its some states have for vehicles
towing a trailer. The disadvantage
is that only the motorcycle fits on
the carrier, so smelly and dirty
things like gas cans, generators,
tires, etc., have to be carried in-
side a car, SUV, or RV used as a
transport vehicle.
A pickup truck solves this
problem. The truck bed usually
is large enough for at least two
motorcycles and most gear, or at
least the aforementioned smelly
and dirty things. If the bed isn't
long enough, bed extenders turn
the open tailgate into useful stor-
age space. The downside is that
you've now got a pickup truck on
your hands, and if you don't need
to use one on a daily basis, you've
got to be able to store it. And
you can rent them, sure, but the
mileage fees can add up rapidly if
you're driving very far to the track.
The other downside is that all your
stuff is in the open, exposed to the
harsh elements and the sticky fin-
gers of thieves.
A van solves this problem.
All your stuff goes inside and is
locked away, and if you have a
passenger van, some contact pa-
per placed on the inside of the
windows and a shower curtain
held by a rod across the front of
the cargo area hides everything
from view. I wonder if that curtain
doesn't deter thieves who wonder
if it's hiding someone sleeping in
the van? The basic downsides are
the same as with a pickup truck—
now you've got a van on your
hands 24/7. You've either got to
store it someplace, or drive it ev-
ery day—and if it's white, prepare
yourself for an endless stream of
bad jokes about it
Box vans and toy haulers
solve this problem. But they start
to push the limits for most track
day riders. They're pretty imprac-
tical for everyday transportation
(Above) Spotted at Las Vegas Motor Speedway—one hardware store
trailer customized with diamond plate deck, tool and equipment box,
front wheel chock, hydraulically assisted loading ramp, gas can holding
brackets and spare motorcycle wheel holders (the curved orange arms).
(Right) A folding single-bike trailer (seen folded up) pulled by a mini-van.
(Above) A cargo trailer hitched to a motorhome. (Below) A customized
trailer with room for a fleet of bikes and equipment. (Left) Trailer tires are
a problem. These examples made by a major manufacturer were three
years old when they simultaneously suffered tread separation while in-
stalled on a parked trailer. Plan to replace trailer tires after a couple sum-
mers of use, regardless of how they are “rated.” Photos by John Ulrich.22—Roadracing World, Trackday Directory 2019