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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I have one of those small Harbor Freight trailers but I don't have a hitch yet on my Vision. My question is, those who are using a Harbor Freight trailer, what do you think of it? It seems like it would bounce some and mess up the carge, what do you think? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 160
Lennox, SD | I have one, I took out the smaller leaf spring so there is only 1 spring on each side.
I narrowed mine 12" so it wasn't any wider than the bike. Haven't towed it with the Vision yet but I towed it about 12,000 miles behind my 06 Kawi Nomad. Never knew it was back there. The tongue length on the trailer should be 1 1/2 times the trailer width measured from the center of the trailer wheel. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I thought about narrowing it also, how did you do the axle? |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | All my goldwing trailering buddies told me to stay away from it... . The bearings need replaced or at the very least regreased.... and there has been reports of the axle Not being true and caused some trailers to drift.. but of course with anything some could be worse than others.. read gold wing forums .. those guys been pulling trailers forever! |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | Using Harbor Freight short 12" tire trailer. Modified it by cutting down to minimal frame width and length to fit under an old car top carrier I had. Cut out the carrier to recess the fenders into it. Removed extra spring leaves and mounted the axle on top of the spring to lower it. Pulled it on a 1,500 mile trip last year and never knew it was there at any speed or road condition. Not the prettiest thing on the road and the Mrs. says to buy something classier, but it is very light, functional and can't beat the price (probably less then $200 invested). As mentioned the bearings are a concern, but only because of the grease they are packed with. Make sure you clean them and then repack with a good bearing grease.
Edited by lennyb 2012-06-08 7:13 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Not a bad set-up. It looks great if your stuff gets there with you... thanks for sharing. I'll start working on get mine narrowed and take it from there. I also got another consideration, and this is, if the wife wants to travel with me with a trailer on the back. We've not been more than 3 hours from home on the bike, and no overnighters. She says she don't know if she would ride with a trailer on the bike, she don't like trailers behind a car either. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | Hope the Mrs. ends up being happy with the trailer idea when you tell her she can take the curling iron, extra pair of shoes and can even stop to do some shopping along the way.
I did attach hooks to the inside of the carrier to use a cargo net (also from HF) to stretch across and secure the load. Covering the floor with foam panels also helps. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 849
, FL United States | Chris, as lennyb said, impress her with how much space she'll have for "her stuff". If that doesn't do it, you're on your own. Remember - happy wife = happy life. |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| varyder - 2012-06-08 2:59 PM I have one of those small Harbor Freight trailers but I don't have a hitch yet on my Vision. My question is, those who are using a Harbor Freight trailer, what do you think of it? It seems like it would bounce some and mess up the carge, what do you think? Look on craigslist under garden and check out cars for a top carrier. You should put in high speed bearing you can get at any bearing store and good wheel bearing grease you should always have on hand |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | yes, I have good grease, thanks for the advices, all is welcome, definetely on keeping the wife unit happy. I think I'm looking for a solo seat for the Vision, she's just not into the "riding thing", but that is the way she is. We went camping once, the fire was just getting good and the next thing I know we were packed and heading out before the sun went down... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 249
Phenix City AL. | I just purchased my first trailer for the vision, its a 1988 kompack kamp camping trailer, the weight of it is 260 lbs, 8 inch wheels, swivel hitch, the axle is rubber mounted torson suspension. I picked the trailer up for 1200.00, put 500.00 into it, New paint, powdercoated luggage rack, New lights, replaced the old interior with all new indoor/ out door carpet, I think it looks great and matched my vision. How does it compare to the harbor fright trailer? The swivel hitch is a must, the trailer stays flat and tracks right behind the bike in curves, the rubber mounted suspensions is great, not a lot of bounce, and is the right hight for the bike, the suspension is quiet. It takes 2 min to set up as a camper, the people I got it from were big people and they both slept in it, I did a few mods so it will sleep my self and have a place for all my gear. The advantage of getting a small camper over a harbor fright trailer is the ability to have a nice dry place off the ground, and be able to carry all the cool stuff to camp with, like an icechest, chairs, small camp stove, coffee pot, and a few other comfort items, all in one simple package without packing all the stuff all over the bike. I went up to the S.E. rally with everything in the trailer, bags just had rain gear and other small stuff. I am just posting on my experience with trailers, if you want to use it to camp with, might as well find a nice used camper, than putting to gether a cargo trailer, sorry for the rant, my midnight shift at work sucks lol |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Great rant to share good information... Thanks! |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| varyder - 2012-06-09 5:15 PM yes, I have good grease, thanks for the advices, all is welcome, definetely on keeping the wife unit happy. I think I'm looking for a solo seat for the Vision, she's just not into the "riding thing", but that is the way she is. We went camping once, the fire was just getting good and the next thing I know we were packed and heading out before the sun went down... Never seen a solo seat. A good bag behinf you makes for a great back rest. |
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Tourer
Posts: 395
Moravia, IA | I *HAD* one of the Harbor Freight Tag-alongs.
I got this trailer on sale and used an additional 20% of coupon. All total I paid about $260 for the trailer. Took me about 2 hours to assemble. Yes the grease inside the wheels bearings resembled vaseline......but that took me a solid 20 mins to correct, if that. I pulled the bearings and looked them over real good - they appeared to be fine quality wise. I took my time assembling it and looking it all over - didnt see any big issues. I replaced all the standard lights with LED. I also put chrome hubcaps on it, golf cart hubcaps - worked great. Then I found this little scooter trunk on eBay, same color as my Vision. I thought "boy, that'd be handy to put rain gear and stuff in.....that way I dont have to open the big compartment and get my crap all wet"......so I put 'er on the tongue. I went ahead and ordered a spare tire (not mounted in these pictures) along with a spare set of bearings, races and seals......lubed em all up and stashed em in the trailer. All in, including the scooter trunk, spares, LED lights, chrome hubcaps etc.....I had less then $400 in that trailer. I pulled it easily 10K miles with zero issues. I checked hub temps, monitored the tires etc.....nothing was ever out of sorts. Perfect little trailer and at way less then half the cost of the others. I *HIGHLY* recommend the Tag-Along. http://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-capacity-78-inch-tag-along-trailer-66771.html Regular price is $400.....but I still think its easily worth that. I dont have it anymore.....bought a motorcycle camper and got rid of this to put money towards its, didnt figure I needed two trailers. I sold it for $600......and it sold within the first day I had it on Craigslist. |
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Tourer
Posts: 395
Moravia, IA | varyder, dont worry much about pulling something this size.....after about 5 mins you wont even notice its back there. Occasionally you may notice a little extra noise (the hitch rattle or something if you hit a big bump) but thats about it. The first thing I did after I put it on the bike was grit my teeth and hit the railroad tracks at 50mph so I could bounce it around to "feel" how it reacted.....it was a violent bounce.....but only a slight "tugging" from the riders perspective.......and that was definitely and extreme. 10K miles of "regular" potholes, lane changes, bumps....road construction....wind....etc and it was never an issue.
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | My idea to pull a trailer is to give a place for the wife to ride and bring her stuff. However, that is not her plan, so I'm not sure if I'll get the hitch. I had a pull along duffle that I put in the seat prior to the BR4100 and it would flop back and forth. A old Indian biker told me to get a trailer to keep the bike free and stuff flopping around. However, the saddleman works well for me now. The only draw back is riding solo I like to ride hard and I'm afraid I'll forget the trailer is there and cut it too close. If I could just get the wife to do a 400 mile day and an overnighter to see what she thinks, that would be a deciding factor. But so far that hasn't happen in 7 years and I don't see it happening anytime soon. My harbor freight trailer has been sitting for 3 years now and I don't even have tags, I do plan on gettng it on the road, even if is to pull behind the jeep. for a trash run.
Edited by varyder 2012-06-12 6:49 AM
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Harbor Freight Trailer
