Dual Sport Trailer assembly thread

[oPAULo]

Originally Posted by jgas

If I did this, the trailer would have to be built for me to lay down on, stable, narrow, and tough. It would need to be close to the bike so I could turn around without unhooking on roads and wide trails. My goal would be to pull it behind my DRZ in all but the hardest singletrack. I would need to be able to pull it into some really tough spots without crashes or breaking it. My dream trailer would be long enough for me to use it for a camper after I unloaded it. Maybe have a small lightweight rack that I could drape a tarp over and lay inside of for camping, then take it apart or fold it all up for riding. It would need to have a lightweight detachable frame that could be put together to lay on for sleeping and stay off the ground. The frame could theoretically be mounted lengthwise or crosswise to the trailer. My ideas far outstrip my ability! I would like to have a brake on the trailer, and I think that one wheel would be better than two, maybe with outrigger tires like training wheels that only touched the ground when going slow or turning around.

If someone could build this and market it cheaply it would make a fortune! Or sell easy to use plans for the do it yourselfer. Some of the ones I've seen here look great but I'd want to somehow try various ones before copying one to make sure it worked for my uses. I'm probably the only idiot that would even try to ride singletrack with a trailer, but it sure would be cool! I have seen bicycle trailers that hardcore off road guys pull with Mtn bikes. One guy has ridden all over Colorado pulling a trailer with a bicycle.

Has anyone tried pulling the trailers from the top of the bike, attached to the subframe or rear rack area? This would put the trailer at an upward angle so that it wouldn't drag, give it cornering clearance, and bring the trailer tire/tires closer to the bike. It would also keep the trailer from being affected by the swingarm moving up and down. On most bikes the subframe/rack area would have to be modified to hold up to the stress, but that would be pretty easy compared to designing the trailer I'd think?

Anyone thought of making the trailer tire, (the singletired ones), so that the tire/wheel actually leans with the bike? It would keep the trailer tire's contact patch constant and the trailer should follow the bike better.

Go back and read through the thread. All single wheel trailers lean with the bike.
As far as sleeping in it, that would be a big trailer. Just throw a fold up cot and tent in the trailer.
Here's mine going through some mean stuff.

[Danger4u2]

Attaching at the axel provides unsprung weight to the bike. Any attachment to the bike subframe or frame will be sprung weight. I would think a low unsprung weight would be more stable off road, not changing the weight bias of the suspension fore and aft.

[dwayne]

Originally Posted by Danger4u2

Attaching at the axel provides unsprung weight to the bike. Any attachment to the bike subframe or frame will be sprung weight. I would think a low unsprung weight would be more stable off road, not changing the weight bias of the suspension fore and aft.

The trade off is that your rear suspension setup is reliant on the weight of whatever is hanging off the shock, which would now include the "tongue" weight of the trailer. In the world of high performance unsprung weight is far worse than sprung weight, as it compromises the ability of the rear wheel to track over bumps because of added inertia. However subframes are usually not designed for the kind of loads discussed and move the weight higher up on the bike.

If I had the skills I would find a way to hook the trailer to the footpeg mounts. It keeps the weight sprung, at a low, central point on the bike, better bias the front/rear loading etc.

The trade off is this method would be slightly heavier, more complicated, and less flexible in terms of moving the mount from one bike to another,

[blacktruck]

Originally Posted by dwayne

The trade off is that your rear suspension setup is reliant on the weight of whatever is hanging off the shock, which would now include the "tongue" weight of the trailer. In the world of high performance unsprung weight is far worse than sprung weight, as it compromises the ability of the rear wheel to track over bumps because of added inertia. However subframes are usually not designed for the kind of loads discussed and move the weight higher up on the bike.

If I had the skills I would find a way to hook the trailer to the footpeg mounts. It keeps the weight sprung, at a low, central point on the bike, better bias the front/rear loading etc.

The trade off is this method would be slightly heavier, more complicated, and less flexible in terms of moving the mount from one bike to another,

I'm in complete agreement with you. In my opinion there should be a way to mount the hitch portion to the frame somewhere. I looked at the moto mule website. I like the idea of the single track but not keen on the axle mount. Need to rethink this for me a little. I've even seen a couple of the two wheeled trailers that looked pretty good but you now have to add some for width. I've pulled a two wheeled trailer with a bike before but it was a touring bike so you didn't really worry about the width or going in to a corner too hot and flipping the trailer. Has anybody ever made a regular hitch for the KLR or does this need to be invented too? I would just like to find some way to reduce the actual weight carried on the bike.

[GHO100]

Has anyone considered using a mover's hand truck as a body for their trailer?



Like pictured above, but laid flat.

Remove the standard wheel and add your own, say from a 50cc scooter attached with a shock and hingepoint.

Only thing left to figure out would be the hitch attachment to the bike?

[oPAULo]

Originally Posted by GHO100

Has anyone considered using a mover's hand truck as a body for their trailer?



Like pictured above, but laid flat.

Remove the standard wheel and add your own, say from a 50cc scooter attached with a shock and hingepoint.

Only thing left to figure out would be the hitch attachment to the bike?

So cut the bottom off to add suspension, then cut the top off to add a hitch?
Not much left of the hand truck after that is there?

[GHO100]

Originally Posted by oPAULo

So cut the bottom off to add suspension, then cut the top off to add a hitch?
Not much left of the hand truck after that is there?

I wasn't really thinking about cutting anything off, to be honest. Other than removing the axle that's currently on there, I think that rear/bottom plate makes a good place for mounting lights, plate, etc.

Also, not thinking about cutting off the top. I picked up one of these to go around the handle:



The only thing I've left to figure out is the yolk that goes around the rear tire and connects to that hinge bracket. I'm currently considering removing the wheel from a heavy duty castor, like this:



Perhaps a few sections of aluminum tubing or square piping will complete the setup?

[fullmetalscooter]

Originally Posted by oPAULo

So cut the bottom off to add suspension, then cut the top off to add a hitch?
Not much left of the hand truck after that is there?

It;s like anything if it's sitting around with crapped out tires or up 20 bucks someone might just use it. The reason you some time see really old motorcycle engines running pumps becasue someone 40 years gee lets use that , it's not worth much.

[boatpuller]

Originally Posted by GHO100

Has anyone considered using a mover's hand truck as a body for their trailer?



Like pictured above, but laid flat.

Remove the standard wheel and add your own, say from a 50cc scooter attached with a shock and hingepoint.

Only thing left to figure out would be the hitch attachment to the bike?

Before buying a trailer I considered the same thing. Went to Harbor Freight and was suprised by all the different hand trucks they had, some would be an even better choice than the one you pictured. You should check them out.

[ben2go]

The problem with using the dolly is it's width.It will need to be high in order to clear the ground when leaning into turns.