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sidecarkeith
Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 336 Location: yorkshire uk
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:39 am Post subject: Trailers |
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Trailers, I'm thinking of getting one, not a big tent rig just something to put a few bags in.
So do I get one which pulls behind the bike like gold wings trailer, or have one that is hooked in the centre of sidecar & bike ?
Any tips about pulling and braking with one would be appreciated.
Keith |
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Dar
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 349 Location: Ballston Spa, NY
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:57 am Post subject: |
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Keith,
I never have pulled a trailer with either a 2 wheeler or a sidecar rig, so take this only as thoughts from somebody who really doesn't know what he's talking about. (and sometimes my thoughts get off onto some pretty strange tangents, or so I've been told.)
My first thought is about the footprint on the road: if you pull the trailer directly behind the bike, unless it's very small or you have a particularly wide bike, it will probably stick out further on the opposite side from the sidecar - the whole setup will be wider than just the bike and sidecar, not a particularly good thing, to my thinking.
And this is not any original thought from me, but an observation: There were 3 rigs at our recent Maggie Valley Gathering that were equipped for pulling small wheelchair trailers; they all had the trailer hitch between the sidecar and bike. As for the handling and braking dynamics, all I can say is that some of them go a lot faster around the curves with a trailer than I want to go without a trailer. Here's a link to a picture of one in action: http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=04RK00YC030253&po=253 (and a couple more pictures in that sequence before and after that one on that website)
Any comments from Doug or Mike? _________________ David D
Suzuki Bandit 1200/Hannigan Bandito
2000 Guzzi V11 Sport
2009 BMW R1200GS
1978 BMW R100RS |
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Hooky
Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 39 Location: victoria ,australia
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:42 am Post subject: |
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Hi Keith, I agree with Dar, I would be mounting the hook up point as close to the bike as possible .I would try to have my right side trailer wheel tracking on the same line as my bike wheels. I would imagine the closer the hook up point is to the bike the less the trailer will effect your steering. I to have no trailer experience on bikes so I could be wrong.Hows the bike weather going for you its cold and wet here? Hooky |
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JayBoy
Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 234 Location: Lexington, KY
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docmike
Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 630 Location: Eastern NC
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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Keith,
So far I've put only a few miles on our little trailer. Its set up to pull between the bike and side car.
I pretty much can't tell its back there.
Mike _________________ Mike Currin
93 BMW K1100RS / EML Speed 2000
89 Honda GB 500 (6,700 miles, all original except tires)
67 Triumph 650 chopper
92 Suzuki GS500 (eldest son) |
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Ralph
Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 603 Location: Lexington, Ky
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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I would set it up to pull between the bike and side car. How ever you could tell that the cooker,boat and bike was back there _________________ "So Soon Old & So Late Smart" |
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sidecarkeith
Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 336 Location: yorkshire uk
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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Cheers,
Sorry been on our hol's this last couple of weeks, at a care home for Anne in Scotland.
No real photo's since it rained most of the days, so we didn't get out much, just chilled out.
Thanks for the advice, I was thinking along those lines putting it between the bike & sidecar.
But the bit about getting it closer makes sense.
Keith |
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sidecarkeith
Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 336 Location: yorkshire uk
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:04 am Post subject: |
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Managed to pick something like this up off EBay, but I did have to do a 400 mile round trip to pick it up.
Now just need to find somewhere to attach it Merlins are not much good for attaching things on the back
Keith |
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Polar Bear
Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 110 Location: Denia Spain Ex Birmingham UK
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 6:07 am Post subject: |
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Glad you've found something suitable Keith.
Where in the world was the 400 mile round trip to?
It just needs a couple of Yellow 'go faster' stripes and a spare wheel
Please send me some photo's, I'll be very interested to watch the progress.
Stay Safe mate, load the ball! Trev (The Polar Bear in Spain) _________________ Stay Safe ;o) |
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sidecarkeith
Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 336 Location: yorkshire uk
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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The real Trailer
As you can see there's very little work to be done on it, it's the fixing too the middle between the sidecar/bike.
Given Merlins are not designed to pull things, where HPS's
Bought off Ebay for £370 then found out the seller was in Swindon, (which is near London) south England.
So Leeds to Swindon is 200 miles away and the round trip was 400 miles, in a day.
Keith |
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