How did you expand your HF tag-a-long?

Joined
May 23, 2011
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Westerville, OH
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So, I overdid the packing on my recent trip to the Outer Banks. I strapped my camp chairs to the trailer tongue and put two spares (bike's front tire and trailer tire) under the tag-a-long. But I need more space but don't want to spend $2,000 on a Bushtec.

Has anyone added more storage to their tag-a-long? And has pictures?

tag-a-long - resize.jpg
 
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Kenly NC
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I see you are darksiding it, I also see you have the same hitch as I do. What was the tongue weight on that setup? I'm probably going with the HF tag-along myself, so the missus has some extra space, who knows? I may get to expand *my*storage beyond the fairing pockets...........
I'm definitely adding a cooler bracket to the tongue, and possibly a little space underneath(Maybe raise the container 6 inches?) for chair and spare tire stowage. But first, I have to actually get the trailer.....
 

KTD1911

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I see this is an old post but I will join in.
I extended my HF tag a long. I put angled iron into the square trailer framed tubes and bolted them in so I could then add an aluminum rack on the angled iron . and put a high back on rack so I could raise my rear lights. I then mounted a cooler rack on front 20160304_230128.jpg 20160304_230141.jpg20160304_230222.jpg
 
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Can I ask where you guys got the hitch from? or was it a DIY?
At present, I'm not looking for a trailer but it's always a possibility if I can get the wife to do some long distance stuff in the future.
 

paulcb

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I would just like to take a motorcycle trip that's long enough such that I couldn't fit all my stuff in 2 panniers, 1 top box and a trailer with a cooler! ;)
 
OP
OP
Kinetic
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
30
Location
Westerville, OH
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Honda ST1300
I see you are darksiding it, I also see you have the same hitch as I do. What was the tongue weight on that setup? I'm probably going with the HF tag-along myself, so the missus has some extra space, who knows? I may get to expand *my*storage beyond the fairing pockets...........
I'm definitely adding a cooler bracket to the tongue, and possibly a little space underneath(Maybe raise the container 6 inches?) for chair and spare tire stowage. But first, I have to actually get the trailer.....
Tongue weight? Not sure. But with load, wife, and myself, I dragged the chain, even after coiling it to shorten it. Haven't figured out the right setting for the preload spring. I bought the cooler after getting on our way, so had to quickly modify the wood blocks from running under the tongue holding up the chairs to above the tongue with the chairs suspended below it.
 
OP
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Kinetic
Joined
May 23, 2011
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Westerville, OH
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Honda ST1300
I would just like to take a motorcycle trip that's long enough such that I couldn't fit all my stuff in 2 panniers, 1 top box and a trailer with a cooler! ;)
With my wife, almost every trips requires this setup. Inside there is a tent, air mattress, pump, comforters, sheets, pillows, 12v jump starter, tools to change my tires (two spares on under the trailer and that's on another thread somewhere), more clothes than we need, and other stuff I can't remember. If we stay in hotels, we don't need the trailer.
 
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St Helena, Victoria, Australia
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I don't understand why you would need to take up scarce space with spare tyres. I have never had to replace a tyre when on the road, puncture repairs sure. Easy with tubeless tyres - just plug 'em. Not so easy with tube tyres - removing & replacing wheel & tyre is the hard part, repairing the tube or installing a new tube is easy. But why would you want to do that?

I have tubless tyres on my Classic trailer, tube tyres on my Elite camper trailer.
 

T_C

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I don't understand why you would need to take up scarce space with spare tyres. I have never had to replace a tyre when on the road, puncture repairs sure. Easy with tubeless tyres - just plug 'em. Not so easy with tube tyres - removing & replacing wheel & tyre is the hard part, repairing the tube or installing a new tube is easy. But why would you want to do that?
I would agree. When towing a trailer with a car/truck, I always carry a spare. It's easy to trash a tire by running too long on it after it goes flat. If you don't have much load, the tow vehicle barely notices the tire is getting shredded. BTDT. (I am adding a TPMS to my trailer set-ups.)

But on a bike, you will know soon as the tire gets to very low pressure. Pull over, patch and move on.

Coule ounces to carry a patch kit, almost 20# to xsrry spare tire and much more room.
 

KTD1911

R.I.P. - 2020/10/13
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Joined
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Can I ask where you guys got the hitch from? or was it a DIY?
At present, I'm not looking for a trailer but it's always a possibility if I can get the wife to do some long distance stuff in the future.
i made my trailer hitch and i have it for sale since i no longer ride an st1300. without boasting to much i believe it is the strongest st1300 hitch made
 
Joined
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St Helena, Victoria, Australia
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2011 Honda ST1300
In Australia we have a number of manufacturers making tow hitches. Classic Industries ,who also make a range of trailers, are probably the largest maker in AUS and make tow hitches for a very wide range of bikes. They have them on the shelf and you will generally have it (in AUS) within three working days.

I have only had a Classic tow hitch for the Honda CB1300.

Other manufacturers in AUS (that I've found) will only custom make your hitch, this required a trip interstate or to a remote rural area, overnight stay - too much mucking around for me.

For the ST1300, I purchased one from an OzSTOC member (it was on an ST13 that he purchased second hand). My ST13 hitch is FAR SUPERIOR to the Classic hitch, much sturdier and heavier duty componentry. The previous owner said it was a US made hitch, I contacted the manufacturer for some information, but didn't get a response.





Some eagle eyed ST-Owners member may have an idea.
 
OP
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Kinetic
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
30
Location
Westerville, OH
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Honda ST1300
I don't understand why you would need to take up scarce space with spare tyres. I have never had to replace a tyre when on the road, puncture repairs sure. Easy with tubeless tyres - just plug 'em. Not so easy with tube tyres - removing & replacing wheel & tyre is the hard part, repairing the tube or installing a new tube is easy. But why would you want to do that?

I have tubless tyres on my Classic trailer, tube tyres on my Elite camper trailer.
I don't need to. It's a conveniences/experience/fear thing. I blew a tire in Canada on labor day (my stupid fault as I had warning). No one was open. I was stuck till the next day. So, I carry a spare tire for the bike and one for the trailer. And tools to replace them. I also have a tire patch kit. Part of it is preparing to handle long trips into areas w/o help. No matter what happens, I can get myself out. Do I *NEED* to carry spare tires? No. But I feel better. But I carry them under the trailer so it doesn't take room from anything else.
 
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