UHaul motorcycle trailers

[Skyryder]

As long as I am in an asking mood, I am going on bit of a trip and would like to take the 'Wing with me. I was wondering if any of you have experience using the UHaul motorcycle trailer with your Goldwing. So the follow on question is how did you tie it down. YouTube shows a few different methods, even putting the tie downs on the handle bars, which I had never seen. This was the method the people at TRaxxion were showing. I have some experience with my 1500 Classic, but it had less fairings and I was able to use the front forks without damaging the fiberglass. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[Viking]

Do not use your handlebars - ever - for anything except stabilizing the bike. There are special rigs for that so you can tie it off in an upright position. I have never found this necessary.

If the trailer you intend to rent is for motorcycles, it should have a wheel chock. This would be ideal as it keeps the front wheel from moving anywhere. Go under the front of the fairing, up the forks and find the first triple tree. Loop a soft loop or similar arount each side and then strap this to a floor ring. Remove the cover over your battery, and the corresponding cover on the other side, and Loop a soft loop through the frame. Strap from here to rear floor rings. This is the only way I would tie down a Goldwing GL1800. One more thing that some owners do is loop a strap around the rear tire and tighten it to floor loops on each side of the rear of the bike to prevent the rear tire from moving. I have never done this, but it is not a bad idea.

[Skyryder]

Thanks for the feedback, I was not real keen on the whole handlebar idea. I had never done it on any other bike, and somehow didn't think an additional bit of weight would make it any better. I am a little bit curious if anyone has rented a UHaul motorcycle trailer. I would like to know if the trailer worked well with the Goldwing. I know it shouldn't matter, but thought I would ask anyway.

[tamathumper]

I've used the U-haul trailer to tow from NY to NC. Trailer worked great, but the front wheel only goes into a groove in the front wall, there is no proper chock, and sturdy straps are a must as they are all that will hold up the bike.

Mine loosened up and I had to take up the slack a few times, and eventually I took up too much and somewhere in the final miles it blew a little fluid out the left front fork seal, probably when my wife went over a speed bump.

[jfanning65]

The Uhaul "motorcyle trailer" is listed as being 7' 8" in length. The goldwing measures in at about 8 1/2' long. The max cargo weight is also listed as being 950 pounds. You would need to get the 5' x 9' cargo trailer. When you reserve the trailer, ask for one with the motorcycle wheel cutout along the front wall. I have rented the 5x9 trailer a couple of times from Uhaul, both with and without the wheel cutout. Both work fine, but the wheel cutout sure makes things easier. Safe and happy travels!

[Skyryder]

Thank you, happiness is NOT renting the trailer, taking it home only to find out it is too small. With the use those things get, being within 50lbs of the MGW, is also not a "happy place"!

[DenverWinger]

You could probably ride the bike to your U-Haul dealer and drive it onto the trailer in the dealer's lot to see how the bike fits (or doesn't).....

I used one of these trailers a few years ago, it worked very well, but that was for hauling Deb's '83 Virago. Much smaller than a 'Wing.

[tamathumper]

They are also prominently labeled "Max Speed 55 MPH".

[kwthom]

They fit, no problem...

Now, the fella getting ready to tie his new-to-him bike is about ready to do it wrong, but far be it from me to correct the owner on his error (not pictured).

EDIT: Personally, if I was to move a bike by trailer more than a handful of times, spending $1100 or so on a proper trailer & wheel chock might be the better way of accomplishing the task.

Although, people do sell trailers used often. Doing a little searching before one is needed, along with having a place to store it, would be the option.

[tamathumper]

Not surprised, considering he can't seem to tie his own pants up either.

[AZgl1800]

I would just buy a used trailer, and keep it, or sell it.

if you sell it, the rental fee would be nulled out.

I use the Soft Loops over the Triple Tree, to secure the bike down.
I also use a strap around the front wheel to ensure that it can't back up period.

the rear gets a single strap wrapped around the rear wheel and tied to both sides of the trailer.

I use the Canyon Dancer handlebar grips to "stabilize" side motion only, they do NOT pull down much at all.

[kwthom]

Not surprised, considering he can't seem to tie his own pants up either.

Wasn't exactly my concern at that moment in time, to be honest. He had handed me the money for the transaction, and I helped with the notary stuff on the back end of the deal. That was all before he had put that bike on that trailer.

The buyer told me that it was going overseas to a relative that was going to trike it.

I took the photo and departed the parking lot prior to him leaving.

[tamathumper]

Seems like the most prudent path to take...!

[toanogreen]

I rented a U-Haul motorcycle trailer with the cutout when I purchased my 1800. I pulled it with a small 4-cylinder pickup. I had a 200 mile trip and had no problems. Doesn't sound like much, but when you are pulling anything you still have to be careful. Many YouTube videos on how to tie it down properly, NO handlebars.

[GrapeVine]

Nothing but a positive experience with a U-Haul motorcycle trailer. Used one on each of two different rentals. Low cost, ~$14/day.
93 1500I fit with no issues. Full width ramp was wide enough to ride and roll it on and off with secure footing.
I had previously purchase a new set of tiedowns that I intended only for the GW. On the front end, I took the straps all the way up and around the fork brace and hooked it back to the tie ring. Another pair similarly fed to the rear crash bars, back to the tie ring.

[bucketboy]

I rented a Uhaul trailer last year about this time to move my GW from Florida to Michigan. The trailer identified as a motorcycle trailer is not long enough for a GW. You have to rent the next size larger which does have a wheel chock built in to the front railing. There are plenty of tie down points and an easy load gate. The rent time is 5 days. In other words you have five days to get to where you are going and return the trailer. Everything worked great for me.

Safe Travels

[TerryRuth]

bullet proof 100% easy to load unload tons of spots to tie #1 in my opinion

[DarthJ]

I've used both their motorcycle trailers and the utility trailers (both with and without cutouts, cutout is preferred) They are good strong trailers, only ONCE have I had an issue and that was with lights going out partway into a trip. Few bucks at Autozone for magnetic lights got me back in the game. (Yes, I let them know as soon as I returned it.)

I prefer the utility trailers over the motorcycle ones for a Wing, but that's just me, I know other guys are fine with the smaller one.

[MikeB]

Do they rent one way trailers? Love to be able to deliver a vehicle to a destination while towing my bike and then leave the vehicle where it is going and drop off the trailer at the local U-Haul. Then ride the bike back home.

[Rambozo]

Do they rent one way trailers? Love to be able to deliver a vehicle to a destination while towing my bike and then leave the vehicle where it is going and drop off the trailer at the local U-Haul. Then ride the bike back home.

Yes, they do one way rentals.

[tamathumper]

I did a one-way rental from NY to NC. It was pricey, but cheaper than renting another truck.

[GrapeVine]

Funny thing about U-Haul one-way rentals nowadays. Based on a given DEPARTURE vs. destination scheme the prices for one way rentals varies widely. There seems to be many people leaving particular major metro areas in search of greener pastures, so the outbound demand is HIGH, hence price HIGH. It costs a lot to repopulate vehicles back to high departure demand areas. However, if you happen to be going from the greener pastures back to the high demand area, you might get a VERY favorable rate. You might even try negotiating it further down.
Classify this post under:
(1) Economic Theory
(2) Political Impact
(3) Demographic Shifts
(4) The Clash of All The Above

[kwthom]

Do they rent one way trailers? Love to be able to deliver a vehicle to a destination while towing my bike and then leave the vehicle where it is going and drop off the trailer at the local U-Haul. Then ride the bike back home.

The moto-specific trailers?

As far as I knew, the answer is never. They are considered a 'local only' rental. In U-Haul speak, that means they have to be returned to the originating location, or the renter will pay a significant fee.

Now...a trailer that you might be able to put your motorcycle on? Well, now there's the problem. Ideally, you'd have a chock or equivalent means of holding the bike upright and stationary, along with the proper-rating straps & soft-ties.

[MikeB]

Yes, motorcycle specific is what I was referring to. Thank you.

[tamathumper]

Motorcycle-specific, if we're talking about the ones with the "bump out" in the front wall for the motorcycle's front wheel, are available for one-way long distance rental.