Box Trailer or normal trailer

[Billy2023]

We have got to the stage where our kids won’t be coming away on holiday with us very often (I bet they still want to come when it’s somewhere expensive and a long haul flight!!!!). So the plan is to take our bikes with us in a trailer behind our motorhome.
I would rather a box trailer so the bikes are a bit more secure and we can store our clothing helmets and the like in there as well. Has anyone successfully put 2 bikes in a box trailer? Without getting something massive it looks like it could be a bit tight. I have a R1250RS and my wife a Trident but I need to future proof so I can get two bikes in the size of the RS just in case.
The second option is a normal bike trailer, any recommendations? Storage isn’t a problem so no need for a folding / collapsable trailer.

[srob]

A quick Google shows the width of an R1250RS to be 925mm. Allowing for a little room between, two of those is going to be 2m wide.

A standard Transit is only about that width overall, not load width I believe so whatever you do it's gonna be a big old trailer assuming you're going between the trailer wheels

[Billy2023]

srob said:

A quick Google shows the width of an R1250RS to be 925mm. Allowing for a little room between, two of those is going to be 2m wide.

A standard Transit is only about that width overall, not load width I believe so whatever you do it's gonna be a big old trailer assuming you're going between the trailer wheels

I think it’s more a case of staggering the bars.
When my wife’s Trident was delivered in a transit he had her bike, a Tiger 1200 and a Ducati in the back, impressive packing!
Looks like I may have to go down the route of a normal trailer though.

[Birky_41]

Box trailer would be my shout having owned both

If purely being towed by a motorhome you could get a tickners or similar just high enough for the bars/mirrors and have a compartment built in the front or side to store clothing and essential bike spares

[srob]

Billy2023 said:

I think it’s more a case of staggering the bars.
When my wife’s Trident was delivered in a transit he had her bike, a Tiger 1200 and a Ducati in the back, impressive packing!
Looks like I may have to go down the route of a normal trailer though.

Yeah if it's only the bars that are wide then you'd be fine staggering them. We've had five vintage/classic bikes in the back of a LWB Transit with three people's suitcases and riding gear in the past. That took a bit of negotiating

But if you can get a box trailer I'd definitely go that route. I hate having bikes on an open trailer personally.

[Billy2023]

Birky_41 said:

Box trailer would be my shout having owned both

If purely being towed by a motorhome you could get a tickners or similar just high enough for the bars/mirrors and have a compartment built in the front or side to store clothing and essential bike spares

I’ve been looking at Tickners and a couple of others. I need to have ago and see if you can get 2 bikes in as they are quite narrow.

[Bob_Defly]

Billy2023 said:

We have got to the stage where our kids won’t be coming away on holiday with us very often (I bet they still want to come when it’s somewhere expensive and a long haul flight!!!!). So the plan is to take our bikes with us in a trailer behind our motorhome.
I would rather a box trailer so the bikes are a bit more secure and we can store our clothing helmets and the like in there as well. Has anyone successfully put 2 bikes in a box trailer? Without getting something massive it looks like it could be a bit tight. I have a R1250RS and my wife a Trident but I need to future proof so I can get two bikes in the size of the RS just in case.
The second option is a normal bike trailer, any recommendations? Storage isn’t a problem so no need for a folding / collapsable trailer.

If that was me, and I had the funds, I'd swap the motorhome (+ trailer money) for a Toy Hauler, they come with a garage. Not sure if you can get them in the UK though.

https://www.thormotorcoach.com/outlaw-class-c

[A500leroy]

Perfect excuse to go bike shopping for something smaller

[black-k1]

Rather than going for a bike specific trailer, why not look at a flat bed than can easily be adapted to take bikes. I did this with a flat bed trailer to take 4 bikes to the south of France. A bit of welding/bolting to the frame under the deck underneath to give some correctly positioned captive nuts to bolt to and some wheel clamps and you're away. I could convert my flat bed from "normal use" to a bike trailer in 5 mins with nothing more than a socket driven by a cordless drill.

Mine was a set up for 4 bikes but you could easily use a smaller trailer for 2 bikes.



The advantage was that I also had a flatbed trailer for all those jobs that I didn't know I needed a trailer for until I gad a trailer.

PS the two K1300Ss on the front are each about the same width as a R1250RS.

[scorcher]

I had a similar setup as K1 but with 3 bikes and a slightly smaller trailer and car. You can get trailers for Smart cars to go behind motor homes which would be ideal for two larger bikes. You see trailers with soft covers which may also suit as the sides would have a bit of give for the bars .

[LFB531]

If you decide on a normal bike trailer, would certainly give one of these a look.



I've got one, made by Woodford Trailers. It's a properly solid bit of kit, it will take three bikes without fuss so two would be a breeze. I've got a 'normal' Erde/Daxara 2/3 bike one as well, the Woodford makes that look pretty weedy.

[JimbobVFR]

Ages ago my dad modified a bike trailer so it had sides and a tailgate and then added one of those tubular frames with a tarp cover

Once the bikes were loaded it just looked like a normal camping trailer with a cover, a bit like this

[Steve Bass]

LFB531 said:

pretty much the same as I had in South Africa although the ezi-loader style drops at the rear to make riding up into the pivoting chocks a snap.

Held 3x superbikes or 2x adv bikes with ease as well as having the center bike staggered made unloading a doddle.

I could get 2 superbikes into my mk1 Vito but not Adv's as the roof and the overall width were the limiting factors and the rear wasn't long enough to effectively stagger the bikes either. Also, some ADV screens were too tall so they had to come as well.
if you have the space to store a trailer I'd definitely go that route.
Here in Canada I have a simple 10x6 (OD)box trailer which can take 2 or 3 bikes. I have also used it as a cabin on some of the more remote trials events by taking a camp bed, primus style stove and camping accessories. A simple bush shower arrangement with 25l water bottles worked a treat for a couple of days.
For me, the basic box trailer is the way to go. Far more adaptable than the open type bike trailer as the opportunity to make it a temporary tiny home is great if you're out in the boonies off road riding. Can be locked up so your gear and tools are relatively secure and takes the same footprint as an open trailer...

Edited by Steve Bass on Monday 29th January 21:26

[Time4another]

Box trailer purely because it would keep the bikes plus the gear all together. Keeps them secure (as they can be these days) and out of sight wherever your going.

[Simon_GH]

Time4another said:

Box trailer purely because it would keep the bikes plus the gear all together. Keeps them secure (as they can be these days) and out of sight wherever your going.

And dry from both rain and spray from the back of your tow vehicle.

[Billy2023]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
Looks like I’ll be marking the garage out at the weekend to see if I can make 2 bikes for in a box trailer.
This is definitely the preferred option.

If not I think Woodford will be getting my cash. I won’t always want to move 2 bikes and the 3 bike trailer makes it easy to move just one.

[Timbo_S2]

I had an 8x5x5 Box trailer, was great for a single bike. Two fitted, but was a little tighter.

Since replaced with a Mototrek cyclone, which is great for two bikes and accommodation.

https://www.moto-trek.co.uk/cyclone-180s/64

[Billy2023]

Timbo_S2 said:

I had an 8x5x5 Box trailer, was great for a single bike. Two fitted, but was a little tighter.

Since replaced with a Mototrek cyclone, which is great for two bikes and accommodation.

https://www.moto-trek.co.uk/cyclone-180s/64

I think that would be a bit of over kill!
Especially as I will be towing behind my motorhome.

Nice trailer though

[scorcher]

Another thing to consider is gross weight, especially if you you’re going to load 2xbmws and kit into a box. Obviously limited to 750 kg unbraked and I would suspect you’ll get close or over with that set up. That Woodford has a load capacity of 530kgs and a google suggests the BMW is 250-260 kg so that’s pretty much all there.

[LFB531]

Billy2023 said:

If not I think Woodford will be getting my cash. I won’t always want to move 2 bikes and the 3 bike trailer makes it easy to move just one.

One bike is a breeze and almost a bit overkill but a 400 mile round trip to collect this a few years back was pretty effortless.