This one is from Leesurelite and retails for more than $5,000 dollars. I like the layout and the room as well as the low weight of the trailer [250 lbs].
So why can't I build one for less?
I started doodling and doing some planning and this is what I come up with.
It should be simple enough to build the box, bend a little conduit piping and manufacture the hardware needed, take it to an upholsterer and get them to sew up a tent. The box would be about 5 feet long-40 inches wide and 18 inches tall. Once opened up the whole thing sets up quickly. As you lift the top of the box it pulls the canvas and the tent poles into position. The tubing can be made adjustable and pushed upward to make the canvas taut. Then a small board is extended to make the sleeping area 6'6 feet long.
If all goes well it should end up looking something like this. Granted it will not have the sleek look of fiberglass like the retail model but it should be sufficient to keep one off the ground and have room to stand up in.
The tubing had me stumped for a little while but with a tubing bender and some additional hardware the whole thing could fold down into the box neatly.
Attach the box to the top of a trailer, stick a cooler on the front frame and away you go camping.
Anyhoo, this is as far as I have gotten, the tent tarp still has a few wrinkles left to be ironed out and I don't want to get started on a doomed project unless I am sure that I can finish it and have a decent looking trailer to haul behind the Wing.
I think I can keep the cost down as I already have the trailer, just need to add stabilizer jacks to the bottom of it, buy some plywood and piano hinge, get the tubing, tubing bender and then find some fabric for the tent.
Trunk Rack- The wing needed a trunk rack to stow some extra cargo on those longer camping trips. this item was purchased from Sabre Cycle in Missouri, good service and prices for Wings of all ages. I also managed to find a left side snap-on-pocket for the fairing, the only place on the net that I know of that had this item.
Saddle Bag Liners- Needed some bag liners for extra ease of taking things off the bike as the hard bags are permanently fixed and these are cool. These and the other items below have been ordered from JC Whitney, they have a few Wing items but there selection is limited. I also have a set of chromed levers coming.
Saddlebag Rails- My saddle bags lids are starting to show some wear and tear mostly from sun damage and these little bits of bling will distract the eye from the wear spots and prevent further damage to the lids, besides you can't have too much chrome on a Goldwing.
Wind deflectors-These are handy when the weather gets hot and you want to direct a breeze towards your self.
Mike and Jane climbing the first hills and challenging some of the first curves out of Kaslo
Simon and Kieran Also met a Valkyrie rider from Calgary named Peter and his wife who trailered their bike out behind a camper van and then just did the roads of their choice[best of both worlds]. Great talking about bikes with other riders and listening to their experiences and about their travels. Sorry Peter I forgot to take a pic of you guys and your bike.
Mike on his Crotch rocket
The Coffee gang at "Corner Gas"During a small cloud burst I ducked under this overhang at a small gas station to get out of the rain, Mike and Jane wisely stopped earlier to suit up in their rain gear. This dedicated bunch of friendly guys gathered here every day to drink their coffee and watch the motorcycle squids go by, often yelling out whether it was a Harley or a crotch-rocket. They must of seen a million bikes go by their front door all summer long. They welcomed me into the club and were quite gracious about sharing the overhang with me.
Are these tables for anyone?No fast food along this route but some nice friendly small cafes and Bistros to tie on the feed bag and take a respite from the road.
Ferry Rides are a highlight of the tripOne of the many highlights of this route are the free ferries along the way crossing two different lakes and if you choose to go west you can even work in a third ferry on the way to Vernon.
This is the route we were on and basically all the fun begins at Revelstoke as you head south on Highway 6 as the traffic thins out and the curves start to bend a little more and the road just gets better and better as you go. When you get to Creston you are back in the tourist zone with all of the traffic.
Introducing the new to me, 1983 Goldwing GL 1100 Interstate previously owned by Deon and Cory of Edmonton Alberta.
I was really torn about whether I should buy a touring bike or go for one of the snazzy next to new cruisers. But in the end when I saw the ad for Deon's bike on the Internet, the deal was done.
I came home for lunch on Monday, sat down to check the latest motorcycle listings on Kijiji and spotted the bike which had only been posted in the last hour.
Breathless and excited I phoned the number and inquired about the bike and asked a bunch of silly questions and laid out a few scenarios on how I could make it to Edmonton (I live three hours away) before the bike was sold, and if we could load it into the back of my truck. The seller, Deon was very patient and tried to answer all of my breathless questions as I was starting to dither bad and was unsure what to do next.
Deon told me that when I finally decided what I was going to do to phone him back.
I paced furiously about the house trying to decide if it was worth the effort to race up to Edmonton to look at the bike, only to have my hopes dashed if someone closer decided to buy it before I could get there.
Dinner was on the table, but all I could think about was the bike. And if you have seen my girth, you would soon notice I haven't missed many dinners. Dinner would have to wait.
It was a no-brainer, this was the bike I had wanted, I would take a chance and jump in the car and head to Edmonton.
I phoned Deon back told him I was coming and much to his credit Deon told me others were coming later in the day to look at the bike but if I was to take the three hour drive to look at the bike, he would wait for me.
I told him I was only going to stop at the bank, grab the cash and maybe have to stop for gas somewhere along the road but I was on my way.
I must have smoked twenty cigarettes on the way to Edmonton constantly fretting about whether the bike would be there when I arrived or if some one else would snatch this Goldwing from my grasp.
Deon gave me some great directions over the phone as I neared his house, and when I walked up his driveway and into the garage I was sold. Deon was there and the bike was there.
Asked if I wanted to take it for a test drive I could only blurt out that if the bike started, I would buy it. Deon cranked the Wing to life and the deal was consummated.
Last week I lamented on the fact that buying a bike should be easy, and so it was, with the help and kindness of the seller. Deon waited for me to make the three hour drive to look at the bike while his phone was ringing off the hook from other buyers, he made it easy for me, for which I am grateful.
I had more help the next day as friends postponed a trip to their Mothers birthday lunch, to drive me up and pick up the bike. I wanted to buy them dinner when we arrived back at Castor but another friend who was happy that I had finally bought a Goldwing fed us for free.
Deon wasn't there when we arrived to pick up the bike, but his wife Cory was and with her help we put on my plate and I was ready to ride. Deon was a half hour away but I was so excited to get on the bike I never waited to thank him again for his help and kindness.
Its a great bike at a great price but the best part is the great people who helped me to be back in the saddle again.
