1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trailers designed to tow a motorcycle by its front wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motorcycle riding has become a popular recreational activity, and motorcyclists often travel great distances for recreational purposes. When riding recreationally, motorcyclists typically travel in groups for social as well as safety purposes, i.e. a group of motorcycles is more visible to other drivers on the road than an individual motorcycle. One drawback to riding long distances over multiple days is the necessity of storage space to store the luggage, spare parts and tools for such a trip. Even with the addition of saddle-packs, most motorcycles do not have adequate storage space for long rides. Further, most motorcyclists avoid carrying cargo in backpacks, which can cause undue fatigue and raise the center of gravity of the motorcycle and rider. A raised center of gravity is undesirable because it increases the risk of the motorcycle falling on its side. Some groups tow a dedicated cargo container behind one of the motorcycles to store luggage, spare parts, tools or other cargo for the entire group. Alternately, some motorcycle groups have a chase vehicle, or an automobile which follows the group during the ride and stores the group's cargo.
Motorcycle trips are often through long stretches of remote countryside and other destinations that are unfamiliar to the riders. If one of the motorcycles in the group breaks down or if a driver becomes ill or for whatever reason is unable to operate his or her motorcycle, it presents a problem for the whole group. The group must either split up with some riders continuing on and another group waiting behind, or all of the riders must wait until a tow truck arrives to tow the disabled bike away to a repair shop or a safe storage place. More time is then wasted by the group while the disabled bike is repaired. Under these circumstances, the entire group is at the mercy of the availability and timing of the towing and repair facilities. Alternatively, if the group has a chase vehicle following it, the chase vehicle could tow a dedicated motorcycle trailer for towing the disabled motorcycle to a towing and repair facility that is more convenient for the group. While this may be more convenient for the group in this unfortunate scenario, such a chase vehicle is undesirable for a number of reasons including cost and the fact that the driver of the chase vehicle is unable to enjoy the open road on his or her motorcycle.