Cross Country Towing Options

gv550

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No gpx files, it's all filed away in my memory! And my memory keeps getting shorter so I have to do those rides over and over..... darn. The dirt road up Mt Lemmon closes in December so hopefully you can get it in, it's a real blast.
 

AVGeek

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Nice find! It never hurts to get the biggest trailer you can...

Couple of other good day rides in and around Phoenix include 7 Springs/Bloody Basin roads, the road up to Crown King (sometimes the Senator highway north of CK is closed, I never got up that way with the Tenere), and Castle Hot Springs road out by Lake Pleasant.
 

holligl

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That's a good looking Kendon trailer. If it were me, I'd consider adding a wheel chock so I could mount the single bike in the center of the trailer. If you need to make a panic stop that 575 lb offset load will try to swing the trailer around into the adjoining lane and/or possibly hitting your tow vehicle.
I'll be in Apache Junction Nov 1, let's try hook up for some rides. Four peaks, dirt road up Mt Lemmon, Young................. I can't wait!
This did sound like a good idea, so I removed one rail and moved the other to the middle. 8 bolt locations. I did have to make a different ramp as the standard ramp won't work in the middle (not a great ramp anyway). It would be about a 30 minute job to switch back to two racks. Plan to put a couple cargo boxes on the outside for the trip to AZ. I do like having the bike centered in the rear view mirror.


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gv550

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My new Tracer GT is scheduled to arrive Oct 24, so I plan to head out around 27th and be in Apache junction for Nov 1. I'll have both bikes with me, I hope we can hook up for a few rides.
 

holligl

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Success! Roughly 1800 miles from IL to AZ. Weather mostly cooperated, only melting snow splash in New Mexico. Had to find a manual car wash when we arrived. After reading Kendon info on tires, I elected to replace the original 10 year old tires 300 miles into the trip. Better safe than sorry. This thing tows great. Other than slower acceleration and braking, and about a 4 mpg penalty on the mileage, you barely know it's there. My wife even drove with it and commented it was way better than the uhauls we've rented. Easily handles any of the speed limits we encountered. Kept the torque wrench and grease gun handy for daily maintenance. All folded backup and stored in AZ.


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RCinNC

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Tucson weather is getting a little weird; they had snow on the ground in Tucson in December (not just on Mount Lemmon), and it was colder there than it was in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Still and all, it's a beautiful state, with excellent riding, especially up north. I love riding up in the Sedona area.

Where did the information come from that Harbor Freight had discontinued their trailers? They're still selling the same ones they've always sold on their website.
 

Sierra1

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....Still and all, it's a beautiful state, with excellent riding, especially up north. I love riding up in the Sedona area....

Are you talking waaaay north, as in the Page/Lake Powell area? Or just north of Tuscon? Because yes, Sedona is crazy beautiful. But, as much as I liked living in Page, unless you are talking about off-roading, the roads suck; of course the scenery is still pretty though.
 

RCinNC

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I meant more north of Phoenix, up in places like Sedona, Jerome, Oak Creek Canyon, etc. I've been to AZ maybe a dozen times in the past decade, so I haven't been there enough to get tired of the roads, but the scenery never fails to give me a huge buzz. I once rode up all the way from Tucson up through Tuba City and Kayenta, and I'll admit that it can get pretty bleak up that way until you get to Monument Valley. For a guy like me, from the mountains of Pennsylvania, even the bleak parts were always interesting.

When I say excellent riding, I often mean that it's a spectacular place to ride through, not so much that the roads are full of twists and turns. A big reason that I ride is that there's no more enjoyable way for me to see the country than from the saddle of a motorcycle.
 

holligl

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Tucson weather is getting a little weird; they had snow on the ground in Tucson in December (not just on Mount Lemmon), and it was colder there than it was in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Still and all, it's a beautiful state, with excellent riding, especially up north. I love riding up in the Sedona area.

Where did the information come from that Harbor Freight had discontinued their trailers? They're still selling the same ones they've always sold on their website.
They have resarted selling them now. They weren't selling for 6-8 months. I think they had some DOT tire issues.

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holligl

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They have resarted selling them now. They weren't selling for 6-8 months. I think they had some DOT tire issues.

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After towing with the Kendon, I doubt I would even consider the HF, other than slower local tows. The Kendon suspension is so good, the CG is so low, and the wheels so far apart, the ride dynamics are in a whole different class. Last time I was in HF, it looked like their trailer stood taller standing up. Not sure, but check to make sure you have clearance. My Kendon doesn't fit under my garage door rails, raised door, or opener, but I can route around those.

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Highlander

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Carson City. NV
After towing with the Kendon, I doubt I would even consider the HF, other than slower local tows. The Kendon suspension is so good, the CG is so low, and the wheels so far apart, the ride dynamics are in a whole different class. Last time I was in HF, it looked like their trailer stood taller standing up. Not sure, but check to make sure you have clearance. My Kendon doesn't fit under my garage door rails, raised door, or opener, but I can route around those.

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Glad you researched and bought the Kendon, congrats on the AZ move !
 

holligl

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Kinda off topic now, but you are towing to get somewhere. Here's where...

Did this trail on a UTV last February, and only went a few miles today. Not sure I'm ready ready for some of the down hill switch backs yet. Definately not in Illinois any more!


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