A motorcycle trailer should make getting your bike on the road easier, not add another challenge. The right trailer gives you a safe way to load and unload, secure tie-down options, and enough room for your motorcycle and gear.
For riders transporting one motorcycle, a single-axle trailer is often a practical fit, and depending on how you store your bike between rides, an enclosed model may be an ideal solution.
What to Look for in a Motorcycle Trailer
Finding the right motorcycle trailer starts with how you plan to use it. A few things are worth considering before choosing a model:
- Size: A compact trailer can be easier to maneuver, tow, and store. Start with your motorcycle’s length and width, then account for anything you’ll carry alongside it.
- Loading height: A drop-deck trailer can make loading a motorcycle safer and easier.
- Tie-down points: Your trailer should provide appropriate anchor points for securing the motorcycle.
- Weight capacity: Make sure the trailer can safely handle the weight of your motorcycle and any additional gear.
- Gear and equipment: Riding gear, tools, parts, and spares all take up space. Factor them in before you settle on a deck size.
- Open or enclosed: An enclosed trailer adds a barrier against weather and road debris.
Always check the trailer and motorcycle manufacturer’s recommendations for weight limits, tie-downs, loading, and towing.
Why Ground-Level Loading Matters for Motorcycles
Getting a motorcycle onto a traditional trailer can be one of the more difficult parts of transporting it. Ramps require more effort to get the bike into position and leave you fighting its weight at the worst possible moment.
Air-tow’s ground-level loading design changes the process. The trailer deck lowers to the ground, creating a safer loading height.
That makes it easier to walk a motorcycle onto the deck and reduces the risk of an accident during loading or unloading.
It matters because you’re handling an investment that can cost thousands of dollars to replace or repair. A motorcycle tipping over on a ramp can mean damage to the bike, damage to the trailer, or injury to the person loading it.
Is a Single-Axle or Tandem-Axle Trailer Better for One Motorcycle?
If you’re hauling one motorcycle, you don’t necessarily need a large, multi-axle trailer.
Air-tow’s single-axle trailers offer a compact solution that’s well-suited for transporting a motorcycle. They’re easier to maneuver and can be a convenient option for riders who don’t need a large trailer for everyday hauling needs.
Can I Store My Motorcycle Inside an Enclosed Trailer?
For motorcycle owners, an enclosed trailer can do more than make transportation easier. It can also give you a place to keep your motorcycle when you’re not riding it.
An enclosed Air-tow trailer essentially gives you a garage for your bike. Your motorcycle can stay inside the trailer between rides instead of taking up garage space or sitting outside. The enclosure also protects against weather, road debris, and the elements while your motorcycle is being transported or stored.
For riders who travel frequently or don’t have room for a motorcycle in their garage, combining transportation and storage in one trailer can be a practical solution.
How to Load a Motorcycle on a Trailer
Loading a motorcycle doesn’t have to be complicated. With an Air-tow trailer, the process starts by lowering the deck to ground level.
- Lower the deck to the ground-level loading position.
- Roll the motorcycle onto the deck.
- Position the motorcycle against the wheel chock or front stop and hold it upright while you set the first straps.
- Secure the motorcycle using properly rated tie-down straps and the trailer’s designated anchor points.
- Double-check your connections and make sure the motorcycle is stable and compressed evenly against the suspension.
- Raise the deck to the towing position and confirm everything is secure before heading out.
Always follow your motorcycle and trailer manufacturer’s instructions for loading, securing, and towing.
A Motorcycle Trailer That Can Do More
Ground-level loading means you can safely ride your bike onto the deck instead of wrestling it up a ramp. A single-axle model keeps things compact and easy to tow. An enclosed model turns the same trailer into storage between rides. And if your hauling goes beyond motorcycles, you’re not limited to those two configurations. Air-tow builds 30+ models across open and enclosed, single- and tandem-axle, in a range of deck lengths and capacities. Every one of them uses the same innovative drop-deck design.
Find the model that fits your motorcycle and the rest of what you haul. Browse Air-tow Trailers, find your local dealer, or contact us with any questions.