Enclosed Trailer for GL1800 Hannigan transport???

[flyer91]

Hi everyone, I'm a new member of the forum and am very happy to be here.
I've been lurking for some time and finally made a deal on a 2005 GL1800 Hannigan trike.
Lots of really great info here that helped us to make our buying decisions.

Now I'm in the process of looking for an enclosed trailer to haul it behind our motorhome ........ which has a tongue weight limit of 500lbs, and a tow limit of 5000lbs.
Consequently, I am looking at single axel 7X12 enclosed trailers (that easily have the GVWR to carry the trike).
My motorhome's GCWR is cool for either a single or tandem axel 7X12, but I would like to keep the total weight down, hence the single axel choice versus a tandem axle (which 'would' put one of the axels much farther forward ...... but add significant weight).

I'm concerned that once loaded the typical placement of the axel on a single axel trailer might end up putting more than the 500lbs on the tongue, even with the trike loaded as far to the rear as can be, with some "safety room" so the ramp doesn't scrape the paint.

The bike is all the way across the country from me (HaulBikes is going to ship it here sometime between now and 5 weeks) so I can't take the bike to a trailer place to test out how this will work, and I hope to get the trailer to use to store some garage items, in order to clear enough room to house the bike as soon as it get's here.

I'm really hoping somebody has traveled this path and can shed some light on what to expect.
At ~62" wide, the Hannigan pretty much requires a 7' wide trailer, but a 6X12 is basically the same trailer (same axel placement, just 1 foot narrower) so if anyone is using a 6X12 single axel trailer to haul a GL1800, and knows the loaded tongue weight ......... that would be a great help too.


Thanks folks, and best regards,

Gary and Maria

[jfingalls]

Hello Gary and Maria, welcome to the Forum. You have joined a large group of people who are very friendly and knowledgeable so I'm sure someone will step up and offer you some advice. Unfortunately, I cannot because I have never trailered my GL1800 '08 Trike. Good luck...

[meredog]

i HAVE BEEN DEALING TRAILERS FOR YEARS. IF I WERE BUYING ONE TO PULL MY TRIKE IN I WOULD GET A 14' V NOSE TANDEM AXLE.
YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND USE FOR THE EXTRA FEW FEET AND THE TANDEM WILL TRACK A LOT BETTER AND TOUNGE WEIGHT SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE

[Oldmsocko]

I trailor my TG in a Haulmark MC Trailer 7x12. It is a low hauler, tandem axle, V nose with electric brakes. It has an empty tongue weight of 130 lbs. Handles like a dream.

[Gorilla]

welcome aboard

[BlueTrinity]

Welcome aboard Flyer, you're going to get a lot of questions answered 'round here.

Don't forget that if the tongue weight becomes an issue; rather than moving thee trike farther back than is comfortable, you can just install a weight distribution system. While you're at it, you should consider an anti-sway bar.

Good luck!

[flyer91]

Thanks guys!!
I'm finding that buying a cargo trailer is a lot more than just going out and buying a trailer.
After deciding on the basic size and axles, it gets like most everything else ......... "just the next size up and I can use it haul two quads, and just a bit bigger and I can use it to haul one of my antique/classic cars", or ......... "just a bit more $, and I can get interior lights and vents, or for a bit more ..... a tongue box for a small generator and 110 volt outletts, flouresent lights, and a bit more ........ adds a autotransfer swithch and shore power, then a bit more gets ..........."

Heck ....... I'm having a hard time not going out and spending all my 'new trike ...... make-it-mine goodies-money' on the trailer!!

I am looking into the weight transfer systems, but I'm having a hard time getting my mind around how they reduce tongue weight. (???)
I see how they can help keep things level, but my issue is a hitch rated for a max of 500 lbs, as it's upper limit of mechanical design, and/or the limitations or the rear sub frame it's mountrd to, as opposed to the limits of the rear suspension of the motorhome
Am I missing something??

Thanks, and best regards,

Gary and Maria

[Gold Rush]

Gary it's a long drawn out process but quick and dirty the way it works is this.

The tips of the torsion bars act as the fulcrum points and the more you pull up on that point by adjusting the chain length the more the weight distribution hitch will pick up the rear of your tow vehicle thus transferring some of that tongue weight to the front suspension.

I have an 8' X 12' Wells Cargo that when loaded has about 600 pounds of weight on the tongue. I use a weight distribution hitch to level things out so the rear of my Class C doesn't drag.

Hope that helped...