I'm hoping to do Solo around Aus around this time next year. A health
issue means that I will need to carry batteries and equipment. I'm a
bit worried about the weight of this stuff around 20 to 30 kg on top
of standard stuff. The bike will be the R1200RT, ie enough power.
Has anyone got any opinions re bike trailers on long trips? All
opinions appreciated.

--
GWD

On Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:54:00 +1100, GWD wrote:

> I'm hoping to do Solo around Aus around this time next year. A health
> issue means that I will need to carry batteries and equipment. I'm a bit
> worried about the weight of this stuff around 20 to 30 kg on top of
> standard stuff. The bike will be the R1200RT, ie enough power. Has
> anyone got any opinions re bike trailers on long trips? All opinions
> appreciated.

I've use one behind the Trumpy, a Classic ultra-light. Most of the time I
didn't know it is there. In tight twisties I could feel some push-pull,
but nothing to be particularly worried about.

Some years ago I recall a bloke on a ZZR, at one point he'd forgotten the
trailer was on the back, and he had hit 180 + before remembering, looked
around it was sitting well. I've had the trumpy up to 130 with the
trailer, no problems.

Ensure you balance the load in the trailer, seems to be the golden
rule. .

Fuel consumption will increase somewhat. From memory on the Trumpy
economy dropped from 17-18 k/l, to 14-15 k/l.

cheers,

--
Bill_h

On 10/02/11 9:54 PM, GWD wrote:
> I'm hoping to do Solo around Aus around this time next year. A health
> issue means that I will need to carry batteries and equipment. I'm a
> bit worried about the weight of this stuff around 20 to 30 kg on top
> of standard stuff. The bike will be the R1200RT, ie enough power.
> Has anyone got any opinions re bike trailers on long trips? All
> opinions appreciated.
>

I know nothing about towing trailers, so I'll keep quite on that, but...

what kind of batteries are you talking about?

I've recently fitted a new battery to my BMW, bought from this mob in
the states http://www.shoraipower.com/default.aspx

It appears to be about three kilos lighter than the standard BMW battery
and works fine, so far. :-)

If the gear you need to power requires 12 volts (they also do 5 volts)
then getting lighter hi-tech batteries may help solve your problem.

Remember, too, that your BMW has a decently powerful charging system.

regards,
CrazyCam

On 10/03/11 9:04 AM, CrazyCam wrote:

<snip>

> If the gear you need to power requires 12 volts (they also do 5 volts)
> then getting lighter hi-tech batteries may help solve your problem.

Ooops...that was a typo, they do 12 and 6 volt, not 5.

The 12 volt for the Beemer is just incredibly light
..

regards,
CrazyCam

On Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:22:26 +1100, CrazyCam wrote:

>On 10/03/11 9:04 AM, CrazyCam wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>> If the gear you need to power requires 12 volts (they also do 5 volts)
>> then getting lighter hi-tech batteries may help solve your problem.
>
>Ooops...that was a typo, they do 12 and 6 volt, not 5.
>
>The 12 volt for the Beemer is just incredibly light

Well it's certainly worth a look. My current system uses 2x6 volts in
series, charges on the run and works perfectly, but is quite heavy as
a downside. I note that the CPAP manufacturers (for example) are now
producing lithium ion battery packs that are quite cheap (my home made
one was expensive), and weigh in at less then a kg. I will definitely
check that out.
Anyway. still interested in trailers and opinions thereof.
Thanks Cam and Paul_h so far...

--
GWD

On 10/02/11 9:54 PM, GWD wrote:
> I'm hoping to do Solo around Aus around this time next year.

Be more positive, George...... "I'm going to do..."

> A health
> issue means that I will need to carry batteries and equipment. I'm a
> bit worried about the weight of this stuff around 20 to 30 kg on top
> of standard stuff.

What is the "standard" stuff?

Are you intending to camp, or are you taking a tent, gas cooker, 12 V
fridge, and 3 slabs of beer, just in case you don't make it to the next
town? ;-)

> The bike will be the R1200RT, ie enough power.
> Has anyone got any opinions re bike trailers on long trips? All
> opinions appreciated.

OK, no direct knowledge, but.... an R1200RT is designed to carry a
payload of.... whatever it sez in the handbook, probably something in
the order of 200 to 240 kilos.

My BMW is, by the book, capable of carrying 215 kilos of rider and
pillion and/or luggage.

It is _not_ designed to tow a trailer

So, you could add the complexities of fitting a tow coupling, then a
trailer, to carry extra gear.....

Mate, good engineering principles.... keep it simple!

Throw technology and money and logic at lightening what you really need
to carry and you should get to ride the bike round Oz.

I suspect that, if you go down the route of the trailer, the story will
end up........"Maybe NEXT year, I'll do the round Oz."

regards,
CrazyCam

On Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:56:46 +1100, CrazyCam wrote:

>On 10/02/11 9:54 PM, GWD wrote:
>> I'm hoping to do Solo around Aus around this time next year.
>
>Be more positive, George...... "I'm going to do..."

Ah yes of course... I'm going to do...

>> A health
>> issue means that I will need to carry batteries and equipment. I'm a
>> bit worried about the weight of this stuff around 20 to 30 kg on top
>> of standard stuff.
>
>What is the "standard" stuff?
>
>Are you intending to camp, or are you taking a tent, gas cooker, 12 V
>fridge, and 3 slabs of beer, just in case you don't make it to the next
>town? ;-)

Camping, yes! Then there's other stuff like clothes, water,
tyrepliers, toolkit... the list goes on.


>> The bike will be the R1200RT, ie enough power.
>> Has anyone got any opinions re bike trailers on long trips? All
>> opinions appreciated.
>
>OK, no direct knowledge, but.... an R1200RT is designed to carry a
>payload of.... whatever it sez in the handbook, probably something in
>the order of 200 to 240 kilos.
>
>My BMW is, by the book, capable of carrying 215 kilos of rider and
>pillion and/or luggage.
>
>It is _not_ designed to tow a trailer

Well yes, I never thought I would overload the bike, but it would be
very top heavy, and that might be an issue. The question is though
would a trailer solve this?

>So, you could add the complexities of fitting a tow coupling, then a
>trailer, to carry extra gear.....
>
>Mate, good engineering principles.... keep it simple!
>
>Throw technology and money and logic at lightening what you really need
>to carry and you should get to ride the bike round Oz.
>
>I suspect that, if you go down the route of the trailer, the story will
>end up........"Maybe NEXT year, I'll do the round Oz."

Very good advice, lines up with I thought anyway. Thanks for that.

--
GWD

"GWD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:56:46 +1100, CrazyCam wrote:
>
>>On 10/02/11 9:54 PM, GWD wrote:
>>> I'm hoping to do Solo around Aus around this time next year.
>>
>>Be more positive, George...... "I'm going to do..."
>
> Ah yes of course... I'm going to do...
>
>>> A health
>>> issue means that I will need to carry batteries and equipment. I'm a
>>> bit worried about the weight of this stuff around 20 to 30 kg on top
>>> of standard stuff.
>>
>>What is the "standard" stuff?
>>
>>Are you intending to camp, or are you taking a tent, gas cooker, 12 V
>>fridge, and 3 slabs of beer, just in case you don't make it to the next
>>town? ;-)
>
> Camping, yes! Then there's other stuff like clothes, water,
> tyrepliers, toolkit... the list goes on.
>
>
>>> The bike will be the R1200RT, ie enough power.
>>> Has anyone got any opinions re bike trailers on long trips? All
>>> opinions appreciated.
>>
>>OK, no direct knowledge, but.... an R1200RT is designed to carry a
>>payload of.... whatever it sez in the handbook, probably something in
>>the order of 200 to 240 kilos.
>>
>>My BMW is, by the book, capable of carrying 215 kilos of rider and
>>pillion and/or luggage.
>>
>>It is _not_ designed to tow a trailer
>
> Well yes, I never thought I would overload the bike, but it would be
> very top heavy, and that might be an issue. The question is though
> would a trailer solve this?
>
>>So, you could add the complexities of fitting a tow coupling, then a
>>trailer, to carry extra gear.....
>>
>>Mate, good engineering principles.... keep it simple!
>>
>>Throw technology and money and logic at lightening what you really need
>>to carry and you should get to ride the bike round Oz.
>>
>>I suspect that, if you go down the route of the trailer, the story will
>>end up........"Maybe NEXT year, I'll do the round Oz."
>
> Very good advice, lines up with I thought anyway. Thanks for that.
>
> --
> GWD

Fit a sidecar George, they are magic,
you would be surprised as to how much gear you will be able to carry in one

On Mon, 3 Oct 2011 22:37:41 +1100, "George W Frost"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>Fit a sidecar George, they are magic,
>you would be surprised as to how much gear you will be able to carry in one

He's got a Ural with a sidecar, George...

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

On Mon, 03 Oct 2011 22:59:21 +1100, Diogenes wrote:

>On Mon, 3 Oct 2011 22:37:41 +1100, "George W Frost"
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>Fit a sidecar George, they are magic,
>>you would be surprised as to how much gear you will be able to carry in one
>
>He's got a Ural with a sidecar, George...
>
Very true
The Ural has been considered as the outfit of choice for the big one,
but poor power with poor top speed, spoked wheels and a few other
things seem to make it a poor choice for the big one when compared to
the perfectly lovely RT. The Ural is great for short range dirt stuff,
and it can carry a good load of camping gear, cameras, easels etc, but
I won't be taking it 10000 or more km around oz.

Re: GWF's suggestion to stuff up the things I like about the RT with a
side car. That solution is much more permanent than a trailer, and I
like the RT as it is TYVM, so no suggestions that involve permanent
changes thanks.

I've had some good input re trailer, mostly negative though. It looks
as if I go with the RT, using innovative load carrying solutions. I
think keeping the c of g as low as possible is going to be an
essential part of the innovation, is that correct?

--
GWD