Aluma MC210 Motorcycle Transport Trailer

[billie_morini]

I just purchased a premium motorcycle transport trailer manufactured by Aluma (https://alumaklm.com/products/recreatio ... ers/mc210/).

This purchase raided my KDX 220 e-start fund, exceeding it by a factor of 4!

These trailers are manufactured to transport two of the largest motorcycles e.g., 3,000 lbs capacity). My trailer is modified to transport three, not two, using higher quality than standard wheel chocks.

Construction is all aluminum, except for upgraded wheel chocks. As indicated, carrying capacity is 3,000 lbs. Suspension is the highly desirable torsional rubber axel system and has a 3,500 lbs design rating. Wheels are a desirable 14-inch and fitted with radial tires. Additionally, wheel wells are blocked off between fender inner side and bed to prevent tire-flung dirt from mucking up bed and bikes. Many trailers do not have this extra bit of material and many owners weld or bolt it in. Due to the aluminum material, stout fabrication, and torsional suspension, the trailer rides quietly. All lighting is LED. The marker lights atop the fenders is very useful in knowing where the trailer is, especially when clearing fixed objects and passing other vehicles.

The wide loading ramp slides in-and-out from storage directly under the bed. The ramp is wide and stable. I've seen very large men ride very large HD and Indian motorcycles ride up the ramp and onto the trailer.

For the majority of the planned use, two BMW adventure bikes (ADV) will be transported. Additionally, one BMW sport touring bike will be transported. Every now and then, 1 to 3 dirt bikes will be transported. Transport to long-distance riding start locations is desirable because I'm not as young as I used to be.

The pickup truck-trailer-van-folding trailer topic was considered for months. The final decision is based on:

1) The new pickup truck I wanted cannot be obtained with a manual transmission

2) I'm getting older and a slightly younger, stronger friend told me pushing his KZ 1000 race bike into his truck bed is becoming more & more difficult

3) Folding trailer long-term durability worried me, including the premium models

4) It was easier to spend thousands of dollars v. tens of thousands of dollars

The purchased trailer is used, but in pristine condition. It's a 2023. The newer year model has foot planks installed exterior to the bed between the wheel wells and tail light mounts. These can easily be added, but may also pose clearance problems when maneuvering between closely spaced objects.

All in all, the trailer is exceptionally well made. Rolling it around is not overly difficult because the trailer weighs 625 lbs. Transport, even with 2 full dressers or 3 large ADVs is very smooth.

[KDXGarage]

NICE!! Looks like an aluminum Roman chariot with 5 stars!

[bufftester]

I'll never go back to loading bikes in my truck, trailer is the only way for me. We use MotoCinch's Eco Cinch that attaches to the foot pegs...no more ratchet straps and takes literally 10 sec to load/unload. That is a very nice trailer that should provide you years of use. Our Aluminum Snowmobile trailer is going on 15 years old and going strong.
One good upgrade is to place drop down stabilizers at the rear corners so you don't have to have the trailer attached to a vehicle to load/unload.

[billie_morini]

NICE!! Looks like an aluminum Roman chariot with 5 stars!

Next up, 2 fire breathing stallions from Amazon!

[billie_morini]

I'll never go back to loading bikes in my truck, trailer is the only way for me. We use MotoCinch's Eco Cinch that attaches to the foot pegs...no more ratchet straps and takes literally 10 sec to load/unload. That is a very nice trailer that should provide you years of use. Our Aluminum Snowmobile trailer is going on 15 years old and going strong.
One good upgrade is to place drop down stabilizers at the rear corners so you don't have to have the trailer attached to a vehicle to load/unload.

Thanks 4 valuable notes.

[Chuck78]

Very nice trailer there. Billie!
Aluminum, and the independent torsional arm suspension, VERY NICE!!!!!

I was considering trying to find an aluminum trailer, but then I stumbled upon a well used $250 smokin' deal on Craigslist for a 5x8 utility trailer - that was a no-brainer!

I really miss the days of hauling the bikes in the back of my Mk1 '82 VW Rabbit pickup aka Caddy (international name, omitted for US market due to that being the nickname for a Cadillac). That pickup had only a hair taller load in than a trailer, and although one of the slowest things on the road, the 43mpg little 1.6L turbodiesel fuel economy was INCREDIBLE! Rust took it's toll by 389,000 miles though, and after overheating it blowing a heater hose hauling the KDX, I sold it.

Now we have two tall Toyota 4x4 pickups, and due to fuel mpg, typically pull the bikes in the '02 VW Mk4 Jetta Wagon (TDI, 5 speed) which knocks down mid 40's mpg empty, 28-33mpg pulling the trailer... not bad! More torque with it's ECU tune than a 3.4L V6 Toyota 4Runner, which made my 4Runner buddy jealeous towing the same load, and why he always wants me to drive on road trips to take the Jetta instead of his 4R!
The 4x4 pickups sit high, but with some strategic parking with the front end up hills or back end down in a low spot or ditch, the load-in height can be dealt with no problem for lightweight dirt bikes especially. I'm actually going to remove the body lift on the '88 Toyota in hopes of getting it back down to reasonable just so I won't have to necessarily always tow a trailer when just going to our semi-"local" trails (1 hour drive). It's nice having the freedom of not pulling one, plus the significantly better fuel mpg!

For long haul road trips nowadays, I've really been wanting an enclosed 5x8 or 5x10 trailer with a side door, the low roof variety with the V-nose front, both for aerodynamics/fuel mpg reasons. After driving 5 hours at least 3x a year to go to our favorite trails (Redbird Crest Trail system in Daniel Boone National Forest, far Southeastern Kentucky), and having to rebuild/bleed my wife's KTM clutch slave on one trip, scrounging for o-rings for another KTM on another, a 2022 model Husqvarna TE300 less than 1 year old in 2023 springing a pinhole leak on a PLASTIC KTM coolant pipe, me springing a pinhole leak on a 4 year old chinese silicone KDX radiator hose, and then me crashing into a tree and log piles at excessive speed and splitting my beloved purple KDX fuel tank, I really wanted to get set up to haul a spare bike and more spare parts with us when we make that 5 hour drive...
Luckily we go down on Thursday nights or Friday early mornings, & Rocky Mountain ATV-MC has a massive Lexington Kentucky distribution warehouse, so if something breaks on a Friday, we can make 2 hour drive there for parts if the local 1hrs drive KTM Kaw Suz Honda Yamaha shop doesnt have the parts.... but for the KDX's, they won't have much KDX-specific stuff 19 years after the last 95-06 KDX rolled off the assembly line...
So an enclosed trailer would be really nice for bring a backup bike + spare KDX parts and extra tires etc, JUST IN CASE!!!!!

[billie_morini]

Chuck, thank you! There's a lot of detail in your post, Chuck. Very interesting you had a diesel VW pickup that clocked so many miles. I bought a new manual diesel VW Rabbit in late 1983. I had an outside sales job then and fuel was very expensive. That's why I bought the diesel Rabbit. But, this was the SLOWEST vehicle because it was normally aspirated (no turbo). MPG was incredible, though.