Motorcycle Trailers Redux

[FailSafe]

Just a bit more info on Upbeat Co., which makes bike, car, boat, and custom application trailers.

I visited their factory this morning, and I was pretty impressed- it's in an industrial park a few km from Suvarnabhumi- I wanted to check out one-and two-bike trailers- I let them know in advance that I was coming, and they had one of each ready for me to inspect.

All the welds looked perfect (a lot of it is automated), and all spots where different materials meet (i.e. where the diamond plate fits near the stainless frame) were exactly aligned- the space was consistent from one end to the other, and nothing was loose or out-of-line (there were a few others in various states of completion that I took a look at to make sure they weren't showing me their only perfect examples- everything looked the same)- the bottom line is that I am absolutely confident of the quality of their workmanship.

A big concern for me was how easily I could manipulate the trailer myself when it wasn't attached to my truck- with the single trailer empty, I could wheel it around (on the concrete floor, which is of course not indicative of a real-world road surface) no problem- I'm sure I could move it on level ground with a bike on it without an issue, and could pull it uphill (empty) if I had to. The double trailer is considerably wider and heavier- I could move it around, but it took a lot more effort, and with a bike on it it would have been a real struggle- with two bikes there would have been no chance- also, the increased width was a big concern- while the single trailer wouldn't be too big of a deal to move through narrow streets, I think the double would be a real bitch.

I didn't make a purchase yet, though I think I'm going to get the single- I really want the double, but it just looks too big (even stored side-by-side- they both fold up there is a very big difference)- I need to give it more though, and possibly take a test-drive with each of them if possible.

[FailSafe]

Here's the size difference between the two- note the extensions for tie-down points forward of the bike's front-wheel chocks- both trailers fold at the separation point on the diamond-plate sections and then they can be lifted and stored on one end against a wall (extending perhaps 1m from it) so it can fit into a fairly small space (as long as it's about 2m high)- they're nicely laid-out- both can be registered, insured, and plated for legal use in Thailand.

[FailSafe]

And on a related note, my friend brought me my tie-down equipment from the States, as well as a bike cover (though it's just a cheap rain cover and can't be used with an open-trailer as it would move in the wind and potentially damage the paint or scratch the bodywork- there are covers made specifically for open-trailers that are made from stretch material that are sun-resistant and are cut to form-fit an exact bike model- they're quite pricey at USD$250 or more for a high-quality one)- there's enough for two bikes, so if I buy the single-trailer I might end up selling or trading some of it:

[Spin]

You have any price details for these trailers?

[FailSafe]

You have any price details for these trailers?

The single is 78K and the double is 108K, plus another 5K for registration, road tax, and insurance.

They're definitely expensive, though I think as far as quality goes it would be tough to do better in LOS.

I believe they make dirt bike trailers that hold three or four bikes which might interest you (though I didn't look at one and I don't know prices).

[Spin]

78K !!!! for that?, what is it with some of the pricing here? they are out of their minds. Cheers for the info anyway.

[FailSafe]

Yup, it's definitely expensive- a similar road-approved trailer would be 50K-60K in the States, so it's ~50% pricier in LOS- as far as I can tell, though, it's the nicest one available- I could get a cheaper one made, but I most likely couldn't get it plated and insured, and I doubt it would be as smooth to haul around.

Another trailer manufacturer is Carrymore- their trailer doesn't look nearly as nice (though I don't have a price on it- if i have the chance I will call them tomorrow), and I would guess it's galvanized rather than powder-coated stainless and aluminum like the Upbeat trailer (which I prefer) as once galvanized steel gets nicked up by rocks and whatever on the road, it will rust (and the Carrymore doesn't fold up for easy storage- that's a pretty big trailer to have sitting on your property):

[FailSafe]

Actually, the price might not be that high- this is a Kendon single-bike trailer that goes for $2280 (70K) in the US- it looks like Upbeat copied the design:

[FailSafe]

Well, I tried calling Carrymore twice today just to enquire about their prices- it says on their website 'Our phones are manned 7am to 7pm 7 days a week 365 days per year'- it went straight to voicemail both times...

[Norton]

I went to Repso site as advertized on TD. Didn't see any bike trailers at site but worth an inquirey.

Respo Trailers in Thailand

[FailSafe]

I looked at their site- the fact they don't have any actual bike trailers listed on it discourages me- from a TV ad, I know they do make bike trailers and their prices start at 50K, but I'm not crazy about the design (also non-folding so more difficult to store, and they look galvanized rather than stainless).

Their trailers are from Estonia, apparently, and this is one of their examples- no offense to a TD sponsor, but it's really not what I'm looking for:

[draco888]

[draco888]

Trailers are for pussies!

[rickschoppers]

It would really be a pain in the ass to load and unload if you were by yourself.

I would think with your building abilities FailSafe, you could make something like the trailer below that retails for $2550 in the US.

[FailSafe]

My 'building abilities'? I couldn't build that trailer in a million years- I'm 'handy', but not that talented.

Note, though, anything you build yourself here would probably never pass any sort of registration process and couldn't be insured or plated.

In any case, I want an open trailer due to the fact it can be folded and stored in my carport where it will be completely out-of-the-way - I already put a deposit on the trailer above quite a while ago, though I only decided on the single version recently and requested they start building it- it should be done after Songkran.

[rickschoppers]

^
Probably right about the registering anything home built, but you might surprise yourself with what you can build. I was just trying to show a price comparison and what you can get for your money.

Good luck with your trailer and I hope the Thai drivers don't just run into it since they are not used to seeing them on the road.

[peterpan]

I used a trailer as shown on the 1st photo, used it as single bike config later sold and built as a double bike config. towed it mainly Bangkok / Bira but did many trips to phuket.
No issues, good trailers. (No Harleys)

[FailSafe]

^^

Oh, they're probably gonna run into it fairly often- I plan to put a couple flags on each side and avoid heavily trafficked areas, but it will certainly get dinged.

I looked at a couple enclosed options, but they're really not at all what I want, though some are very nice- also, after having researched similar open trailers made in the States, the price for the trailer in the OP is actually in line with reality (it's not cheap, but I don't think I could get ba better quality one in LOS).

^

That's good to hear- I thought about a double, but it's a bit wider than the truck and I'm still a rookie with one (and when I drove one in the States a few times the traffic wasn't too bad)- I figured I'd be better off going smaller and (like you) perhaps upgrading later after I get the hang of it.

[yankee99]

It would really be a pain in the ass to load and unload if you were by yourself.

I would think with your building abilities FailSafe, you could make something like the trailer below that retails for $2550 in the US.

Building a bike trailer would be simple. The issue is lack of axles and other trailer parts...