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Sidecar transport Trailer sizes

I've seen a few questions on this forum and others about sidecar trailer requirements. In 2014 when we ordered our Motorvation Spyder, we asked about trailer size suggestions. 7' wide enclosed utility and similar trailers would not suffice, a suggestion from Motorvation. We purchased a Car Hauler, 8.5' x 20' from an Indianapolis local dealer of United Trailer products, a UTX 20. The attached pic shows the initial pick up fitment in Iowa a year later. We have hauled both her Trike Conversion, the Sidecar rig, and a few accessories on several occasions. Since the initial pick up, the UTX has been insulated, electrified, windowed, doored, and canopied.

But for a Spyder on a Harley, a 8.5' car hauler works.

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My solution is "slightly" different. I bought a used Aluma A888 for $1600. The deck is 88" x 100". The side rails that came with it were too short and narrow for loading and unloading, so I bought two big ramps (this one.) And a wheel chock. Total cost to me about $2000. My 1200GS Adventure with M72DX sidecar fits with room to spare.

And like yours, I can use mine for camping, since the tent I use fits fine on a 88"x100" footprint! Laughing

DRONE - 6/16/2016 10:55 AM

And like yours, I can use mine for camping, since the tent I use fits fine on a 88"x100" footprint! Laughing

Camping platform, Even better! The other reason for the car hauler....

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I'd originally bought a 7' wide that the FLH/Liberty barely fit in. Then, once inside, it was a pain to dismount and to move around to tie it down. My son wanted that trailer for his dirt bikes. OK... That worked well, I bought an 8.5X12 that is much more suited to the purpose of rarely hauling the rig in the first place. It's only money.

That's interesting, Tom I just took delivery of a new 8.5x12 with V-nose because the 8x12 was too narrow for the new-to-me GW/Hannigan.

I have a Harley Ultra with Harley Sidecar. I picked up an open tilt trailer that is 75" from inside rail to inside rail and the bed is 10 foot. I have about 2 inches clearance on each side when loaded. I've installed a 12 volt winch with deep cycle battery to aid in loading. Haven't tested the winch yet. I did haul the rig down to Bike Week in 2011 which was around 1100 miles with no problems.

Ralph, if I could have found a 7.5 wide at the time I bought the 7 wide, I'd probably still have it. And after I sold the 7 wide to Seth at his request, I'd planned on getting an 8 wide but 8.5 is the standard so I went with that. Glad I did. My original thought when I got the narrower trailer was to see better out my mirrors. I bought mirror extenders to go with the new trailer but not real sure they're necessary. The FLH rig fits the new trailer like a dream. The Dyna/Spalding rig is so low to the ground I haven't had it inside the trailer yet but to load and unload, I'll have to find enough of a hill that the ramp door will be a lot less steep than it is on level ground. A bit of a challenge.

Tom,
Run your back tires of your truck up on to 2 2X8 blocks. This will lower the back of the trailer.

Good thought. Thanks Richard. I'm going to take the side stand off and see if that will give me enough clearance. If not the blocks would be easy to have along... And I've got the open trailer that tilts for an option like when the belt broke here in my driveway. Best possible place to break down!

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Tom, I got some extension mirrors too. They shake a lot but are ok. I had to choose where to load-unload because of belly pan clearance. My driveway has an upslope to the street here but will have to be careful on the level. That's a good idea, Richard. I always carry some blocks anyway. Sorry about your belt, lucky it didn't happen on your trip.

SidehackRalf - 6/18/2016 9:03 AM

Tom, I got some extension mirrors too. They shake a lot but are ok. I had to choose where to load-unload because of belly pan clearance. My driveway has an upslope to the street here but will have to be careful on the level. That's a good idea, Richard. I always carry some blocks anyway. Sorry about your belt, lucky it didn't happen on your trip.

It was the FXDWG/Spalding rig the belt broke on. But you're so right. Not good to break down on a trip. BTDT... Almost did coming into Libby on fumes last summer. I know someone who would have come to my assistance though. lol... The FLH broke down in Nelson BC two years ago with electronic problems. I came home in a U Haul truck. We do what we have to...

Another comment on extension mirrors... mine slide onto the regular mirrors. No shake but the standard mirrors are wide angle ("objects in mirror are closer than they appear") and the extensions are not. Strange perspective. And they make the overall width of my pickup really wide.

My trailer is not the most convenient, but is more than adequate for my rig. My Valkyrie/Motorvation Formula II LTD rig is wider than my car so I use a 8.5' x 20' May trailer with twin 7,000# axles. ??

Some years ago I bought a 16 foot flat bed car hauler to move a 35 HP tractor around. It barely fits with the front end loader and an implement on the back. Now I use it more for hauling sidecar rigs than anything else. Can fit any two of my rigs on it. Have to admit it is wide open and offers little protection for the rigs but it is sturdy as all get out and cost me $850. It has hauled rigs from south MS to northern OH and as far north as a mile from the Canadian border in VT. Guess it depends on how comfortable you want to be, etc. It has also hauled a couple of broken down cars/jeeps.

With the open flat bed trailer, the extension mirrors are not so critical. My Dodge Ram has the fold out type and they work fine.

Richard - Thanks for the tip on running the rear wheels up on blocks. Had a problem with than in the past and it never dawned on me to use blocks.

Good point on the open trailer Mike. I have both, an enclosed (new and so far unused) and the open tilt trailer. It's the one my Dyna with the broken belt is on above. The advantages to it are the fact the whole trailer bed tilts so other than winching the disabled bike on there is no high center problem like with the ramp on the other trailer. And it's much easier to tie down on than my too narrow enclosed trailer was. But like you say, less protection on the road. The main advantage to the enclosed trailer is that it serves as a "poor man's RV" on the rare occasion I'd trailer to a rally. Those cases being if I'm helping put it on and transporting tables, coffee pots, chairs and the like in the pickup with the rig in the trailer. I had a tent made for the previous trailer that snapped on the rear of the trailer and the ramp on jack stands for a larger living space. Too expensive for no more than it got used. I passed it on to my son when he bought that trailer from me of course.