Man, check this crap out. So I've got a 500 mile trip for the holidays. I sold a motorcycle and worked delivery into the deal. Well, I didn't wanna pull my 23' toy hauler just to deliver this one 400 lb bike with no camping involved. So, I borrowed a little 6x10, single axle, enclosed trailer from a buddy to deliver the bike.

So how much can that stupid little trailer weigh?

Here's where the suck part comes in! Why did I borrow the little trailer?? GAS MILEAGE...or so you guys would think.

Nothing inside the trailer but my 400 lb bike...9.5 MPG!!!! :-O. WHAT THE £€#¥???? And that was with the OD on and working just fine. The trailer was light enough that the converter had no problems staying locked up, so I thought for sure it would be minimal impact.

Heck, I've gotten as good as 9 MPG towing my big trailer with two bikes fully loaded, OD off, at similar speeds. And the stupid little trailer doesn't even tow as good as my big trailer either, and it's a pain in the *** to back up!! What gives?

Oh well...not much point here. Just ranting.

I guess that's typical for my truck though. I've noticed in the past that I can literally tell ZERO difference in my trailer between empty and completely full of toys, water, and gear. Weight makes no differnce and my truck doesn't recognize any difference. Interesting.

Thanks for listening...back to your regular scheduled show already in progress.

 

Air drag of the enclosed trailer. It's a killer. Same as going into a headwind.

 

My normal highway mileage empty is about 19, doing about 70. When I tow an enclosed 5x8, I get about 14 doing about 55 and worse driving faster. That's a pretty hefty hit.

 

Yea, that's sucks. It's impressive that the air/drag penalty is worse than the gross weight penalty.

 

Man that is weird because I pulled a 16ft enclosed trailer with 4 stunt bikes, 4 gear bags, EZup, tables, chairs, gas cans, coolers, generator, tools, 6 suitcases, 4 guys, and 2 girls from TX to AR and I was getting about 11mpg.

 

That is the difference between a nice larger trailer with a v-nose and a small flat nosed trailer that acts as a parachute.

 

Was the trailer sitting level? Enclosed trailers that sit nose-low increase the low pressure at the back of the trailer, creating more drag.

 

Nope. Level to slightly nose high.

 

why not throw the bike in the bed of the truck? if i'm only bringing one motorcycle it goes in the bed.

 

Was staying over at my sisters house for a few days ahead of time and they are in the country/woods with no garage. So in summary...not an option.

 

ya'll make me appreciate my supercharged trucks more and more

 

Air drag is might near as much as the heavier rig I'ld say ... and the light trailer is so light that you are pulling it down hills too once you get up to speed. At lower speed, it'ld do better .... but on the interstate the drag is way higher.

I pulled a bike on an open utility trailer once, that thing had a big tall tailgate with wire mesh that over 25-30 mph starts acting like a solid gate as the air sees it. When I borrowed the trailer and pulled it up empty I though "W T F ?" ..... loaded a 1100 pound Gold Wing Trike on it and a pull behind trailer for in the trucks bed, got about the same mileage with the load.

Tall trailers act like big air brakes, empty or loaded. Heavy ones have some momentum at speed to help overcome it on the down grades so you save some there.

 

When I had my 2006 Lariat 5.4 I got about 8.5mpg from Michigan to South Carolina towing an uncovered 24' pontoon. (Owner didn't want to pay to shrink wrap it, yet paid for all my gas)

 

Got that beat...I towed my 23' toy hauler from Sacramento to Winston-Salem, NC and then back to St Louis at 7-9 mpg!!

 

I was shocked as well. Sold my travel trailer last fall and bought a 6 by 12 enclosed trailer. Thought it was real nice that I am 6 2 and could stand straight up inside without hitting my head. Big mistake. Should have bought a much lower profile one with a pointed front. Haven't seen single axle with v nose although that would be awesome. It doubles as a shed as well for the dirtbike and 4 wheeler, which is why I went with the enclosed. The garage is full of daily driven vehicles.