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    #16
    The one I was looking at was an Alpine pop up made for a car. Looked small enough till I looked up shipping weight. The motorcycle only one don't come around too often for cheap so I may be on hold for a bit.

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      #17
      I remember you posting almost daily about that trip. What an adventure that was. I was rooting for you but ... wow! I still think of you when I see motorcycle clothes and helmets for sale at the Salvation army. Hope all is well.

      Comment


        #18
        Originally posted by Steve View Post
        I have never had a commercial "swivel hitch" on any of my trailers. To answer your question, I could put the bike on the side stand (so it's leaning a bit to the left), then lift the left-side trailer wheel far enough for the trailer body to touch the ground on the right. WAY more than enough. By the time the hitch would start to restrict any leaning, your bike would already be low-siding.

        .
        My hitch is installed but I've yet to pull anything with it. The conclusion amongst the "Sane" riders is that a swivel really isn't needed although I HAVE heard of guys shorting corners and having the trailer run over a curb casing some hair raising experiences.
        1980 Yamaha XS1100G (Current bike)
        1982 GS450txz (former bike)
        LONG list of previous bikes not listed here.

        These aren't my words, I just arrange them

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          #19
          When I got my first trailer (in 1978), I talked with a guy that said NOT having a swivel hitch saved his trailer.

          He hit something with the left trailer wheel that tipped the trailer up. When the hitch bound, there wasn't enough momentum in the trailer to flip the bike, so the bike actually brought the trailer back down. A rare occurance for sure, but it IS possible.

          .
          sigpic
          mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
          hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
          #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
          #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
          Family Portrait
          Siblings and Spouses
          Mom's first ride
          Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
          (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

          Comment


            #20
            Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
            How much can the bike lean?


            The hitch was just a ball hitch on that one,a 2" standard trailer ball.I would have liked knowing something about a swivel-hitch then,but at that time I didn't have enough information.. I leaned the bike slowly and carefully on my trip.When I attempted to turn it sharply in parking lot maneuvers,it resisted my efforts at leaning too far;I muscled the bars a bit and took slower and more calculated maneuvers.I imagine if I had a swivel-hitch,I would be able to lean it as much as needed?
            Last edited by grcamna2; 02-24-2021, 02:42 PM.

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              #21
              Originally posted by Phred View Post
              I remember you posting almost daily about that trip. What an adventure that was. I was rooting for you but ... wow! I still think of you when I see motorcycle clothes and helmets for sale at the Salvation army. Hope all is well.

              Thanks Phred,I appreciate that ! I didn't have any support for either finding a welder or helping me with hooking-up the trailer from the seller,who seemed 'too busy' to hang-in there with me and be supportive;the man said "he was worried about liability".The man was decent(although weird and two-faced most of the time) that he allowed me to work and sleep(in a back bedroom:he's a type of 'church goer')on his property to get the GS450 running after sitting for over 10 years:he had some old tools plus he went with me to pick-up the trailer which had a vintage Skidoo MXZ snowmobile on it,I purchased the whole lot for $100 ! The man was busy running deliveries with his van as odd jobs the whole time I was there:I could have finished it up in a week with his support but ended-up spending 3+ weeks there at his property.. That was a stressful time interacting with him,I wanted to leave but hung in there until(almost 4 weeks of verbal abuse from the guy! he kept saying passive-aggressive things to me,to cause me to argue with him )the project was finished.The journey on the bike with trailer back West was a 'cake walk' compared to living under the same roof with that man.. I had known him by long phone conversations over 2 years,purchasing parts,etc. and he came-across as being friendly??
              I am SO Glad that this forum was available and member 'rusty bronco' plus another kind member Matt on this forum in Detroit came to my aid with a spare reg/rect And helmet for the journey(my regulator/rect gave-up on me on the way through Wyoming and that reg/rect was VERY useful to get me on my way,and the helmet Matt gave to me was an XL but had a shield:I still have it in storage)otherwise I might have had to deal with that situation over in St. Clair Shores just a little longer !
              Yes,the trip back to my residence in Davis,CA. was an excellent Freedom Journey
              Last edited by grcamna2; 02-24-2021, 03:33 PM.

              Comment


                #22
                Originally posted by Steve View Post
                I have never had a commercial "swivel hitch" on any of my trailers. To answer your question, I could put the bike on the side stand (so it's leaning a bit to the left), then lift the left-side trailer wheel far enough for the trailer body to touch the ground on the right. WAY more than enough. By the time the hitch would start to restrict any leaning, your bike would already be low-siding.

                .
                Steve,did you mount the hitch-ball high purposely with washers/spacers so that it wouldn't bind-up with the trailer hitch while leaning ?

                Comment


                  #23
                  made this trailer out of a 650 frame. The neck is the tripe tree to allow for full rotation.



                  V
                  Gustov
                  80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
                  81 GS 1000 G
                  79 GS 850 G
                  81 GS 850 L
                  83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
                  80 GS 550 L
                  86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
                  2002 Honda 919
                  2004 Ural Gear up

                  Comment


                    #24
                    gustovh,
                    Those trailer wheels,are they both 18" front wheels from a GS450 ?

                    Comment


                      #25
                      No one is off the 650 and the other a 550 I believe. The axel is cantilevered and not quite independent suspension. I did have to move the axel back 6” after I got home.

                      V
                      Gustov
                      80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
                      81 GS 1000 G
                      79 GS 850 G
                      81 GS 850 L
                      83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
                      80 GS 550 L
                      86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
                      2002 Honda 919
                      2004 Ural Gear up

                      Comment


                        #26
                        What are the ramifications or regulations of towing a trailer? License plate, lights?
                        1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                        2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                        Comment


                          #27
                          Originally posted by grcamna2 View Post
                          Steve,did you mount the hitch-ball high purposely with washers/spacers so that it wouldn't bind-up with the trailer hitch while leaning ?
                          No, just mounted "normally", much like the picture that Gustov shows.


                          Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
                          What are the ramifications or regulations of towing a trailer? License plate, lights?
                          Just the same as if you have a trailer behind your car.

                          Some states do not require trailer license plates. Others that DO have plates might have annual renewal, others 2- or 5-year renewals, some are even permanent. Same for bikes and cars. Might be different for commercial vehicles, though.

                          Lights are required. Period. If they aren't actually required by law, common sense says that you should have them. Drivers might (ok, DO) have problems seeing a single tail light on a bike, but might notice the dual lights on a trailer. The problem there is that, because they are closer together, they can appear to be a full-size car that is farther away. Darkness takes away a LOT of depth perception.

                          Although there is no legal requirement, after watching the way some people drive with trailers, there should be SOME sort of training and/or certification. Most of it is "on the job training", unfortunately, many simply don't learn.

                          .
                          sigpic
                          mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                          hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                          #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                          #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                          Family Portrait
                          Siblings and Spouses
                          Mom's first ride
                          Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                          (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Stoplight required on the trailer, not shown in the pic. Check with your DMV for your state. Safety chain needed as well. I have since put fenders and turn signals on it as well.

                            V
                            Gustov
                            80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
                            81 GS 1000 G
                            79 GS 850 G
                            81 GS 850 L
                            83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
                            80 GS 550 L
                            86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
                            2002 Honda 919
                            2004 Ural Gear up

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Originally posted by gustovh View Post
                              Stoplight required on the trailer, not shown in the pic. Check with your DMV for your state. Safety chain needed as well. I have since put fenders and turn signals on it as well.

                              V
                              That's a good looking build. Does it require a different type of spindle to mount up the MC rims as opposed to hubs?
                              1980 Yamaha XS1100G (Current bike)
                              1982 GS450txz (former bike)
                              LONG list of previous bikes not listed here.

                              These aren't my words, I just arrange them

                              Comment


                                #30
                                I used a couple front axels and cut them down and welded in.

                                V
                                Gustov
                                80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
                                81 GS 1000 G
                                79 GS 850 G
                                81 GS 850 L
                                83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
                                80 GS 550 L
                                86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
                                2002 Honda 919
                                2004 Ural Gear up

                                Comment

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