Beating the high cost of travel

[tomale]

That is amazing,  I have often thought that a guy could buy a used little station wagon, like a Toyota or Datsun, put a tow hitch and pull a little trailer and would do pretty well keeping the cost low.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74'250 hare scrambler (project)
74' 1/2 440 maico
78' 440 maico
72' cr125 Husky (project)
93' RMx 250 suzuki

[Gary Roach]

quote:Originally posted by OhioTed

Papa Herb used to travel to HS races on his turbocharged BMW sidehack, towing his KTM on an open trailer.  I've got a pic of the setup somewhere . . .

Papa Herb's rig was awesome!


We have a motorhome and an enclosed trailer that we take to the races, but just in case it becomes too costly for us to continue to use, I have a mini pickup, and also a three rail trailer that we can pull behind Toni's Jeep.


Here are some interesting ideas that riders have come up with to transport their bikes:



























Built in 1967 by Ed Roth, this bike hauler was called "Captain Pepsi's Motorcycle and Zeppelin Repair". The name was later changed to "Mega Cycle".









Gary
 

[Mick Milakovic]

My brother hauled his first bike, a 1968 BSA Victor 441 to enduros in the trunk of his 1968 Camaro SS.  He didn't take anything off the bike and didn't scratch up the car.  Wish I had a picture of it!

Mick

[Lew Mayer]

The VW bus brought back memories. I forgot that was an early hauler of mine. It was an older model than the one shown. I put twin carbs and a race cam in mine, though. Ran pretty good. My bike would fit in diagonally but just barely.

Lew Mayer

[tomale]

a guy I use to work with, use to haul his dirt bike in his International scout. The front wheel would come off and they would put the bike in so that it fit between the front seats, then all the camping gear went in around him and his girl friend. I think he had a jeep can for the gas but other than that, everything fit inside. Amazing to see the scout with a hard top going down the road cramed to the top with a bike, people and gear.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74'250 hare scrambler (project)
74' 1/2 440 maico
78' 440 maico
72' cr125 Husky (project)
93' RMx 250 suzuki

[Bob Kent]

I also had a '78 VW "Champagne Edition" bus which I converted to in-line Volvo power in the summer of '83.  It had 186,000 miles on it when I traded for a Ford van.  125 water-cooled hp with two 30,000 btu heaters, 4,000 rpm in 4th gear was 80 mph straight up.  I used to load my BSA B50 thru the side  door with front wheel and fender removed.  In no time it was ready to ride at various rallys we attended back in the day.  Thanks for reminding me of the old "Volvolkski," it was a unique vehicle, and tons of fun.

[Paul Danik]

WOW, lots of interesting pictures and comments...  

For my part, I am looking to put a trailer hitch on our Subaru Outback and use it as much as possible, I am curious to see how it handles the little Hi Point....

Some of the pictures and comments reminded me of the guy that Augie and I saw at Daytona about 20 years ago.  The guy had a Honda Goldwing with a sidecar type setup that allowed him to haul his absolutely beautiful BSA B33 with him, the rig and the BSA were all top notch.

Paul

[joeysixdays]

There used to be a guy here in Minnesota that raced local district motocross. He had a Honda Goldwing with a hitch on it and he would pull his motocross bike to the races behind it on a little single rail trailer. I always thought that was a great (and economical) way to get to the races. It certainly made me do a double take the first time I saw it!

"Do not go where the path may lead.  Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
    -Ralph Waldo Emerson

[tooclose racing]

I keep thinking about this topic and have been looking around at the various (lack of...) options. I just cry when I average 12 mpg while pulling my enclosed (steel frame) trailer to races with the Mountaineer.  Not that I have the money, but "if I had a million dollars...":

The Ford Transit seems interesting (22-24 mpg with an I-4 gasoline engine), other than I just don't get why its not offered with a diesel option.  

http://www.ford.com/trucks/transitconnect/

Question - 6 foot bed - will that work with bikes?

I'll bet Europeans have all kinds of options in this segment.  With DIESELS.  

Other than the Transit and the Mercedes mentioned early in this thread, I guess the next consideration would be an ultralite (aluminum frame)trailer towed behind a smaller vehicle. Or a small pickup.  The Toyota Tacoma w/ 4 cylinder at 22 mpg is the highest rated vehicle in this segment.

Sigh...."fill 'er up."

[Mark P]

DDon't know if this has been mentioned yet but it can help considerably and that is simply slowing down. When you do the math, you have to drive for a long while at the higher speeds to gain a real time advantage. When you factor in the stress and fear over a speeding ticket from "the man", the lower mileage, etc, its not worth it. Add a bit more time, get your favorite music, drive at the limit or a bit under and check your mileage performance. I'm a patrol officer and the speeds that I measure motorists driving at in residentail access roads, not to mention highways are unbelievable. The drivers are stressed, they accelerate and brake like its a racetrack while they are on that all important cell phone. You can save a lot of money by simply slowing down a bit and arriving just a little later.

[Lew Mayer]

I think I read a report on the Transit and it's too small for bikes.
You might get ONE in. I thought about one too until I read about the short dimensions. One bike is just not worth it. Plus it won't even take a 4x8 sheet.

Lew Mayer

[Ed Chesnut]

I too was interested in the Transit . . . till I actually walked up beside one and peered inside.  Carrying one bike would require removing the passenger seat.  OR you MIGHT get two bikes in behind the seats by removing front wheels and front fenders.

Still searching for an Astro replacement.  My Astro has about 130,000 miles and is still behaving in a civilized manner . . . so I have a little time yet to find a bike hauler.

Ed

Keep the rubber side down!

[thrownchain]

I can get 3 bikes in my S 10 pick up, doesn't leave room for anything else, but it can be done, and you have to leave the tailgate down.

[Big Mac]

Not sure who makes a reasonable aluminum bike hauler trailer, or what the cost setback might be. But for economy, checkout an old-school fiberglass on frame Hi Point trailer if you can find one...
http://pentonusa.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12273&SearchTerms=hi,point

Mine at 14' (with tongue) hauls 3 bikes and room for gear with no problem, weighs around 1300 lbs even with dual axles. Best part is the width which fits two bar widths side to side, even will take a bunk across the front that will sleep a six-footer if needed.

My wimpy V6 pulls it loaded in OD, a strong 4cyl should too as long as no mountain passes to tackle.