Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello Everyone!

I'm new here to the boards, but I've been stalking around in the background getting ideas to make my Motorcycle Trailer "sleep friendly" for upcoming Motorcycle Events and road trips. I'm not looking to do anything exotic here, but a few niceties here and there would be nice. I've got a little over a month or so before Daytona Bike Week to get some things done.

The top thing on my "to-do" list would be to: 1.) Add some 120ac wiring for 30amp service. 2.) Add a refrigerator 3.) Some type of awning on the side door side 4.) Try and figure out some type of bed to put in this. I'm anticipating just using a high quality blow up queen size air mattress for a stop gap until I can figure out something more permanent.

First and foremost, the trailer needs to keep it's main purpose; Hauling my two motorcycles.

I've gleaned a bunch of ideas already and I appreciate everyone that participates and posts their modifications.

Thank You
Bobby

Very nice trailer. My first cargo trailer was a Haulmark in black as well. Not as large as yours, it was a 5 x 10. I sold it because I needed more room because we share the same purpose..............hauling bikes. I recently purchased a forum members 7 x 14 trailer which provides me the option to haul a bike or two, plus the comfort of using the CT as a camper. For options, I too recommend a small dorm fridge, microwave, heater and air conditioning. I can not take credit for the build, but if you want ideas take a look..... viewtopic.php?f=42&t=45992&hilit=elk+river

Good luck and share some future pics.

OverTheTopCargoTrailer wrote:I call the winner for the Best truck & trailer 2014 Sturgis

Wish I could make it to Sturgis this year..... but got other plans. We're doing the USA 4 Corners - Madawaska, ME, San Ysidro, CA, Blaine, WA, and last but not least will be Keywest, FL. A group of us plans on starting out on June 13 from Madawaska, ME. We're giving ourselves 6 weeks to do this because there's a lot to see between the points. The SCMA has a sanctioned ride that you have to do in 21 days, but we decided to be in "mosey" mode. .

Since we plan on crossing twice in my hometown (Tulsa, OK) we'll make service/rest stops there. I plan on using the trailer somehow, someway during this trip, just not sure of the logistics of it all yet.

Next year will be Sturgis tho...

Wi urban camo wrote:Very nice trailer. My first cargo trailer was a Haulmark in black as well. Not as large as yours, it was a 5 x 10. I sold it because I needed more room because we share the same purpose..............hauling bikes. I recently purchased a forum members 7 x 14 trailer which provides me the option to haul a bike or two, plus the comfort of using the CT as a camper. For options, I too recommend a small dorm fridge, microwave, heater and air conditioning. I can not take credit for the build, but if you want ideas take a look..... viewtopic.php?f=42&t=45992&hilit=elk+river

Good luck and share some future pics.

I'll take a pic of my bikes loaded soon. One is a 2013 Road Glide Ultra which has the Touring Pack installed on it and the other is my wife's 2007 Sportster XL1200L which I just bought. That's the reason I bought the bigger Haulmark Trailer. I have a Lark 6 x 10 V-Nose that I used to trailer my bike to Edmundston, Canada in New Brunswick and road the tires off my bike... lol

Wouldn't it be more of an adventure to ride rather than tow

chukarchaser wrote:Wouldn't it be more of an adventure to ride rather than tow

We'll be on our bikes all the way.... the Truck/Trailer will be used logistically in 3 or 4 places where we want to spend a few days, i.e. Grand Canyon,
Mesa Verde, etc. My wife's bike, the Sportster XL1200L isn't really for long distances so she'll ride backup on my bike, at the places we're going to do those stops, she'll have her bike trailered and she'll scoot about on her bike.

Nice rig! I did a basic quick throw together like your talking about for my first trip. 110/12v, fridg, & bed on the floor. Had the best trip. It was a trip where I discovered the crossroads where what I wanted met what I needed in my build. I am really glad it happened that way so I was not past the point of no return. It took me a couple of days to strip it down and a year to build it to fit us. I went with some good comfort for our old bones but yet not too fancy wher I'm not afraid to pull the bike in and get it dirty. Enjoy your build & looking forward to watching it take form.

Earnest

roadinspector wrote:Nice rig! I did a basic quick throw together like your talking about for my first trip. 110/12v, fridg, & bed on the floor. Had the best trip. It was a trip where I discovered the crossroads where what I wanted met what I needed in my build. I am really glad it happened that way so I was not past the point of no return. It took me a couple of days to strip it down and a year to build it to fit us. I went with some good comfort for our old bones but yet not too fancy wher I'm not afraid to pull the bike in and get it dirty. Enjoy your build & looking forward to watching it take form.

Earnest

Hello Earnest,

Thanks!

You hit the "nail on the head" with your "comfort for our old bones, but not to fancy" statement. That's my thoughts exactly. I've been hunting and gathering and it's about time to start installing a few things. I'm still trying to work up my courage to put a few holes in the thing... lol

So far I've got 120vac LED rope lights that will basically circle the complete inside of the trailer. Actually two strands 20ft long. Instead of linking them together, which is possible, I'm going to have each side individually controlled. That way I can control the brightness inside... 3 settings - Off, one strand or 2 strands.

I've got a cheapo 4.5 cubic ft 120vac refrigerator and microwave. Some hodge podge heavy duty tarp in an attempt to make an outdoor awning. And a few other odds and ends. I think for this first trip I'm just going to throw a high rise queen size mattress on the floor and call it good for this trip. I gleaned some ideas about using the back drop down ramp door as additional outdoor space by using some blocks to level the slope and putting a canopy on the back. Some fold out chairs for outside and some padded fold out "easy chairs" w/ ottoman for inside.

This will absolutely be a Work in Progress until I get more of a feel for my needs and wants and what works well. I've got all these ideas rattling in my brain, but every time I think I know what I want, I run across another idea on the boards. I have to keep reminding myself that the main purpose of this trailer is to haul my bikes around... lol. But dang I sure want to go full throttle geek and put some solar arrays on the top.

Bobby

Bobby,
I was nervous about my first hole, but after I got past it the rest were gravy. I spent our first trip studying it for our needs and what would work best. I got the wife involved in thinking what she liked. Only equipment failure I had on that trip was the refer your talking about. It was an old one and had to go get a replacement on the 3rd day. I now us a RV 2 way. Love it. Bigger than what we need but I don't have to skimp on any food. Enjoy your trip & you'll come back ready to work on it with all kinds of different ideas.

Earnest

Hiya Earnest,

roadinspector wrote:Bobby,
I was nervous about my first hole, but after I got past it the rest were gravy. I spent our first trip studying it for our needs and what would work best. I got the wife involved in thinking what she liked. Only equipment failure I had on that trip was the refer your talking about. It was an old one and had to go get a replacement on the 3rd day. I now us a RV 2 way. Love it. Bigger than what we need but I don't have to skimp on any food. Enjoy your trip & you'll come back ready to work on it with all kinds of different ideas.

Earnest

Well still haven't been brave enough to punch a hole in it yet, but it's coming soon. Got all the stuff for 30A shore power. Worked on getting some rope light up and some heat so I can work inside the trailer, see what I'm doing, and not freeze to death... I'm doing all this out in the parking lot of my temporary apartment and I have a couple of Honda Generators so at least I got some things done. I plan on getting the wife in on it soon. We have a bunch of tin graphics to put on the walls.





A long way to go, but it will be "usable" March 5th for Daytona Bike Week.

Bobby

Bobby,
Did I miss it or have you discussed insulation? If you haven't, i would strongly suggest you consider it.
Earnest

Hello Earnest,

roadinspector wrote:Bobby,
Did I miss it or have you discussed insulation? If you haven't, i would strongly suggest you consider it.
Earnest

Nope you haven't missed it, I plan on insulating it, just not this go round. I don't have time to this before Daytona Bike week, but I plan on doing it when things are a little less hectic. I'm currently "soft" mounting everything to make it easily removable in the near future to be able to insulate. I'm using cable ties with bases, lots of industrial velcro and some strategic mounting here and there for what I've got so far.

My thoughts are that once I'm in Daytona, I'm not going to be in the trailer much other than to sleep or relax for a few moments until I'm off exploring again. Hopefully the long couple of weeks while I'm down there will be good inspiration for what I want to do more permanently.

I also have a 6x10 V-Nose Lark, that I might end up converting more dramatically and learning on before I go full out on the Haulmark. Decisions decisions.... lol

Bobby

holtbv, Howdy;

Be sure to pack some blue painter's tape so you can work on where 'things'
should/should not end up. Tape is easier and less confusing and much
more forgiving than Sharpie.
Have fun ...lucky dog ...

hank

Bobby,
Sounds like a plan. 2 weeks will give you more ideas than you'll imagine. You'll be ready to get to work on it as soon as you get back. Painter's tape does help. Just don't make the mistake I made. Don't leave it down when you start work. You will walk it down into the grain of the wood and you will end up scraping it off the floor. Now that was a duh brain fart moment on my part.

Earnest