Modern Vespa

I'm looking to buy a trailer to put my GTS250 and LX150 on. Does anyone have any experience taking a regular utility trailer, one of those $199.00 jobs and converting it to a scooter hauler? Or can you direct me to a decent. yet inexpensive trailer to haul my scooters with?

I bought a kit trailer with a motorcycle rail at the website below in 2002. The trailer was easy to put together. Took about 2 beers- I drink slow. The hardest part was arguing with the DMV people about registering it as a homemade trailer. After asking for a supervisor and showing the certificate with the VIN number that came with the kit, I paid my $18.00 and registered it. It's worked out great for me.

http://iowaboys.com/utiktrlkit/utiltrlkit.htm

Here's my el cheapo Harbor Freight Tools Utility Trailer with optional motorcycle rails.


A few years and a few thousand miles old, with regular maintenance, never had a problem.

You just need to install a couple of wheel chocks (maybe not this fancy) and three tie down points (the middle one works for both left and right side scooter) on the front and away you go.

Dave

Thanks for the info, I have a Harbor Freight down the road from me so I will be checking them out.

BE CAREFUL with the cheapo harbor freight trailers, please. The wheel bearings are CHEAP. If you have to, don't buy the cheapest one they sell - get one that's rated for faster speeds and with bigger tires.

I know of a FEW instances from the last couple years of people trailering their bikes to scooter rallys on those things and one of the bearings failing, resulting in a locked up tire and having to make emergency stops on the side of the road as the trailer fishtailed behind them with their scooters flailing around.

My buddy just took the plate off of his and ditched it on the interstate, since it was undriveable. We loaded the scooters into other vehicles ( good thing we were caravaning ).

-Eric

That's what I meant when I said regular maintenance. Inspect, repack and replace the bearings if needed. I don't think most people with utility trailers bother doing that.

And your right, stay away from the 8" and definitely get the 12" wheels.

I have a 4x8 harbor freight trailer with 12" wheels. It has max speed 55mph stamped on the wheels. If I were to do it all over again I would spend the extra $600 and get a motorcycle specific trailer.

Wheel bearings can be a NIGHTMARE on any trailer, no matter the quality. I recommend checking and maintaing the bearings regularly on whatever trailer you decide to buy.

I had a near death experience on a giant bridge due to a friends bad boat trailer bearings.

I've been afraid of trailers ever since.

BEWARE!

I went to Harbor Freight today and the 40X48 is not long enough for the GTS wheel base length, so I'm back to shopping around. Oh it was the 12 inch tire model and on sale for $179.99

I bought a GTS from an MV member. She has a trailer for sale that she used her scoot from Alaska to New Jersey. It was still for sale last I knew. Her username is Bwyn. A very nice lady. Good luck.

Ok, so I ordered my hitch, drawbar and wiring harness for our 2006 Scion xB and I've found a nice trailer a bit over $500.00 shipped, now it is just a matter of spending the bucks to order the thing or hold off for a while and maybe pick up a used trailer. My debit card finger is getting itchy!

Well, after discussing this with my wife the decision was to buy a trailer from sportutilitytrailers.com that is designed to carry our scooters. The determining factor was that since we have so much invested in our scooters and gear we didn't want to chance putting them on a cheaper trailer that was sort of modified by, ahem, me. Did it cost more? yep about 3 times the amount but now I have a bit more peace of mind pulling our Vespas down the road.

Thanks for posting the recomendation for the site. Which one did you end up ordering? It's a tough choice and not all that much info out there.

Doug

Thanks for this post. I have the Harbor Freight that I hauled dirt bikes on and my Harley once. I have not checked the bearings as I only have a few hundred miles on it. I'm going to check them NOW!

olhogrider,

I have the 12" wheel Harbor Freight trailer.

You might want to think about replacing the wheel bearings with something better - that's what I'm going to do:

http://www.bearingbuddy.com/

Thanks. I had those on my boat trailer but didn't think about the bike trailer.

I ordered my trailer from sportutilitytrailers.com A very good selection and fast shipping. All "7" boxes should be here by Thursday, so I know what I will be putting together this up coming weekend. This past Saturday I installed my hitch and wiring on the Scion xB, so the "toaster" as we call it is reaady for the trailer when it is finshed.

Where'd you get the hitch? I need one for my xA.

www.etrailer.com give or take a few bucks, they seemed to have the easiest website to navigate.

Doug