Trailer hitch?

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Apologies? Everything is interesting to me being an easily entertained individual.
 
The former owner of my Command told me he built a small two wheel trailer and used to tow it to Norton rallies. This would have been in the early 80's in the Ontario-Michigan area. It was a yellow Combat at the time, maybe somebody here remembers it. He only put a tent and sleeping gear in it so not much weight. He said he caught some flak for it, almost as much as for his single Mikuni conversion. He said he rigged up a sub-frame that caught the upper shock mounts and the rear footpegs and presented a trailer ball at the appropriate height. He also said it towed like a dream.......
 
If I was going to do this thing I would take Tornado's advice. Do a light one wheel trailer that leans with the bike. Use a good motorcycle wheel right in the middle of it with the load on top and both sides. I would use a swingarm and dual shocks like the rear of the commando. Your hitch is the tricky part. It needs to hinge up and down and side to side without twisting. A U-joint is perfect for this. Mount it exactly vertical and horizontal. The horizontal part connected to the bike with a load spreading hitch rig. The vertical part connected to the trailer so it can steer while it follows the bike. (You could reverse these I guess but I would do it this way) Like Tornado said, it should affect your handling very little if you use a balanced wheel with traction as good as the tires on the bike.
 
In Aus we see a lot of motorcycles towing trailers and there is a few companies that make light weight FG trailers for motorcycles the most important thing is the hitch to the bike and fitting a off road hitch that will allow the bike to lean, I say if you want to go down this road then do your home work and fit it right, two wheel trailer with the right hitch will tow very good, you might have to lower your gearing but I see no problem at all, I met someone who towed a small camper behind his BMW and he traveled all over AUS with it and all his gear, my mate Don had a motorcycle trailer to tow his Triumph race bike behind his old Shovel Head Harley and where ever he towed it to the race track he drew a big crowd, the old Harley had no troubles towing all that weight.
So if you are keen to tow a trailer then go for it, who cares what others think, just do it right, its your bike, I don't think its a bad idea but just one for shopping, I don't know about that but for camping and carrying heavy loads behind your bike then go for it.

Ashley
 
i have a Givi 46l top box which i can swap between my bikes, it allows me to get groceries or anything i need when running around town. when i'm on a trip i also add a set of pannier bags.

i have seen a number of the unicycle trailers behind other makes, and they all report great success towing them, I think it would be easily made to fit a Norton. let us know how it works out.
Sadly these trailer things, require a initally $$$ investment.

I definitely would be interested to set it set up.
 
Those one wheel trailers just don't look right and not much good for heavy stuff me thinks.
 
Ton of stuff out there for bicycles to look over & come up with something.

www.biketrailerplanet.com

How to Attach Any Bike Trailer to Your Bike: A Complete Guide | BikeTrailerPlanet

Most bikes are compatible with all major bike trailers for kids, including road bikes, mountain bikes, cruiser bikes, hybrid bikes, e-bikes, and even disc brake bikes. A common issue that you might come across when attaching a bike trailer is if you have a thru-axle bike, in which case you may...
www.biketrailerplanet.com www.biketrailerplanet.com

 
I'm also looking for some soft bags for my bike, would love any recommendation or suggestion. Mainly on mounting, not something I'd rather be doing, one of my least favorite things to do.
 
Trailers hitched to Mofa's ( Mopeds) are quite a common site over here.

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Trailer hitch?
 
One up on a Cossack? Not !
Many years ago I brought an Ariel Huntmaster, in original condition unused for twenty odd years stunningly beautiful in maroon & chrome. I asked my friend in the vintage club to go though it & tell me what parts were needed!
Well I did a bit of research & traced the bikes history. Turns out the owner was a brickie & the bike was his sole form of transport! A photograph came to light that showed the bike complete with platform sidecar with a huge diesel cement mixer & big jerry cans of fuel. Also a trailer with 200 bricks & a couple of bags of sand & cement. Not to mention the tool bags & the obligatory apprentice. God knows what it weighed all up.
We found out that it didn't run because there was not a thing on the bike that was not absolutely shot! Shagged & really knackered. Lol
I had it in the garage for three years as I liked looking at it & I wouldn't sell it without telling the truth about it. Amazingly it did get restored but not by me! & at God knows what cost.
 
Whoever comes up with even just a pix, will be a 1 & only known, prob ever pix or user of a commando pulling a trailer.


www.agefotostock.com

A motorcycle with a trailer, c1903. A man rides the motorcycle pulling a woman sitting in...

Download and buy this stock image: A motorcycle with a trailer, c1903. A man rides the motorcycle pulling a woman sitting in a wicker... - HEZ-1194479 from agefotostock's photo library of over 110+ million high resolution stock photos, stock pictures, videos and stock vectors
www.agefotostock.com www.agefotostock.com
 
Last edited:
StephenVargas said:
I'm also looking for some soft bags for my bike, would love any recommendation or suggestion. Mainly on mounting, not something I'd rather be doing, one of my least favorite things to do.
Click to expand...
I've had great use from Iron and Resin's Terrain Pannier II (seems now called the Moto Pannier Bag) soft bag on my Bonneville...has held up extremely well over 6 yrs now. Easy to remove and quite versatile, looks old school on the bike. On my bike it touches on the peashooter..but that heat has not been an issue for it.

Trailer hitch?


ironandresin.com

Moto Pannier Bag

On any given day, we might be riding 300 miles through the elements or making a 15-minute commute in the sunshine. You never know. That’s why we built a motorcycle saddlebag for any situation. Made from 100% cotton canvas with a polyurethane water-resistant coating, it has the space to stow all...
ironandresin.com ironandresin.com
 
Tornado said:
I've had great use from Iron and Resin's Terrain Pannier II (seems now called the Moto Pannier Bag) soft bag on my Bonneville...has held up extremely well over 6 yrs now. Easy to remove and quite versatile, looks old school on the bike. On my bike it touches on the peashooter..but that heat has not been an issue for it.
ironandresin.com

Moto Pannier Bag

On any given day, we might be riding 300 miles through the elements or making a 15-minute commute in the sunshine. You never know. That’s why we built a motorcycle saddlebag for any situation. Made from 100% cotton canvas with a polyurethane water-resistant coating, it has the space to stow all...
ironandresin.com ironandresin.com
Click to expand...
Great product, haven't found it while searching. Will look more into it, thanks for sharing. I've also read this https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/any-luggage-options-around.23510/ old conversation, it helped me very much too.
BTW, I've found the following options, other then your recommendation:

1. https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dryspec-d20-drybag-saddle-bags?sku_id=962951 ($174.99)
2. https://www.vikingbags.com/viking-bonafide-large-brown-motorcycle-cafe-racer-saddlebags/ ($119.99)
3. https://www.cyclegear.com/accessories/sw-motech-legend-gear-lc1-lc2-saddlebags ($174.95)

All of them are easy to mount, weather resistance, however, not sure about the quality. Does anyone have tried them? Which one would suits the best and have longer durability?
Would appreciate any help and recommendations, Thanks.
 
can't find the/a(?) side shot, fab setup tho, looks like maybe quick detach with givi gear

Luggage Rack Panniers

Well someone asked me to show the details for the saddlebag rack on my 850 interstate. I washed the bike so I had some of the bits off to describe in more detail with pictures how it goes on the bike. First off, I bought this kit from Bruce Chessell last year before the riding season was...
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com

Gotta have some considerations about mounting setups & how much weight & how far back hanging off the back end frame loop.

There have been some bending of rear loops, later models have some reinforcements at the frame upper shock mounts area, a weld on reinforcement plates kit became & is available.



rear frame loop strength

How strong is the rear seat loop of a Commando frame?? I am planning on fitting a small carrying rack to my 74 roadster to carry a chain (the chain it to lamp post to stop someone stealing it kind) but hope to go away for long weekends touring with friends. This will not involve camping gear...
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com
Trailer hitch?


Rear frame loop

I have managed to align my rear frame loop to be central to the headstock & spine tube but am now looking at the height of it. Is it supposed to be parallel to the bottom frame tubes? The drawing I have found in this forum doesn't show definitely the angle of it when the bottom frame tubes are...
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com

strenghtening rear frame loop

My rear loop has dropped about an inch at the back but this was not noticed when frame was powder coated an as I did not have all the rear mudguard fitting it did not show till the bike was almost finished. I have since rode the bike a it handles very well far better in fact than I thought I...
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com

rear frame loop strength

How strong is the rear seat loop of a Commando frame?? I am planning on fitting a small carrying rack to my 74 roadster to carry a chain (the chain it to lamp post to stop someone stealing it kind) but hope to go away for long weekends touring with friends. This will not involve camping gear...
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com
 
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