Newb from South Florida

[v65infla]

Hello,

Newb here but not to online forums so I am familiar with most of the etiquette and used to crazy personalities and that is the way that I like it.


I have familiarized a bit and look forward to many hour hours of reading when I have the time and learning as much as I can.


The usual life story. Married, one kid, two dogs and self employed in the field service industry. Kid is going into high school next year so I am working on planning my after he flies the coop life.


I ride a 1983 Honda V65 Magna motorcycle and I am very active on the Honda V4 boards and a Florida Biker site. Wife is getting her motorcycle endorsement this year which brings me here.

We want to start getting away for those little weekend escapes on the bikes. I grew up on the farm in MI, hunting, camping, etc. The wife however is a city girl and while she is a good sport about everything, tent camping isn't the most appealing thing in the world to her. Not to mention all of the room that you don't have on a bike to pack a tent, sleep roll's, etc. I did some tent camping a week ago on the bike and I have to admit over 40 now, its not as exciting as it was when I was a kid.

A buddy of mine who rides the same kind of bike and I are designing removable trailer hitches for the bikes that will come off with four clevis pins on each side. Hence, my desire to build a light weight trailer, to pull behind the bike, drop the hitch and go ride the area that we are in. My goal is to start building sometime this summer when it gets too hot to ride motorcycle's here anyway.

I am looking forward to learning from you.

[Rlowell]

Welcome to the madness Jamie.
There have been several builds for bikes. The Ultra-lights would be right up your alley.

Be sure to spend lots of time looking at all the gallery's you will find.

You can get lost for days if you want to. Enjoy. If you have question...just ask...lots of great folks in here with a tremendous amount of knowledge that they love to share.

Good Luck,
Rod

[v65infla]

Thank you Rod. Already over whelmed and have hit upon some new ideas at the same time.

[v65infla]

After reading everything I can for almost three days, I have bleary eyes and a pretty good handle on the direction I want to go in. Unfortunately I am on hold probably until the early part of summer before I can start but its too hot to be camping in Florida then anyway.


Pulling with a bike, light weight is my number one priority. Well after being well built and water proof that is.


I think I am going to go with some type of Aluminum frame, either triangle or frame-less with an Alum tongue. I also read the "Foamie" build cover to cover a couple of times and I like this idea very much. I am still wrestling with the covering but I am leaning towards fiberglassing the entire unit inside and out but that leads to additional weight. I am also looking at some types of vinyl mobile home siding but so far they all really kill the coolness factor.

I am also considering a tennis shoe or "PT Cruiser" type of design, while killing a little head room for sleeping, I figure the less material the better for weight. I am willing to give back some weight to have a galley but also concerned about a super light front compared to the rear so I might even put a small generator or pack the cooler up front to help off set some of that. Details to be worked out as I go.

Any experienced thoughts or opinions are welcome.

[Rlowell]

Just keep rolling it around in your head, maybe put some ideas on paper, build a concept out of cardboard...It takes some time to work it through.
It took me two years before I could wrap my brain around my ideas and the designs from this forum. I had NO previous experience in building anything like these in the past. When you look at my album you can tell that this was
my first one. Go with your best gut feeling and then work through the details as you build. It is way to much fun...madness...fun...madness

Rod

[bobhenry]

Eggbert was my very first build and just a copulation of items I had laying around. He was used to primarily haul a cooler and some firewood to a campgrounds where we had a little 14' standie set for the season.

He has also hauled live chickens, top soil, 55 gallon drums of water, and other strange cargo.

I used the 40 x 48 HF trailer frame and personally found the weight in the frame a positive as the trailer rode better with the weight low and in the frame.

It would easily hold a cooler and dry box a pop up ( maybe equiped with an air bed) and a couple campchairs.



I am currently working on a 4x7 sleeper for the Goldwing



here is a link to the thread http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=38489&highlight=henrys+4x7

P.S. Welcome to the insanity

[starleen2]

[v65infla]

Thank you for the encouragement of what I can see is going to be an additional mental disease to my other addictions of V4 Honda's and playing softball.

Bob, I would like to see an update to your build thread and how it came out or is coming along since it looks like we are coming up on a year since the last update.

Weight is of general concern right now but in the future I hope to move into Valkyrie Interstate Tourer as my long distance bike and weight will be less bothersome then. I think anything under 800 pounds and I will be ok but ideally I would like to stay near 500 or less if possible. My Magna is a muscle bike but there will no hot rodding while pulling said trailer so it doesn't have to be built to withstand 100+ mph or anything. I save that for when I am not pulling or riding with the wife unit.

[bobhenry]

Bob, I would like to see an update to your build thread and how it came out or is coming along since it looks like we are coming up on a year since the last update.

I know ! It's all but embarassing I have the FRP stuffed in "Barn to be wild" waiting for some decent weather and it will take no time to actually finish the 4x7. I will be taking it as my camper of choice to the fall gathering of the Indiana Tearjerkers.

Hell, I still need to apply more of the same FRP to my little Chuckwagon trailer for our Summer gathering now only 75 days away. Too many trailers too little time (and $$$$)

[v65infla]

I know the feeling. I have 2 weeks to get ready for my annual trip to NC, the rear brakes went out in the truck today, a/c quit again, one bike needs a fuel pump and the other needs finished so I can sell it before I go and Mother's Day next week shoots a whole prep day in the butt.

So I have the basic design of a trailer laid out. Do I post it up here or should I start a build thread even though I am at least 3 or 4 months out before I can start??

[v65infla]

Double post, sorry.

[bobhenry]

So I have the basic design of a trailer laid out. Do I post it up here or should I start a build thread even though I am at least 3 or 4 months out before I can start??

Oh post it now so we can all argue if it is right or wrong

Look what you made me do yesterday.......

Started putting on the outer FRP siding on the chuckwagon and put a temporary roof on the 4x7.....

[Rlowell]

See what a little encouragement can do!!!
Looking good.
Rod