[CruiseControl]

I've never ridden with a trailer before.
Does anyone or anyPLACE rent trailers to Wingers?
I'm especially interested in locations close to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Thanks.

 

[Scott1]

I saw a U-hall Trailer Company renting a motorcycle cargo trailer in Pittsburgh. I didn't stop and ask but it was out by the road and had a rent me sign on it. It was there for a year or two. I don't go by there anymore so I don't know if they still rent them. Give U-Hall a call you never know.

 

[gravedigger]

Funny you should ask, because I have been thinking about buying maybe a dozen trailers and renting them out to travelers. The insurance issue would need to be worked out though.

My thought was, I would do a "Buy Back" program. Someone would come to me and BUY the trailer of their choice. They would transfer it into their name and take full responsibility for it. When their tour was done, I would buy the trailer back for the same amount, less a percentage for the time it was used. In that way, they are legally liable for accidents, damage, etc., but they are not stuck with the trailer. The rental "fee" would be a total of the title transfer costs, along with some $5.00 per day usage fee or something simple. What do you think about that?

 

[wingcommander]

Open Road Outfitters is a great trailer rental company in Northern VA

 

[LDimick]

Funny you should ask, because I have been thinking about buying maybe a dozen trailers and renting them out to travelers. The insurance issue would need to be worked out though.

My thought was, I would do a "Buy Back" program. Someone would come to me and BUY the trailer of their choice. They would transfer it into their name and take full responsibility for it. When their tour was done, I would buy the trailer back for the same amount, less a percentage for the time it was used. In that way, they are legally liable for accidents, damage, etc., but they are not stuck with the trailer. The rental "fee" would be a total of the title transfer costs, along with some $5.00 per day usage fee or something simple. What do you think about that?

Several problems. First the price is too low. Take the purchase price and divide it by $5 to figure out how many days you'd have to rent it for to break even. You still have tires to replace.

Also, there is usually a transfer fee for selling or buying the title which is a lot more than $5/day

 

[bnordt04]

I think U-Haul had a small trailer to rent but it would still be quite a load for a bike. At first look from a distance it looks ok but it needs a closer look.

 

[The Captain]

Funny you should ask, because I have been thinking about buying maybe a dozen trailers and renting them out to travelers. The insurance issue would need to be worked out though.

My thought was, I would do a "Buy Back" program. Someone would come to me and BUY the trailer of their choice. They would transfer it into their name and take full responsibility for it. When their tour was done, I would buy the trailer back for the same amount, less a percentage for the time it was used. In that way, they are legally liable for accidents, damage, etc., but they are not stuck with the trailer. The rental "fee" would be a total of the title transfer costs, along with some $5.00 per day usage fee or something simple. What do you think about that?

Sounds like a PITA for both you and the person "renting" to me for a couple reasons.

1. The DMV is slow in processing paperwork. When the new owner got done with his/her 10 day trip, they would want to sell the trailer back to you but they'd not have the paperwork to sign over to you. Also selling and buying back the same trailer several times a year might put up a red flag at the DMV.

2. Who is paying the sales tax every time the trailer is bought/sold?

3. Who takes the hit when one of the new buyers has an accident involving the trailer? A repaired trailer is worth less in the resale market.

4. In business, time = money. While you're sitting at the DMV waiting for the next available clerk, you are wasting time & money.

The list could go on.

 

[gravedigger]

Several problems. First the price is too low. Take the purchase price and divide it by $5 to figure out how many days you'd have to rent it for to break even. You still have tires to replace.

See how you are. :? You assume I NEED to "break even." I was thinking of doing this just to make trailers available to those in my area who need them for only one short tour.

Let me ask you something Dennis. Have you EVER done something costly for someone else that you don't know, without expecting compensation? Do you ever read the Bible?

Also, there is usually a transfer fee for selling or buying the title which is a lot more than $5/day

I wrote:

The rental "fee" would be a total of the title transfer costs, along with some $5.00 per day usage fee or something simple.

 

[gravedigger]

Sounds like a PITA for both you and the person "renting" to me for a couple reasons.

1. The DMV is slow in processing paperwork. When the new owner got done with his/her 10 day trip, they would want to sell the trailer back to you but they'd not have the paperwork to sign over to you. Also selling and buying back the same trailer several times a year might put up a red flag at the DMV.

Think outside of the box! :thumbup: (Hint: Simply signing and notarizing a Bill of Sale which the new owner carries, and the transfer of payment by a valid check which is not yet cashed is deemed to BE a lawful sale at the DMV.)

2. Who is paying the sales tax every time the trailer is bought/sold?

See #1. Think about it a while.

3. Who takes the hit when one of the new buyers has an accident involving the trailer? A repaired trailer is worth less in the resale market.

An accident merely means the new owner takes the hit, since by virtue of the accident, he BOUGHT the trailer and I cashed the check.

4. In business, time = money. While you're sitting at the DMV waiting for the next available clerk, you are wasting time & money.

The list could go on.

Grasshopper, you are not ready to leave the temple. You must first snatch the red tape out of my hand.

 

[Part Irish]

trailer renting

I think "The Captain" brought up a very good point. The DMV would be all over your case for continually selling and buying any vehicle (including trailers) that needs to be registered. The concept of renting MC trailers for a small price is good. IMO you just need to work out the details.:thumbup:

 

[LDimick]

I hope it works for you. I know in CA that if you sell a certain number of vehicles within a year you have to become a licensed dealer. No idea how it would work with trailers

Why not start a touring service that you can lead and use the trailers as part of your package?

 

[The Captain]

Cruisecontrol, sorry your thread got hijacked.
The U-haul trailer some talked about is way to heavy/large for a wing. It was made for small cars to pull. I'm not even sure they would rent to you knowing it was for a motorcycle.
Your best bet would be to contact a friend that has a trailer and ask to use it or find a dealer that sells trailers to see if they would rent you one from their lot.

 

[LDimick]

Cruisecontrol, sorry your thread got hijacked.
The U-haul trailer some talked about is way to heavy/large for a wing. It was made for small cars to pull. I'm not even sure they would rent to you knowing it was for a motorcycle.
Your best bet would be to contact a friend that has a trailer and ask to use it or find a dealer that sells trailers to see if they would rent you one from their lot.

Wouldn't part of that depend upon how the load is packed?

If you pack it heavy over the axle, or even rear-biased, you take the tongue weight down. The total mass is still high but once you are rolling it may not be a problem. I realize there are at least two major weights tin this discussion. One is the tongue weight and the other is the GVW.

 

[Macgyver0856]

the easier thing to do is go ahead and insure them, divide the cost by the number of days you expect to rent the trailer and defer that daily cost to the renter. example, trailer rental lets say is your $5.00 a day , plus $25.00 a day insurance. make sure you tell your insurance company it is a rental so they'll cover it when it is being pulled by someone else.

 

[kwthom]

<...> I realize there are at least two major weights tin this discussion. One is the tongue weight and the other is the GVW.

The smallest U-Haul trailer is nearly the same tongue weight as many of these camping trailers that are towed by the Ultra's & the Wings out there.

The whole issue with U-Haul is that they won't rent a trailer to a person to use with a motorcycle.

http://www.uhaul.com/Reservations/EquipmentDetail.aspx?model=ST

(see first requirement - hard top vehicle only)


Okay, so now that all that crap is bypassed, the big issues are

1) the lack of a standard electrical connection for a trailer towed by motorcycle.

2) the lack of an easily-installed motorcycle trailer hitch that would be adequate to actually tow a trailer. I will reference Tom Finch's prior posts on the topic that can be found here.

So, if you're willing to spend two to four hours to do a proper hitch and wiring install for a customer for them to then take and use a trailer for a period of time, then you have a business model. Charge 'em for the hitch, & install they keep the hitch after they've used the trailer for when they buy their own.

How many models of hitch will you carry?

How many repeat customers will you think you'll have?

How much liability are you willing to incur when every motorcycle manual recommends to NOT tow a trailer with a motorcycle? (your attorney will love ya!)

You see where this is going?

 

[Ed Z]

Here's another inexpensive solution...

http://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-capacity-78-inch-tag-along-trailer-66771.html

 

[CruiseControl]

Great discussion!

While we're donating ideas, how about this one: you rent and sell trailers at a modest profit, but you charge full price to install the railer hitch and electrical wiring. The customer MUST have a hitch and electrical hookup to even TRY a trailer, so you help them out with the hitch and wiring, and if they rent or buy, so much the better.

I am going to donate this idea to a local place that does trike conversions and sells Bushtech trailers.

 

[kwthom]

<...> The customer MUST have a hitch and electrical hookup to even TRY a trailer, so you help them out with the hitch and wiring, and if they rent or buy, so much the better.<...>

:shrug:

There are precisely two reasons for a hitch. Only one involves towing a trailer (and requiring a lighting installation).

For many, it's not the trailer that's the dilemma, it's knowing which hitch is the right one, how much $$$, effort, whatever, necessary to install it - well, for some, that's a bit daunting, so the whole trailer towed by mc is tossed aside for the big truck and trailer to haul the mc on comes into play. The info available here (that's how I figured it out!) is priceless in that regard; the other 50% of the task is getting the hitch out of the box and on the bike. I'd be willing to state there's probably quite a few here that really don't wanna mess with that headache.

The trike installers...this might be a better niche market for them to get into, I'd agree with that. I'm just not too sure how much time, money, effort an already small business is going to invest to be able to rent trailers a few times in a season.


Perhaps we've now figured out there really isn't much in the way of a buisness plan here for a new, exciting motorcycle-based opportunity to make a few bucks.