So here is the story on the "ROAMIN' CHARIOT" single wheel trailer.
Several years ago, my brother wanted an efficient way to deliver newspapers on a motor route and maybe also a way to carry his two beagles to the dog park using his motorcycle. Side hacks and trailers were discussed and finally we decided on a trailer since a hack would be trickier to do. Even more so if it were a tilting hack. Researching, we came across a single wheel trailer site. Several of them were for scooters and motorcycles. Some old, some new and some were one-off home builds. Lots of good ideas here, some of which were incorporated into the design of my trailer.
http://www.singlewheel.com/
I thought something like that would be great for hauling stuff on a tour. Now that I'm retired, I seem to have some spare time to devote to doing longer rides. So after doing some thinking and making sketches and having some specifications in mind, I contracted with a welding fabricator to build my trailer.
Close up of the hitch point. Having the hitch mount up high like this did present some challenges. But, I made do with what I had and there are other trailers that mount high successfully. This hitch has been slightly modified since this picture. Some reinforcing was added to prevent the tab mounted on the rear wing from bending down and closer tolerance bolts were used to take out all of the free play in the fittings. It would allow a pretty severe wobble of the trailer without those fixes. You can see that difference with this image and the "Bad Axe" image where you can see the hitch tab is actually bent down and then the reinforced hitch in the "Exit 13" image. But all is good now. I may or may not have the hitch mounted lower some time later. It would take some figuring out how to make a hitch fixture fit in the available space without cutting holes into the scooter body plastic. A friend gave me some plans for a hitch that was used for a Yamaha Majesty that could probably be adapted to work on the Reflex with a single wheel hitch.
At the fabricator shop. A test fit to make sure it "hangs" OK on the scooter. Laid a pallet on the frame and took a 200 pounds+ sized employee for a little ride around the parking lot. He almost fell off a couple times from laughing so hard. It was a hoot to see. Man, but it turns so smoothly. I'm really surprised how steady it makes the scooter feel.
A close up of the trailer swing arm. Nice welds!
Checking out how pet carrier looks and how to do tail light pillar while giving door clearance.
Say, isn't that a car tire on the back of that scooter?....Why yes it is!!! (and that's a whole different story itself!)
Looking at profile of trailer with pet carrier. Thinking about how to make it easy, on easy off. Well, it turns out my brother decided against using any bike for newspaper delivery. Seems he couldn't really afford a trailer after all. So I only had the one built for myself. (so far)
I decided to have the trailer upgraded at a custom bike shop and had the diamond plate work done along with the addition of the tail light pillar. Trailer in the driveway, assembled before painting and wiring were done. When I picked the trailer up at the shop, The guy said it reminded him of one of those Roman chariots. So that is what I call it now, my "ROAMIN' CHARIOT" He said that was a neat name for it and fit it well.
Rattle can painted objects d'art drying in an oh so gentle breeze crossing the driveway. LOL! (must be effects of paint fumes. Phew!!)
All together and wired up. Nice diamond plate cover over the empty brake drum. Replaced the old open bearing with a new sealed bearing for the axle on this side. The Honda Reflex "rear wing", minibike shock, Honda CBR600RR tail lights and a front wheel from a Yamaha Riva were cheap ebay finds. The wiring, connectors and chrome look wire sheathing were from the local auto parts store and were relatively easy to install. Swingarm pivot ends covered with black plastic caps to finish it off. Rattle can paint and final assembly I did myself as well.
Rubber trim was later added to the hard thin edge of the forward splash guard.
Finally got the trailer all done along with getting a license plate for it. Had to get it weighed at a truck scale which only calculates in 20 pound increments. Jeez, Only 40 pounds? Really?. I think the actual weight is closer to 60 pounds. The first showing of my trailer was during the 2011 annual "Woodward Dream Cruise". A 32 mile loop driven through several towns along a spectator and vehicle crowded Woodward Avenue near Detroit Michigan. Vehicles of all sorts parade up and down the avenue, screeching tires, revving engines and just having a grand time. Many thousands participated and over a million attended. This little trailer draws attention wherever it goes!! As I rode along, my scoot pulling the trailer, guys would ask "What do you haul with that thing?" Women and children would say "I want a ride. Can you take me?" I was tempted several times to say to a few really good looking women: "You know, I might ask you the same thing" LOL! (shame on me!)
Mostly I just tool around looking good. But I did pull it all the way to a scooter rally in Arkansas September 2012. About 800 miles one way and I did it in one day. (same thing coming home) Just over 2000 virtually trouble free miles for the whole trip. My scooter and trailer won first place in the "Show and shine" in my bike's size class. A minor reinforcement to prevent flexing of a hitch part was done upon arrival home, but it has been trouble free since. While traveling, it would slow down some going up the steeper hills, but did fairly well if momentum was maintained. (it never got under 51 MPH.) The extra weight and wind drag pulled my usual 75 MPG down to about 55 MPG on the expressways. Gusty wind from passing trucks could be felt, but the extra weight of the trailer kept the bike solidly planted and relatively unperturbed. It was nice not getting knocked around for a change and made the long trip more comfortable.
Hills are one thing, mountains are another I'm sure. I don't know what to expect traversing mountains, but expect I might some day. This little scooter and trailer could get up and stay at 70 MPH for hours on end. There was plenty of storage space in the 35 Gal. Rubbermaid "Action Packer" heavy duty storage box bolted to the trailer bed. I added some weather stripping material inside the box lid to help ensure water resistance. I do wish the lock hasp was metal instead of just tough plastic. Its enough to keep honest people honest, but determined thieves could still bust in and steal my stuff in spite of security measures. (pad lock) More trips are on the agenda. Considering a coast to coast trip sometime this year (2013) and maybe a few more scooter rallies. Plus anything else I can come up with.
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The "ROAMIN' CHARIOT" in action. *
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My very red 2007 Honda Reflex "Scarlet" pulls the custom built single wheel trailer "ROAMIN' CHARIOT" Just out for a little 200 mile ride in the "Thumb" area of lower Michigan.
Back in late April and early May 2012 I went out on a 12 day 2100+ miles excursion on my Reflex scooter pulling my single wheel trailer. I went from here in southeast Michigan to Kentucky and Missouri for camping with folks from an organization called IBMC. (International Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers) It was followed up a week later with another short 5 day 1700 mile trip with the same organization (but different members this time) for more riding and camping in the Catskill Mountains of New York. The New York trip was interesting in that I had my drive belt break and did the belt change at an exit ramp. It's nice to be prepared for such things...smart too!! I was prepared with a spare drive belt and the tools to do the job some 700 miles from home. ) I got it done just in time to get to the campground before the gates closed for the night.
Down on the ground behind the rear wheel is the shredded drive belt that got changed on the side of the road... Yeah, lucky me... EXIT 13 LOL!
I drilled and mounted the hitch connection for my single wheel trailer onto a rear spoiler/passenger hand grab that I got for dirt cheap off of ebay for the Silverwing scooter. (scratched up a bit, but I didn't care... I'm going for utility here) Besides, the rest of the bike has that patina and roughed up skin from actually being used as the workhorse it is. It has character. Not the prettiest little pony I've owned, but darn sure is the hardest worker.
Then a couple removable connections were changed so I can use the single wheel trailer with the Silverwing scooter. They were originally set up to work with My Reflex scooter, but the 2007 Reflex that used to pull the trailer is the subject of a streamlining project and so it is not being used to tow the trailer any more. But I do use it for the 2006 Reflex ABS occasionally which now has all of the plastics formerly used on the 2007 Reflex.
I never did much like doing electrical work on the bike because it is so tedious at times. All that unwrapping of sticky gummy tape to get at wires so that they can be reassigned to the proper connector pins. That and making darned sure wires are going to where they are supposed to. Check wire about 4X, cut, splice, check again, next wire, etc, etc, then check it all again. (don't want to burn anything) Test it, wrap it, try it again. OK. Put the tools away. Didn't have to do anything over, got it right the first time. OK now the wiring is all good to go for the trailer lights plus the auxiliary lights that can be set atop stuff on the passenger seat. The tail lights on the bike are partially obscured by the trailer so the aux lights are needed. The tiny little lights down low on the trailer are pretty much cosmetic IMO. I really need to do something with the tail lights that will make it safer... more visible.... A future project.
I just forgot to take any pics of this event:
An odd thing happened on the way home from a camping trip one time with the trailer hooked up to the Silverwing. I was in a bit of a hurry to get home before dark, so a little extra bit of twist was applied to the right grip. Coming down I-75 just past Great Lakes shopping center, a guy in a pickup truck began to pass me on the right. As he passed he looked and got my attention and was pointing to the back end of the trailer. I didn't notice anything, but then again I can't see what is going on back there. So I pulled over and he stopped in front of me as well. He told me "your tire is rubbing something, you have a silver stripe on your tire." Sure enough there was a shiny silver stripe about 1/8" wide all along the center line of the tire. He said "and see, touch your fender; it's hot" sure enough it was hot. But looking at the tire to see where it was rubbing I could clearly see a quarter inch of clearance all around the curve of the fender and nothing else anywhere near enough to be rubbing.
It only took a second to figure out what was happening. It WAS rubbing the fender. Above 75 mph on the already warm tire, there is enough spin on it to cause it to fling out to where it would eventually be forced up against the aluminum fender. Thus heating the fender with friction and getting aluminum rubbed onto the tire. Guess when I'm pulling the trailer with the Silverwing it will mean a 75 mph speed limit will need to be self imposed... Besides, I don't think the teeny 10" scooter tire is even rated much above 60 mph. I had better be careful with that... I carry tools with me on trips just in case, but no spare tires.
After I get a 2004 Reflex I have back up in running order, once again the red plastics currently on the 2006 Reflex will be moved to a different bike. In this case, the 2004 Reflex. Everything will get a good cleaning and touch up And I'll put up the scooter/trailer combo for sale as a package. Then for me, that will be the end of the story for the trailer. Time to move onto other ideas. I may make another single wheel trailer, but it will be a lighter, simpler, lower hitch point design and I'll do the whole build on the cheap myself.