First long haul journey

Greetings friends,

I am doing my first long haul journey by bike and trailer. I have had a few trips of a few hundred miles, but this time I am traveling from Northern WI to Jackson Mississippi over two days (1150 miles). I have learned a few things:

1) I need a better seat.

2) There are a lot of idiots on the highways (actually, I already knew that one, but this trip reinforces that knowledge). I particularly hate left lane lunkers, and those that pass, pull back in and slow down. What is up with that.

3) Interstates in Mississippi are dark at night? (who would figure). The asphalt is a particularly black type, and there are no highway lights overhead.

4) Cobra fuel add on units are not the way to go. I also used this trip to fine tune the settings, figuring pulling a 275 pound would make any differences more apparent. I am close to my original settings, and it runs great on cool nights, but not so great on warm days. With the trailer, averaging about 75 MPH, on a cool night through Il. I was getting 41 MPG. The next day, hot as heck through MO, only 36. I increased the settings a bit and got it up to 39, but it does not like warm days.

5) Big rigs traveling at 70 make a lot of turbulence.

6) Sunscreen is our friend. After the first day I had raccoon face ( white around the eyes, red everywhere else).

7) Chicks dig guys on bikes (until I take off the helmet and glasses and they see I am just a middle-aged dweeb on a bike)
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All in all though it was nice (except for the monkey-butt). The trailer and hitch held up well, except at one point the trailer lighting connector came undone. I duct-taped that together to prevent re-occurrence.

I'm a big fan of that 5 Hour Energy drink on the long rides, as it keeps me alert without being a raging psycho or needing to to piss to often, unlike too much coffee/Red Bull.

An update,

While in Jackson MS I went to the local HD dealership, and they had a seat cousion slip on called the 'Air flow' or something like that. It works great, and does what the name implied, allows air to flow to the bottomside to keep you cool and dry! I was skeptical with the $80 price tag, but it was worth it.

I had some problems with my homemade hitch, particularly when there is no trailer on it. I designed it with a certain amount of flexibility, but when empty, and hitting a hard bump or dip, it would flex way up, and actually smashed my taillight!:witsend: With an empty or nearly empty trailer it would flex up and break a couple of critical bolts. I made a design change to fix that. Now I just need to have it all welded together to eliminate the bolts.

I am on the next trip, WI to NJ. The hitch is holding up well this time, even with the terrible roads through Chicago. The trailer is not, the top is starting to crack where it is mounted to the frame. I think the suspension is too stiff for the load I am carrying.

I did a bit more fine tuning with the Cobra unit, and it is working better, but still works much better on cool (cold) nights than on hot days. At least I know what the bike is capable off when I step up to a better controller.

Loving the riding! YeeeeHaw!

It is rigid is in the side to side direction, but I wanted some flex up and down for bumps and rough roads. I did not anticipate that it could flex that much (I am an electrical technician, putzing with mechanical stuff)

I tried a swivel ball I found on e-bay, and recently went to a regular ball, which works better. The swivel would end up flopped to one side or the other, and turns could sometimes jerk a little, The straight ball works, and I have not bottomed it out yet.

I also picked up a cup holder, and found a cup at Starbucks that fits it perfectly. I only use when I am in a position where there is no traffic. When it gets near empty, I sometimes get coffee in the face! I think I am enjoying this too much.

Almost forgot, a picture of the traveling rig.

swivel hitches are dangerous? I'm in trouble then. I've got a swivel hitch on the tiny mite trailer..there's some give in it longitudinally a bit like a shock absorber that softens the trailer's shock loads on the ball and the bike. My hitch would lay over on the side a bit so I lubed the ball and there's been no issue since. Looking at your trailer it appears that the box is dead centred over the axle and with the shape of the box it looks like it may be hard to put a forward bias on your load. some guys that have pulled more will likely chime in but I'd like 20 lbs or so on the tongue..just keeps things planted back there. How does the front end of your Dyna feel when you hit some rough stuff with your trailer?

I positioned it slightly forward, and depending on how I load it, I keep about 20-40 lbs on the hitch. It was not a problem loaded, but empty was something else. With the suitcase forward, tool box near center (it is taller), and lighter stuff to the back for easier access, it was forward heavy enough.

The hitch attaches to the swing arms under the passenger pegs. I used some 2 inch flat for that (and for flexibility), The straights are angle iron 1.25x1.25, for strength and rigidity. I had a couple of tabs that put the weight on the swing arms just behind the shock mounts, with furniture felt pads to protect the swing arms. My new addition was to add a few more tabs under the swing arms to prevent upward movement. the hitch assembly is working well now.

I had a swivel ball, not swivel hitch. The ball was on a pivot to go back and forth. The swivel hitches I have seen are spring loaded to try to keep the coupler centered on the ball. The one I had did not have that. With the straight ball I was worried a bit about leaning the bike so far that I run out of ball, but so far that has not happened, and I have leaned it a bit on some corners. Of course, with a trailer you have to take it a little easier.

I think I need to lengthen the tongue about a foot or so. It follows well, but in tight corners the trailer tried to push the bike a bit.

Pulling a trailer empty isn't a lot of fun, they bounce all over. the longer drawbar should help keep things stable. You will feel your trailer slightly in the front end though. I had a Dyna and pulled a trailer for a while..it's not offensive but you do know that it is there. with a heavier bike like an Electra glide it's not really noticable..except pulling out to pass two up..then you know you're loaded. This is a picture of our unit below..bear with me....first pic

FLHTBiker - what about building the swivel into the tongue of the trailer and leaving the ball mounted solid? Would this setup help the lean problem?
I'm looking into a camper (used) for the back of my Glide and was wondering if this might help.

One other quick note, the trailer coupler lock has a hole in it for a safety lock pin, and it is a good idea to use the safety pin, or a padlock for security. Without the safety pin or lock, a hard bump can cause the ball catch to come undone. As FLHTbiker said, you are responsible if it comes undone and causes damage to something else.

Got a buddy that weights over 300 lbs.
When we took a trip I got some of this for him.

http://www.jpcycles.com/search/search?Context=0&Ntt=Anti Monkey Butt Powder&Ntk=All&x=32&y=7