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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1180314971 Message started by john_galt on 05/27/07 at 18:16:11 |
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Title: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by john_galt on 05/27/07 at 18:16:11 hi, i am new to this forum, just found it 30 minutes ago. i bought a new Boulevard s40 Wednesday may 23. i need some info on pulling a small cargo trailer for just shopping, not touring. suzuki dealers said i should be able to, as long as the trailer and load are under the 785 weight cap. the trailer people i have spoken to say they have sold trailers to people with 250 cc to 650 cc bikes. BUT, no one i have spoken too has had any experience with a trailer, so i am looking for some feedback from ones who have. hope someone can help |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Greg_650 on 05/27/07 at 19:45:03 Or should I reply to topic #2? :P |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Digger on 06/07/07 at 20:27:02 John at Motorcycle Hitch USA (954-784-0119) http://www.motorcyclehitchusa.com/ says the factory will be motivated to manufacture a trailer hitch for the Savage if they get more interest. I've been trying for a few months now.....anyone who is interested in a trailer hitch for their Savages, please give John a call. He has my credit card info and is waiting so he can fulfull my order. |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Savage_Rob on 06/08/07 at 05:59:00 Welcome to the site and congratulations on your new bike! |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Jack_650 on 06/16/07 at 23:30:59 I'm just finishing up a stay here in western N. Dakota. I've been toying with some ideas for a hitch to go on the Thunder Bee. So when I stumbled onto an guy out here who's been welding for 45 years in his own shop, I told him my ideas. Long story short, we came up with a design and he put it together for me in just a couple of days. I now have a quickly removable hitch for my savage at a very reasonable price that looks quite good. I went out today to get some pix to post so's ya'll could see it and found out my digital camera doesn't work anymore. It doesn't seem to cotton to the environs out here in the wild and wooly west. I'll try to borrow one because I'm sure when you see how simple to put together it is everyone will be doing it. I wonder if it's too late to patent the design. Jack |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by john_galt on 06/17/07 at 06:21:29 hi jack, I did find a guy with his own machine shop. he asked if i could get him some pics of a hitch on a savage 650 for him to look at. If you can take some, I would appreciate it if you could post a few or just send them to me at alanj99@hotmail.com |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Digger on 07/01/07 at 23:00:51 Jack, Any luck on the photos yet.....how's the hitch holding up? Enquiring minds want to know! |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Jack_650 on 07/02/07 at 08:58:10 The hitch is a major success. Granted my trailer is a little 4'X4' put it together yourself from a chain hardware store and weighs in at about 100# with the plywood floor and 2"X8" plank I use for the bike rail, but it rolls along behind the bike and you don't even feel it back there. My van gave up the ghost in western N. Dakota and I was stuck having to buy another vehicle to get back home. I got to haul the empty trailer on the interstate behind the Thunder Bee for 30 miles or so to pick up the new car and it went down the road with nary a hitch (pardon the pun). There were cross winds galore and traffic all around me with never any problems. It looks like I may be towing it the 600 miles each way back to N.D. in a couple of weeks in order to haul the seats from the van out there to "dispose" of the van, if it can't be fixed, and/or to bring back the rest of the stuff I couldn't fit in the new car. More updates when I see how it handles with a load. So far I'm more than pleased, and at less than a third to a quarter of what it would have cost to buy one if they had been available. Haven't solved the problem with the camera yet. She won't let me buy a new one until money starts coming into my side of the bank account. I hate the whole growing up and be responsible thing. And at my age too. Jack |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Max_Morley on 07/02/07 at 19:56:16 For the benefit of any one else, at the FSSNOC Thumper Lunch there was a Yamaha 500 cc scooter with a trailer behind it he pulls all over. Hitch is a nicely constructed square tubing down to a trailer ball. Rear seat was removed so a plate could be bolted to that point for the tubing to be welded to. Trailer appeared to be about 2 ft wide x 4 ft long with a plastic cargo box bolted onto it. Tires were the size of small boat trailer tire. He said once in motion he could hardly tell it was there. Didn't try to push the rear end of the scooter out of position on turns even down hill. I think a mounting off the rear fender supports with a drawbar dwon to the a ball would work just fine on a Savage and we know it will handle the extra load because of the sucess of the side car folks. Max |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by SteveRocket on 07/03/07 at 07:52:02 Hi John. Did the hitch cost a lot?. How easy was it to make and fit?. What about the electrics, lights etc?. Sorry it's all questions but I am intrieged by the idea. |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Jack_650 on 07/03/07 at 19:33:44 Untill I get pix of my hitch I'll try to give ya'll a rough idea of what I did. There are two 1/4" thick pieces of sheet steel cut to roughly this shape, a short, squat hockey stick if you will. The one on the left side is just a flat piece. The two stars are holes, the front one uses the lower front hole that goes through the side rail while the back one is drilled through the side rail and fender a little forward of where the sissy bar connects. The "C" shape at the front is a half a section of pipe that's been welded onto the front of the side plate to fit up against the inside of the shock mount (between the shock and the frame) and is then U-bolted to the shock mount with a small muffler type U-clamp with the curved bracket to wrap around the shock mount that's welded to the frame. Side panal basic shape. Not too critical. Cut shape to taste. / ---------------------------. / * * .C / /---------------------- / / /......../ The piece for the right side has to have two 90 degree bends in the front end of it, one 90 inward and then one 90 forward again (or a 90 degree extra piece welded there) to go inward toward the frame around the right side rail, due to the off-set caused by the lack of the drive belt on this side. The other half of the short piece of pipe is welded to the front of this modified plate piece and also U-bolts to the shock mount in the same manor as the left side. If it weren't for this offset the hitch could be all welded up as one piece and be easily removed in one step. Top view, right side plate: ----( l --------------------------- Now all that's left to do is to make a plate to go between the bottom backs of the two side plates to hold the hitch ball and with a couple holes in it for the trailer safety chains. The way mine is done is is that there are 90 degree angle irons welded front to back to the bottoms of the side plates. The cross plate is then bolted to those with two bolts at each end. The lower front side ends of my side plates are actually about even with the rear of the tire. The plate that holds the ball is arched out and around the tire with about 3" of clearance. To remove the hitch from the bike I just unbolt the two bolts from the right side of the hitch ball cross plate and undo the U-bolts and two bolts that go through the side rails and fender on each side. The left side plate with the rear cross plate/ball still attached just comes off. The right side has to be dropped slightly, the rear pulled out a little and then finessed a bit to get the front end out from behind the top of the shock. It takes a little trial and error work to get the front of the right side plate with its off-set bends to the right size/proportions, but it obviously can be done. Use cardboard templates and take your time. I hope this helps those who are impatient to get into a shop and see what they can do. My welder guy in North Dakota just sat down with pencil and paper after I told him this basic idea and this is the result we ended up with. I may very well try to start making these things myself if there's enough interest from those who would rather not make a mess in their garage. Patent pending and all that rot. Jack |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Jack_650 on 07/03/07 at 19:38:25 It would seem my attempt at using keyboard symbols to do graphics is a little less than satisfactory this time around. The top line of both pictures have been offset to the left quite a bit. Also the two star bolt holes and the "C" pipe half depictions are also move left quite a bit. With this info you should be able to figure out what I was getting at. Jack |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by SteveRocket on 07/05/07 at 08:13:32 True, I can't really make it out. Perhaps when you can you can photograph it for us. Steve |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Digger on 07/05/07 at 20:08:27 Add me to the interested and waiting crowd, please! My problem is that I no longer drive cars or trucks....and I've got a small trailer just waiting to be hauled behind my Savage. TIA! |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Digger on 07/10/07 at 20:36:46 Drats!!!!!! My lead at: http://www.motorcyclehitchusa.com/ dried up. Nice people, but they said they will no longer make trailer hitches for bikes smaller than 750cc. It's enough to make me wanna sell my little Savage! Jack, I'm heading to MN in a few months. Maybe I can swing by your place in ND and take some pics. I'm getting desperate! |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Jack_650 on 07/10/07 at 21:44:07 I've borrowed a camera and will take some pix tomorrow (wednesday) of the hitch on the bike and get them up. I'm leaving town tomorrow or thursday on a trip to Chapel Hill, NC on the Thunder Bee. Looking at about a 2,400+ mile round trip. Not using the trailer 'cause it's just a short notice trip to a high school marching band reunion. Won't have time to do much camping so there's no need to tow it along. Would have skipped it except that the band director's going to be there. Class of '67 so you know the opportunities to see folks like that are getting thinner. I pulled the top off of the motor to try to fix my nagging oil leak. It went almost 5k miles since the last time I had it apart. Other than the mess it wasn't a real problem though. I pulled the plug over that one head bolt and was surprised to find it just sits in the hole. I was expecting something along the lines of a metal freeze plug that's pressed into place like on the engine blocks of cars. So I put a bead of permatex around it and pressed it firmly back into its hole. Tomorrow around noon I'll take it out and see if I need to reconsider a long trip on the beast bee. And relax guys. The hitch pix (like the sound of that) will be viewable tomorrow somnetime. Jack |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Jack_650 on 07/11/07 at 12:31:03 Okay, okay, okay. I've had enough of all ya'll's nagging me. The pix of the hitch are up. Everyone who builds themselves one just send me $25.00 for a franchise fee and everything'll be Jake. If you don't send the $ then I'll have to move to your neighborhood and start to practice my accordion again. You don't know what the darkside sounds like until you hear me trying to remember what I was told to play from the mid-50's. http://bikepics.com/members/jazzcarter/00savage/ Jack |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Paladin on 07/11/07 at 14:08:36 Click on images for the 4X biggies: http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image26t.jpg (http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image26.jpg) http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image25t.jpg (http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image25.jpg) http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image28t.jpg (http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image28.jpg) http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image29t.jpg (http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/hitch/Image29.jpg) |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Digger on 07/11/07 at 20:22:59 Jack, Ur my hero! I'll print out the photos and let a few local fabricators look at them. I'm pumped! Where are you at in ND? I'm riding to St. Paul in SEP on a business trip, then on to Great Falls. I've worked in Napoleon and Wishek ND, in the past. Anyway, if I can get this hitch made, I'll at least owe you a nice dinner! Even better.....if your guy wouldn't mind making another hitch, I'll buy it. Name the price! My bike is an '01, but it looks like the same rear end as yours. Plz don't worry about liability. I'm a big boy and believe in personal responsibility. And, I've done a lot crazier stuff in my life than pull a trailer with a motorcycle! TIA! |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Digger on 07/13/07 at 19:29:52 For the doubters amongst you who think the Savage would have trouble pulling a 130 lb. trailer: http://www.wimp.com/retriever/ |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Jack_650 on 07/16/07 at 08:10:15 I'm no longer in ND. I left the gig I was playing up there early and am back in southern Minnesota. Well, actually, I'm in N. Carolina right now as there was a short notice (to me at least) high school marching band reunion down here around Chapel Hill. My old band director was coming and at 90 years of age I figured I had best get my backside down here. So I hopped on the Thunder Bee and came on down. Any excuse to hit the highway. After now having the hitch made and on the bike I think it could be done in the same basic format without having to do any welding at all. The left side on the front could just be a bent piece for the two right angles and then overlap with the side piece with a bolt going through both parts. I just wouldn't want to trust the strength of the fender only with two bolts to be sturdy enough for the stresses of going down the road. I'm pretty sure if the shock mounts come off I'll have other things to be worrying about. The two welds for the cross piece in the back are backed up by bolts anyway, since the welder thought it would be a nice confidence builder if the DOT ever stopped me to have a look. So, Digger, I'll most likely be at home in Mankato in September, unless I do another distance ride. There's a couple places worth eating at around here. I can save you money if you're here on a Tuesday because the local "Grizzlies" has a two, half pound burgers with a side dish special for $7.00. Adult beverages are extra. On a non-related sidebar, I don't see a problem with using the Savage for longer trips. I've found that keeping the speed down to around 60-65 the vibration issue is tolerable. I do 3-5 hour sessions in the saddle with little problem at those speeds. Yesterday I had to keep up with someone with a lead foot in a four wheeler for about 80 miles often sitting above 80 mph and still had throttle left. I didn't like it but the bike seemed to just want to go. There was the 180 lbs of me and another 60 lbs or so of gear (I'm traveling light this trip) on board and things just grooved. Last year I did the 4,200 mile jaunt to Miami, FL and back and this year it's this short 2,500 or so round trip. I say pad the seat, keep the speed down, run synth. oil and get out there on the long highway. JC |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Digger on 07/16/07 at 18:49:14 Jack, Glad to hear you're enjoying your trip. I ride over 30K miles a year, but only two thousand of those miles are Savage miles. I am through Mankato frequently. I'll let you know the next time I'll be there. A Grizzly burger sounds good! Ride Safe! |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by GridMonkey on 05/11/14 at 12:31:17 I know i'm reviving a VERY dead post, but im wondering if anyone ever made anything out of this trailer hitch. Or anything like it? Id love to get something like this made. Thanks |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by Paladin. on 05/11/14 at 13:26:32 http://www.hitchusa.com/Suzuki.html -- Still lists the Savage, still no part number or price. The above photos of the hitch would be enough to make one yourself. |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/11/14 at 20:31:50 I went to the link Digger posted. I didnt see a trailer on a Savage. I Did see this trailer, http://www.wimp.com/seaplanetruck/ Now, lets see that schmuck Land that thing BACK on that trailer,, |
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Title: Re: anyone tow a small trailers with a s40 Post by ToesNose on 05/12/14 at 04:12:45 LOL JOG |
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