I have a Honda GL1800 with Champion Escort sidecar that I want to attach a trailer hitch to pull a small utility trailer. It would be easy to attach a rail between the bike & sidecar and bolt the hitch ball to that so the trailer would be centered between the bike & chair. But I was concerned about the strength of the mounting bolts where the chair attaches to the bike and if was strong enough for the added stress a trailer would add.
For peace of mind I have decided to order a Bushtec hitch and pull the trailer behind the bike. My question is about fabricating an extension that would move the hitch ball over between the bike/sidecar. Not sure how to explain it, like maybe a L shape bracket from the Bushtec receiver to between the bike'sidecar. Has anyone done this and does it effect handling of the rig? I am sure it can be made strong enough, if it does not cause any problems while riding.
A lot of folks pull from the inside rail of the sidecar to eliminate having an overwidth rig. The attachment bolts on your escort should be grade 8 (aircraft quality) and have tremendous shear strength. I've never heard of a failure.
That having been said, the 1800 GL frame isn't the strongest frame on the market. Some (with Escorts) have cracked near the attachments in the past.
The Bushtech trailer is narrow enough that it may not cause the width (clearance) problems on narrow mountain pass roads that some others do when pulled from the rear of the bike.
Lonnie
I have a Dnepr with a factory hitch and a Dnepr trailer. The hitch is clamped with three saddle type pipe clamps to the inside rail of the sidecar. The trailer is rated to carry 600lbs. The tongue of the trailer is offset, to allow the trailer to track exactly behind the rig. I haven't changed the lousy soviet bolts out of the hitch clamps yet and they haven't broken, even with a fully loaded trailer, though I do plan to change them out. Fully loaded, acceleration and braking are affected, but it handles about the same as unloaded. There is no pulling left or right, though, on acceleration or braking, that is something I'd be concerned with when mounting the hitch to the bike.
Dave
