Sturgis Pics and Vids (not just mine hopefully)

[ibents]

Looks like a great time, will have to get out there one of these yrs.

 

Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

Ian

[marczing]

The single wheeled bicycle trailer is called a BOB (Beast of Burden). The company also makes a model with a suspension. I've been pulling one for years. Having seen yours, you have my curiosity piqued. Love to know if it handles like the BOB does on a bike.

 

Zinger (who also travels and commutes by bicycle and has logged a few K on a bicycle in the last few years)

 

 

My little single wheel trailer did its job flawlessly. We ran across this retired guy in Nebraska, who was bicycle touring. He told us he had traveled 26,000 miles by bicycle since retirering. I have no way to disprove that, but lets just say I'm not on board with it at this time.

 

Anyway, it looks like he had the same idea about trailering that I did. An open frame, single wheel design...I told him we thought alike except for one small detail....I prefer a MOTOR!

 

At one point it seemed as if my 'rig' was trying to fill up at the diesel pumps, just like a truck!...

 

Ok...back to reality.

 

This is real: I had lots of questions from men AND women about the trailer. I even told one couple that was looking at it, that I had NO idea it would be a 'chick magnet'!

 

At the Kickstart c-store in Sturgis, two men approached me as I was walking out the door. They told me they wanted to ask me about my trailer. As I glanced at their vests I noticed a couple of patches. I prefer not to post the exact name, but they were with a WELL-known club of national recognition.

 

They asked if I built it or bought it, and how it handled, what type of torsion bar it used, that sort of thing.

 

I was polite and answered the questions without revealing too much detail.

 

Seems that lots of bikers want a simple, liteweight, haul-a-few-things trailer.

 

So if yall see these on the road in a year or two, you saw it here first!

 

 

[bj66]

There was a guy at the Iron Horse Campground that was from California. He rode one of those 49 cc scooters all the way out to Sturgis. He said he left 5 weeks earlier, and I believe it. It wasnt a new one either. Matter of fact, it was kind of a piece of crap. But he was a loner and a goofy sh*^. Come to think of it, he'd have to be a loner. Who would want to ride a scooter all that way. I thought of Dumb and Dumber right away only riding solo.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

One morning we rode out to see the fairly new Broken Spoke Campground and Saloon. I had heard that you drive THRU the saloon to park.

 

I can now confirm that ridiculous rumor.

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKv4XAgrGd8]A Ride Thru the new Broken Spoke Saloon - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

The single wheeled bicycle trailer is called a BOB (Beast of Burden). The company also makes a model with a suspension. I've been pulling one for years. Having seen yours, you have my curiosity piqued. Love to know if it handles like the BOB does on a bike.

 

 

 

Cool...well I have seen some bicycle trailers but not like that one. Anyway, I have no idea how a BOB handles behind a bicycle. What I assume is that it handles well. Mine does too, but the slower you are going, the more noticeable it is. This is due mainly because with 75 pounds or so of cargo back there, you can feel it adding some weight and mass to the bike during slow speed maneuvers. But once under way, say above about 20 mph, it practically disappears back there.

 

It is noticeable on curves that have bumps or grooves in the pavement, but not to the point of being bothersome.

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

There was a guy at the Iron Horse Campground that was from California. He rode one of those 49 cc scooters all the way out to Sturgis. He said he left 5 weeks earlier, and I believe it. It wasnt a new one either. Matter of fact, it was kind of a piece of crap. But he was a loner and a goofy sh*^. Come to think of it, he'd have to be a loner. Who would want to ride a scooter all that way. I thought of Dumb and Dumber right away only riding solo.

 

 

I keep waiting for you to post some Sturgis pics....

 

 

You could start with the moped guy!

 

 

[bj66]

Sorry, no moped guy........I didnt take many, but I did get a few with my camera phone.

 

1st pic is my buddies pickup hauling a friends goldwing. He's a diehard HD guy, so I had to get evidence.

2nd and 3rd are of Devils tower of course.

4th is 1880's train between Keystone and Hill City

5th is a bonus. My inlaws elk farm, watching the elk bedded down.

 

I have a vid clip of the 1880s train, I'm gonna try and add that, possibly in the videos section.

[bj66]

I probly shouldve taken more pics, but I didnt take a camera, and I tried to ingore my cell phone....sorry !!!

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Very cool! Looks like a good time, other than the day of wet roads...

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Lets see, here is my 'sturgis' picture...

 

http://www.phys.ttu.edu/%7Epmengyan/TTUPhysPage_files/Personal/NewZealand/New_20Zealand_20_28In_20and_20around_20Nelson_29/index196.htmlhttp://www.phys.ttu.edu/%7Epmengyan/TTUPhysPage_files/Personal/NewZealand/New_20Zealand_20_28In_20and_20around_20Nelson_29/index196.html

http://www.phys.ttu.edu/%7Epmengyan/TTUPhysPage_files/Personal/NewZealand/New_20Zealand_20_28In_20and_20around_20Nelson_29/img196.jpg

Well at least where I was instead of Sturgis.

 

 

So whos the kiwi chickie who took the picture? Hmmmm?

 

 

[marczing]

Physics being what they are, on a bicycle, with 60lbs in the trailer, attached to a 26lb bike with a 200 lb rider, you don't notice it other than at really slow speeds. The only time it's affected my handling was off road, very steep grade and hard braking it jack knifed me but any trailer could do that. Couldn't tell from your pics, did you do a single hitch to the bike or a double?

 

Zinger

 

Cool...well I have seen some bicycle trailers but not like that one. Anyway, I have no idea how a BOB handles behind a bicycle. What I assume is that it handles well. Mine does too, but the slower you are going, the more noticeable it is. This is due mainly because with 75 pounds or so of cargo back there, you can feel it adding some weight and mass to the bike during slow speed maneuvers. But once under way, say above about 20 mph, it practically disappears back there.

 

It is noticeable on curves that have bumps or grooves in the pavement, but not to the point of being bothersome.

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Couldn't tell from your pics, did you do a single hitch to the bike or a double?

 

Zinger

 

I'm not sure what you mean by a 'single' or 'double' hitch.

 

 

Its a universal joint...similar to what is used on several single wheel trailers on the market including the Unigo from New Zealand.

[marczing]

The BOB trailer attaches at both ends of the axle making allowing up and down movement. The trailer has a hinge in hitch that allows left and right movement. I'll have to check out the Unigo OR if you ever get rich and famous with yours I'll check that out!

 

Zinger

 

I'm not sure what you mean by a 'single' or 'double' hitch.

 

 

Its a universal joint...similar to what is used on several single wheel trailers on the market including the Unigo from New Zealand.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

The BOB trailer attaches at both ends of the axle making allowing up and down movement. The trailer has a hinge in hitch that allows left and right movement. I'll have to check out the Unigo OR if you ever get rich and famous with yours I'll check that out!

 

Zinger

 

I have posted these pics elsewhere on this forum but here they are again. The trailer (sometimes I just refer to it as a 'sled') weighs about 60 lbs empty, and will haul about 120 lbs max...altho I like to keep it around 75 or less for best handling.

 

I started building this earlier this year, but had been working on the design since about October. If it was ever made for sale, I think it should be made of tubular aluminum and stainless steel. And a few other mods made to the suspension and hitch. But yeah, the concept works well.

 

[marczing]

wish i had the time and the welding skill. Beautiful!

 

Zinger

 

I have posted these pics elsewhere on this forum but here they are again. The trailer (sometimes I just refer to it as a 'sled') weighs about 60 lbs empty, and will haul about 120 lbs max...altho I like to keep it around 75 or less for best handling.

 

I started building this earlier this year, but had been working on the design since about October. If it was ever made for sale, I think it should be made of tubular aluminum and stainless steel. And a few other mods made to the suspension and hitch. But yeah, the concept works well.

 

[myminpins]

Thanks for all the great Sturgis pics!!

 

Doesn't the trailer have to have lights on it that work? I know here in NS, any trailer has to have working brake lights, signal lights and tail lights on them far as I know.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Thanks for all the great Sturgis pics!!

 

Doesn't the trailer have to have lights on it that work? I know here in NS, any trailer has to have working brake lights, signal lights and tail lights on them far as I know.

 

I was hoping we'd have more Sturgis pics in this thread....and youre welcome...As far as lights, yes they do, and it does. Lights are the easy part. This picture is few months old and I have also renewed the sticker...( in case you were going to point that out!)

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

wish i had the time and the welding skill. Beautiful!

 

Zinger

 

I wish I had the time and the welding skill also...actually I had a local welding and machine shop do the welding. I am NOT a welder and have no tools or place to do that. I drew up the design and had them custom weld it for me. You have to know exactly what you want because do-overs get expensive. I bought all the parts for the hitch and the suspension and they supplied the framing material and expanded metal.

 

Thanks for the flowers, but I didnt design this to be pretty...I designed it to do a job...which it does. I own two fiberglass trailers, but they are just not what I wanted for going to the rallies. Oh they are fine for certain things, but they get so dirty and scratched up. I wanted something that was not going to need much cosmetic care, could be flexible in what you loaded on it, and was light weight. This one fit the bill.

 

It also has two added benefits: It does not reduce my fuel mileage in any noticeable way. Since it is completely in the 'slipstream' of the bike, I still get the fuel mileage I get without the trailer. And, it is much narrower than the bike, so anywhere the bike fits, (width wise) so does the trailer.

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2011 by tx2sturgis