brakes needed on a enclosed trailer with cycle in it?
I need suggestions on when buying a enclosed trailer to haul my motorcycle, do I need brakes on the trailer, will be towing it behind my motorhome. Unit when loaded should weight under 2500 lbs.
Forum Discussion
"Just because you have never had such a scenario is a very poor excuse to advocate not having trailer brakes on towed trailers."
Now, just WHERE did I advocate not having trailer brakes on any trailer that the law requires brakes on?
Actually, what I advocate I have stated many times:
1. KNOW the law!
2. COMPLY with the law!
3. DOCUMENT your compliance with the law!
I just don't much care for "WHAT IF" scenarios.
Just like a breakaway towed unit. I know of ONE such incident, and it resulted in a fatality. Actually, it wasn't a breakaway, it was a trailer on the wrong size ball, no safety chains, no breakaway braking, EVERYTHING that could be done wrong WAS!
That is the ONLY such incident I have ever heard of!
Yet, almost weekly, a post will be made describing the dire consequences of not having this or that gadget or gimmick.
IMO, we are frightening many of the newbies unnecessarily. The scenarios that are described may never happen to anybody. They certainly won't happen to EVERYBODY, the way some descriptions seem to imply.
Over the years, I have done many things that would give many people on these forums grey hairs! But, y'know, as I have said, nothing bent, nothing broke, there were no incidents, accidents, or occurrences, and nobody was injured or died.
Here's a couple of "What If's" for your consideration:
WHAT IF you are sitting there waiting for Old Faithful to go off, and the Yellowstone Caldera explodes? (the chances are VERY slim!)
WHAT IF you are driving down I-90 near Greycliff, MT, and a 1500 lb. bull elk jumps off the bank right in front of your car? (That one I can describe, I have seen the results! It was not pretty, either for the elk or the 3/4 ton pickup.) Again, the chances are pretty slim. A LOT of vehicles go by there every day, and an elk gets hit about once a year, maybe.
BUT, it HAS happened, so maybe it would be best to take another route across Montana! On another road you might only hit a deer. Or a bear. Or a bison, or a racoon. or a skunk. or...
Get the idea?
Now, just WHERE did I advocate not having trailer brakes on any trailer that the law requires brakes on?
Actually, what I advocate I have stated many times:
1. KNOW the law!
2. COMPLY with the law!
3. DOCUMENT your compliance with the law!
I just don't much care for "WHAT IF" scenarios.
Just like a breakaway towed unit. I know of ONE such incident, and it resulted in a fatality. Actually, it wasn't a breakaway, it was a trailer on the wrong size ball, no safety chains, no breakaway braking, EVERYTHING that could be done wrong WAS!
That is the ONLY such incident I have ever heard of!
Yet, almost weekly, a post will be made describing the dire consequences of not having this or that gadget or gimmick.
IMO, we are frightening many of the newbies unnecessarily. The scenarios that are described may never happen to anybody. They certainly won't happen to EVERYBODY, the way some descriptions seem to imply.
Over the years, I have done many things that would give many people on these forums grey hairs! But, y'know, as I have said, nothing bent, nothing broke, there were no incidents, accidents, or occurrences, and nobody was injured or died.
Here's a couple of "What If's" for your consideration:
WHAT IF you are sitting there waiting for Old Faithful to go off, and the Yellowstone Caldera explodes? (the chances are VERY slim!)
WHAT IF you are driving down I-90 near Greycliff, MT, and a 1500 lb. bull elk jumps off the bank right in front of your car? (That one I can describe, I have seen the results! It was not pretty, either for the elk or the 3/4 ton pickup.) Again, the chances are pretty slim. A LOT of vehicles go by there every day, and an elk gets hit about once a year, maybe.
BUT, it HAS happened, so maybe it would be best to take another route across Montana! On another road you might only hit a deer. Or a bear. Or a bison, or a racoon. or a skunk. or...
Get the idea?
