Any idea what a trike weighs?

[John Schmidt]

Up here there's a lot of snowmobile flatbed trailers, usually around 8' x 10' which is a good length but a little wide.They're made that wide to carry two machines. It appears in most cases I could cut about a foot off each side to accommodate the trike which is 5' wide at the widest so a 6' wide trailer would suffice. Some come with ramps, if not I'd have to build/buy one, plus I'd install a barrier across the front if it didn't have one...many do however. I looked it up and it appears two machines weigh in right at 900 lbs. or close to it, so I'm wondering...do you think a snowmobile trailer will carry a trike. I feel they are more than capable.

[Jess from VA]

Around here, there are a number of rock, gravel and dirt sellers that have drive-on scales.

They weigh you empty, then with your load, and you pay for the extra weight.

You pull up on the trike and they probably wouldn't charge you.  

Or email one or trike Mfgrs and ask.

[klb]

I read on a Goldwing site that the Roadsmith Trike kit was
about 350 pounds and what was removed from the bike to
put it on was 100 pounds making it 250 pounds heavier as
a trike. Guessing a Valkyrie interstate converted should be
close to 1000 pounds as a trike.

[Serk]

I think 1/2 ton would be a good guesstimate, if you want a more precise measurement, most truck stops have truck scales, worth asking if they'd let you ride the trike onto the scale and see...

[John Schmidt]

Can't ride to any weigh station, there's one just a couple miles away. We have some of that white crap around here, it has already killed off all the palm trees...probably due to the evening breezes in the low 30's with morning temps anywhere from 0-15 degrees. No...won't be riding to a weigh station any time soon...like maybe by late April.

I did find a couple snowmobile trailers nearby on Craigslist that had the ID tag pictured and had a load weight of 1550 lbs. so guess a trike would be safe. Since I'd be cutting it down in width the safety margin would go up re. weight.

[da prez]

John , fleet farm , home depot etc have trailers. Do an online search or get a good frame and I will build one. I do not do aluminum welding as no equipment.

                               da prez

[scooperhsd]

If you buy one - I would not mess around with narrowing it - it might compromise the frame integrity. And yes - I would have guessed a Valk trike would come in around 1000 pounds.

[cookiedough]

I have a 2006 triton ATV88 trailer is around 6'6" by 9 feet and holds the limit of 1550lbs. allowed have pushed that with 2 Can AM 2-up ATV's each weighing around 800lbs. each driving them up on the sides.  Tight fit few inches to spare all around but fit.  I would feel confident also driving a trike up the aluminum grid pattern ATV ramp as well with a 2x10 board laying on top of the ATV ramp for the front tire when loading and probably for the 2 rear tires as well for the aluminum ramp has open grid patterns and the rear tires will probably spin/slip driving it up the aluminum ramp. The ATV ramp stores in the back slides out from the bottom.  Back in 2006 were 1200 new, now guessing pushing 1600 or so, good quality.  I assume with a trike is not over 9 feet long though?  It will take up almost all of the length of the trailer for sure and do not cut the floor is fine at 6'6" width gotta have room to walk around the trike while standing on the trailer to tie it down on all 4 corners.

That is my recommendation has wood floor.  IMO if you go aluminum flooring on other models would also be fine but if you drive in the rain,  make sure the trike is strapped down on all 4 corners well since IMO the aluminum flooring might last longer and stronger, but also slippier than wood when towing in the rain.

they also make whether triton or other mfgs. a skinnier say 5-6' wide aluminum floor/framed by 10 feet long which would be more ideal in that 2-3K range new.  2K more so for metal framed that will rust up in Green Bay or 3K for aluminum framed which I would recommend for longer lasting NON rust.

good thing about aluminum frame besides lighter weight and no rust, is the resale is also higher if ever sold it.  I paid 1200 new back in 2006 and guessing now since in good shape still can get 900 bucks for my triton ATV88 trailer considering new now is 1600 or so.

[John Schmidt]

Cookie, the trike is 5'x10', a slightly shorter trailer would work but would have the rear 12" or so hanging off the back if the ramp didn't interfere. Generally speaking, a 6'x10' would be the minimum size, preferably aluminum, and a torsion axle...but I'm flexible to some degree.

[Avanti]

Do not forget that aluminum also oxidizes.

[cookiedough]

Cookie, the trike is 5'x10', a slightly shorter trailer would work but would have the rear 12" or so hanging off the back if the ramp didn't interfere. Generally speaking, a 6'x10' would be the minimum size, preferably aluminum, and a torsion axle...but I'm flexible to some degree.

ramp would not interfer as long as back 2 wheels on trailer will fit.  I did not know the trike was near 10 feet long, pretty long.  If so,  then the triton ATV88 trailer would not work being 9 feet long total is all.  Triton makes a ATV128 trailer being 12 feet long that would work though also with torsion axle but those are well over 2 grand as well but have seen a few used ones pop up from time to time for under 2K, just barely.  Tons of nice aluminum trailers in that 6x10 or 6x12 feet to pick from but finding a good used one is hard to find and new ones are over 2 grand more like 3K.

[thedon]

John,
We have been using Blackdog's trailer for some time now. Nice aluminum trailer. I can't remember the name. Either JimC or Blackdog can chime in on this. Never have had a problem.
Don

[Mike in AR]

John, I have a 2000 Valkyrie trike, a MotorTrike kit, that I picked up in Florida a few years ago. I used a 6' x 10' dove tail trailer to bring it back on. I put a wheel chock in the front and added tie downs in each corner. The tailgate makes a good ramp and the dovetail gives plenty of room to get the trike on without dragging. It has 2' x6's for a floor, and if you wanted to, you could water-proof them and maybe put some non-slip paint on them. If the boards ever wear out, all you'd have to do is replace them. As I said, I brought mine trike home to Arkansas from Florida without any problems at all. I've had it on there two or three times, and never a problem. If I recall right, I think I paid between $750 and 900. for the trailer about 7-8 years ago.

[JimC]

John,
I would think several time about cutting a snow mobile trailer down. Most of them the bed is integral part of the frame, too much work for the benefit.

Those little tires and wheel bearings would bother me, conventional trailers have 14 or 15 inch wheels, they spin much slower, and that would be good thing on a long ride.

I would contact Steve (black dog) and see if his trailer is going to be used this winter, Don and Barb's trikes fit just fine on his trailer, and the trailer is made for bikes, with a stow away full sized ramp, and a bulk head.

Jim

[Black Dog]

John and I have texted each other.

Black Dog