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Custom Motorcycle Pull Behind Cargo Trailer (T.I.W.I. Mfg.) - $1,750 (Applegate/Murphy)
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From the Manufacturers Serial Plate Sticker (Inside The Trailer) Photo #15
This was manufactured by T.I.W.I. Trailers in Wenatchee, Washington
From what I can tell it was a specialty fiberglass trailer and/or Side Car Mfg.
(No Longer In Business & Zero History Comes Up In Google Search)
Using a “Standard Convention Serial Numbering System” the Serial # 09850916
Translates to: 16th Unit Built on 09 September 1985
The: -Ts 3X18 Refers to the Tire/Wheel Size.
I’m assuming the Model # RB refers to “Rear Box” as a Side Car would be SC
I can’t tell why it’s only showing a Gross Vehicle Weight of 298 lbs. As each tire I purchased for it (IRC All Weather GS-11 AW) are rated at 386 lbs. Per Tire which calculates out to 772 lbs Total Combined Weight.
Using the Mfg. Date and the most popular Touring Bike at the time: Goldwing GL1100 or GL1200, I’m assuming T.I.W.I. Trailers opted for the lower recommended towing capacity of 300 - 400 lbs. (Roughly half the weight of the bike) For Liability Reasons.
Now the MFG. Info is out of the way, here are the measurement and what I know about the trailer.
The exact measurements I took are:
98" Long (8'2")
31" Tongue from Front of Trailer to C/L of Heim Joint Hitch (Trailer was extended for use with Side Car - This gives you 31" from Tow Pin to Outside of Side Car)
41" Wide (Axle Nut to Axle Nut)
12" Ideal Height for Heim Pin for Level pull Photo 02
6" Ground Clearances Front & Rear Main Trailer Photos 01 - 05 - 06
Clamshell Trailer Box Measurements (Approximate) Photos 09 - 11 - 12
Inside Dimensions: 26" X 40"
Bottom Depth: 12.5" Average
Top Height: 10" Average
Front Storage Basket (Where Ice Chest Resides) Photos 03 - 04
28.5" Wide
22" Deep
Ice Chest I Purchased For The Trailer - Photos 04 - 05
Igloo 00049829 IMX 24
SKU: 00049829 | Barcode: 34223498290
Photos By Number:
01. Trailer Set Up Behind My Lawn Tractor
02. Heim Joint Hitch (Note: An Actual Pin Goes With The Trailer- What’s Shown Is Just a Piece of All Thread Attached to my Tractor.
03. Trailer with Ice Chest Open
04. Ice Chest Open in Front Basket
05. Drivers Side of Trailer
06. Passenger Side of Trailer
07. Rear of Trailer
08. Close Up Rear of Trailer (Note Bumper Lift Wheels)
09. Trailer Open From Rear (Note Carpet Sections For Top “Not Installed”)
10. Bra For Front Of Cargo Box (Not Installed as Wood Basket Protects the Front) Trailer Hitch for 2" Receiver with Heim Joint Pin Installed & 8 Pin Wiring Harness for your Motorcycle or Car.
11. Open Clamshell With Set of Extra Wheels & New Spare Tires (Explained in the story below.
12. Drivers Side of Trailer with Clamshell Open
13. Original Mfg. Sticker and North Pole Santa Clause License Plate (Note: Frame Flashes Red When Brakes Are Applied.)
14. License Plate & Flashing Frame (License Plates Not Required In Oregon).
15. VIN Plate - MFG Plate - Serial Plate - Whatever! :)
History: Quick Story; In 2018 I decided to purchase a 1983 Goldwing 1100 Aspencade Touring Bike. (Hey, I’m not Elon, Jeff, or Bill) ............................ Anyhow, when I went to get tires for it, there was zero, zilch, nothing, to be had at 6 different motorcycle shops in Southern Oregon. While the tires are still made, I guess they are odd by today’s standards, so I had to order them on-line and find someone locally to mount them (another story in of itself).
Not an ideal situation if you are planning a cross country trip. My solution was to pull a trailer with spare Front and Rear Bike Wheels and Mounted Tires in the event of a non reparable flat. Again, I’m not one of those guys listed above, so I found a trailer in Seattle and made a trade for something the seller wanted.
It was poring down rain when I got to Seattle, we made the trade, I stopped at a hardware store to get tow safety chains as the trailer didn’t have any on it, and headed home. The trailer pulled wonderful, with the long draw bar, backed easily, but had my fingers crossed the entire 450 miles as the tires were bald and weather checked.
Same problem as with the Goldwing. I had purchased tires at a local Seattle motorcycle shop before heading up there, but when I got there to pick up the tires there was no one to mount them. They sent me to the South end of town where I was told they couldn’t change them until Monday, and it would be $60 per tire. I chose to roll the dice and drive home.
Upon getting home and examining the Trailer, I notice when the original owner extended the Draw Bar for the Sidecar, they also pushed the Cargo Box to the rear 13", but failed to extend the rear frame, leaving 13" of the Cargo Box Unsupported.
Now on to what I Repaired, Replaced, or Added to the Trailer after disassembly for overhaul.
Original Wheels: Replaced Bearings, Cleaned Wheels, Put Sleeves over surfaced rusted spokes, & Trued Wheels
Spare Wheels: (Inside Trailer) Were purchased as I felt if I hit a curb or lost a wheel, I would be SOL without a spare. I made 2, so if that happened, the spares would become the primary and the primarys would become the spare. I Purchased older Yamaha wheels that would work, Machined the hubs to the correct size, Replaced Bearings, Cleaned & Trued Wheels
All Tires: Installed New Tires, Tubes & Tube Protectors - Balanced Tires
Trailer Frame: Extended Rear Frame by 15" to fully support and protect underside of Cargo Box and provide an extended bumper with lift rollers
Cargo Box: Patched and Reinforced Mounting Holes in the Fiberglass Shell. Added 1" Rubber Pad between Cargo Box and Trailer Frame for extra support and protection from road debris hitting underside of Cargo Box.
Wiring: Rewired entire trailer as non standard color wire was used, along with Scotch Connectors (which are the worse). In addition to Brake Lights, I included a License Plate Frame that Flashes constantly when the brakes are applied.
Wiring Connector: Due to Voltage/Amperage restrictions on my Goldwing, I had purchased a specialty 8 pin connector with 6 pins in use.
Black-Ground
White-Aux
Brown-Tail/Marker
Red-Brake
Yellow-Left Turn
Green-Right Turn
Blue-Not Used
Gray-Not Used
You have the unwired connector for your vehicle.
Tow Hitch: Uses a standard ½" Heim Joint Hitch on your Motorcycle. If you have a car, I built a hitch with the Male Heim Joint Pin attached with safety chain holes you can use assuming your receiver hitch is at the correct height.
While I finally got this all together, it doesn’t look like I’ll be taking any Cross Country Trips anymore, so perhaps someone else can get the enjoyment out of it.
I’ve got other parts I was going to put on the trailer that I didn’t install as others may not be interested.
12 Volt Mower Battery as Primary Trailer Power to:
Run lights through Solenoid Switches rather than Bike Power
Enable 4 ways using said battery rather than Bike Power
Enable Aux Lighting & Power using said battery rather than Bike Power
Smart Transfer & Charging Switch: Keeping both Motorcycle and Trailer Battery Charged, and Allowing 12 Volt Mower Battery to Start Bike if Bike Battery Dead.
Flasher Lights for 4 way Flashers (not a feature on my Goldwing)
New (used once) Copper Canyon 4 Man Tent from REI Co-Op - I ain’t camping no more.
I'll consider all "Reasonable Offers", but please make them prior to viewing so we don't waste each others time.
If interested, please e-mail and include the name of the High School Closest to your house (spammers and bots can't seem to include this information) and I'll call or e-mail you back depending on the contact information you leave.
Once an offer has been made and accepted by me, we can set up a date & time for viewing. After viewing you are free to walk away without purchase, but I won't go down in price at that time.
I’m located off North Applegate Road near Troon & Schmidt Vineyards, halfway between the towns of Applegate and Murphy.
Thanks for viewing. Alan