My wife and I are looking at taking a 2 week (or so) road trip out west this summer. We have tossed the idea around about pulling a trailer instead of putting luggage on the luggage rack. I know the more weight you put up high the more it affects the handling. The weight of the trailer also has its disadvantages as well. Do most of you just put the stuff on the rack or do you pull a trailer?
Thanks for the input.

 

Tour pac rack is just so easy. Pack your heavy stuff low and the light stuff high.

 

If your going to be doing it a lot, I would either make (cheap) a trailer or buy one. Check on Craigs list you'll find some. Not sure if your into camping, but there is a forum called motocampers.com that's all the people are into. If your doing the motel thing adding a luggage rack helps out a lot. I strap a
T-bag up there and our two helmets if were not wearing them. I always carry a bike cover, tire kit and some cleaning supplies. That shoots one side bag.

Alot depends on your wife too, remember if momma is not happy no one is and there goes your two week vacation.

The other nice thing about a trailer is it's lockable. So if you go in a store etc your stuff isn't in the open. Best of luck to you and check out that site, lost of good ideas.

 

What he said, I don't think a trailer is worth the hassle, harder to park, back up, etc. I'd just pack a little lighter & do laundry a couple times, I also know people who send a box of clothes & whatever to a location they know there going to be at, you can send it to a friends house & you use to be able to send it to a post office under your name & pick it up when you get there, check with your local PO to make sure what the rules are. If you do that you just exchange dirty stuff for good & send it back home. I'm sure those that pull trailers might disagree, but if you've never pulled a trailer I certainly wouldn't start out with a 2 week trip to see if you like it.

 

We will just have to lay it out and see just how much room we really need. Pack the "essentials" and then the "nice to haves". You are right, if momma isnt happy it will be a long trip. I guess I could just unplug my headset and pretend to not hear her.... yeah right. I am affraid that the more room we have the more "stuff" that will be "essential". I will look on craigs list and see what they have.

 

I am all for packing very light. I am in the Army so I can get by on a little bit of nothing. As the old saying goes "pack light, freeze at night". I havent been to a town or hotel yet that doesnt have a washing machine. We did toss around the idea of mailing stuff home. I hadnt thought about mailing stuff out there. good idea. Thanks

 

We spent 3 weeks in Australia on a Fly/Ride last year and have taken many long trips here with the TourPack and a rack. As you said, pack only the essentials and plan a few wash days as well. Sometimes local laundries have a service that you drop off so you don't have to hang around. As far as packing, we put things like rainsuits, sandals, other light things that we 'needed' but didn't need access to all the time in a bag that we strapped to the rack. We used a bungie net so we could put our jackets, helmets when not needed, etc, strapped to the net on the rack. Tools went in the saddle bags to keep the weight low. Wife gets one saddle bag for whatever she wants. She 'hopes' there is a hair dryer at the motel, if not, she makes do.

Careful about the shipping stuff to a location. We had a guest (we own a B&B) that supposedly shipped stuff to our place (they were on a bike) that arrived the day he was leaving after a 5 day stay. He forgot to check if DHL shipped to Maine, which they did, but only thru the US Post. Oh well, his wife got some new clothes out of the deal....

If you ship stuff, that means you are now on an itinerary that you have to stick to. Some folks like that, others don't want to make any reservations at all...just a thought.

 

I have done both - used a trailer and used only the bike. I sold the trailer if that tells you anything. I didn't like how it hampered the drivability of the bike. Sure there was room for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING but most of the stuff we never used. Now we each get a saddlebag liner for our personal clothes and the tour pak and rack are for rain gear, leathers etc. We use nylon clothing whenever possible because you can wash it in the sink at 8pm and by 8am it is dry. Either way (trailer or au natural) touring is a BLAST! Good luck.

 

If you are looking for a good pice of tour pack luagge check out this Nelson Rigg bag it has been a very popular seller. Don't forget you get a 10% HD forum discount using coupon code HF10 on checkout and free shipping for all orders over 100.00.

http://shop.techncyclegear.com/GWR10...K-21221-00.htm

 

My wife and I have traveled all over the country. First trip we packed everything on the bike. Not to bad. Then I brought a Aluma Trailer and that we great. Now have a place for leathers, jackets, clothes, things the better half buys along the way. I would recommend an trailer if you are going to 2 or more weeks. Like they say, If mommy isn't happy, no ones happy!!!!!

Just my 2 cents worth....