Opinions please - Trailer winch

[rmrc51]

I know some of you might think I'm being a bit too much of a wimp here. How-ever,, I've never felt comfortable trying to ride my Valk Trike up onto a trailer. Between gritting my teeth because of what I'm possibly doing to the clutch along with the fear that once I'm up I won't stop in time, I'm considering putting a power winch on my trailer.

Have any of you done this, or am I the only Mary in the group?? lol

Also, where would be the best location to place the straps to pull the trike?

[katfish16]

I ride mine up into the toy hauler, check with Chickie I think he has a winch that he uses to pull his into his toy hauler.... I have had no problems so far:yes:

[rmrc51]

lol,,,,,. I "WISH",,, I had a toy hauler!!

The trailer I have is the standard utility type with the drop down mesh grating and angle iron frame.

I'd imagine that the winch should be similar though.

Where do you attach the tow straps to on your trike?

[Goldwingtrike]

I really don't think there will be a problem with the clutch since Honda has a wet clutch. I think you would do more damage sitting at a redlight and letting your fingers relax a little on the clutch lever. How steep is your ramp? I have put mine on a trailer a time or two when we were running from hurricanes and it was just me and wifey and she was driving her car and I drove the pickup with all the important stuff like the trike!!!

I don't have any idea about where to place the wench cable, but I tied it down using soft ties around the triple tree and to the trailer hitch.

Hope this helps.

Garland

ps. I was going to be a smarty and say I put the trailer behind my Trike, but then I remembered Hurrican Charlie and those that followed him.

[rmrc51]

As far as the angel of the ramp, I'd estimate that it's about 25 to 30 degrees? And I'm really guessing here.

I've even made some wood chocks out of 4x4's to help lessen the angle so the bottom of the trike won't bottom out once the front wheel is up on the trailer and the rear wheels are still on the ramp. The bottom of the frame gets pretty close.

[Goldwingtrike]

As far as the angel of the ramp, I'd estimate that it's about 25 to 30 degrees? And I'm really guessing here.

I've even made some wood chocks out of 4x4's to help lessen the angle so the bottom of the trike won't bottom out once the front wheel is up on the trailer and the rear wheels are still on the ramp. The bottom of the frame gets pretty close.

I had the clearance problem with the Tri-King and the Lehman. The Roadsmith seems to have miles of clearance. I have only had her on a trailer once and it seems we have the same setup,and she cleared everything with no problem. I would just take it easy and ease up the ramp, I don't think you'll hurt the clutch - only your teeth from gritting them together lol just be careful, which you are doing - or you wouldn't be asking here!!!!

Garland

[Juju]

I don't have any advice re: a winch, but here's what the Chief does to load his bike on the trailer. He located a little rise in our yard where he can back the trailer up to, then let the tailgate down and it's almost level. The difference is that he doesn't have to use as much throttle as he would to get the bike up the incline if riding up into the trailer, vs. now just riding almost level into it. Does that make any sense? Of course, for this to work, you have to have somewhat of a rise, convenient to your driveway or nearby road, but it makes for much less complicated loading if you do have any such thing nearby.

[bdn56]

I was close to scraping the bottom on the ramp when loading or unloading. To solve that issue, I took the ball off, turned the hitch upside down and reinstalled the ball. That made the trailer 4" higher in front which lowered the back end and ramp. Very easy to load and unload now.

I use a 6.5 X 12 trailer.

[Goldwingtrike]

I was close to scraping the bottom on the ramp when loading or unloading. To solve that issue, I took the ball off, turned the hitch upside down and reinstalled the ball. That made the trailer 4" higher in front which lowered the back end and ramp. Very easy to load and unload now.

I use a 6.5 X 12 trailer.

Makes sense for unloading too. All you have to do is let'er roll backwards!!!

Roll Tide

Garland

[rmrc51]

I was close to scraping the bottom on the ramp when loading or unloading. To solve that issue, I took the ball off, turned the hitch upside down and reinstalled the ball. That made the trailer 4" higher in front which lowered the back end and ramp. Very easy to load and unload now.

I use a 6.5 X 12 trailer.

I'll definitely try this! It'll make loading and unloading easier at my destinations as well. I'll just get another hitch with a 4" drop, or should I say Rise. The one I currently have is just about level.

Thanks for the idea!!!!

[JimEd]

If you really think you need a winch.
Look for a used boat trailer winch.
The small ones are hand cranked and you should be able to locate one real cheap. The hand crank ones are geared so you could pull your bike in real easy.
With the ramp on your trailer being as wide as the trailer you really could just ride it in. It seems intimidating the first couple of times but after that you will wonder why thought it so bad.
Just give it enough throttle to get the front wheel about three feet into the trailer then just coast in,be ready to hit the brake as soon as rear wheels are in the trailer...

[Ozarkryder]

Until recently we had a 16" utility trailer with one of those mesh rear gates. Was easy to ride the 'Wing up onto the trailer. Took a time or two to get used to it, but after that was fine. I rode it right up the ramp and into the "Wheeldock" locking wheel chock. I did get a boat trailer winch and welded it onto the front of the trailer. I had to use it once for the trike. On a 'Wing there isn't much to tie on to. I used those nylon loop soft ties around the fork legs above the front fender and attached the winch hook onto them.

The real trick is loading the Harley up into the 8' bed of my '02 Dodge Ram with the 3 piece wide ramps. I can put my feet down on both sides of the bike on the ramps while loading. Sure freaks out folks when I ride up the ramps into the bed of the truck.:eek: