R
Reggie3cl
Guest
Man, you need to get out more. Loads of people do it, especially Gold Wing and Harley riders.
mono wheel luggage trailer
- Thread starter CLEMTOG
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R
Reggie3cl
Guest
Oh pardon me, I'm sure.
How about this: Trailers have been popular for heavyweight tourers for anumber of years, especially in countries like America, although they are occasionally seen on the roads of Europe too.
Oh, and welcome to the forum. Yours, Tired and Grumpy of Inverness.
How about this: Trailers have been popular for heavyweight tourers for anumber of years, especially in countries like America, although they are occasionally seen on the roads of Europe too.
Oh, and welcome to the forum. Yours, Tired and Grumpy of Inverness.
I think Keith H has a point. I've got a trailer (for my R100/7) and although it's not a monowheel trailer and therefore slightly offtopic in this thread it DOES affect the handling to a larger than initially apparent degree, and care is recommended.
The most obvious issue is braking - a large forward force right at the back of the bike and low can push the front wheel of the bike into a skid at quite low brake force levels - using solely the front brake is really not a good idea. The extra weight of the trailer has the affect of just about removing any semblance if engine braking, so you seem to roll up to things faster than you may have intended - also something to watch carefully. Trail braking into bends is also best avoided - jackknifing is a real possibility.
You mostly feel the trailer at low speeds, as it pulls the back of the bike left and right in response to road undulations, and at high speeds, where (with mine) a regular weave/oscillation starts to build up. It's possible to moderate this to a degree by putting more air in the rear tyre, so it may be related to sidewall stiffness or similar - I don't know.
I can cruise comfortably at 70 with mine (fully loaded) and I have sustained more than 80, but it doesn't "feel" great at that speed. Weirdly the plot feels more stable the heavier the load in the trailer is, but I have to keep a careful eye on the tow bar weight and trailer tyre pressures.
You don't half get some funny looks - most people seem to think it's illegal, and are outraged, which is always good for a laugh....
Chris
The most obvious issue is braking - a large forward force right at the back of the bike and low can push the front wheel of the bike into a skid at quite low brake force levels - using solely the front brake is really not a good idea. The extra weight of the trailer has the affect of just about removing any semblance if engine braking, so you seem to roll up to things faster than you may have intended - also something to watch carefully. Trail braking into bends is also best avoided - jackknifing is a real possibility.
You mostly feel the trailer at low speeds, as it pulls the back of the bike left and right in response to road undulations, and at high speeds, where (with mine) a regular weave/oscillation starts to build up. It's possible to moderate this to a degree by putting more air in the rear tyre, so it may be related to sidewall stiffness or similar - I don't know.
I can cruise comfortably at 70 with mine (fully loaded) and I have sustained more than 80, but it doesn't "feel" great at that speed. Weirdly the plot feels more stable the heavier the load in the trailer is, but I have to keep a careful eye on the tow bar weight and trailer tyre pressures.
You don't half get some funny looks - most people seem to think it's illegal, and are outraged, which is always good for a laugh....
Chris
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Right, one question, HOW FUCKIN OLD ARE YOU LOT? Bikes and trailers, mini caravans ,holy flying fucking cow. Next thing there will be a thread on what shade of pink should my next jacket be, or do these leather make my arse look big, get it together people. We may be getting old but you don't have to grow up and become the people you once laughed at.
motoddrob
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- S/W Australia
I've said it once and I'll say it again, Mcycles + trailers = trouble. If you want 4 wheels buy a car, 3 wheels get a Reliant Robin!!!
You just end up carrying a load of unnessary shit, not what motorcycling is about.
You wouldn't want to ride down a gravel road with one attached.
Personally I think they should be illegal. That's IMHO
You just end up carrying a load of unnessary shit, not what motorcycling is about.
You wouldn't want to ride down a gravel road with one attached.
Personally I think they should be illegal. That's IMHO
Grant said:
cwis said:
Probably why these contraptions are limited to 60km/h in Germany.
If I decide I need more stuff than fits on/in the bike, I take the roadster. If wifey decides she needs even more, we take the station wagon.... I do tend to leave the kitchen sink where it belongs.
piet
Dellortoman
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- Tasmania, Australia
I've never towed a trailer with a solo bike, and wouldn't be seen in public doing such a dopey thing. Kind of defeats the purpose of motorcycling as Rob said a couple of posts back.
However, I do tow a trailer behind a sidecar outfit as most of you know (I think there's a photo earlier in this thread). If you want to carry more junk than will fit on your bike, consider a sidecar. They're a slightly insane way of getting around, but a lot of fun. The reason I bought an outfit in the first place was to take my dog with me on road trips, but I soon found it's a very useful device for carrying all sorts of stuff - and towing trailers.
Having said that, I don't think a Laverda is the ideal tug for a sidecar. Ideally you need something with plenty of torque, liquid cooling, shaft drive, and enough space in the swing-arm for a car tyre (will need modified rim). My Kwak Z1300 fits those criteria, but If I was starting from scratch I'd go for one of those Triumph Rocket Three monstrosities. 2.3 litres of grunt. You could tow a caravan (and it's a triple)
Cheers,
Cam
However, I do tow a trailer behind a sidecar outfit as most of you know (I think there's a photo earlier in this thread). If you want to carry more junk than will fit on your bike, consider a sidecar. They're a slightly insane way of getting around, but a lot of fun. The reason I bought an outfit in the first place was to take my dog with me on road trips, but I soon found it's a very useful device for carrying all sorts of stuff - and towing trailers.
Having said that, I don't think a Laverda is the ideal tug for a sidecar. Ideally you need something with plenty of torque, liquid cooling, shaft drive, and enough space in the swing-arm for a car tyre (will need modified rim). My Kwak Z1300 fits those criteria, but If I was starting from scratch I'd go for one of those Triumph Rocket Three monstrosities. 2.3 litres of grunt. You could tow a caravan (and it's a triple)
Cheers,
Cam
motoddrob
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Totally agree Cam. I reckon sidecars are ace. Alot of my mates have them and do serious outback travels with them. The advantage of travelling with mates riding sidecars is that they always have cold beer.
I have a mate in Perth with an old 3c sidecar. Done hundreds of thousands of km through central Australia and until a couple of months ago has been bullit proof.
He was on his way north and managed to hole a piston. There has been photos posted of his outfit somewhere here, maybe even on this thread.
I'm glad I wasn't towing a trailer the other day when those cows ran out in front of me, it would have been expensive and painful.
I have a mate in Perth with an old 3c sidecar. Done hundreds of thousands of km through central Australia and until a couple of months ago has been bullit proof.
He was on his way north and managed to hole a piston. There has been photos posted of his outfit somewhere here, maybe even on this thread.
I'm glad I wasn't towing a trailer the other day when those cows ran out in front of me, it would have been expensive and painful.
Each to their own I suppose. Personally I think sidecars are an abomination.
All the disadvantages of a bike (weather, crash protection, etc etc) plus all the disadvantages of a car (no filtering, etc etc) plus some unique ones of their own (veering one way under braking, the other way under power, random stop to stop handlebar shakes at certain speeds, heavy steering, hugely compromised braking, etc etc.
And then the main disadvantage - the ability for it to flip over and crush you if you go into a corner too fast. I'd make THEM illegal, if I was in the habit of making things I personally disagree with or don't like illegal...
Face it - if they invented sidecars now they'd ban them. Same as horse riding on the public road - it's only the historical precedent that allows it to take place.
Luggage on motorcycles is always a compromise. Loading it all in panniers and tankbags completely fuck up the handling of any bike, and promotes instability. Fuck that.
I'd be interested to see some stats comparing the accident rate between towing and fully laden bikes...
The disadvantages of a trailer I've outlined, but personally I prefer that compromise over a heavily laden solo bike. My trailer is narrower than the handlebars, so I can't quite see how it "defeats the purpose of motorcycling" - what do you do on a bike that you can't do on a bike towing a trailer?
Be less conservative guys - that's what shows your age, not your pink leathers.
Chris
All the disadvantages of a bike (weather, crash protection, etc etc) plus all the disadvantages of a car (no filtering, etc etc) plus some unique ones of their own (veering one way under braking, the other way under power, random stop to stop handlebar shakes at certain speeds, heavy steering, hugely compromised braking, etc etc.
And then the main disadvantage - the ability for it to flip over and crush you if you go into a corner too fast. I'd make THEM illegal, if I was in the habit of making things I personally disagree with or don't like illegal...
Face it - if they invented sidecars now they'd ban them. Same as horse riding on the public road - it's only the historical precedent that allows it to take place.
Luggage on motorcycles is always a compromise. Loading it all in panniers and tankbags completely fuck up the handling of any bike, and promotes instability. Fuck that.
I'd be interested to see some stats comparing the accident rate between towing and fully laden bikes...
The disadvantages of a trailer I've outlined, but personally I prefer that compromise over a heavily laden solo bike. My trailer is narrower than the handlebars, so I can't quite see how it "defeats the purpose of motorcycling" - what do you do on a bike that you can't do on a bike towing a trailer?
Be less conservative guys - that's what shows your age, not your pink leathers.
Chris
CLEMTOG
Hero member
I am a caravan enthusuast, I have had a touring 'van since 1979, and I have bought two brand new ones, I have never towed a caravan with anything less than six cylinders and three litres, and usually eight cylinders and more than five litres with a short time useing a vee twelve of nearly six litres.I had one caravan which clocked 30,000 miles which in car terms is equivalent to 300,000 miles, My longest trip has been 4,500 miles in four and half weeks,which included one session of 1100 miles done in 22 hours without a stop of longer than 10 minutes,many ILOC rallies have been enhanced by the presence of my caravan, dispensing alcohol late into the night, or tea and bacon butties in the morning. I say all this because I feel that I know a lot about touring caravans, both the good side of them and the bad, amd I am very aware that there are a lot of people who get annpoyed by them on the road, usually because they are being towed by twats who cant drive and have underpowered tractive units.I have spent my entire adult life, until recently driving more than 30,00 miles per year, and a few times 50,000, this includes some time as an HGV class 1 driver, in both RHD and LHD trucks one of which was owned by Team Surtees, although that has never been my profession.
That Laverda caravan is in the last category,(bad) everything about it is wrong, it is not even good looking, what where they thinking about, at least they reealised it and dropped it ,only to introduce one that does at least resemble a normal one, The Laverda (some where badged Mirage) looks like a corrugated iron (wriggly tin), shed on wheels, I am ashamed.
Chris you should note that motorcycle and sidecar combinations have been regarded for a long time as one of the safest vehicles on the road, with almost a zero accidnet rate, which is why the insurers give stupidly low rates for those that have a permantly atatched sidecar.The accident rate for bikes towing trailers in the UK is also incredibly low, with not one accident haveing been recorded by a bike towing a monowheel trailer in the UK.
CLEM
That Laverda caravan is in the last category,(bad) everything about it is wrong, it is not even good looking, what where they thinking about, at least they reealised it and dropped it ,only to introduce one that does at least resemble a normal one, The Laverda (some where badged Mirage) looks like a corrugated iron (wriggly tin), shed on wheels, I am ashamed.
Chris you should note that motorcycle and sidecar combinations have been regarded for a long time as one of the safest vehicles on the road, with almost a zero accidnet rate, which is why the insurers give stupidly low rates for those that have a permantly atatched sidecar.The accident rate for bikes towing trailers in the UK is also incredibly low, with not one accident haveing been recorded by a bike towing a monowheel trailer in the UK.
CLEM
CLEMTOG said:
Hi Clem,
The reason why sidecars are statistically safe is because they do virtually zero miles, in good weather, and are owned and ridden by shall we say, the older and more cautious motorcyclist.
It says nothing about how intrinsically safe they are per se - I would imagine (but I admit that I have no numbers to back this up) that the accident rate involving sidecars was far higher (compared to other vehicle types) in the 30's through to the 60's when they were used by a more generally representative proportion of the population, for day to day commuting and business, in all weathers. You're confusing correlation with causality - the old "red cars have more accidents" issue.
The same applies to mono-wheel trailers - their use is so low, statistically, that no real conclusions as to their relative safety can be made.
Trailer safety could go either way, compared to heavily loaded solo bikes and sidecars - what I'm saying is (not to you personally, but generally):
Without a clear statistical indication either way, go with your preferences, but don't make the common mistake of assuming that you way you have chosen to transport luggage on a bike is the best one, considering that you have made that decision based on nothing but your own prejudices and preconceived ideas.
Chris
motoddrob
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"What do you do on a bike that you can't do on a bike towing a trailer? "
Stop a hell of a lot quicker on a gravel road, it's the difference between wearing an emu, kangaroo or 2 cows leaping out in front of you from nowhere.
Riding in the UK/Europe is nothing like what we have in Oz once you get off the main road. You only see trailers on Hwy1 real adventurous that is!!
Stop a hell of a lot quicker on a gravel road, it's the difference between wearing an emu, kangaroo or 2 cows leaping out in front of you from nowhere.
Riding in the UK/Europe is nothing like what we have in Oz once you get off the main road. You only see trailers on Hwy1 real adventurous that is!!
B
bob
Guest
Regarding sidecars here's some useful tips I've cribbed from a sidecar enthusiasts site. If you're thinking of using the outfit for a spot of courting I reckon this advice could be invaluable,
"When you first get your sidecar, let her sniff it, investigate and jump inside if she wants. Reward her with treats when she is being calm and when she is starting to get relaxed. Tell her ?Good girl? and give her positive reinforcement in the form of affection. REPEAT THIS FOR A FEW DAYS, encouraging her to get inside, and again, give affection. Really make it a big deal when she gets inside, and is calm. When she is past that stage, and is comfortable, turn the bike on. This will probably scare her, but stay calm, encourage her over and ONLY reward her when she is finally calm with it running. Don?t pet her and coddle her when she is nervous and scared. Just keep encouraging her forward. Patience is KEY HERE.
And yes, something to restrain her would be the best idea."
The only thing I'd add to this is that a small amount of Rohypnol might hit the spot, not too much, just enough to take the fight out of her...
"When you first get your sidecar, let her sniff it, investigate and jump inside if she wants. Reward her with treats when she is being calm and when she is starting to get relaxed. Tell her ?Good girl? and give her positive reinforcement in the form of affection. REPEAT THIS FOR A FEW DAYS, encouraging her to get inside, and again, give affection. Really make it a big deal when she gets inside, and is calm. When she is past that stage, and is comfortable, turn the bike on. This will probably scare her, but stay calm, encourage her over and ONLY reward her when she is finally calm with it running. Don?t pet her and coddle her when she is nervous and scared. Just keep encouraging her forward. Patience is KEY HERE.
And yes, something to restrain her would be the best idea."
The only thing I'd add to this is that a small amount of Rohypnol might hit the spot, not too much, just enough to take the fight out of her...
padlock
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bob said:
strike750
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Thank the darklord I ride a Zane trailers, side cars (my missus think olive on the buses 
)
trailers, side cars (my missus think olive on the buses )