Anyone pulling a larger trailer with the 1700?

[0vationdave]

I am thinking of maybe building a larger teardrop trailer that can be used for a small camper as well as moving my model (R/C) airplanes around. I had a small trailer before for camping gear, but I am thinking of going a bit bigger and putting a mattress in it now........forget the tent. Anyone else doing this now? Wondering how it is pulling a ~4x8 trailer with a bike?

Dave

[0vationdave]

If your wondering, look at this simple one http://gizmoplans.com/motorcycle-teardrop-plans

[george james]

I tow a trailer and for me it would be beyond the trailer bike weight ratio, width and length that I `d be comfortable with. With a 8 ft bed your total length would exceed that of your bike, if you use the recommended tongue length your total would be excessive. Just my 2¢, good luck with the project and I'd like to get updates. Thx

[0vationdave]

Gotcha. I am kind of thinking the same thing, which is the reason I posted the question. I am thinking about maybe something much lower, minimal even that allows me to sleep while using the smaller frame from Harbor Freight. I used one of those small trailers before and it towed really well, but I only had a car-top carrier mounted on it, not a frame. I will make another trailer, if nothing else, a small teardrop, just thought about a (little) bigger one to sleep in. All input and thoughts welcome.

Dave

I tow a trailer and for me it would be beyond the trailer bike weight ratio, width and length that I `d be comfortable with. With a 8 ft bed your total length would exceed that of your bike, if you use the recommended tongue length your total would be excessive. Just my 2¢, good luck with the project and I'd like to get updates. Thx

[george james]

If you're mechanical and somewhat a fabricator I bet you could plan and build one that could fold out to accommodate sleeping quarters but not be so bulky to tow.....think transformers. My thoughts is for it to be just a little wider than the widest part of your bike and not much longer than your bike and less than half the weight. Good luck and keep us posted on your results.

[0vationdave]

I'm with ya, but every time I picture "fold-out" I think canvas, and that means $$, and a lot more screwing around. My other thought was to make a trailer that would basically be the kitchen stuff in the rear and straight storage in the front for a tent and such. That way you don't have to set up/tear down and pack all of the utensils, pots, pans, silverware, grill, etc.. Its all right there, I could get there, set up the tent and sleeping area, and be done.

Anyway, just throwing out thoughts, there are tons of ideas out there, just have to think about what I want.

[george james]

I really am interested in what you end up with because in the back of my mind there is a spot that has been toying around with this sorta trailer.

[Bud2rat]

George, if anybody could build one, it would be you. So, build us one and let us know of the outcome.

[smokey]

I tow this one, not mine in the pics but the same model http://paulmeyers.smugmug.com/Travel/Gypsy-Motorcycle-Trailer/12102278_WZSXmH#!i=860037618&k=6F96cNs

[1oldtimer]

Damn Smokey, that's one nice trailer. Let me know if you ever want to lose it :lol:

[napom]

So your initial plan is to build something similar to this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Lightweight-Teardrop-Camping-Cargo-Pull-Behind-Motorcycle-Trailer-2013-/121013394016?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2cf5da60

I'm no engineer or fabricator, but looking at the structure in the last pic of the listing, I could see lowering the height of the trailer easily (Making the roof line at the top of the forward most vertical beam) and cutting a foot off the length if desired -

Have you contacted any manufacturers to ask about the concerns raised in post #3?

[smokey]

Damn Smokey, that's one nice trailer. Let me know if you ever want to lose it :lol:

Hey $4000 can buy anything, on mine I have it color matched to the red/black, that alone was a $1000 but it sure looks nice.

[old dog]

I just bought the little tag along from harbor freight. A friend and I made a hitch for the Vaquero. Will try tenting for the first time this summer. I will use it as cargo trailer also. To much crap to haul on the bike. Anyone use a air mattress? These new ones are like 16 inches thick. Going to give it a try before I get to old.

[0vationdave]

Sweet trailer Smokey. But with 2 kids in college, a bit out of my price range. Napom, the trailer in your link is close to what I was thinking, not sure though.

My other thought is to come up with something like a Hi-lo trailer. So, build a frame put a box on it with an open top, then make the top of the box able to slide up/down with some scissor jacks on each side. That would provide interior height, while maintaining a low profile for towing. I need to start sketching soon, and see what I can come up with.

Dave

[0vationdave]

One other thought came to me that would much easier to set up then a high-low. If you had a box on the bottom, and another box on top that was cut from (for instance) the top front corner to the bottom rear corner, it would for a type of wedge. Then if you hinged it at the front, you could lift the rear up and have it lock forming a kind of wedge shape. This would be much easier to set up for one person. Again, I will sketch up some stuff and post some ideas in a few days (I hope).

Dave

[The Rustic Dragon]

I pull a Aspen camper trailer that take about 5 minutes to set up, when unfolded it has a king size bed with a 6x6 room on it with 25 cubic ft of storage in the lower half. I have hauled it pretty much all over the country with it and the only bad part of towing it is the fuel mileage I get with it behind my bike. When I am going down the road I forget its even there it pulls that nice.

[coffey67]

I just bought the little tag along from harbor freight. A friend and I made a hitch for the Vaquero. Will try tenting for the first time this summer. I will use it as cargo trailer also. To much crap to haul on the bike. Anyone use a air mattress? These new ones are like 16 inches thick. Going to give it a try before I get to old.

I have the HF Tag-along. I pulled it 3500 miles round trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway and out to Myrtle Beach from Illinois. I packed a tent, two lawn chairs, air mattress, sleeping bags, mess kit, and a bunch of other misc camping supplies. Had a great time and the trailer pulled like it was not there. We were gone 26 days and camped about 12 of them. I love my HF trailer!

[0vationdave]

If you look at myprofile, I have some photos of the trailer I had before that was a Harbor Freight kit that I modified and put a car top carrier on. I didn't even know it was there when towing it either. But if the only thing I really want my camper for is camping (but taking some R/C airplanes to the field would be really nice), I want my new trailer to be either a set up kitchen with a storage area, or a set up bed and I will set up a kitchen at the campground. The first idea, a set up kitchen, with storage for a tent, fan, sleeping bag, lantern and chair would be fine, and the "kitchen" on the trailer would have the stove and stuff set up (like a mini chuck-wagon). Still thinking........

[0vationdave]

Check out this trailer, its the 3rd from the bottom. Its the same idea as mine, but mine doesn't use canvas. I would simply make another box to "lift up" to make the sides of the upper portion hard.

http://compactcampingconcepts.com/hbothertrailers

[cactusjack]

One other thought came to me that would much easier to set up then a high-low. If you had a box on the bottom, and another box on top that was cut from (for instance) the top front corner to the bottom rear corner, it would for a type of wedge. Then if you hinged it at the front, you could lift the rear up and have it lock forming a kind of wedge shape. This would be much easier to set up for one person. Again, I will sketch up some stuff and post some ideas in a few days (I hope).

Dave

Sure, you could do something like that. Use some nylon or canvas to fill in the sides and open end, and use some pieces of lightweight conduit to prop it open.

[0vationdave]

I am getting closer to an idea that I think will be a go, however I did come across a website I have never seen before, and I think it would make for an interesting Bike trailer project. Just a thought.....

Dave

http://www.autohomeus.com/rooftop/maggiolina.php

[0vationdave]

This one got me thinking a bit too. Close to my same idea, however it flips up 90 degrees, and mine was going to just open part way. This would mean a lot more tent/sewing work. That's probably my weak area that would keep me from doing this.

Dave

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/52635889367775932/

[Freaky Tiki]

I'd also be interested in what comes from this...some really good ideas from the links.

[0vationdave]

Hey, just thought I would post, this is REALLY close to what I was thinking. Thought I would share to give others ideas.........

Dave

http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/gallery/LB04-moto-opn-1988.html

[0vationdave]

Here is one..............check it out.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/rvd/4105175245.html

[0vationdave]

Just a quick note that Chuckster has my hitch done. I have to see if it warms up enough to ride down there and mount it, or if he is going to drive up and we can mount it at my place for the initial fitting. Either way something should be available soon. Stay tuned!

[0vationdave]

Chucksters hitch is done, check it out!

http://www.vulcanbagger.com/forums/showthread.php?p=540378&posted=1#post540378

Dave

[blowndodge]

To get a better idea on this just watch, "The Grapes of Wrath" to see how they camped out on the road to California!

[0vationdave]

Ok, so I am pretty close to start on my motorycle camper project. Is there any interest in a build thread on the site that shows what I am doing along the way? I may just take lots of pics and notes and get it posted once I have made some siginificant progress, so it doesn't move too slow. I have been searching for prices on all kinds of stuff, inluding having someone else sew the canvas for me (I may still do that). Just wondered if there was any interest.

Dave

[0vationdave]

This one just came up for sale.......not bad

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/mcy/4164039143.html

[cactusjack]

To get a better idea on this just watch, "The Grapes of Wrath" to see how they camped out on the road to California!

"I ain't a preacher no more..."

[0vationdave]

Well, Just thought I would mention that I had a change of heart on the camper. I was fully prepared to do a DIY build. But after pricing it out for building one, I started wondering what I can find for a turn-key, built used camper. Well, I found one, and I am picking it up tomorrow. So my trailer build will wait until spring, and I will plan on building a much simpler cargo trailer (for hauling a few R/C airplanes) with a place for a couple chairs, cooler, and a grill. But I couldn't pass up $1700 for a camper/trailer that was complete. Saves me some time.

Dave

[0vationdave]

Picked up a camper today. Had to drive though some nasty snow to get it, but all is good. Its a "Time Out" easy-camper. Nice condition, but a few things could use replacing, but the tent portion is in Excellent condition, so I am happy. I will begin working on it after Turkey Day, and maybe get some pics posted.

Dave