Hauling bikes

[petitemoose]

Got a friend that has 5 bikes in Barrie, Ontario Canada. In January we will be driving up and try to pick up all 5 in my 20' enclosed trailer. I know 3 of the bikes... Ducati Monster, Road King and Sportster. I am assuming we will have room to spare even if the other two are baggers. Any differing opinions or cautions? We will have a condor chock for each and I will be lagging lots of D rings to my floor.
Timing of the trip kinda sux as we r looking at the first week or two of January. Will the highways be good to go for a 2wd truck pulling a 20' trailer? I'm a Florida boy and don't have much use for that white crap that falls from the sky. Makes for good pictures but crappy driving conditions!

[502wingman]

I have been to that area quite often and road conditions are usually quite good even in the wintertime. But watch the weatherforecast. You dont want to be caught in a snowstorm.
More infos here: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/trip/

[CanuckHoss]

Got a friend that has 5 bikes in Barrie, Ontario Canada. In January we will be driving up and try to pick up all 5 in my 20' enclosed trailer. I know 3 of the bikes... Ducati Monster, Road King and Sportster. I am assuming we will have room to spare even if the other two are baggers. Any differing opinions or cautions? We will have a condor chock for each and I will be lagging lots of D rings to my floor.
Timing of the trip kinda sux as we r looking at the first week or two of January. Will the highways be good to go for a 2wd truck pulling a 20' trailer? I'm a Florida boy and don't have much use for that white crap that falls from the sky. Makes for good pictures but crappy driving conditions!

I have an 8 by 24 and can put 5 bikes...I do not like to cram them in but you can get 5 in your trailer...tight.

I don't know what the weather there gets like..any snow or ice at all and 4X4 would be a must have...not an option..nothing is normal anymore so I would assume that you will see ice or snow and plan for it. Pulling a trailer on ice or snow even with a 4X4 is dicy. One thing I was told a few years ago and it literally saved my ass is to have the braking on the trailler pretty much set to off if there is slippery roads because the trailer brakes / tires will lock easily and when they do that rear end of the trailer is going to the ditch in a hell of a hurry and you will fill your Depends.

Buy the bikes from a dealer??

[petitemoose]

[quote/]. One thing I was told a few years ago and it literally saved my ass is to have the braking on the trailer pretty much set to off if there is slippery roads because the trailer brakes / tires will lock easily and when they do that rear end of the trailer is going to the ditch in a hell of a hurry and you will fill your Depends.

Buy the bikes from a dealer??[/quote]

Thx for the Good advice ... Both on the trailer setting and the brand of Absorbent underwear to get!

These are his personal bikes he had left at home 2 years ago before moving South. He is now a US Citizen and is able to cross the border to get his stuff.

[tjy]

Dennis I bought a 18' trailer for when we didn't want to take the stacker. First thing we did was go to harbor freight and bought 6 or 8 pieces of e-track and a bunch of tiedowns that lock into the ET. Then several boxes of screws with little hexhead driver for drill. This method allows many ways to tiedown. I have done the d rings way many times on multiple trailers you will get tired putting backing plates under the trailer and the long run your stuck w/d-rings where you'll never use again! jm.2 Tom

[CanuckHoss]

Dennis.

Make sure that he has ALL his ducks in a row as you and I know the Border Protection are not there for the average Joe just doing his everyday stuff....they will try and trip you up somehow...then if the right paperwork is not there be prepared to take the trailer mand bikes back to Canada and go to PlanB which you better have..

[petitemoose]

Plan B is Backing up and gaining more speed to clear the gates LoL

On a real note ... I assume they will be frowning at the Pistols they would find scattered around the cab of my truck and on my side ( concealed of course ). What should I do with them? Really do not like the idea of leaving home without them. Are there secure Lockers at the border to rent? Can I " Check them in" and then out again?

[502wingman]

Dennis,
Crossing the Canadian border with a hunting gun is usually no problem. They dont like handguns for sure, but it may be possible.
More info here: http://www.lajambe.com/index.cfm?pageID=1003

[V-MAN]

Plan B is Backing up and gaining more speed to clear the gates LoL

On a real note ... I assume they will be frowning at the Pistols they would find scattered around the cab of my truck and on my side ( concealed of course ). What should I do with them? Really do not like the idea of leaving home without them. Are there secure Lockers at the border to rent? Can I " Check them in" and then out again?

As Peter points out on paper it seems straight forward to bring a firearm across the border but in reality it is NOT. I research and made made dozen of phone calls when I did my Alaska trip ... You can have all of your paperwork in order and signed off and approved (difficult for each Province you plan to travel) and be turned away at the border crossing. The guard at the crossing has sole disecretion to allow you to cross or not even with correct paperwork filed (in triplicate I might add) - this is 100% fact. I carry everywhere and I didn't on this trip just for this fact alone!!!

Even if you do file the correct paperwork and even if it is approved and even if you get the crossing agent to allow you to pass the firearm has to be "stored" in such a manor that it renders the firearm USELESS for self protection! Even if the perp allows you to open the locked container containing the firearm and the allows you more time to unlock the SEPERATE locked container containing the ammo and then sits back and has a beer while you load the firearm and ready it ... imagine having to shoot the perp ... I think you would be forever lost in the justice system to the north!

I like Canada and there are parts I LOVE, some very beautiful places but I'd never consider even trying to bring a weapon north of the border unless I was going on a guided hunting trip of sort ...

I live a couple hours south of Toronto crossing and have a little safe space available if it would help ... you could carry to this point ...

[petitemoose]

That may be my best option. As the time gets closer and plans get written in Stone, I may give you a call and see if we can set something up. Going on a trip that far transporting things this valuable without any protection just seems foolish to me. I carry daily and would probably go mental without the peace of mind of knowing I have the ability to protect myself. Nothing worse than bringing a screwdriver to a gun fight!
Won't need much room as my daily carry is a M&P .40 and the truck pistol is a Taurus 1911.

Do not even want to attempt to try and get anything into Canada. Seems like It would be a recipe for disaster.

[V-MAN]

That may be my best option. As the time gets closer and plans get written in Stone, I may give you a call and see if we can set something up. Going on a trip that far transporting things this valuable without any protection just seems foolish to me. I carry daily and would probably go mental without the peace of mind of knowing I have the ability to protect myself. Nothing worse than bringing a screwdriver to a gun fight!
Won't need much room as my daily carry is a M&P .40 and the truck pistol is a Taurus 1911.

Do not even want to attempt to try and get anything into Canada. Seems like It would be a recipe for disaster.

Dennis -

I forgot to mention that I did carry two cans of Bear Spray with me ... again Canada has different rules regarding the type of spray that is allowed to cross and all Bear Sprays are not the same. I have the correct spray that you CAN cross the border with. If you choose to store your handguns here I can send you off with a can just in case you do need something. It's proven to turn a charging 1000 pound grizzly so it should have no problem disabling any size human!!!

I will be here in PA maybe 2-3 weeks longer before heading back to FL. If you come through and I'm not around the offer still stands, I have family here that will lock and store and get you the spray. If I'm around and can clear the time it's possible I could ride north with you and give you a hand if you'd like.

Don