Check all lights and tire pressure before
trip and every few hundred miles...doing so saved my 'grits' on my last long distant run....where I found my lug nuts to be loose!!!
Do a walk around at every gas stop... Both
on Motorcycle and Trailer...see above....was at a quick rest and drink some water stop.
Check lug nuts periodically...
Grease bearings once a year or every three
thousand miles or so... Bearing Buddies work well...
Maintain 20 pounds of tongue weight at
ball... Can use a bathroom scale on solid surface same height as ball or a fish
scale which you can pack with you... Pack trailer to achieve proper 20 lbs... If to much weight, counter balance heavier items in back.too much weight in the rear can cause fishtailing and at high speed....that can be a recipe for disaster....please watch the tongue weight and speed when towing.
Keep cooler to minimum, It's best to load up
cooler when you get at destination...
Don't overload trailer... Don't put heavy
items on roof rack... Can make trailer top heavy...
Your bike is now twice as long... Be sure
when passing you allow enough room to get back in...
Always signal... Hand signals work well, but
finger signals don't... Respect others...
Allow more time to stop... Down shift to
slow down... Remember, both brakes for fast stops...
Cargo trailers should have 20 pounds of air
pressure... Campers 25 to 30... Tires will not get hot and gives a softer ride..
Remember a trailer may be a inch or two
wider than handlebars... Watch curb at toll booths and when parking... Watch
pot-holes...
Don't ride down center of your lane, with or
without trailer, that's where the oil is..
Proper place to ride is half way between center of your lane and yellow line or center of your lane and pavement edge...
Trailers are 38' to 44" average width, same as touring bikes handlebars width across to each outer edge...
of course watch for those ruts! they can cause lots of problems and especially at speed.
On very windy days I find that a trailer may
help to stabilize the bike... Don't get over confident, could change
instantly...
Always decrease speeds when coming into a
corner with trailer...
It's easy to forget trailer is behind you...
Allow 10% to 20% more to stop... Ride safe and be aware...
No trailer lane, where posted, also applies
to motorcycles and trailers...
Use safety chains, most states require
them... Proper chain length should be, if trailer becomes disconnected from
ball, it should rest on crossed chains and not touch ground...
Always lock coupler on ball... Also if you
have a receiver hitch, be sure pin is in and lock that also...
Remove some weight from saddlebags and
trunk, that's what trailer is for...
Home made trailer info: Too short a tongue
and not enough tongue weight can cause trailer to wig-wag at about 50 mph...
Rule of thumb: ball to center of axle should be twice the distance as center to
center on tire... Example: 3' tire to tire center needs 6' from axle to ball
coupler... Longer doesn't effect it but shorter sure will, [wig-wag]...
Swivels for trailers are a nice option, can
always be added... A coupler has 28 degree movement in every direction and will
not bind...However if your bike tipped over when parked, a swivel is nice...
Tires wearing uneven. Check the following:
1-) Uneven air pressure... 2-) Torsion suspension may be out of square causing
uneven wear... 3-) Bearing wear... 4-) Mismatched tires...
Do not overload manufactures recommended
weight capacity... My rule of thumb is: 13 Lbs for each cubic feet of cargo
space... So a trailer with 18 cubic feet of cargo space the 13 LBS per cubic
feet equals 234 Lbs...