I guess my question is if bikers are looking for small cargo/camping trailers.  We are thinking of building one for ourselves that would be 4 ft x 4 ft  and could be used just as a cargo trailer or be changed into a pop up tent camping trailer.  The ones that we have seen online range from $1500.00 to over $3000.00.  We are just in the planning stages but ours would be between $1000.00 to $1500.00 depending on the accessories and products use to build the trailer.  I am just interested in seeing if anyone is currently looking for a trailer and how much the interest for this product would be.  If you want you can email me at irenecmoss@yahoo.com. 

Thanks for your help.  Irene

We curren'tly have a trike that we made by adding a Tow Pak kit to a Yamaha 1300 V Star tourer.  I am thinking that a cargo trailer would be great on my shopping trips and hopefully will be able to make a few road trips this summer. 

We heard that "Lucky" was building a trailer for this summer runs and would see some pictures of the finished project. Hows it going bro.. Where do you find a tow hitch for the bike???

Well, like so many plans, kept getting put off. I may wind up picking up a small pre-made trailer to get through this rally season, and then building my own at a later time. I am probably going with the Kuryakin hitch.

Our tow pak trike kit has a hitch attached to it. I do have a question on the length of the tongue. I have heard that you need to extend the tongue of the trailer to be able to make the turns. Does anybody know what the correct length of the tongue should be on a trailer that is being pulled by a trike or motorcycle. Also I've heard that if it is longer it cuts some of the sway of the trailer out. Thanks for your help.

Just a note here on our planning. What we are looking at is keeping the weight of the trailer down, even though I would like to be able to have a frame and be able to convert it to a tent camper trailer. With the lumber that you would have to use it would be too heavy. So looking at just making a cargo trailer with 2 cargo boxes attached and a ice chest. Would just have to bring the tent and air mattress and sleep on the ground.

Tongue length should allow tow vehicle to turn 90 degree to trailer and clear the bed of trailer. The trailer load should be 10%higher on tongue than tail. Placeing the axel 10% to the rear of the box center will put the tongue load forward and also being aware that heavy tail loading will cause the trailer to swing and sway more.

Never thought of pulling a trailer w/ a motorcycle, sort'a like making babies w/ old-lady wearing a burka, but a trike is a whole different story - sounds exciting.

Don't be so quick to reject wood. The 1st airplanes were built of spruce & canvas & took to the air w/ way less HP than your trike. Probably the best yeoman aircraft of WW II was the all wood, British "Mosquito". - I floated some unlikely places w/ a wood framed, canvas covered kayak.

You may have to cruise the boonies to find a sawmill willing to work w/ you but it could be worthwhile & fun.

Went on the Internet & found this site. The plans date from the 30s thru the 50s & a couple of them look like they might work. Most of the campers have a lot of built-in stuff that you could substitute plastic totes for to keep the weight down.
http://www.tinytears.cc/scans.html /> There are a lot of other ways you could reduce weight.

For the running gear I would start w/ a "Harbor Freight" trailer frame @ < $200 & lighten it as best I could. Sooner or later you are going to want to add brakes & @ the moment have no idea how to do that.

My friend needed one to haul auxiliary breathing equipment. We ended up using a car-top carrier as the body of the unit. The trailer itself was a Harbor Freight unit that was modified and put on a diet. There are many Car top carriers available square-ish....long and sleek...pretty much just about any practical shape a person might need/want. By design, they close tight against the elements, and one can find used ones on Ebay and Craigs list at a decent price.
I would think that an Oil Cooler would be a must add-on.....I would anyway.
solcaC

I love those teardrop trailer designs. Think I would want a bigger one that you would pull behind a car rather than a motorcycle. We are looking at the Harbor Freight 40 1/2 inch x 48 " trailer with the 12 inch wheels. Read that it was best to increase the trailer tongue by 19 1/2 inches to stop the sway and be able to turn corners. Never thought about building a wood frame and get some canvas to put around it. Hmmm... Could paint up the canvas with designs. Could be pretty cool. What do you mean by an oil cooler? Is that for the engine on the bike? Sorry can be a little dense when it comes to motorcycles sometimes..lol.

Modette said:    What do you mean by an oil cooler? Is that for the engine on the bike?
Sure is...the additional load ....I think....warrents additional cooling.  If installed, it should have a thermostat in order to allow the oil to reach it's optimum
operating temperature, and at the same time allow the cooler to do it's job....which is to keep the oil temperature within it's optimum operating range.
I'm kind of an over-kill type person....but in this case, I beleive not.
Carlos

I been pulling a pop up camping trailer for many years now. We pulled a Time out model with our Vulcan from Central Texas to Duluth Mn. and around Lake superior. We now have a Aspen Classic bigger and use a HD Classic the Vulcan did fine but were getting alot of miles on it. Wanting to build a cargo trailer for smaller runs.
You do need to be very aware of braking distance, right turns, and going into sloped driveways.

Gecko
Austin Texas

If you go the wood route think boats not houses. The strength should come from the shape. The members should be straining against each other. The teardrop shape is a fair-good example of the efficient use of wood. You might have to fabricate your own joiners from aluminum shapes. Don't just pound hardware store nails in. Get boat nails & drill pilot holes.

I'm actually a bit excited about your project. Never thought much of trikes, to my alcohol fried brain they seemed to have all the discomfort + most of the danger of a motorcycle but none of the fun.  And trailers behind motorcycles seem to take the fun out of a motorcycle. But the combination seems way cool. Weather gets nasty crawl in & snuggle down.

Oil coolers: Already answered. In my opinion more cooling = better.

I'd also want to add brakes @ the earliest convenient opportunity. Cycles stop great FOR THE WEIGHT THEY ARE STOPPING.