MC Tested: Motorcycle Trailer in a Bag

Even if you own a pickup truck, transporting an 850-pound Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic is no easy task. It's even more difficult if you drive a Honda Civic! The latter scenario calls for a trailer, which by design must be lightweight, compact and (hopefully) easy to store when not in use. Enter the Trailer In A Bag. This collapsible assembly is small enough to store in a 4-foot duffel bag, yet substantial enough to haul a half-ton Hog.

For the past 14 years, Trailer In A Bag has been making trailers that literally fit inside a bag. This is just for storage, mind you; attempting to move it around will only damage the bag, and perhaps give you a hernia. The TIAB isn't some rinky-dink, mail-order, universal utility trailer. Each rig is handmade by expert fabricators and designed for heavy-duty use. It rides on sturdy 8-inch wheels and is rated to haul 2000 lbs.-or about twice what my Civic is capable of pulling.

This trailer's trick is that it can be disassembled, and when broken down actually fits in the trunk of my car. It consists of five main pieces secured by pins and clips, so you don't need tools to put it together. With a little practice, assembly takes about 10 minutes-and you could do it in half that time with an extra pair of hands. The structural parts are thick-walled square tubing, but the heaviest single component weighs just 48 lbs., so it's not a pain to move.

The weight stated on the Certificate of Origin is 180 lbs., but that's before you start adding accessories. The Condor wheel chock ($200) adds about 25 lbs., while fenders ($150) and running boards ($200) add another 20. All told, a decked-out TIAB weighs in at about 225 lbs., and rings in at $1745.

Tongue weight is 120 to 160 lbs., depending on what you're hauling. That can sack out your vehicle's rear shocks, so keep trunk cargo to a minimum. To keep cost and weight down the trailer is rigid, but its tires and the bike's suspension help absorb the worst bumps and jolts. I was impressed by how smooth and stable it towed, even when cruising 65 mph on the freeway.

Loading and unloading is accomplished via the included 30-inch aluminum ramp, which is broad enough to accommodate a 300mm-wide rear tire. The low deck height makes getting your bike on and off pretty easy, which is greatly appreciated when you're pushing a big bagger. Tie-down points at each corner ensure the bike remains secure and stable in motion.

This trailer's merits have made it quite popular: More than 10,000 examples have been sold to people in places as far away as South Korea. If you're tight on storage space and want a simple solution for towing your motorcycle, the Trailer In A Bag is as simple as it gets.

Trailer In A Bag
Price: $1195 and up
**Contact: **Trailer In A Bag
www.trailerinabag.com

Verdict 4 stars out of 5
Expensive, but the convenience and build quality can't be beat.