No-Wheels-Trailer

[Konrad]

I really didn’t want the parking hassle of pulling a trailer but still wanted more storage area for a long trip with my 2006 GL1800 Roadsmith trike. I took a long look at the pretty commercial products available and thought about $$$.

I needed to make my own and being totally mechanically inept did not deter me.

Actually, a very simple job as the Roadsmith conversion comes complete with trailer hitch (which according to RS will easily handle 100 lbs.) and for a few bucks extra a pre-attached wiring harness. So all I really needed was two items: a flat hitch-mounted rack and a cargo box or suitcase. I fount the hitch-rack-tray (21” x 15”) online last winter for $50. (Google “hitch mount cargo carrier” or some such.) The weather-proof box is a Rubbermaid Action Packer I got at Costco for $18.

Note that the tray I bought has a bolt-on stabilizer on each side of the bright central hitch bar. Those stabilizing rails are adjustable for distance between the tray and the rear of the bike. (Yes - I can get stuff out of the trunk without removing the box!)

The box was a little bit larger than the tray and would not fit within the 3/4” high sides so I cut a couple of wood strips to the inside dimensions of the tray and fastened them to the bottom of the box with screws from the inside. The box now fits inside the tray perfectly without any lateral shift.

One hold-down strap keeps it from moving. Period! I did add some stretegically-placed eye-bolts to the tray for the tie-downs.

I loaded the box with 45 lbs of weights and went off down the road for a test run on superslab and curves - couldn’t even tell it was there!

But getting cautious in my old age I wanted lights on the back end of that extension so I went to an auto parts store and found quite an assortment of LED lighting. I chose some flat LEDs in a pack of two with a test battery built-in that impressed me with their brightness. Bought two packs. These are glue-on - clean tray edge with alcohol before applying. Two strips in center of rear tray edge for a tail light and one strip on each end for turn signals.

I bought a flat four-wire trailer harness extender and wired the LEDs to the appropriate wires of the extender and fastened everything to the underside of the perforated steel tray with zip ties.

OK - so it’s not color-coordinated, but it’s not expensive either and it is very serviceable and comes off when I don’t need it. Great for travel and great for a grocery run.

 

[keepinon]

I like it! When I travel, I go pretty lightly, usually just one bag on the passenger seat. This would give additional room for the wife's stuff, should she ever go, and without spending a fortune.

 

[Memnoch451]

I never have pulled a trailer on a bike or trike.. at that point I am towing it behind the RV. I like you ideal... don't like the fact it's not secured with a lock to the trike. Other than that.. It's makes sense and was well with in your budget... What could be better!!!! ThumbUp

 

[Saltywheels]

Did the same thing but with a tray fabricated by Meredog (our forum). The rack is large enough to hold a roll-on- bag. Rest essentially similar to yrs. But my system can lock with pins onto the trike (csc kit).

 

[Shimpy]

Just in case you encounter a problem with the police for covering up your license plate I'd have a backup plan of removing your plate and attaching it to the back where it can be seen should you be stopped. I've never heard of anyone having a problem, and I have a Pack-it-Rack which covers the plate, so I always carry some wire ties that I can use to attach plate to luggage rack on trunk if it ever is a problem.

 

[Ozarkryder]

One of Missouri's proposed bills has provisions for motorists to buy an extra Temp plate that matches the permanent ones on a vehicle to put on bike racks, cooler/package racks that block the existing plate. If it passes we'll see what they do for motorcycles - as of now it just refers to motorists getting the plate for a vehicle.

 

[Saltywheels]

Ouch, Shimpy....u are right! Haven't been stopped yet, but need plan-b. What you are suggesting is a great idea. Will put it in place. Thks dude!

 

[Konrad]

I never have pulled a trailer on a bike or trike.. at that point I am towing it behind the RV. I like you ideal... don't like the fact it's not secured with a lock to the trike. Other than that.. It's makes sense and was well with in your budget... What could be better!!!! ThumbUp

The LOCK! I forgot to mention. The tray is fastened to the trike by way of a locking hitch pin. The box can be fastened to the tray with a locking vinyl-covered steel cable and at night the box goes into the motel room.

 

[Konrad]

Just in case you encounter a problem with the police for covering up your license plate I'd have a backup plan of removing your plate and attaching it to the back where it can be seen should you be stopped. I've never heard of anyone having a problem, and I have a Pack-it-Rack which covers the plate, so I always carry some wire ties that I can use to attach plate to luggage rack on trunk if it ever is a problem.

DARNED GOOD IDEA! Thanks.

 

[Memnoch451]

The LOCK! I forgot to mention. The tray is fastened to the trike by way of a locking hitch pin. The box can be fastened to the tray with a locking vinyl-covered steel cable and at night the box goes into the motel room.

Right on... Nothing worse than stopping for gas and having to leave a sentry posted at the trike...lol

I like the idea of a cooler more than I like the idea of bringing more stuff from home. It seems that we are always in need of a sandwich on our road trips. But, than again it's kind of a nice change to live dangerously and eat at a place named Bob's pig feet or Jerry's all you can eat second hand sushi

 

[Blondie Gal]

Right on... Nothing worse than stopping for gas and having to leave a sentry posted at the trike...lol

I like the idea of a cooler more than I like the idea of bringing more stuff from home. It seems that we are always in need of a sandwich on our road trips. But, than again it's kind of a nice change to live dangerously and eat at a place named Bob's pig feet or Jerry's all you can eat second hand sushi

We do both - take sandwich stuff in our cooler with lots of soft drinks, and then check out the local, uh, 'cuisine' when bologna sammiches aren't quite what we crave!

 

[Shimpy]

But, than again it's kind of a nice change to live dangerously and eat at a place named Bob's pig feet or Jerry's all you can eat second hand sushi

You might as well try some of those out of the way local places. I use to avoid them, but have been food poisoned at some of the best places such as Wendy's, a beautiful restaurant outside Gatlinburg Tenn. and a luxury cruise ship. Some of the best eating I've experienced has been at places you'd just pass by because of their looks but stopped there because recommend by friends. One that comes to mind is Hot Rods in Lutz Florida whose claim to fame is their BBQ'd swamp bat. How many of you would be willing to give THAT a try?

 

[team5150]

I did the same thing for our trike.

I cut down a rack so it wouldn't block the lights and bought a waterproof box from Bass Pro Shop. I welded a standard 2" hitch to the underside CSC hitch. I put LED's an the back for safety.

I made a color copy of the plate, sealed it with a laminator and mounted on the back of the rack so we wouldn't have any problems with LEO's.

We went on 9 day 2500 mile trip last year with it and did Yellowstone as well.

It held up great and we had a LOT of stuff in it. I could hardly pick the box up half way through our trips. The nice thing is the box also has wheels on it so you can pull it around.

Here it is on top of Beartooth pass.

 

[Big_Blue]

Don't you have a problem with the weight on the tray not being balanced, or shifting out of balance while you're going down the road?

 

[Konrad]

You load your box evenly, you strap it down securely, it stays put. I put a heavy suitcase on mine for a 5,300 mile trip recently and never noticed it being there until the next motel stop.