Hacked, Conversions and Trailering"Harley Sidecar, Conversion Trikes and Motorcycle Pull Behind Trailering Enthusiasts"
A forum for the discussion of your sidecar, Conversion Trike or Pull Behind Motorcycle Trailer.
On the topic at hand, for the most part, how about building a camping trailer for the bike? Or is that too labor intensive? The fabrication of a cargo trailer appears simple enough. Nothing outside my ability of tools at hand. But a camper would be more in depth.
Also, looking at the hitches out there, they do not rely on the fender, more so the frame, so my short fender would not be a concern. Or would it? My brakes are upgraded from stock so I am less concerned with braking abilities for a Springer, Again, unless there is something I am overlooking.
I'm no engineer and having ran a trailer a good bit, I know that when **** goes sideways, that trailer will toss your bike around pretty easily... so, I stick with a pretty basic setup and it fits a real nice, coleman popup tent. The right tent setup won't take more than a few extra minutes, easily repaired/replaced, available for all kinds of use, rather than a single, dedicated camping situation, etc., etc.
Fender should be fine. Many types of hitches out there to choose from though. Will look a little weird with a short fender and hitch wrapping around the rear tire but that's a matter of taste and expense. I like the long fender with my Doc hitch for looks but I also used the hitch frame to mount up some hard bags on my softail. Old pic from '05.
Brakes shouldn't be a big deal, as long as you don't overload and obviously... it will add to the weight and take longer distance to stop safely. Planning ahead is a big deal hauling a trailer behind a motorcycle but it's nothing any reasonably experienced rider shouldn't be able to handle, imo. Lots of other experienced folks here to add in on it.
I have the same need, I am planning on a trip to the Porcupine mountains on the U P in Michigan next year and have a need for something to pull camping gear and be self sufficient in a primitive camp scenario for 3 days to a week at a time. So after looking at some different ideas,,,and at a light boat trailer made for a 12' or smaller aluminum boat 3 years ago, that I had to buy even though I had no need for it, but the price was to cheap, I decided to go this way. I looked around and found a used Sears X-Cargo rooftop car cargo carrier for $10 bucks locally on craigslist. Then just yesterday I started butchering the boat trailer, I just knew I had a need for when I bought it? So far this is what I have mocked up. I will be fabricating a u-shaped pipe bumper on the rear and installing new L E D lights where the old lights are. but the pipe bumper will serve to stand the trailer upright on against the wall of the garage for compact storage when not being used.
I will have a lot of sanding and prep work before it's ready for paint, plus have to finish welding and fabbing the rack for the cooler I will go with on it But with the Road King leather wrapped touring trunk, and the heritage hard lined leather bags. I think the 20" deep air mattress tent, and cooking gear will all fit nicely along with tool kit and air pump. 4 changes of clothes and bike cover in the trunk with day or night glasses and the small Cannon camera all go in the touring trunk, rain gear soft lowers and leathers in the saddle bags and I think I have it planned with some room to spare! Oh, and even room for a small tackle box and travel rod in the trailer as well as the cooler for 4 to 5 days food and drink needs. O just hope it pulls well, and the springs are light enough???
I have the exact same car top carrier on mine. Holds quit a bit if you pack it right, I just didn't like the bright white finish. I tried painting the top with some Krylon paint for plastics but it didn't hold up well so two years ago I gave it a rough sanding to get the loose paint off and hit it with Plasti-dip from an aerosol can. Worked great.
When I get everything fabbed I plan on painting the white top the same color as the red on the bike. It is a pain in the ars but automotive hardware in Ft. Wayne In. has the stuff I need. There is a cleaner you first need to use, then a plastic prep you spray on to get the proper bond for the paint to adhere to the Nylon vinyl whatever the plastic chit is. I will leave the grey bottom for now, but I might paint it a charcoal metallic later. The frame will be black so it would look better with the bottom of the carrier metallic charcoal, but were going to see how it looks like I said first.
Picked this up the other day, it will be what I fab the cooler frame to fit, it went 4 days, in the 90's with 2 jugs of ice, 8 lbs. total, with 6 bears, six pops and 3 waters. Outside the whole time, in direct sun all afternoon. I don't plan on more than 3 days without moving on so this should be perfect size for just me, restock every 3rd or 4th day with water food and small 15 lbs bag of Ice.I p;an on incorporating the padlock into the tie down on that side, which will be reversed on the burmb side. This will make for it and the carrier to open on the side of the road outa harms way.
Tomorrow I will get the light 2x2 angle and 1x4 redwood board that will be the 3 support members under the box from side to side, I'll let them set about 1/4" below the frame this will put the box itself on the frame circumference, and the boards should not rot and will be lighter than aluminum with enough strength to support the bottom. The 2x2x1/8" angle 3" long will weld inside the frame and support the redwood boards at the proper height to put it flush with the frame perimeter.
Hard to explain but trying to keep it as low as possible. Now I will start looking for some chrome 8" wheels.
On the topic at hand, for the most part, how about building a camping trailer for the bike? Or is that too labor intensive? The fabrication of a cargo trailer appears simple enough. Nothing outside my ability of tools at hand. But a camper would be more in depth.
Here is a person that mounted a Cabela's tent cot on a HF type trailer.
06-19-2019, 04:39 AM
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