Q: Trailer & Wheel Chocks

[pgm]

2004 R1150RT --- Two questions:

Wheel Chock Question:  Do all brands need to "lift" the wheel a couple inches when putting in and out.  My concern is paddling the bike backward and stupid stuff happening.  My only experience is with my friend's Harbor Freight variety and his GS bike.  It weighs much less than mine, so it is easy to unload.  The YouTube videos with heavy bike give me pause, as most of them are done on with the chock on a garage floor.  Watching them load/unload looks very unsteady.

 

Trailer Question:  Does anyone have experience with an articulating trailer and do you recommend for or against using it to load/unload a bike?  I have a used JetSki trailer (nice bones) which I am rebuilding (axle, springs, hubs, tires, etc).  It has the ability to "articulate" - ie; have it  tip so the rear touches the ground.  Am I crazy to use that ability to unload the bike and forego a full ramp?

 

Let me know if I should post this in a different forum topic for more insights.

[joeyjamb]

Hi pgm,

 

I think that repurposing the jet-ski trailer is a great idea. One of the best trailers that I used for a bike was simply an old jet ski trailer with a rain gutter like steel frame in the middle.  It could tilt but I found that unless I used the power of the bike, it was more trouble than it was worth. With a detachable ramp I could just walk the bike on with no problem. It had no chock just a continuation of the channel at a right angle at the front. Once the bike was strapped down, it didn't go anywhere. The only thing with that trailer was that it was that it wasn't much longer than the bike itself which made backing it up difficult although it was light enough to just pick up the back to move where I needed it. The only recommendation I would make on the jet-ski trailer is to make sure the wheels are big enough for highway use. Some of those have some pretty small wheels which can cause the bearings to heat up pretty good. I am sorry I don't have any pictures of it. Good luck with your project.

 

Joe

[BamaJohn]

You might take a look at  www.razortrailers.com  A veteran-owned company in Georgia who makes rampless trailers that drop to the ground for loading/unloading.  My riding buddy and I bought a used one big enough for two RT's and hauled them to California last August...what a breeze to just ride up and on or off!   

 

 

[lkraus]

There are simple chocks that do not lift the wheel, like this

But, they might require assistance to keep the bike vertical while getting the bike strapped down.   The chocks that "lift  the wheel" do so because they use the weight of the bike to clamp the wheel front and rear and hold the securely bike upright.  And yes, it can be challenging to get my bike out of the Harbor Freight model I use on my lift table. The bike is a bit tall and heavy to straddle while rocking it out, and there is little room on the table to stand alongside the bike and lift. Sometimes it is best to remove the seat to be able to get a solid stance.