Enclosed vs. Open Opinions Please

[RoadKill]

I am thinking of getting a trailer that will haul two touring bikes. I lean towards an enclosed just because I don't like it being out in the elements and flying road debris if I'm not riding it. The trailer will also probably be used to haul the occaisional lumber or landscaping material.

 

Could I get some opinions on Enclosed vs. Open, I should say it will only be used for the bike to get away in the winter or a longer trip to satisfy the wife. Does a stone guard really help protect the bike on the open trailers.

 

If my wife had her way and we could afford it we would get a trailer with some type of sleeping quarters. She says we could use it for family camping even if we didn't take the bike. My thought on that is it would be rather large to head to Home Depot for lumber and I can only pull up to 5900 lbs with my SUV

 

Any opinions/things to think about appreciated.

[WilCruise]

Given a choice I'd prefer a closed trailer. Protection from weather and debris while traveling being the main motivations. Also doubles as a nice storage space when not towing. They tend to be 3-5 times more expensive though. They're also are more conspicuous when parked at home. For those reasons I still have an open trailer.

[Guest KitCarson]

I looked to see where you live.......up in the great white country. To sum it up without a book....an enclosed trailer up where you live would be the best choice....no not for rocks and stuff......all that salt they dump on the roads, and all that slush and spray........that would be the biggest hazard up where you live......and one thing I found out one time the hard way.....using an open trailer and putting motorcycle covers on the bike......wind whips the cover....rubs the paint.......but if you are going to use it for landscaping and lumber.....open trailer is better.....use it mainly for bike up where you live.......closed is better..........for the salt spray.

[RoadKill]

Given a choice I'd prefer a closed trailer. Protection from weather and debris while traveling being the main motivations. Also doubles as a nice storage space when not towing. They tend to be 3-5 times more expensive though. They're also are more conspicuous when parked at home. For those reasons I still have an open trailer.

Same things I think. Also, If I had too, I could sleep in an enclosed a little better than on an open :rotf:Price is a factor as always. Wonder how small you could get buy with to hold 2 touring bikes. Do you think you could do it with a 6x12 and the bikes staggered?

[Riderduke]

Roadkill,

Not sure if you had seen this in the classified ads

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/943/cat/18/limit/recent/date/1200319567

Its a little far from you but may be worth it.

[Eck]

Either way, your towing vehicle must be capable to pull whatever you choose..

Enclosed is best my opinion... you can not only protect your bike from road grime and stones, but you have enclosed quarters to carry your luggage and cooler too....

Oh and dont forget...your wife would have a bunch of availabe space to purchase all those new items she really needs at the house, while on your vacation to bring back with you

[Freebird]

I guess I'm in the minority here but I suppose it depends on how you really plan to use it. I bought a used trailer last year for picking up the occasional bikes that I buy to part it, sell, etc. I've pulled enclosed and open trailers and just prefer pulling the open ones. They are less affected by high winds, headwinds and crosswinds, and serve my purpose very well.

 

I agree that there are advantages to the enclosed ones. Your bike will be more secure if you are staying overnight at a hotel. It is protected from the elements. Being on an open trailer though is no worse than if you were actually riding it to your destination. It is then exposed to the elements and sitting outside the hotel rooms at night? I mean, they ARE designed to handle the outdoors.

 

I also agree that it is a good storage space when you are not using it. I know that the way it works around here though is that it would be full of junk every time I need to use it. I would then have to unload it and put all the stuff somewhere else every time I need to use it.

 

Here is the picture of the trailer that I bought last year. The stone guard and sides do offer some protection from things being thrown up from the road. I works very well for me. Not large enough for two large touring bikes though.

[RoadKill]

Roadkill,

Not sure if you had seen this in the classified ads

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/943/cat/18/limit/recent/date/1200319567

Its a little far from you but may be worth it.

That's almost the price of the enclosed I've looked at too. Looks nice though

[Gary N.]

Wonder how small you could get buy with to hold 2 touring bikes. Do you think you could do it with a 6x12 and the bikes staggered?

 

Jay,

I have a 6X12 enclosed for my RSV and it's perfect for one bike or maybe one touring and one cruiser but it would be tight for two large bikes and hard to get around to hook up the tie downs etc.

I think for two bikes a seven foot wide model would be better.

As far as sleeping in it. They do get hot inside not having any insulation but lots of guys do use them for camping. With roll up screening an inflatable bed and a large beer cooler you'll be all set.

[BradT]

Lots of pros and cons for both. I think the enclosed one will require a larger vehicle to pull the trailor but if you plan on keeping the bbig vehicle for long time this may not be an issue.

 

I went the open style only because of cost. I have not had any stone chips (yet), but I built this one for less than a 1,000 CDN. Has 2,000 leave springs, a 3,500 drop axle, and can be pulled with a Minivan.

 

Works great.

 

Brad

[Sweetnothing]

Lots of pros and cons for both. I think the enclosed one will require a larger vehicle to pull the trailor but if you plan on keeping the bbig vehicle for long time this may not be an issue.

 

I went the open style only because of cost. I have not had any stone chips (yet), but I built this one for less than a 1,000 CDN. Has 2,000 leave springs, a 3,500 drop axle, and can be pulled with a Minivan.

 

Works great.

 

Brad

 

 

Hey Brad,

You forgot to tell him it's a great hang out place for outdoor Birthday parties too!!

[ediddy]

Until last week I had an open trailer. Someone stole it from my son's yard at night. It was a 6' x 10' that a company here builds to haul motorcycles. I paid 900.00 for it new. I did pay a little extra to have it enclosed around the railing. This was recommended by the builder to keep mud and other objects from coming off the tires and hitting the bike. I never had a problem with anything from the rode hitting the bike. I used it more for hauling other things than my cycle. Lawnmower, lumber, pinestraw etc. I would like to have an enclosed trailer but will probably buy another open.

[BradT]

Hey Brad,

You forgot to tell him it's a great hang out place for outdoor Birthday parties too!!

 

Yes your right, i forgot it doubles as Chairs and a table for a bunch of Beer drinkers.

 

Also hauls wood and other junk real well

 

Brad

[dynodon]

Roadkill,

 

I have had many trailers for cars, and both open and enclosed.

 

Advantages of open are: much easier to get to things to tie it down, you can put bigger taller things on them, less weight and cost.

 

Advantages of closed: more secure, lessens the possibility of vandalism, keeps everything clean, can be used for storage at other times, and to move smaller things that can't be put on an open trailer.

 

It was mentioned to be sure your tow vehicle is up to the task, doesn't take long for an enclosed trailer to get up in weight with size/contents.

 

I also highly recommend that you have front/side access doors put on the trailer to help you get to the bike to tie it down. These are worth the extra expense.

 

Get an all aluminum trailer if you can possibly afford it. steel rusts amazingly fast when it sits on grass and gravel as most trailers do, and wood floors rot fairly quick. Plus Aluminum will hold its value much better.

 

If you even think you might haul two bikes, then get one plenty big enough to do the job with room for you to get around both of them to tie them down.

 

Do NOT skimp on size! once you get to a certain size, a little bigger isn't much more expensive, or more costly in drag/weight. It is better to have too much room, than not enough.

 

Get a sturdy ramp door with helper springs or cables. Save your back! Make sure the door is long enough, or that it has extension ramps that are easy to use. A side mount door with slide out ramps is not nearly as convenient.

 

Get lights inside, and even consider a winch inside.

 

siding inside, or insulation isn't very important unless you plan on sleeping inside it in winter.

 

Once you get to a certain size, consider putting an awning on one side. You won't believe how much more useful a trailer is once you can sit outside in the rain and even put your car/bike under cover!

 

And, if you get a trailer that is approaching 2500 or more pounds loaded (two big touring bikes and trailer will easily top 3000 pounds!) then buy a load equalizing hitch unless you have a one-ton truck. I have towed for 40+ years and won't be without a load equalizing hitch. Draw-tite and Reese make models for all weight ranges. The advantage is when you get a 3000 pound trailer, it needs 300 pounds on the ball. That is a lot of weight hanging off the very back of a vehicle. With a load equalizing hitch investment of a couple hundred dollars or so, you take that weight totally off the ball and put 1/2 of it on each axle instead. Makes the entire rig ride level and safe. Also they have anti-sway properties that are quite valuable. Many people spend lots on trailers and stuff to put in them, and then cheap out on the hitch. And that can lead to big accidents and tragedy. If you need any help with towing or hitches I would be glad to talk to you more.

[Guest Saddletramp]

You have to answer your own question about which type of trailer is what you want. No one out here can do that for you. Primary question is why are you buying a trailer and what do you plan to do with it. If you want a small utility trailer for carrying a garden tractor or going to the landfill, there are the kit trailers out there that you put together like an erector set. I bought one of these and for the small price of under $250 you can have them. If I were buying one to haul my motorcycle it wouild be used in the winter only and I would have an enclosed trailer. I would go as wide as permissable to be able to haul two bikes if desired with a minimum length of 10 feet. I would also set it up with a center mount chock as well as a 2 spot set-up. The biggest thing that was brought to my attention when I borrowed the trailer to go get the Venture was overhead door height, sturdy ramp, and quality tie downs. As far as being able to haul with whatever you own, get your tow weight from the manufacturer and do the math. Ex. the total weight of the bikes and trailer combined. Remember you have to be able to stop that additional weight with the brakes that are designed to stop the power vehicle only, unless you get into a trailer equipped with electric:detective: or surge brakes.

[PrairieStar]

Real nice work on that trailer Brad. I'll bet it tows really nice.

 

Regarding the enclosed trailer......A friend of mine has a factory made double wide aluminum trailer with the lift-up moulded fibreglass lid on it. It looks great but he says that it isn't easy to pull. He bought a full size Chev truck with a V-8 in it because he said the Tahoe just wasn't cutting it but he says the truck works pretty hard as well. He also paid $5,000 Canadian for it. I have a home built 4X8 single place open trailer and it pulls great with my RSV aboard. It doesn't have a drop axle but I under slung the leaf springs and that gets the deck down low enough. I made drop-in sides and a slide out rear ramp for it. It also has a tilt deck. I use it for everything. It's my utility trailer and it's set up to haul a snowmobile as well.

 

Rod.

[flb_78]

I would use an open trailer. That way if the bike starts to fall over, you'll notice it in the rear view. If it's inside, you won't notice it until you're already there and the 2 bike have been laying on each other for the last 1000 miles.

[karbar99]

Here are a couple pics of my brothers trailer. I thought he was explaining a square aluminium trailer with the front corners angled at first. When I seen this, I was amazed. Amazed that it could haul 2 full dresser's. Fiberglass and light weight. Yes he stores his bikes in it for the winter. The cost now I really can't remember him telling me.

[georgew48]

I have a 35ft work and play that works great but you need at least a 3/4 ton pickup to pull it. has a 10ft garage in the back with living quarters up front.

[RoadKill]

Here are a couple pics of my brothers trailer. I thought he was explaining a square aluminium trailer with the front corners angled at first. When I seen this, I was amazed. Amazed that it could haul 2 full dresser's. Fiberglass and light weight. Yes he stores his bikes in it for the winter. The cost now I really can't remember him telling me.

 

Could you find out what brand that is and let me know?

Thanks,

[Gold Rush]

IMHO.....

 

There's been lots of wisdom put on the pages here... Each style has it's advantages and disadvantages. The BAXLEY in the classified is mine and is still for sale. I have replaced it with a large cargo trailer because I have too many toys to fit on the open trailer now.... :whistling:

 

The open trailer is much easier to pull but as said does not offer any protection from the elements or vandals. BTW if you wonder about stone guards just go look at the front of any cargo trailer that's been down the road several miles... It will make a believer out of you quick. Since you intended use is long distance I'd say the stone guard is a must have...

 

Going enclosed is also a good choice for all the reasons mentioned. The big down sides are the size of tow vehicle required and the affect the wind will have on the trailer... If your tow vehicle has lots of power you should be OK there. The wind is just something you learn to deal with. I've pulled RVs for years so for me the cargo trailer is no different...

 

Which ever choice you make, don't get sucked into the lowest price is the best choice. Just like everything else -- quality cost $$$$..... :rolleyes:

 

Good luck on the decission....

[RoadKill]

IMHO.....

 

There's been lots of wisdom put on the pages here... Each style has it's advantages and disadvantages. The BAXLEY in the classified is mine and is still for sale. I have replaced it with a large cargo trailer because I have too many toys to fit on the open trailer now.... :whistling:

 

The open trailer is much easier to pull but as said does not offer any protection from the elements or vandals. BTW if you wonder about stone guards just go look at the front of any cargo trailer that's been down the road several miles... It will make a believer out of you quick. Since you intended use is long distance I'd say the stone guard is a must have...

 

Going enclosed is also a good choice for all the reasons mentioned. The big down sides are the size of tow vehicle required and the affect the wind will have on the trailer... If your tow vehicle has lots of power you should be OK there. The wind is just something you learn to deal with. I've pulled RVs for years so for me the cargo trailer is no different...

 

Which ever choice you make, don't get sucked into the lowest price is the best choice. Just like everything else -- quality cost $$$$..... :rolleyes:

 

Good luck on the decission....

 

Thanks for the input. I think towing power is probably my deciding factor. I have a 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada AWD. Towing capacity stated in the manual is 5500 lbs, which seems like it should pull an enclosed. However I know that an open trailer will pull easier and probably be a little more versatile for what I think I will use one for. Here in Springfield, IL we an an Aluma dealer and I like the look of their open trailers. I talked to them yesterday and they shot me what I feel to be a pretty good price for the 2 place trailer AND a trailer to tow behind my motorcycle, all for $3800 plus tax. Here is a link to the one for behind the MC http://www.alumaklm.com/sections/products/template_new.php?product_id=9&product_category=2 and you can find the 2 place under products, Motorcyle trailers. What do you think?

[Squidley]

Jay,

 

With the vehicle thet you have I wouldn't suggest an enclosed trailer. As mentioned you would need a 7 ft wide trailer as I used Lumberjacks when I pulled both our RSV's to Colorado. It fit both bikes well, but it was still tight getting around them both. I personally would use an enclosed just for the protection aspect, and leaving Michigan in the winter with salt and crap on the road. Even when we used our Suburban to pull this trailer, you knew it was behind you as it was taller and wider that the truck. Fuel economy was terrible as you are basically pulling a billboard.

 

The trailer that Brad T has is a sweet rig, and you could haul a tank on it, it's very well built and heavy. It's much more manageable with a smaller vehicle and would probably work well for you. Here is one in the classifieds that looks like it might work

 

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/943/cat/18

 

Give a call if you want and we can discuss it a bit. BTW thats a pretty good deal for all the above at the Aluma trailer place. I would definitely think hard on that one, as it would be a good fit for your vehicle

[Kurt]

I don't think you want to tow an enclosed trailer with that Bravada. Too much wind drag particularly with a cross or headwind. I have Featherlite 12 foot v-nose and I would not even consider pulling that with my 98 Chevy Blazer. You need a minimum of a 1/2 ton with a 350 and lots of gas money.

As I see it the Aluma trailers are OK. I have a 6310H on order with my local dealer. I ordered this to haul my Rhino. Talked to him in December and told him I wanted to wait til the snow melted but to check on any upcoming price increases. There was one coming so we ordered sooner. These trailers are built in Bancroft, IA. The owners live in North Mankato, MN. Best of luck in any choice you make.

[dynodon]

Hey Roadkill, a motorcycle dealer here in East Peoria sells those fiberglass two-bike trailers with the lid that tips up. they are also the Victory Vision dealer and BIG DOG dealer.

 

They are Bikers Dream, 1107 E. Washington St., E. Peoria, 61611, 309-699-3929.

 

give them a call. If you come up this way, give me a shout, I would like to meet up with you.