trailer hitch

[skydancer727]

Has anyone out there installed a trailer hitch on an XS1100 81 with full saddle bags?

[Pat Kelly]

I haven't yet but I have some ideas of how I'll go about it.
I'm thinking of mounting it to the saddlebag plates. They seem XStremely strong and are already bolted to where a hitch would be mounted.

[skids]

Here is one way.
http://home.earthlink.net/~sidskids/hitch/hitch.htm
I personally do not like the u-bolt type hitch that I made as much as the design I have seen commercially. The U-bolt can bind. I like the way honda trailers do it with a stationaly ball and a rotating receiver(?) on the tongue of the trailer. However, the pix on the web site might help you see a method for mounting the frame to the bike.

Originally posted by Pat Kelly
I haven't yet but I have some ideas of how I'll go about it.
I'm thinking of mounting it to the saddlebag plates. They seem XStremely strong and are already bolted to where a hitch would be mounted.

[Jerry]

I've added a hitch to my XJ, which I run with Vetter hard bags. Built it in 2000, has worked well for 5 years now. Hitch attaches to frame under seat and 2nd attachment to frame near rear turn light mounts. Has 2 cross bars, one that is the hitch itself and the other acts as an additional stabilizer.

Coupling is a bid odd, home built, using 3/8 inch Heim joints. Have cracked a couple of these in the past, will be moving up to 1/2 inch units this year.

You might want to take a look at my notes:
http://idisk.mac.com/jerryfields/Pub...l/default.html

Notes are not all that great, plan to redo the pages later but I hope it gives you the basic idea.

[jeffe]

My 78E came with a hitch. It has a bar on each side that runs forward and attaches to the same bolt that holds on the rear foot-pegs. Don't know if the bolt is longer than stock, but the pegs still fit. It then has a couple of bars that run up to the mounts for the Vetter bags. I don't think these bars carry any of the towing force, just the weight of the tongue of the trailer. I've never used it but it must work fine, the PO towed a trailer from central Ohio to Alaska and back.

[skydancer727]

I agree with the sadlebag plates as a place to mount brackett. With the drive shaft there is no way to go low with the hitch attachment, where it belongs. I am worried about the center of gravity(CG) being to high, thus making the front wheel light when taking off or in times when the throttle is goosed. Too bad there is not a kit for a 81 xs 1100 (yea right). Thanks for the input. Please keep any and all ideas coming. I will send pictures of the set up when done.