Wing Ding!

Just a quick post to let everyone know we attended the Honda “Wing Ding” in Des Moines Iowa over the weekend.   This is my first time to this particular rally and it was quite interesting.   The vendors that attended showed a wide variety of products and services not only for Honda’s but for all motorcycles as well.

Attendance was quite good and the weather cooperated very nicely. Being a newby to this rally I noticed one very obvious theme throughout the rally.  This is a very tight knit group.  These folks are extremely courteous and generous riders who provide motorcycling with a very positive image.

The creativity that is put into all the bikes I saw was just as impressive.   Sorry to say my phone camera was on the blink and no pictures were saved in my phone.  So you are just going to have to trust me.

The Wing Ding will be in Knoxville, TN  next year and if you have a chance to attend, do so.   It is well worth your while.

http://www.wing-ding.org/

See you on the Road.

New Scooter Trailer from Road Dog And Fly Scooters!

Hey gang,

Just a quick note to let you know the new Scooterbug trailer has now been released.  You can see a video of it here   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yEyDMdDYU8

We partnered up with Fly Scooters  http://www.flyscooters.com/ and created a stylish new way to haul stuff around behind a scooter.

I will post more pics very shortly.   This is a way cool unit that really works.  We will have hitches available to other models of scooters as we go forward.

Thanks for taking a look.

See you on the Road.                                                                                                                                                                                                                http://www.roaddogtrailers.com/

Road Dog Features….Wide Wheels

So…Lets start with the comments I get first.    “Love the wheels”     “Man those rims are awesome”   Why the wide wheels?

Actually this type of wheel is a big part of the Road Dog trailers performance.    What we found with the wider wheels is better weight displacement.   Better weight displacement combined with our independent torsion suspension is what makes a Road Dog so special.   This combination also is what allows our trailers to achieve such a low center of gravity.  Which in turn allows these trailers to perform the way they do.

Wider wheels have other advantages too.  They tend to roll over the smaller divots, cracks, rail road tracks etc… in the road instead of following them.  This helps keep the trailer towing straight and true in rough conditions.  The wider wheels encompass a lot of the road hazards that a thinner tire cannot.

Another advantage to the wider wheels is the wear and tear factor.  We have customers with over 40000 (yes, that is Forty Thousand) miles on their original set of tires and still going.  In 4 years we have yet to sell a replacement tire due to wear.

Load range is another factor with these wheels.  They are load range B.  That puts them at a rating of over 600 lbs each.  So now you can see a wheel like this on a touring trailer is more than enough to withstand anything you can throw at it.

Some have brought up the question of hydroplaning with a wider wheel and if that was a concern.  Trailers are a little different than a powered vehicle.  Lets start by saying a trailer has no rotational torque being applied to the  wheels.  This means they are being pulled forward not powered forward like a car or motorcycle.  When  a car or motorcycle’s wheels are creating a rotational torque forward hydroplaning occurs when that thin sheet of water comes in between the tire and the road.   A wheel with power behind it can start to spin or drift because of the torque.

Trailers on the other hand have no rotational or lateral forces acting upon it to move it in any other direction than straight behind the towing vehicle.   If you ride your motorcycle according to road conditions and give yourself a little more room to stop,  a hydroplaning trailer is something you do not have to worry about.

Summer is almost here….so get off the computer and get out there and ride!

See you on the Road!

Vacuum Formed Fiberglass

This a term that we like to throw around here at Road Dog.  It’s cool and it sets us apart from other manufacturers of touring trailers.  But, what does it really mean?  There are quite a few people who know what it is but for those who don’t it is quite simple.

Let start with the basics.  Like most fiberglass products you see most touring trailers that are made out of fiberglass are made with what is called “chop”  or “chopped fiberglass”. This mixture of pieces of chopped fiberglass and resin are shot out of a gun into the fiberglass mold which in turn gives it its name.

The end product is of course very nice on the outside, like any fiberglass product you have seen.  But if you notice on the inside it can be quite rough and unappealing.   Depending on the manufacturer  and their varied processes some can be better than others and some have actual fiberglass splinters that can be quite vexing.    This rough surface inside a touring trailer can be very hard on your gear.  It can act like sandpaper on duffel bags and helmets, unless some sort of barrier like carpet is installed.

Now  “Vacuum Formed”  fiberglass is a completely different animal.   This is still fiberglass but is done in quite a different manner.  There is a master mold made like before but now a counter mold is made as well.  These two pieces fit together perfectly leaving a small space in between the two.  This space is a pre-determined dimension of your wall thickness.  Next a thin sheet of special fiber mesh is laid in the mold and then these forms are fastened together.    Two hoses are hooked at either end of the mold and as one hose injects the resin the other is “vacuuming” out the displaced air.

After a short curing process  the piece is removed from the mold and you have a piece that is not only a consistent weight and thickness, you have a piece that is as smooth on the inside as it is on the outside.  This is why we like this term “vacuum formed” so much.   The inside of your Road Dog is as smooth as glass.  It is super easy on your gear and doesn’t necessarily need a carpet barrier.  It is also super easy to clean and doesn’t hold that fiberglass smell forever.

So the next time you are looking at a touring trailer pay special attention to the inside as well as the outside, the difference will be plain to see. This is just one of the many features that sets Road Dog apart from other touring trailers.  We will talk about other features as well in the coming weeks.

See you on the Road.

Road Dog Features….Suspension!

This is the first of a few blogs talking about certain aspects and features of Road Dog trailers.   This is intended to give a little more information than is normally found on a webpage or brochure about specific features and advantages found in our trailers.

One of the most important things that sets Road Dog apart from other trailers is our suspension.  All Road Dog trailers have independent torsion suspension but in a little different manner.  We developed our own version of this time-tested suspension to work  in conjunction with a motorcycle.  

We tested different durometer’s (hardness)  of rubber cords along with different lengths of swing arms to find the perfect combination of load capacity and ride.  This combination allows the suspension to be supple enough to  handle rough terrain, but stout enough to handle most any cargo application.

When you add  the wider wheels to this suspension system it becomes a very stable, low profile trailer that performs like no other.  The next time you see a touring trailer at your local dealer or trade show,  try to activate the suspension by gently but firmly pushing down with both hands on the trailer.  For the most part it will be very stiff and unforgiving..this is where most trailers get there bounce when they encounter not so smooth roads.  These trailers use off the shelf axles that are rated for a much larger load capacity and have a much taller profile that can provide a very rough ride for your trailer and cargo.

If you do the same thing to a Road Dog,  you will find the suspension very forgiving.  It allows the trailer to absorb the initial shock of the bump in the road and react before  the shock is transmitted to the trailer and cargo .  This also keeps the tires on the road where they belong adding to the stability and smoothness of ride and performance .  You can see a bit of this suspension on video… http://www.youtube.com/user/RoadDogTrailers#p/u/3/14XhwXIMiTc

Watch closely and you will see the wheels absorb the bumps and the cargo box with stay very still….about halfway through the video you can see the skeletal view, showing how it works.   We will have more videos coming out in the near future  showing more about our suspension and other specs and features about our trailers.

I hope this information helps those of you who are in the market for a touring trailer and want to make an informed choice when it comes to selecting the brand you desire.  If you have any further questions about our suspension or any of our trailers feed free to contact us and we will be more than happy to help.

Until then, see you on the road!

Road Dog.

So Cal Trike Center takes delivery!

So Cal Trike Center  is a dealer of ours in southern California,  The man to see down at So-Cal is a guy named Rix.  He is the chief cook and bottle washer and can handle almost anything you throw at him.  I hear he has quite the background in electronics etc…not to mention he is an ex-Marine.  They do all trike conversions from Honda to Harley and are happy to help with almost anything.

Their website is http://www.socaltrikecenter.com/

Recently a customer of theirs strolled in and ordered a Road Dog “Drifter” to match his Harley Davidson Ultra Classic.  I wanted to post a couple of shots of this rig because of the great paint job that was done on it.

His name is Thaddeus.  His new Drifter is painted white gold pearl with        a metallic silver insert.  This trailer is special not only because of the            paint job but because it has 23 cubic ft of space and is only 30  inches          tall.

This is a great asset for a touring trailer of this size because it is such an      easy pull.  Whether behind a trike or bike its lightweight and low profile      makes this an incredible trailer.

So congratulations to Thaddeus on his new Road Dog Drifter!   We wish him good luck and safe riding wherever he goes.   Thanks to Rix at So-Cal Trike Center as well.   When you are ready to step up to a Road Dog Rix will be happy to help.

See you on the road,

Road Dog.

We Hate Trailers!

The following is a testimonial, albeit a long one that I wanted to share with you.  It is not only about our trailers it is about how people go from one side of the fence to the other.  Hope you like it!

We hate trailers!  This was our purist attitude toward motorcycle trailers before we discovered Road Dog.  Attaching a pull-behind to a Harley was, to us, a quick way to turn a cool bike into a not-so-cool family truckster.  We also held an old school belief that if you did not haul ALL of your gear on the bike you were cheating in some way, shape, or form.

As my wife and I began to blend other activities into riding we realized that it was no longer logistically possible to haul the gear for those activities on the back of our bike.  We are avid scuba divers, backpackers, sky divers, photographers (to include underwater photography) canoeists, and backwoods camping enthusiasts.  Combining these hobbies with Harley rides enhances the pleasure derived from these recreational diversions.  These activities require specialty gear that consumes space quickly, a limited commodity offered by a bike.  The dilemma, how do we incorporate “Harley” into the other activities we are so passionate about?  The answer; a trailer!  The next question to address; where to find a rugged, stable and streamlined “cool” trailer?

Once we conceded to the reality that a trailer was needed the next challenge was to locate the right trailer.  We set out to find a trailer that would complement the bike, a trailer that did not look like a brick in tow.  The trailer needed to be robust and provide adequate protection for the fragile gear we often hauled.

Several weeks into the search we began to become discouraged.  The trailers we found were often ugly / clunky-looking, beyond our price point, or cheaply manufactured with less than adequate suspension systems.

And then we stumbled across Road Dog.  RD Trailers were not only esthetically pleasing to the eye; they were functional, durable and aerodynamic.  Incorporated into these sleek trailers, a tough lightweight low maintenance suspension system giving anything one would haul a smooth and protected ride.  And the trailers were affordable.

We haul sensitive equipment; dive computers (sky and scuba), altimeters, underwater dive cameras and housings, laptops (My job requires I have a laptop with me at all times.), BCDs, regulators, and chute harness / container rigs.  Our safety is directly influenced by the functionality of some of this equipment.  Damage caused by a rough ride is not an option for us.

When we called RD to learn more about their line Karl answered.  A Midwest type of guy, Karl (owner / manufacturer) was a friendly down-to-earth fellow eager to help.  He was informative and accommodating.  I quickly deduced that Karl is a business owner who takes tremendous pride in craftsmanship, standing behind and guaranteeing each trailer leaving his shop.

Talking with Karl, visiting his shop, meeting the small team of builders that assemble RD trailers, and reading other testimonials sold me on RD.  I am now the proud owner of a Drifter.

I drove my Road King to RD on a very rainy afternoon arriving late for our appointment.  Karl and his team kindly stayed into the evening to accommodate me.  While I dried out Karl and associates went to work on my bike, wiring and attaching the hitch.  Within an hour I was ready to roll.  I drove the trailer into the night through light to moderate rain showers.  With no load to keep it planted on the pavement, the trailer pulled true and straight on the wet highway.  I had to look back from time to time just to see if the trailer was still there.   I felt no resistance or pulling.

Karl kindly called me the next day to make certain I arrived home safe and sound and to ensure the trailer met my expectations.  That same morning my wife and I departed Spooner, Wisconsin for Santa Barbara, California by way of several side states with trailer in tow.  Filled with scuba gear / luggage and staying within weight limits / weight distribution protocols the trailer was off on its maiden voyage.

Through high wind, rain, extreme heat, cold, a little snow, deserts, grasslands, and mountains the trailer tracked true and pulled with ease.  The trailer placed little resistance on the bike resulting in negligible GPM losses, 1 to 2 miles per gallon.  We detected only slight climbing performance degradation as we pulled the trailer up steep high altitude mountain passes.  The low profile, light weight, and wide wheel base engineering of the Drifter makes all of the aforementioned possible.  The bike and trailer traveled in harmony through 6000 miles of varied and sometimes harsh terrain.

Perhaps the most stunning epiphany shared by my wife and I on this trip; we discovered how hard we had been working in the past to lug all of our gear on the bike.  We reflected back to equipment that had been damaged, the result of forcing gear into spaces too small to accommodate that gear.  Pre-trailer, every stop was work.  We expended tremendous energy and effort unloading, repacking, moving items around to get at items packed deep inside the bags or trunk.

With Road Dog in tow packing and unpacking was a breeze.  Organizing the trailer was convenient and easy to accomplish.  Need to get to your cold weather gear or rain coats… no problem.  Open the hood and the gear would be sitting on top of the luggage.  Need to get to your photography equipment… no problem.  It was all stored in the forward compartment of the trailer safe and secure.

Traveling on a Harley suddenly became effortless, a very important attribute to those of us who like to incorporate other activities into our riding.  We could also travel through inclement weather without worry.  The Road Dog allowed us to carry a larger selection of inclement weather gear ensuring we were always properly dressed, something we really appreciated on a 36F four hour stretch of highway.  The big cost savings… hotels.  We were able to carry tent and sleeping bags with us saving hundreds of dollars on hotel expenses.

Many bikers approached us to find out more about the trailer, admiring first and foremost the sexy lines.  Perhaps the most memorable of these experiences was an exchange that took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.   In the middle of a bumper to bumper traffic jam with temps at 100 degrees plus, a guy in an SUV purposefully maneuvered his way to us, missing his exit, to inquire about the Drifter.  Confident in the performance of this trailer I handed the gentleman brochures through the window of his truck.

For those of you thinking about replacing an old pull-behind or heehawing about buying a trailer look no further.  The Road Dog is an excellent trailer system built by a great Midwestern company, a company that stands behind its product.

Best regards, Anil and Charity Lartius

Thanks to Anil and Charity.    This is just one of the multitude of testimonials we get on a regular basis.  It stood out for me because of the detail in the story about the usefulness of trailers and how much fun  they can add to your riding.

See you on the Road!

Ordering a Road Dog!

So you have noticed I have skipped a couple of wks on the blog.  Well this is our busy time of year and it is a little tough getting use to the longer hours.   So now that summer is really close,  and we are extremely busy, I have a few tips for the trailer buyer.

The biggest favor you can do for yourself when you decide you want a trailer is to order early.  Not just a Road Dog trailer but any trailer.  There are a lot of people out there just like you who have a single or multiple trips planned for the summer and this is the year you want a trailer.

Now,  here is the most common scenario.  “We are leaving in 2 weeks and we would like to buy a trailer”  Wow!  This is a tall order for a  color matched fiberglass trailer with custom options.  They take a bit of time to build not to mention the added time for shipping.  It is always best to give yourself some time to receive the trailer and familiarize yourself with the functions and characteristics of pulling a trailer especially if you are new to this experience.  With so many orders simultaneously it is hard to accommodate these types of orders.

The next scenario is…” We arent leaving for a couple of months yet so we will wait until we get closer to leaving and then order it”   See scenario #1.  It doesn’t hurt to have the trailer ahead of time.  You will enjoy it more.  learn a little about packing it, and what you want to take with you and what you want to leave behind.   Some people say they don’t want the trailer just sitting around a month before they leave.  Believe me, when you get your new Road Dog, you wont let it set very long.  They are a great addition to your bike and are not just for touring.

You will find yourself using it for all sorts of reasons like groceries, golfing, commuting and all around errands.   So if you are considering ordering your trailer my advice is the sooner the better.  It will make both our lives a lot easier.

The departure date for your trip will be here sooner than you think  So don’t delay order a Road Dog today!  Just a little spur of the moment slogan there.

Have fun on your summertime adventures!

See you on the Road.

So, Spring is really coming!  I can smell it!  Its good to see the hardcore riders out in the 45+ degree weather tearing up and down the freeway. My battery is charging and I should be ready soon as well.   We are very busy here at Road Dog.  The good word is spreading and it seems we are building more trailers than ever. So here is just a sneak peek at what we have coming up in the near future.

Available soon is the new dust/storage covers for the Widetrack and GT models. These are great to take along on a trip for an overnight cover or a storage cover in the garage.

The 2010  Widetrack’s are also going to be equipped with a slam lock, this will replace the standard twisting T-handle.

For the dog lovers out there a new Pet hauling option will be showing up soon for the GT’s.  http://www.roaddogtrailers.com/trailers_GT.asp We get such a huge demand for an affordable dog hauler that we decided to create one for the masses.  It should show up in the next month or two.

We have a couple of other surprises planned as well but these will remain top secret for now.  (evil laugh)                                                                               As for events this year we plan to attend the Wing Ding this year in Des Moines Iowa.  It is the weekend of June 30th.

We will also be at Outdoor Motorsports(http://www.outdoor-motorsports.com/) in Spearfish, SD during Sturgis.  We have been in the same location for the last 3 years now and have a great time every year.

And last but not lease we will try to attend the Bike Blues and Bar-B-Q in Fayetteville AR. (http://www.bikesbluesandbbq.org/) This is in late September and this will be our first time there.   I’m sure there will be a few more smaller rallies and rides we will attend as well. We will keep everyone posted as to the whereabouts of each one as they come up.

Here’s to a great and safe spring  riding season!

See you on the Road!

Getting Ready for spring!

Well the snow is finally fading around here in central MN….which only leads to spring fever.  You can tell we all have it bad around here.  When it gets in the high 30’s and mid 40’s  you start to see the hardcore “never say die” riders start to come out in their heated clothing and riding where ever they can find dry pavement.

We here at Road Dog have spring fever as well.  Orders are pouring in and we are very busy trying to get it all done.  We have some new products coming soon that will enhance the Road Dog experience for all who own one.  The new slip covers will soon be available for the GT and the Deluxe.  These are great for covering your dog when you park it overnight at the hotel or as a dust cover in storage for the winter.

A couple of new models should show up as well in the near future.  These will add even more variety to choose from for the purpose driven rider. We try to take all this feedback that we get from customers and people who we meet at various trade shows and take them under consideration and in turn incorporate them into our trailers.

So if spring fever has a hold of you as well, hold tight.   It is almost here….maybe if I go out in the garage and start it up a couple of more times spring will get here a little sooner.

Here is wishing everybody a great and safe riding season,  see you on the road.

Road Dog.