What about Aluma trailers?

[Rob Nowell]

I like the protective "shield" idea for the front/sides...

[mickeym3]

They’ve surpassed Featherlite trailers in popularity, would recommend a full sized car trailer if you have the room and tow vehicle capability.  You’d be amazed at all of the uses you (or your friends LOL) will find for it. My 18 foot car trailer weighed less than 1500 lbs. and I could push it around by hand on a large concrete pad.  For loading a bike I just slid the car ramps together and rode my GSA 1200 right up, had a method for easily turning it around and then simply ride it off. Regret trading mine in on an all aluminum 24 foot enclosed trailer even though I got more in trade than I paid for it used 15 years ago.  Resale on a solid aluminum trailer like the the Aluma or Featherlite is phenomenal. I use searchtempest.com to frequently look for either a MC210 or 18 footer to pick up. And yes the big rock guard on the front is very much worthwhile, you’d be amazed how many rocks and crap get thrown back off your tow vehicle’s tires. 

[John Ranalletta]

21 minutes ago, Rob Nowell said:

I like the protective "shield" idea for the front/sides...

I've towed for over a decade with trailers w/o a shield.  Never noticed any issues with stuff marring the bikes.  Just more weight to haul around.  That said, after my DIY Airluft disaster, I bought an old Nomanco that has a shield.  I attempted to remove it, but it started to look like major surgery cutting out weldments. 


 

[Rob Nowell]

4 minutes ago, John Ranalletta said:

I've towed for over a decade with trailers w/o a shield.  Never noticed any issues with stuff marring the bikes.  Just more weight to haul around.  That said, after my DIY Airluft disaster, I bought an old Nomanco that has a shield.  I attempted to remove it, but it started to look like major surgery cutting out weldments. 


 

Interesting!  Thanks.  I'm just thinking of weather, construction, for example, creating risk to bike.

[John Ranalletta]

Just now, Rob Nowell said:

Interesting!  Thanks.  I'm just thinking of weather, construction, for example, creating risk to bike.

If you're pulling with a truck,  flaps work well.  On a trailer, the bike is not likely to encounter any more airborne road debris than when you're riding it.  YMMV.

[beemerboy]

2 hours ago, John Ranalletta said:

I've towed for over a decade with trailers w/o a shield.  Never noticed any issues with stuff marring the bikes.  Just more weight to haul around.  That said, after my DIY Airluft disaster, I bought an old Nomanco that has a shield.  I attempted to remove it, but it started to look like major surgery cutting out weldments. 

WHAT? That beautiful and well designed trailer is no more? Please say it ain't so. 

 

 

 

[John Ranalletta]

4 hours ago, beemerboy said:

 

 

It had caster/camber issues that weren't fixable due to the design.  Simply, when I welded it up, I didn't have a jig or fixture to keep the handful of alignment issues actually aligned.  It did well on brand new tires but scrubbed off rubber at alarming rates.  Pieces and parts have been sold and the rest hacked up and recycled.  Great idea.  Poor execution.  $ down the shitter.

[beemerboy]

1 hour ago, John Ranalletta said:

 

It had caster/camber issues that weren't fixable due to the design.  Simply, when I welded it up, I didn't have a jig or fixture to keep the handful of alignment issues actually aligned.  It did well on brand new tires but scrubbed off rubber at alarming rates.  Pieces and parts have been sold and the rest hacked up and recycled.  Great idea.  Poor execution.  $ down the shitter.

[John Ranalletta]

9 hours ago, beemerboy said:

 

This is the model I tried to copy.  Sells for ca. 3k euro.  IMO, a very usable but much less expensive model could be built/sold profitably in the US substituting expanded metal for aluminum deck, contracting out frame welding, etc.  Oh well!

 

 

From their website, the trick is to jig up the frame and components perfectly aligned before welding.  I couldn't do that.  Once new tires wore down, mine would shake like a dog trying to pass a pine cone.

 

[RecentConvert]

I had an Aluma utility trailer for 2.5 years.  Loved the utility, loved the balance.  Hated that it shook apart.  Hauling dirt bikes on a washboard road is near instant death for the light aluminum framing.  Simply couldnt take the vibration.   It was completely rewelded by certified aluminum welder, twice.  After the second reweld, I sold it and bought a Kendon.

[John Ranalletta]

3 hours ago, RecentConvert said:

I had an Aluma utility trailer for 2.5 years.  Loved the utility, loved the balance.  Hated that it shook apart.  Hauling dirt bikes on a washboard road is near instant death for the light aluminum framing.  Simply couldnt take the vibration.   It was completely rewelded by certified aluminum welder, twice.  After the second reweld, I sold it and bought a Kendon.

 

...and, while lighter than comparable strength steel tubing, it doesn't offer such a substantial difference vs it's cost.  I had a scrap pc of 1/4" decking from the trailer I scrapped.  Put it on CL and sold it for $50 to guy who drove 400+ miles roundtrip to fetch it.