TRAILER, How Big is Too Big?

[Ozarker]

OK, I'm new on trikes and I've been wanting to take some camping trips. My trike is big enough to haul everything we would really need but the dog couldn't ride, she is a 70 pound Boxer. I've been reading about trailers and that seems to be the answer.

Question is, how big is too big? I had a utility tilt bed trailer made, 4x8 with the wheels outside so about 66 inches wide, with the tailgate up, 6 feet long. Not sure how heavy but its all steel and there are no brakes.

My trike is an 08 Honda VTX 1800 with a Champion kit which includes a hitch. Reverse is the right foot.

Mine is probably not one to tow with my trike, it could, not sure I should, especially on a highway.

Also have a roof top travel trunk, about 3x5, I could build a trailer or better yet, go with a kit trailer from Northern Tool.

Any ideas on this are appreciated very much from you veteran trikers.

 

[vwbug72501]

Googled pet motorcycle trailers and found this: https://pbmotorcycletrailer.com/pet-hauler-motorcycle-trailers/

:clapping:

Check with your trike mfg. about max trailer weight specs. Remember towing vehicle weight should be substantially more than towed vehicle for safe operation. Another thing to consider is the speed rating of the trailer tires. most small diameter trailer tires are only rated for 62 mph max. It's easy to get rolling 70 - 80 mph on today's interstates.

I'm thinking that you could build something really light using some 17 - 19" dirt bike wheels and tires speed rated at 80 - 100 mph for an added safety factor. You could also use the dirt bike spring/shocks for the suspension also.

 

[Ozarker]

Thanks VWBUG, I like the wheel and fork idea, a frame could be slung down from a cross member above connecting the two fork heads.

Some info I have pulled out of the internet:

Trailer (loaded) weight should not exceed half the weight of the towing vehicle.

Width no wider than the tow vehicle, same tire track is a big plus. Single wheel trailers excepted from that tracking rule.

Tongue weight should not exceed 25 pounds on a bike. 10 pounds seems ideal.

Tongue length should be twice as long as 50% of the tow vehicle width (jack knife won't hit the vehicle with the trailer body). Short tongues are harder to back up. Longer is better to a point.

The trailer height seems not to exceed seat height of a bike or trike, with exceptions to large novelty type trailers probably only pulled in parades.

It seems trailer sizes for bikes falls close to 32 inches wide and 46/8 inches long. Too small for me, I'd like 48 or a hair more wide and about 74 inches long.

This is so I could have a bed 6 feet long and 4 to 5 feet wide. 3 feet wide could do it if we fold it up once, 24+ inches with a tri fold rig. The bigger it is to begin with the easier and cheaper to build.

Where I get stumped is how big could I go, width and length and still be SAFE, easy towing, backing up with leg power and secure?

 

[paws]

Food for thought...

If you are trying to pull a motorcycle camping trailer AND take the dog you might consider a sidecar attachment to put the dog in. Being behind the trike the dog will be sucking up exhaust fumes and be exposed to exhaust volumes that would be very uncomfortable for a dog due to their keen sense of hearing. Plus, he could get sick just from having to deal with the slight, constant side-to-side motion of the trailer.

When we finally decided we could not leave our precious dogs behind any more we bought a 36’ Class A motorhome and pulled the bikes on a trailer behind it. We were happy, the dogs were happy.

 

[vwbug72501]

+1 on the exhaust fumes and noise. Maybe something like a miniature horse trailer with a shielded front and air intake on the top. I thought trailer was for dog only. Now it sounds like you want it to be a camper trailer also. That gets a little more complicated.

Another solution might be a detachable cage / rack enclosure that mounts where your tour pack would mount. Swap out the tour pack for the cage when your puppy is comming along and transfer the tour pack contents to the trailer. A 70 lb dog might be too much shifting weight that high up though.

 

[Ozarker]

Carla, don't worry, Katie is a very spoiled pooch, if she gets into a trailer it will be padded, enclosed, with windows and a rear vent....... fan if needed.

Plan B is just as Tom mentioned, I've been to the fabrication shop and designed a bracket to hold a container body where my trunk is. It will attach to the trailer hitch.

Katie already has her goggles, helmet is on the way and she will be dressed properly.

I might get by with a tag-a-long on the hitch, does anyone use one?

The trailer would then be dedicated to camping or hauling stuff.

Question still remains, how big should a trailer be?

 

[Ozarker]

Mods, I goofed, sorry, I just found a trailer forum section, move at will.

 

[mythplaed]

Towed a Lil Guy Joey. Tongue wt 45, total wt 450.

 

[Ozarker]

Hey, thanks Michael, that's a cool rig! I will look up the specs on that one, length, width and height. :clapping:

 

[Ozarker]

Well, bought a small trailer last night, 42" x 48" long with a tilt gate on the back. Plywood is shot so it will be stripped down, sanded, painted and a new floor put on.

I'll build a camper box that can pop on and off. I have a car top storage box that I can pop on or off for gear also.

As for Katie, I've decided to take off the trunk off the Champion and replace that with a platform with plexi-glass sides and a convertible top, should make a nice bed for level with our seats.

I'll do a build thread later, thanks for the ideas, tips and suggestions. :clapping: