Enclosed Trailer width to transport a sidecar rig?

Originally written by Santa Ernest on 2/18/2008 10:49 AM

I am building a rig with a kawasaki 1500 drifter and a Champion Legend sidecar. Can I get this into a 7X12 enclosed MC trailer? Anyone hauling a rig in an enclosed trailer please respond? Car is on order so I can't just go measure the thing! Thanks, Santa Ernest

The short answer is "Probably Not". When I had my Valkyrie rig, the enclosed trailers I found all had 6 or 6'6" doors. From outside edge to outside edge, my outfit was 84 inches wide. Then consider that many wide enclosed trailers have wheel wells inside of them.
I'd wait until you have the rig on the road before I start looking for a trailer. When I bought my open trailer, I took the rig along and didn't make a choice until I actually rode the bike up on to it and saw how much room I had.

Like so many things these days, if you buy the trailer and your rig doesn't fit, you'll take a huge hit trying to sell it.

The interference point for loading is at the doorposts or drop door cables. As mentioned; the rig won't pass this point when loading.
I ordered a custom 12' Haulmark Low-Hauler for my rigs and after driving from Marysville, WA to Provo, Utah to pick it up, found it was not wide enough for a Factory Harley rig.
As a result I built a 9' open drive on ramp trailer with a 13" high deck for picking up sidecar rigs. A late GL outfit is a bit too long to close the tailgate all the way but I don't haul them too often anyway.

Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars

Thanks Mike! Good advice. We will be transporting the rig all around the USA so an enclosed trailer is a must. Check out our website:
www.Santa-America.org We are the largest volunteer Santa charity in the USA. Visit kids 12 months a year. Santa Ernest

Hi Hackin!! The 8.5X 12 Haulmark is the EXACT trailer we are looking at and yes, it still needs to be ordered custom for $6K+. We will be hauling the rig to charity events all over the USA so need an enclosed trailer. See our website at: www.Santa-America.org
Sidecar is perfect for our special needs children who we visit 12 months a year.
This trailer thing is driving Old Santa nuts!! Your right, best to assemble the rig and go try an 8.5 trailer.......was trying to save time
Santa Ernest

Dear Santa E.

Bless you for the work you do...Modelflyered.

When You will wind up with a rig and make a couple of turns with the kids they will get hooked on it too.
Back in Germany we made twice a year (winter and early summer) rig meetings at an institution for mentally retarded kids. That were their favourate moments in the year, even much more exciting then Chrismas. The kids spoke all year about it.
Good bless You with Your mission.
Sven Peter Pan

I haul my Harley/Liberty in an Interstate 7X12 trailer. It barely fits through the door and I have to drop the door cables in order to get it in. I built a tool to make that easier. It's more of a PITA than a wider trailer would be but I can see behind me in the mirrors better than I could with a wider trailer. Seems to me, without going out to measure it again, that the door opening is 70" on my trailer. 72" would be better.

I have a 1999 1500 Drifter with a Motorvation Spyder sidecar. It is just a hair under 6 feet wide. As mentioned from others, the door to the trailer is usually the sticking point on an enclosed trailer. Most manufacturers list there door dimensions.

I just bought a 8.5 x 12 ft. enclosed trailer last summer. My sidecar rig is a GL1500/Champion Escort. The inside fender wells are 81" wide and the door width is 82". I have to fold back the left mirror to clear the cable. When loaded there is about 2" clearance on the left and about 3" on the right. I found that the overall width of a trailer was usually 1 ft. narrower in the doorway. The 7 ft. was 6 ft. door, etc. When I ordered this one the 8.5' was a small option and made more width inside compared to the 8 ft. I have a little less than $5,000 in it with a few add-ons like spare tire and bracket, tie-down D-rings, one-piece top, stabilizer jacks in the back and RV door on the side so you can lock it from the inside and use like a camper, also a roof vent. Hope this answers your questions.
Ralph

Originally written by SidehackRalf on 2/20/2008 12:23 PM

I just bought a 8.5 x 12 ft. enclosed trailer last summer. My sidecar rig is a GL1500/Champion Escort. The inside fender wells are 81" wide and the door width is 82". I have to fold back the left mirror to clear the cable. When loaded there is about 2" clearance on the left and about 3" on the right. I found that the overall width of a trailer was usually 1 ft. narrower in the doorway. The 7 ft. was 6 ft. door, etc. When I ordered this one the 8.5' was a small option and made more width inside compared to the 8 ft. I have a little less than $5,000 in it with a few add-ons like spare tire and bracket, tie-down D-rings, one-piece top, stabilizer jacks in the back and RV door on the side so you can lock it from the inside and use like a camper, also a roof vent. Hope this answers your questions.
Ralph

Sounds Nice. What brand is it? This sounds like one many of us could use.

It's called Cargo Mate. Trail Blazer model.
Ralph