trailer & sidecar

[NOMAD]

I'm looking for a used trailer ( either a cargo or popup camper ) to pull behind my 80SG. I've thought about building one with a cartop carrier but haven't been able to find an axle with light enough springs. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
By the way a friend of mine just bought a 79SF with a Velorex sidecar and he'd like to sell the sidecar if anyone is interested. He's asking $600 USD, I don't know how firm that is or to much about the condition, but could find out more if anyone is interested.

NOMAD

rrvvav@stjoelive.com

[Pat Kelly]

Why do you need springs? Tall enough tires (sidewall) should give enough cushion for cargo.
Just a thought...

[Jerry]

When I built my trailer I used a set of springs from Emerson trailer. Rated at 300 pounds each, price $5.60 for the pair. URL is:

http://www.emersontrailers.com/springs.html

[ratbyk]

Trailer

Pat, he MUST have springs or the thing will bounce all over the road. I have a trailer to move my bike around from time to time. It does not have springs. When I try and move it on it's own it is virtually uncontrolable. Bounce-bounce-bounce. If I put a bike on it , you don't even know it is there. The M/C's springs and shock take over and control everything.
Ken?Sooke
78E Ratbyk

[Jerry]

Here is a photo of my home-built trailer taken in the fall of 2003 at Pipe Spring National Monument in northern Arizona:



Basic trailer construction and cost/item list is at:

http://facstaff.uww.edu/fieldsj/mcycle/mctrailer

Article addresses materials, wiring, axle and suspension, and trailer hitch.

I built the trailer in 2000 using a soft-sided Sampsonite carrier, but had too many problems with wear and leakage over a 2 year span, so switched to a hard-shell (Sears X-Cargo) shell in 2002. Slightly heavier, but much easier to use and keeps things dry.

Check the Off-Site pages link in Tech Tips...there are a couple build-your-own trailer articles amoung the other articles.

I've seen other cargo trailers on eBay and at local dealers starting at about $175.00. You would need to build a trailer hitch, but this is a relatively straight forward excercise. (Or do what Bill Bowman did, and incorporate the hitch into custom-built saddlebag mounts. Really slick and heavy duty.)

I am getting older, and like having an air mattress, tent, lantern, extra clothing, stove, and a few other nice-to-have camping items, like a fold up chair, along with me on overnight or longer camping trips. I also carry a fair amount of camera gear, including a tripod, and the extra capacity makes this possible.

[Jerry]

Wrong date....

Sorry...trailer photo date was 2002, not 2003.

[NOMAD]

Jerry,
Thanks for the photos, that is alot like I was planning to do. What have you done for the hitch onthe bike? I pulled a friends trailer with my 79SF years ago, but I used his hitch and my memory not to good on how it hooked to the bike.

Thanks again,

NOMAD

[johnstewart]

NOMAD - I'm looking around for a sidecar... where is your friend located? What kind of condition is it in? It has all the hardware to hookup to an XS1100?

I'm middling to very interested, depending on where it's at!!

Email me directly at john@johnstewart.com about it...!

[Jerry]

Bike hitch

I'll get out and take some photos and do a more complete description, but in brief:

metal is 1 inch by 1/4 inch flat stock.
2 point hookup, unused set of holes under seat and near rear turn lights
hitch "arms" long enough to have trailer tongue along center line of rear axle
cross-brace at end of hitch is 1 inch square steel stock.

In my case I have Vetter hard bags installed, and have an additional cross brace that clamps to the saddlebag cross bar.

I welded mine together,, but another lister built his to bolt together so it could be removed more easily. I leave mine on all the time, but with the full touring package it doesn't look to bad. Point is there is no one way to do this.

Anyway, I'll take some photos and do a more complete write up shortly. Will ionclude lengths or arms, height from gound, other specifics.

[NOMAD]

THANKS JERRY, PHOTOS WOULD BE GREAT. I'VE GOT EQUIPMENT TO BUILD ABOUT ANYTHING BUT COULDN'T RECALL THE HOOKUP

THANKS!!!

NOMAD

[Billbobow]

Nomad,

I'm the one Jerry mentioned about being a nut and bolt guy. I built a trailer hitch and bag mount system for my XJ three years ago. Towed the trailer to Arkansas and back with no problem. I don't know if you remember the old XS11 list on groups.yahoo.com. A full write up with pics is there under the files section in the directory "Bowman Trailer Hitch". If you can't get there - you can't post any messages but the all the stuff is still there - let me know "Billbobow@cs.com" and I'll send you a zip of the whole thing.

Bill Bowman - Lurker
2 - XJ11's and an 80 SG