Hi All,

Well, I took the back of my scooter all apart and did a very comprehensive study on hard point, bolt-on locations for the installation of a trailer hitch for the scoot.

I did look at the welded hitch recivers that a few have installed and they were just not that easy for the average scooter jocky to install.

I made my own. I used stronger material with heavy welds and reinforced bolt holes.

The hitch installed very easily with 3 new bolts and a spacer and only took a half an hour to do. I would trust this hitch to do a good job pulling any light weight scooter trailer on the road today.

Now with that said...some pictures:








I hope you like it.

DennisB

While I would never consider pulling a trailer with any sort of 2 wheeled vehicle (scooter and/or motorcycle), I would shy away from something attached to the rear axle. I have pulled many trailers with my cars and pickups, but only with frame mounted hitches.

All of that said, it looks like a quality product and I hope you do well with it.

Jon,

If I was a betting man, I would be a lot richer right now.

DennisB

Hi Jon... I have been several places that I have seen trailers being pulled by motorcycles... agreed most have been the bigger guys like the GWs and similar. I have seen one behind a SW. There was a really unique trailer designed by one of our fellow forum members that was a one wheeler. I think he was from AZ or somewhere out there close to you. I could have used a trailer when my wife and I made the trip to your state early this month.
I am curious about your concern about being attached to rear axle. I had a picture flash in my head when you said you had always pulled a trailer with a pickup or car with only frame mounted hitch. Well, DUH... All of the trailers I have EVER pulled with my pickup were pretty heavy trailers. But what I want to pull with my scooter would only be a light weight trailer with a light load. I have needed a little more cargo capacity when my wife and I both travel on the one bike. Not gonna haul cows or horses or pulp wood. Just a couple more suitcases or something like that.
I will bet you a dollar against a doughnut that before Dennis puts this item on the street, he will do the research with empirical data for us to consider.
If this works out and I get one, I will load up the wife again and come to your house to get my doughnut. In the spring of course. After the rainy season.

Gary,

If you ride through Oklahoma in the spring time chances are you will see more mud raining down on you. Darn tornado's pick it up and carry it for hundreds miles before letting it fall back to earth to land on your scooters windshield as mud.

I've never seen anything like it untill I moved here.

DennisB

I am slightly confused!!!

My 2007 manual actually advises against towing with the Wing. Surely Honda have a good reason to print that!

Hi Wasie,

I just looked over the owners manual and I didn't see it. What page is that statement on? I did see a statement about not taking off the wheels and that only a honda dealer should do that.

DennisB

This is the one wheel trailer I read about on this forum... from UTAH....not Arizona .

http://www.silverwing600.com/silver-wing-topics-f3/hitch-and-one-wheel-trailer-for-my-silverwing-t601.htm?highlight=trailer

Hi Guy's,

Here's a couple more pictures of Silverwings with trailers:

I like this setup.

While I can't make any specific engineering claims, and wouldn't for liability purposes, I've been around the Silverwing community long enough to see it is a workhorse bike far beyond what Honda has envisioned or approved.

Couples totalling over 500lbs have claimed to ride two-up on long tours.
You've seen some of the examples of trailers, and the flexibility they have for customization isn't much less than the Goldwing. I've never seen anyone tax the electrical system beyond what it can handle.

I think we all made a good choice in bikes.

[quote="honda_silver] Some insurance companies warn that any frame modifications could void your insurance. Since your hitch does not modify the frame ... it would be safe.[/quote]

I certainly wouldn't pursue the issue with a few UK insurance companies. Any excuse to not pay would be identified so as to not pay up. (Experience of moding cars and then being told by the Ins company it wasn't stock and therefor the claim was denied).

However my intent is not to criticise the set up simply to quote from Honda's owners manual so we all are aware of the whole picture!

The same applies to topboxes/cases.
I haven't read the Silverwing handbook in detail yet but both Piaggio and Givi state that scooters/bikes should not be ridden at more than 80mph with a topbox fitted and also state weight-limits.

I'm fairly careful about how much I put in my topbox but never weigh it and I've been known to 'test' my maxis in excess of 80mph on private roads!

Setting the bar higher and breaking through limits....If we as humans did not set the bar higher for ourselves and test the limits of our invironment, we would, no doubt, have never walked on the moon but remained scared small hominids hiding in the grass lands of Africa.

NO...we stood up.... with a rock in one hand and a sharp stick in the other and faced down those things that hunted us and used us as a food source.

Now, as the new dominant species, we looked up at the moon and stars in the night sky and wondered "what would it take to go there".

Your a human....you set the bar as high or as low as you want. You set your own bar and yes YOU get to decide to reach for the stars or be just someones lunch.

DennisB

Dennis, I remember well the first thoughts I had about moon visits. I looked up and wondered... " what would it take to put my little brother there?"

I have the same hitch as Dennis B. came from a company in the province of Quebec. Have had no problems with it towing my home built trailer which weights 100lbs empty or 160lbs loaded with my camping gear. Not much different than a passanger, I have had it cruising over 130km (80mph) follows like a dream.
You can see pictures of it in my Album.

Hi Regors,

Yes, I looked at their hitch. They used the only strong attaching bolt locations on the back of the scooter. When I made mine, I reinforced all the bolt holes and added a small guesset to the left attachment to make it stronger. I did call them and asked if they had a patent and they said no....So I made my own and made it stronger.

I like your trailer. You did a nice job. Did you use aluminum for the frame or steel?

Did you use a hitch swival on your trailer arm? They are kinda pricey but I think well worth the extra money. I was going to use one when I get around to building my trailer.

You did a nice job. You have the nicest equipment hauler I've seen yet.

DennisB

Hey Dennis, I used a regular hitch coupler, you have to lean the motorcycle over quite a bit to try to lift a wheel up and I usually don't ride like that.
The one place I think the swivel hitch coupler would make a big difference would be it would greatly reduce wear and tear over time.
Like you said rather pricey but I will probably end up with one in the future.
I used 3/4" X 1 1/4" steel on edge for my frame, 2" X 2" for the tongue.

Do you mean something like this?

You can find out more about it here:
http://www.drivelikeapro.com/pages/detail_motorcycles.html

My hitch weight is 15lbs which is the ideal for the hitch I have, that "drivelikeapro" case would be around 40lbs if sticking to company recommendation which seems way too much for hitch weight on a Swing.

Then all you need for a basket is a deep dish hub cap.
The parts that normally attach to the wheel can be face up and would provide enough support to stop the bottom of the bag from moving around.

BTW that drivelike a pro case is only 15lbs with the top, and the top is removable.

Dan.

Guy's, I'm not a gulfer. How much does a set of gulf clubs and bag weigh?

DennisB

I googled that question and answers ranged on average from 30-40 lbs.

Dan, your not going to be driving around with an empty case are you?

A better idea would be to swap out the wheels on your pull golf cart with high speed wheels then rig up an attachment system to drag it behind.
You would also need a cover on the bag so as no clubs could go for a wander. But then you would need a set of tow lights like the tow truck drivers use.
And the Insurance Company would probably want it licensed.