Bike Weight

[ArkAngel]

Hi guys,

I’m hoping that someone might be able to help me. My trailer broke a few weeks ago and i was looking at the costs of building a new one. But thought of building something else.
The thing i wanted to ask is, what does a KDX 200 1988 model weigh? I have no clue, but I’m thinking its round 110kgs to 120kgs?

Even a rough estimate would be great thanks?

Thank you

[bufftester]

That's right in the ballpark,230-250 lbs~110-120kgs. I use a small utility trailer (like you can get at most any big hardware place in the states) 5'X8', rated at 800lbs and 200lbs tongue weight. Do miss my dad's old 3 bike rail trailer, so much lighter to tow.

[rbates9]

There was a thread awhile ago that people weighed a few bikes and they were between 230 and 240 pounds with no gas.

What do you pull the trailer with? I use one of these http://www.discountramps.com/motorcycle-carrier.htm . The one I have is a little different but the same idea.

[diymirage]

this is what i use



i have since extended the tongue by about a foot and added a 5 foot wide tool box to the front of the trailer
this is plenty of big enough for all my gear and even a few fishing poles ;)

i use the wifes winterbeater to haul it around, an 08 Dodge Charger

[bufftester]

Pretty much the exact trailer I have. I have added 5/8" ply to the base (that mesh flexes) and a tongue mounted box for fluids, etc. Zips along behind my jeep.

[Julien D]

Those 5x8's are just like mine. Mine is a 5 x 8 tilt bed with 5/4 board floor. Handy little sucker!

[diymirage]

thats great Greg, last time we all went out i had the KDX in the middle and 4 peddle bikes surrounding it


looks like the only big difference between our trailers is the ramp, mine has two smaller ones that are maybe a foot wide each and they slide on a bar
i really like that when i take just one bike out, i put the bike right in the center of the trailer and slide both ramps snug up against the rear tire
then i run a ratchet strap through the rear wheel and those ramps help hold her in place

[diymirage]

Those 5x8's are just like mine. Mine is a 5 x 8 tilt bed with 5/4 board floor. Handy little sucker!

mine WAS a tiltbed but when i extended the tounge i added a few extra bolts to the frame just in case my welds didnt hold up
sides, never thought i would use the tilt function since i never had before

i should take some pictures of it all dolled up

mine doesnt have the boards on the floor, just the mesh, but since the bike always rides in the center i figured the flex wouldnt hurt

[Julien D]

The tilt feature is pretty useless on a trailer that is like 8" high, lol.

[ArkAngel]

There was a thread awhile ago that people weighed a few bikes and they were between 230 and 240 pounds with no gas.

What do you pull the trailer with? I use one of these http://www.discountramps.com/motorcycle-carrier.htm . The one I have is a little different but the same idea.

At the moment i got a 1.8 opel corse. I had a 3 bike trailer that i bought second hand and have never used it for more than to load my 1 bike..
Wow this is exactly what i wanted. I have been looking around and talking tosome bike places here in South Africa and they just told me straight up, no can’t be done i must buy a normal trailer and mod it for a bike.

All i want is something small to put my bike on and nothing else.. I was thinking about something that i could bolt onto my vehicle. Now that i don’t have a trailer i got a lot more space in my garage, hahaha

Thanks for the pics and everyone’s input

[diymirage]

you need to be aware of the difference in trailer hitches here in the US and where you are (europe i would imagine)
if i remember correctly your trailer hitch is a solid unit from the frame where it bolts to the car all the way up to the ball

the US versions on the other hand split this in two, they have a frame that bolts to the car (or truck) wich ends in a sqaure tube
they then have a smaller tube which slides into this frame and this smaller tube actually have the ball on it
this allows them to drop the ball hieght, or raise it up, to interchange between ball sizes and even attach a bike carries like you saw in the link

i honoustly dont think that carrier would work for your IF i am right about the style hitch you have


just for fun though, what is wrong with the trailer you have?
maybe it is a better idea to just fix it?

[rbates9]

you need to be aware of the difference in trailer hitches here in the US and where you are (europe i would imagine)

I would guess he is somewhere in South Africa judging by him saying,

I have been looking around and talking to some bike places here in South Africa

Just sayin.

But to AA, yes you may have to keep in mind that the hauler in the link is to be used with a 2" receiver. I have no idea how you get the trailer connected to the vehicle but the idea should still work and you should be able to somehow get the thing mounted to what ever you have for a hitch as long as the hitch can take the tung weight.

[ArkAngel]

Well the Trailer that i bought was second hand to begin with and the person that i bought it from didn’t have it treated from rust properly and well its rusted all over..
So i toke it to my Father In-law work and they told me that it could not be saved and that i would need to build a new one. (Buying one in South Africa is Hell Expensive)

So i have been looking around for an option of making something like was posted earlier. When i saw what you guys can get in the states, i decided to do some research and found something like this
http://www.bak-rak.com/base-rak.htm . I could ask my wife’s work (a metal engineering company) to help me make something that would bolt onto the ball / tail hitch. to make something similar to
http://www.discountramps.com/mcImages/m ... ier-15.jpg

I got a basic idea on maybe how to secure the ramp to the tow bar, but it’s all going to be custom built. But safety comes first i just want to find out how we could safely attach something like that to my car..
I don’t think it would be all to impossible.. hahaha

Let me know what you guys think?
I will take some pics and draw a basic design of what im thinking tomrrow for everyone to see.

[rbates9]

Sounds like you have a plan. When you start the fabrication of the carrier the main tube that comes from the car that the platform mounts to should be steel for strength and the platform should be aluminum to keep it light. Good luck.

[diymirage]

you need to be aware of the difference in trailer hitches here in the US and where you are (europe i would imagine)

I would guess he is somewhere in South Africa judging by him saying,

I have been looking around and talking to some bike places here in South Africa

Just sayin.

must we go over this every post i make?
you should know by now i only read the last post and even then i only skim over it


anyway, if you are scratchbuilding anyway, why not replace the entire hitch?
basically make a bike hauler that bolts right to the frame of the car...would make a heck of a rear bumper aswell ;)

[ArkAngel]

Thanks for all the reply's.
But just found out that what i wanted to do i can not, because the vertical mass load on my tow bar is only 70kgs..
So it looks like i am going to be building a trailer.
Do you guys think that if i made a small trailer out of 25mm by 50mm pieces of hollow metal it might work? like tubing metal?
Then i want to use this..
browse to this site : http://www.burquip.co.za/bur/products/
then click on : Stub Axles->Without brakes.

I want to use something like that for my axles.
What you guys think?