Getting a trailer for 2 motorcycles will be one of the toughest purchase decisions that you’ll ever face. There are tons of factors that you need to consider before buying bike trailers.
To make things even harder, the types of trailers you can choose from have increased dramatically over the last few years. Each of these types has unique offerings, making things even more confusing for bikers.
If you’re one of them and asking what size trailer for 2 motorcycles is optimum, then this article is for you. Usually, trailers ranging from 6×10 feet up to 8×14 feet in dimensions are considered optimal, but it’s more complicated than that.
We’ll discuss all the factors you need to consider to get a product that’ll serve all your purposes within budget.
Types of Motorcycle Trailers
It’s important to select the type of trailer you’ll get before choosing the size. Let’s take a look at the types of motorcycle trailers you can find on the market now.
Regular Trailers
Also known as the flatbed trailers, these are the most affordable motorcycle trailers that you can find on the market. Other than the affordability, people love these trailers for their flexibility.
Flatbed trailers can be used for any purpose other than motorcycle trailing. This makes them a general-use trailer. If you want to skimp out, you can even go for the trailer kits that lets you build your trailer.
However, we highly recommend avoiding these as they often come with low-quality components. The last thing you want is the trailer to break down while you’re carrying two bikes on top of it.
Enclosed Trailers
If you want your bikes to be protected while you carry them, you should go for enclosed trailers. These trailers are built to provide as much protection and comfort as possible. Your bikes won’t only be safe from external damage but also from dust, rain, and other environmental factors.
Plus, enclosed trailers provide some added space for carrying additional equipment and accessories as well. They’re often called “Toy Haulers” as they’re used for carrying sports vehicles.
Despite the obvious benefits, these come with some drawbacks as well. Firstly, they’re very expensive compared to the other types of trailers.
Even considering that you’re willing to pay the hefty sum, you should reconsider your options as these are very heavy. This means you’ll need a high-power truck to tow them.
Rail-Type Motorcycle Trailers
Also called foldable trailers, the rail-type motorcycle trailers are lightweight, affordable, and one of the easiest to store trailers. These trailers allow you to carry up to four motorcycles.
The best part about these is that they can be folded up and stored away super easily. However, they offer the least value in terms of protection.
Clamshell Trailers
Clamshell trailers are specialized trailers for carrying up to two bikes. As the name suggests, these trailers come with an enclosure for greater protection against environmental factors.
That makes them the same as enclosed trailers, right? Well, not really. Enclosed trailers offer more space. In comparison, clamshell trailers are much smaller.
However, they are also lighter. This makes them easier to tow. So, it offers the best of both worlds.
The major drawback of these trailers is their price. This is the most expensive type of trailer that you can buy right now.
What Size Trailer for 2 Motorcycles?
How many bikes you’re planning on carrying is an important factor. However, one other important factor that people often overlook is the dimensions of the bike. Most of the motorcycles on the market are a maximum of eight feet long and three feet wide.
This is why we recommend measuring your bikes beforehand. If you don’t want to measure your bikes manually, you can take a look at the provided user manual. If it’s not a customized bike, you’re likely to find the information online easily.
Another important factor is the weight of the bike. Bikes that are 8 feet long usually weigh around 800 pounds. However, the weight varies greatly depending on the components installed in the bike.
Now, if you’re looking for a motorcycle trailer for carrying two bikes, you’ll get options ranging from 6×10 feet up to 8×14 feet. Now, if you have slim bikes, then you can opt for the 6-feet width option.
However, if you have wide bikes, we recommend you go for wider trailers. A lot of people question if it’s okay if the width of the trailer matches the width of the two bikes. We recommend keeping at least a foot of extra space on the sides.
Some trailers require you to tie the bikes to the sides. The extra foot will help you with that. Plus, it’ll let you carry some extra accessories alongside the bikes.
For comparison, a 7×12 trailer will be more than enough for carrying two cruiser bikes. You can slide in another bike on such a huge trailer if you want to. Then again, we wouldn’t recommend that as that isn’t safe. However, if you find yourself in a pinch, you can consider it an option.
Frequently Asked Questions
· Is it possible to fit two motorcycles in a 5×8 motorcycle trailer?
Yes, it’s possible to fit two bikes in a 5×8 feet trailer, but only if the bikes are slim. In most cases, you’ll need a trailer of at least 6 feet in width for carrying two bikes.
· Can you fit three motorcycles in a 7×14 trailer?
Most 7×14 feet trailers can fit up to two motorcycles. However, some of them can fit up to three bikes. This depends mainly on the type of trailer. You can fit more than two motorcycles in enclosed or flatbed trailers.
Conclusion
As you can see, determining what size trailer for 2 motorcycles is rather tricky. Before making the purchase decision, make sure you consider the weight and dimensions of your bikes.
If you anticipate that you might have to carry more than two bikes in the future, then go for 7×12 feet or a 7×14 trailer. These trailers will not only leave some headroom for a third bike, but you’ll also get some space for carrying accessories.
Hope this article helped determine which size of trailer you should get. And don’t forget to share this with your fellow bikers!
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