Anyone have a photo of a trailer hitch mounted to a Cal. 3? My bike has the hitch mounted on the back of the bike, but it is just too wide when pulling a camper. I found myself in a position today on a winding road, where the sidecar tire dropped off of the pavement while the left side of the trailer was over the centerline.
I'd like to move a hitch over to the centerline, but thought I'd check here before I reinvent the wheel.
Thanks,
Mike
Just wander. Can trailer been done with pulling part moved to left side of it???
VLAD - 8/15/2011 5:40 PM Just wander. Can trailer been done with pulling part moved to left side of it???
Mine is now in line behind the bike. It needs to be moved to the right. I was hoping someone could show me how they did it on this model of sidecar.
Having the tongue pull from one side would cause handling problems.
L.
Hack'n - 8/15/2011 6:26 PMHaving the tongue pull from one side would cause handling problems.L.
What kind of problems?My Aspencade/HitchHiker, XS1100/Dnepr, Valkyrie/Ural, and Moto Guzzi/Formula 2 all had hitches in line with the left frame rail of the sidecar.I never had a problem pulling with any of them.
My Champion Escort came with the hitch "tube", I just had to buy the extension and a ball, it comes off the left side of the sidecar. I've got an older Kwik Kamp, I pulled with my GL1800. I've pulled it with my VTX, but have not wired my trailer lights so I've only pulled it around home. I've not tried pulling it loaded like I did with the Goldwing, I'd be hard pressed to try to pull with that much load on the VTX. I never had so much as a wiggle even as fast as 75 mph while it was pulled empty though.
Doc
I believe Vlad was referring to the tongue of the trailer being to one side, not an inside rail hitch. I have made hitches for the sidecar that use the bikeside sidecar frame tube which pretty well centers the trailer.
Here's one that pulled a camper behind a Victory Vegas.
L.
Hack'n - 8/15/2011 9:38 PM I believe Vlad was referring to the tongue of the trailer being to one side, not an inside rail hitch. I have made hitches for the sidecar that use the bikeside sidecar frame tube which pretty well centers the trailer. Here's one that pulled a camper behind a Victory Vegas. L.
I've seen trailers like that. Ural used to market one. Maybe they still do. I never thought of trying an offset tongue. Just the same, I'd rather build a hitch for the sidecar. I have a receiver on the bike. Maybe a receiver on the sidecar and a crossbar between the two? Then I could investigate the optimum position for the hitch.
Just returned from a 4868 mile trip through 13 states, with my GL1500 with a Champion Escort sidecar, pulling a home made cargo trailer. My hitch is mounted into the left sidecar frame. Had no problems pulling the trailer, but I did have severe problems getting the rig stopped. My sidecar brake is not hooked up, and the trailer weight and momentem added to the sidecar really pushed the bike hard to the left. On wet pavement my front tire, locked and slid to the left. My thoughts now are to hook up the brake on the sidecar, or modify the hitch, attaching it to the bike and sidecar with the ball mounted closer to the bike, but with the trailer still not extending to the left of the bike. I have a brake hose and double banjo bolt to hook the sidecar brake to the front brake master cylinder of the bike. This would still leave me with one front and the rear brakes operating normaly on my bike. I would like to find some kind of proportioning valve for the sidecar brake. I hear so many reports of problems with sidecar brakes, and the former owner, told me that he tried the brake and found it very erratic, and disconnected it, so I left it unhooked. With out the trailer, I don't have problems getting stopped. I don't have much sidecar experience, but thought that I would add my 2 cents worth, to give yall some more to think about.
Lloyd,When I bought my Formula 2 it came with both a master cylinder and pedal, and an adjustable proportioning valve. Perhaps contact Mary and see if they sell them separately.I have not yet mounted the Brembo brake on my California, but it has been reccomended that I attach it to the rear caliper rather than the front, as CSC suggest.
Lloyd,
What about electric brakes on the trailer?
I have a new proportioning valve for sale. $50. plus$5.95 priority mailing.
As pictured.
Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars, LLC
208-629-8409
nwsidecar@aol.com
Hack'n - 8/15/2011 7:26 PM
Having the tongue pull from one side would cause handling problems.
L.
What handling problems would it cause? What it will be a problem to move tong to the left side of the triler?
Having hitch in the middle of the rig makes lot more stress on the connectors.
SidecarMike - 8/16/2011 1:21 AM
Lloyd,When I bought my Formula 2 it came with both a master cylinder and pedal, and an adjustable proportioning valve. Perhaps contact Mary and see if they sell them separately.I have not yet mounted the Brembo brake on my California, but it has been reccomended that I attach it to the rear caliper rather than the front, as CSC suggest.
My sidecar brakes connected to front brake. Have no problems. Going straigt when i use brakes. Front brake fills little soft, but no problems with brakes.
An asymetrical trailer would have the same effects experienced with an asymetrical vehicle (sidecar rig). Acceleration will cause a tendency to lag on the side farthest from the drawbar, possibly resulting in fishtailing. Deceleration and braking would cause an opposing weight shift.
Lateral stresses would occur here too. I would imagine there would also be some tire scuffing and less tire mileage.
L.
