I know this has been a dormant thread, but think I need to share what happened to me over the weekend. I wasn't sure if I should piggyback on this thread (https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84015&page=3) or not.
From the beginning I had Unigo wiggle. Over this holiday weekend I took a trip from Cincinnati to Kansas City and the bolts from the Unigo sheared off separating the trailer from the bike in the middle of a highway.
Not only do I feel fortunate to be alive, but now the trailer frightens me. A fellow ST Owner helped me in Kansas City repairing the hitch. Since I was attending a wedding, had no tools, no expertise and had no way to get the trailer home kts1911 offered to take my bike to his house and work on the hitch. Without his help, I would have been in a pickle. THANK YOU KARL!!!!!! You went above and beyond and I thank you Sir!
After Karl (kts1911) fixed the trailer hitch and latch, I was able to pull the trailer home. We took it for a test ride and again it wobbled at any speed over 65. On the way home, I learned to manage it somewhat.
The wobble is airflow related. On the highway, I travel with my stock windscreen up all the way. At about 5-6 car lengths behind a semi, I feel the wobble begin which necessitates a lane change. At 2-3 car lengths behind a truck in the adjacent lane, the wobble begins again. I found 3 ways to manage it – decrease speed L, tuck behind windscreen, or power throttle through (initially increases wobble) and risking a speeding ticket. I ended up choosing a combination of tucking behind the windscreen and applying more throttle until beside the truck cab and then resumed legal speed. On the way home, I packed nothing in the trailer that I could not sacrifice or leave behind since I lost confidence that it would stay attached (Zero reflection on Karl’s work).
To Unigo’s compliment, once the hitch bolts failed and it separated from the bike, it skidded and bounced along the freeway, hitting every side and it stayed closed without cracking apart. If I was willing to stay below 70 mph and/or stay behind the windscreen, I would be happy with this trailer. However, since freeway speeds are typically above that I feel basically unsafe towing the trailer. I do think the wobble is maybe manageable, but I also think the hitch could fail again unexpectedly and that frightens me. Side gusts of wind leave the Unigo unphased but headwinds and buffeting from large vehicles effect it badly in my opinion.
After the trailer hitch failed, I had to fetch it from the oncoming freeway traffic, then load the contents onto the bike. Once loaded and underway, an 18 wheeler ran me off the road. Never have I had so many close calls in one day. I think next Memorial Day weekend, I will most likely stay home.
From the beginning I had Unigo wiggle. Over this holiday weekend I took a trip from Cincinnati to Kansas City and the bolts from the Unigo sheared off separating the trailer from the bike in the middle of a highway.
Not only do I feel fortunate to be alive, but now the trailer frightens me. A fellow ST Owner helped me in Kansas City repairing the hitch. Since I was attending a wedding, had no tools, no expertise and had no way to get the trailer home kts1911 offered to take my bike to his house and work on the hitch. Without his help, I would have been in a pickle. THANK YOU KARL!!!!!! You went above and beyond and I thank you Sir!
After Karl (kts1911) fixed the trailer hitch and latch, I was able to pull the trailer home. We took it for a test ride and again it wobbled at any speed over 65. On the way home, I learned to manage it somewhat.
The wobble is airflow related. On the highway, I travel with my stock windscreen up all the way. At about 5-6 car lengths behind a semi, I feel the wobble begin which necessitates a lane change. At 2-3 car lengths behind a truck in the adjacent lane, the wobble begins again. I found 3 ways to manage it – decrease speed L, tuck behind windscreen, or power throttle through (initially increases wobble) and risking a speeding ticket. I ended up choosing a combination of tucking behind the windscreen and applying more throttle until beside the truck cab and then resumed legal speed. On the way home, I packed nothing in the trailer that I could not sacrifice or leave behind since I lost confidence that it would stay attached (Zero reflection on Karl’s work).
To Unigo’s compliment, once the hitch bolts failed and it separated from the bike, it skidded and bounced along the freeway, hitting every side and it stayed closed without cracking apart. If I was willing to stay below 70 mph and/or stay behind the windscreen, I would be happy with this trailer. However, since freeway speeds are typically above that I feel basically unsafe towing the trailer. I do think the wobble is maybe manageable, but I also think the hitch could fail again unexpectedly and that frightens me. Side gusts of wind leave the Unigo unphased but headwinds and buffeting from large vehicles effect it badly in my opinion.
After the trailer hitch failed, I had to fetch it from the oncoming freeway traffic, then load the contents onto the bike. Once loaded and underway, an 18 wheeler ran me off the road. Never have I had so many close calls in one day. I think next Memorial Day weekend, I will most likely stay home.