow, use a sturdy hitch that does not deflect (important!!), keep the trailer size/weight down, and give yourself extra room when riding.

I'm glad the guy survived....

[Wildkat]

he traded in an Ultra Glide for a new HD Road Glide and a used Road King for his wife.

Huh... most people I've heard... trade the wife, for the bikes...


On a more solemn note... glad to hear that it wasn't much worse. He was very lucky to be able to go home at all... much less in that short a time.
We wish him a speedy recovery and best wishes to his family as well.

[ManagerMike]

Just as an fyi, (glad to hear he's ok) trailer brakes really do very little to help stop the mass of the trailer, the tow vehicle provides at least 70% of the stopping power, what they DO do, is help control the mass during hard/panic stops, that is, keeps the trailer behind the tow vehicle. No matter what you are driving or trailering, a jacknifed trailer sucks!

[jwhughes3]

Pneumonia

My background in the military as an ER nurse has shown me that ANY significant trauma can lead to a pneumonia. We typically think of pneumonia caused by infection, but you can get fluid in the lungs from what was described. A significant hit to the ground can bruise delicate lung tissues and they get weepy. A large enough insult causes lung failure and the need to be ventilated.

The rider was lucky. I would buy a lottery ticket, better helmet and dump the trailer idea.

John

[cowboybob998]

brakes

No brakes on the trailer, that is the problem, most of them dont have brakes, when he stoped the bike the momentem of the trailer just keap on going.

[DGXSER]

Unless I read the info wrong (happens from time to time) the trailer raised up off the ground, swung around, and swiped him off the bike, but did not knock the bike down. Which gives me the impression it hit waist high or above on the rider.

Just my opinion I suppose, but that is not the result of to much weight. For it to swing around like a rag doll and smack the rider more than the bike the thing had to weigh very little. Mass and momentum would keep it moving and make it swing around, but weight would still keep it close to the ground not chest high. Gravity being what it is and all.

[cowboybob998]

idea

This just gave me an idea, i have been colecting parts for a trailer and it just came to me how to put brakes on it, with all the parts bikes i bought from karla i can use two of the wheels with the rotors and calpers on them and rig up a set of brakes, the size of the wheels would make it pull good i would think, gona have to think about this one.