DAMN Riders - No rules, Just ride!

I've used a Kendon 3 rail for towing my dual sport and dirt bikes back and forth to Mountain Ridge from Annapolis and made that trip many times. I'm going to be putting that trailer to a different use this week when I need to tow my 1200GS along with my kid's XT250 and I'm puzzling over proper loading. I'm reading anecdotal accounts that loading heaver, longer wheelbase bikes on the outer rails (leaving the middle rail open) may move the CG too far aft to be stable (lightening the tongue weight). The other option is to put the GS on the middle rail and the XT on the side if they'll fit that way. It just seems odd to not spread the weight wider across the trailer but I guess given the weight difference in the two bikes that's going to be more or less the case either way.

I guess another option is to load the outside rails and add some weight to the front of the trailer to get the tongue weight right.

Any thoughts guys? Give me a sanity check on my thinking here.

I would think your tank should be in the center. And your little bike on the outer rail.
Or take your WR?

Laoch wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 5:39 am I would think your tank should be in the center. And your little bike on the outer rail.
Or take your WR?

I'm still waffling on the bike choice Bruce. I really want to take the WR but it's not completely set up for multi-day camping trips. I have a tank bag with a SAE bulkhead on it for charging stuff in there. If I have time this week I'm going to hack my accessory wiring to power it up and then I still might take it. The other thing I'm trying to do is keep my daughter's XT lightly packed (which means me carrying more). This will be the first time she'll have been on the bike all day much less several days and yeah, I'm kinda throwing her in the deep end a bit. She's a competent dirt rider but having a high CG is not fun for any dual sport ride. I think there's only a couple of rocky sections in Bald Eagle and maybe one other place so I'm not expecting her to be challenged by that but hey, that's why it's called an adventure :)

If I haven't mentioned it, we're leaving Thursday morning from Annapolis to ride through Michaux before connecting on to the PA Wilds BDRX loop. The plan is to camp every night on the BDRX and be gone about a week, maybe more if we extend in to Western Maryland on the long way back home.

Yup. Given that, the big Beemer seems the right choice.

Yeah, take the GS. Pack everything you will both need. And the kitchen sink ;)

I don't think L/R loading on a trailer is all that important. Definitely not nearly as important as tongue weight.

As long as you have adequate tongue weight it should tow fine. 10% is kinda standard so around 120lb.

smdub wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 10:49 am Yeah, take the GS. Pack everything you will both need. And the kitchen sink ;)

I don't think L/R loading on a trailer is all that important. Definitely not nearly as important as tongue weight.

That's my plan Stephen. She's got a fair amount of grit but this will be a big and challenging thing to be on the bike for several days without seeing a hotel room. I'm getting her to assist/follow me through all the planning and pre-ride checklist and I want her to feel like she could do this again on her own when we're done. Her school has a great outdoor program taking the kids on Noles type experiences every year so she's competent in the wild. One the program mantras is that we hope for good weather but know that some of the best memories are made in challenging conditions. Personally, I've seen enough camping challenges in my life so I'm hoping for fine weather :) Right now the forecast is excellent.

Loaded and ready to head out in the morning.

Enjoy and safe travels.....making memories for sure