by Marty Kane, Editor

Your options typically are bumming a ride with a friend who's got an enclosed race trailer, or you grab a few friends and lift your bike into the back of a pick-up.

If you're like me... you eventually grow up, and trade in your trusty old truck, for a newfangled SUV (or, even a mini-van, bite your tongue!).

As I experienced this transition... I began searching for a better way (or, make that any way) to move my bikes around at will.

First... I bought a cheapo utility flatbed trailer from  a local company. At about $500, it seemed right... however on the very first outing, my bike's rear wheel bounced it's way through the 1/2" wood floor after a few miles. Once that was fixed, another outing ended up in near-disaster, as the front wheel pivoted and the bike almost fell over (two more miles, wow!).

Realizing that it was not the right solution, I continued my search and ended up buying a second-hand dirtbike trailer. Even though the ramps were too narrow for the bikes rear tire, I figured I could bend the lips over and make it fit. Once that was done, the tie-down points proved to be too narrow.. and the bikes would wobble too and frow as I rolled down the highway.

After wasting about $1,000 on things that did not work, I searched high and low for a better way. I eventually found Zieman Manufacturing, who make a really trick trailer. The Zieman name might ring a bell, they are one of the oldest manufacturers of trailers, and their product line ranges from little motorcycle, ATV and watercraft trailers, all the way up to super heavy-duty big rig flatbeds for heavy equipment.

With that kind of experience, it makes perfect sense that they know how to properly put together a high quality trailer for our needs... and their model SC-2 will transport two streetbikes (from wimpy 600's, to the heaviest of choppers) with great ease.

Though it resembles a dirtbike rig from a distance, it is anything but. With a full load, it fails to wobble, flex or shift, as you travel down the highway at near triple-digit speeds (of course, 55 MPH is the maximum towing speed in my state).

Being purpose specific for street bikes, it is built with all of the right dimensions. It's low enough that one person can easily load even the lowest of bikes without scraping, and it's tie-down points are wide enough that even the most obese full-fairing bikes will not come into contact with tie straps.

Constructed entirely from structural steel, Zieman fully jig-welds each joint, and uses only the highest quality components in each step of manufacturing.

It's stable ride comes courtesy of heavy-duty leaf spring suspended drop spindle axle. Heavy-gauge steel ramps are wide enough to fit today's wide rear tires, and 14-inch car wheels and tires are standard. To allow easy lubrication of axle bearings, Zieman installs "bearing buddies", and installs recessed rear tail lights and heavy-duty safety chain to add finishing toughes.

Standard colors are simple; black or white, however Zieman actually uses durable, industrial quality, paint instead of powder coat - to keep it looking good over the long haul.