Backing into a Trailer

[AZTriGlide]

Does anyone have experience with backing a TG into a cargo trailer? Is the electrical reverse strong enough to back it up the ramp? Will be trailering a TG and Heritage. Since the Tri Glide is heavier, I've been told it should be up front. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[PIGGI]

It will pop the breaker. Even a slight uphill slope strains the little motor.

 

[KRUZR]

Does anyone have experience with backing a TG into a cargo trailer? Is the electrical reverse strong enough to back it up the ramp? Will be trailering a TG and Heritage. Since the Tri Glide is heavier, I've been told it should be up front. Thanks for any suggestions.

I don't have a Tri Glide but last summer I towed my Harley/CSC conversion to Maggie Valley. My Trike could only go on the trailer front first. To get the proper tongue wait, I had to put 500 pounds of extra weight up front on the trailer. Just mounted a box and put enough concrete bags in there to do the job. When I got home, I took the concrete bags back to the store for a credit. If I remember right, you need 10 to 15% of the weight of your trailer/load on the tongue. It tracked just fine.

Ride Safe!

 

[DTR 11TG]

I must really be lucky, when I drove to Delaware with my enclosed trailer to buy my '11 TG and bring it back, the first thing I did was back the TG AND a 2 man pop-up camper up the ramp & into the trailer. I have never popped the breaker and I have been using my enclosed trailer as the TG's cave, 70-80% of the time I back it into it's cave so I can make a fast get away. The only thing I can suggest is to try backing your TG into your trailer and see what happens, getting to that breaker is easy on my TG, I found my breaker while pulling covers to see where everything is hidden. I did read a few comments, on Trike Talk, about how slow the reverse was so I have always, from that first time, tried to get some speed before hitting the ramp.

 

[eagle1]

try and find a place so you have a incline; so the trailer bed is level with the ground or at a slopetoward the front of the trailer.

 

[genos ultra]

If this is something you will be doing on a regular basis you may want to consider investing in a small winch to mount up front to assist in the loading, saving the reverse motor and it would also assist in the tie down of your trike, Rather cheap at Northern Tools or Harbor Freight,,, Just another idea to bounce around....

 

[icebite1]

try and find a place so you have a incline; so the trailer bed is level with the ground or at a slopetoward the front of the trailer.

That works perfect if you know you will be able to reload it when you get where you are going ThumbUp

 

[eighty80]

I kinda like the winch idea?

Are there any numbers anywhere that say what the front weight is compared to the back? I could take it to a weigh scale,... in about 2 months.

Later eighty80.

 

[rossn2]

Why not put it in neutral and push it backwards? Mine moves very easily that way..

 

[AZTriGlide]

Geno Ultras ~ Thanks, I thought about that but didn't know if it would work! Rossn2 ~ Unfortunately what got me to trade in my Road King for the TG would probably make it impossible to push it up the ramp . Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[87Trike1200]

I'm sure this is dumb and I must be missing something, but why not drive on forward then unloading, it's an easy "downhill" reverse?

 

[icebite1]

I'm sure this is dumb and I must be missing something, but why not drive on forward then unloading, it's an easy "downhill" reverse?

Yup dumb :Crap:, in first post the OP is asking about backing it onto a trailer

 

[genos ultra]

From what i gathered from the original post he was talking about loading a second bike also, that being said the trike is probably to wide in the rear to run a second bike up behind it, just guessing though....

 

[lboos]

Yup dumb :Crap:, in first post the OP is asking about backing it onto a trailer

Not near as dumb as your response :Crap: [he did ask for any suggestions]

Not knowing the length of his trailer I would think that the heritage could go in 1st then drive the T/G on forward, you only need aprox.200 lbs. tongue wt. on most trailers, just a thought :Trike1:.

 

[AZTriGlide]

Getting a kick out of some of the responses Hate to bust anyone's bubble but I'm a Women ! The reason I wanted to back it in was, I know the TG is heavier and 'thought' the heavier bike should be up front. My reasoning may be flawed??? Have been looking at Haulmark, Wells Cargo and Look trailers. Some say a 7 X 12 would be big enough, that I don't need to go 8.5 in the width?

 

[icebite1]

Not near as dumb as your response :Crap: [he did ask for any suggestions]

Not knowing the length of his trailer I would think that the heritage could go in 1st then drive the T/G on forward, you only need aprox.200 lbs. tongue wt. on most trailers, just a thought :Trike1:.

No need to get testy, not a personal attack on you. Perhaps I should have put " Oh" before the :Crap: as in Oops, didnt mean you post was crap.

 

[icebite1]

Getting a kick out of some of the responses Hate to bust anyone's bubble but I'm a Women ! The reason I wanted to back it in was, I know the TG is heavier and 'thought' the heavier bike should be up front. My reasoning may be flawed??? Have been looking at Haulmark, Wells Cargo and Look trailers. Some say a 7 X 12 would be big enough, that I don't need to go 8.5 in the width?

Nope, not flawed ,usually heavier to the front.

We use a 7 1/2' wide cargo trailer and wifes TG goes in first. The trailer has a V nose which gives us an extra 3' and cuts the wind better than a flat nose.

If I wasnt occasionally hauling a RK/Hack 7' wide would have been better for us but the rear door would be too narrow for the Hack.

 

[jcolson]

Hate to burst your bubble but you want the most weight over the axles or axle. Then you try to balance out the rest of it. You don't want too much weight on the tongue since it could make the truck handle bad unless you have a dually. I pull my construction trailer all over the place, but I also have a dually so I don't get the swaying or up and down motion you would normally would get. Good luck.

 

[Sloufoot]

Getting a kick out of some of the responses Hate to bust anyone's bubble but I'm a Women ! The reason I wanted to back it in was, I know the TG is heavier and 'thought' the heavier bike should be up front. My reasoning may be flawed??? Have been looking at Haulmark, Wells Cargo and Look trailers. Some say a 7 X 12 would be big enough, that I don't need to go 8.5 in the width?

The 7x12 is going to be real tight for length. & Icebite1 is right on about the V nose. I wish I had that instead of the round front. 7' or 7.5' width is fine, but don't skimp on the length & end up messing up a couple of paint jobs.
Take one home to give it a try, then you can even try backing in.

:Trike1:

 

[screwball]

After nearly 50 years of motorcycle riding you learn to park where you can power out, or cost out. When we trailer the scoot we drive it forward onto the trailer, and let gravity roll it off.

 

[rmrc51]

After nearly 50 years of motorcycle riding you learn to park where you can power out, or cost out. When we trailer the scoot we drive it forward onto the trailer, and let gravity roll it off.

I do the same as Screwball. I always bring mine in nose first into a Condor Wheel chuck up front and let her just roll down the ramp for unloading.

I have a 7x12 enclosed 'V' nose trailer with tandem axles. My WingSmith fits in there perfectly and the trailer is very stable and pulls perfectly. I highly recommend a tandem axle setup. You can carry more weight, they seem to me more sure footed and if by chance you get a flat in one tire, you can still keep going for a bit.

Here's some photos below;

 

[msocko3]

Getting a kick out of some of the responses Hate to bust anyone's bubble but I'm a Women ! The reason I wanted to back it in was, I know the TG is heavier and 'thought' the heavier bike should be up front. My reasoning may be flawed??? Have been looking at Haulmark, Wells Cargo and Look trailers. Some say a 7 X 12 would be big enough, that I don't need to go 8.5 in the width?

7X12 won't hold both, my dad has a 7x12 V nose Haulmark Low hauler and there is no way we could get a Triglide and another bike in it.

 

[rmrc51]

7X12 won't hold both, my dad has a 7x12 V nose Haulmark Low hauler and there is no way we could get a Triglide and another bike in it.

I agree! You more than likely will have to go longer than wider. A 7x12 can only fit a trike by itself.

 

[87Trike1200]

After nearly 50 years of motorcycle riding you learn to park where you can power out, or cost out. When we trailer the scoot we drive it forward onto the trailer, and let gravity roll it off.

Thank you, screwball. Sounds like something I was trying to say before being rudely and inexcusably dumped on...

 

[AZTriGlide]

I agree! You more than likely will have to go longer than wider. A 7x12 can only fit a trike by itself.

You don't think you could get both in if staggered?

 

[AZTriGlide]

I do the same as Screwball. I always bring mine in nose first into a Condor Wheel chuck up front and let her just roll down the ramp for unloading.

I have a 7x12 enclosed 'V' nose trailer with tandem axles. My WingSmith fits in there perfectly and the trailer is very stable and pulls perfectly. I highly recommend a tandem axle setup. You can carry more weight, they seem to me more sure footed and if by chance you get a flat in one tire, you can still keep going for a bit.

Here's some photos below;

Very nice looking trailer! Thanks for the pictures. What brand is that? I've been looking at Wells Cargo, Haulmark and Look Trailers.

 

[rmrc51]

It's a United Trailer. I bought it in PA. If you're interested, I'll look up the dealer I used.

 

[screwball]

Bought a full steel bed car trailer years ago to haul the dirt bikes and quads. Electric breaks, storage box on front and ramps under the bed. it is 8 X 18. Both trikes fit. I've since added an electric winch, makes loading and unloading very easy. Don't use it much, but it is handy to have.

 

[rmrc51]

Bought a full steel bed car trailer years ago to haul the dirt bikes and quads. Electric breaks, storage box on front and ramps under the bed. it is 8 X 18. Both trikes fit. I've since added an electric winch, makes loading and unloading very easy. Don't use it much, but it is handy to have.

As far as open trailers go and as far as I'm concerned, you can'y do better then Screwball's! ThumbUp

And I have to also agree with his statement. Don't use mine much either, but it does come in very handy at times when you need it!

 

[eighty80]

So... would a 3000# atv winch be big enough to pull a tike into the trailer?