Need a Hitch

[Sleeperhawk]

here is a thread for a rack I use, has all the parts listed.

Just read through the thread.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27465

[miller47]

I like the looks of the diamond r,but don't know how it would work if I wanted to put cooler rack on someday

[DaveDanger]

Read thru all the above and it matched up with my experiences. I googled motorcycle hitches all over the net for several months while squirreling away some cash for the purchase. I looked at what was available and fabricated my own from scratch like a few others did. I obtained a 1 1/4" receiver tube from a local automotive hitch shop, and cut its length down so that with no ball-mount installed, it sits flush with the bottom end of my rear fender. Obtained a 9" x 9" sheet of 3/16" plate large enough to cut down into a stiffener. I cut its corners off at 45 degree angles, and had the forward edge bent at 90 degrees straight up. Removed my existing spreader bar from the rear end baggage supports and welded my receiver tube horizontally to the center of the spreader, the clamped the 3/16" plate under it with the folded edge snug against the fwd side of the spreader bar and welded all that together. Drilled 3/4" safety chain holes in the aft edges of the stiffener plate. Reinstalled everything to the bike and hitched up my trailer and towed it around the airport for a bit. Can't tell it's there. I'm not super comfortable with the fact that the hitch supports whatever weight is on it on only 4 bolts at the ends of the spreader bar, but I'm going to test it a bit before making any changes. I think I may want to add a pair of supports from the stiffener plate and go upwards into the baggage support rails thereby reducing the possible twisting torque the hitch weight can put into those bolts. A lot of leverage capability at that point.

I got into the hitch fabrication more quickly than I intended because I stumbled onto a deal for a trailer for $75.00 from someone getting out of the riding business. Similar to others here... a cartop luggage carrier on bolted to a small utility trailer frame, already wired and ready to go. Older gentleman with a Goldwing is selling off all his stuff to deal with cancer. My next step with this trailering deal I'll post over in tech questions. Bike wiring

[motorose]

i went with the hitchdoc route and love it. my trailer carries my 2 dogs (labs)