Reynolds R-740 hitch for K100 / K75 - complete kit plus additional items - SOLD

[Gio]

Reynolds R-740 hitch for BMW K100/75

Complete kit in excellent condition. Purchased a few years ago via a fellow motobricker in Texas, but never installed. Includes the following :

Single-side hitch with integral 5-pin round outlet
5-pin round connector for trailer side
All original wiring / relays
Full installation instructions / wiring schematic
Mounting hardware (longer bolts / spacers / struts)
Hopkins "Hoppy" 5A coverter module (4-pin)
Flat 4 / 5 round adapter* (new) for alternate vehicle
1 and 7/8 inch ball (new / un-used)
(* allows 5-pin round m/c trailer to connect to 4-flat)

Not weighed, but approx weight of hitch and mounting hardware would be around 15lbs (?) - see update (now weighed at ~ 13 lbs + packing)

Offered for same as what I paid (plus additional items) at US$250 + shipping - and will donate 10% of sale proceeds to motobrick

Installed hitch images can be found here :

https://www.google.com/search?q=reynolds+r740+hitch&tbm=isch&hl=en-GB&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwislv20vcHvAhWHBt8KHfEmCKsQBXoECAEQLQ&biw=1903&bih=969#imgrc=ncKjt7dm26hTuM

Full details / additional pics of local listing can be found here :

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1556618313&posted=true&adActivated=true&edited=true


DSC04394.JPG (129.87 kB . 640x480 - viewed 341 times)

Update : Main hitch (largest part) is approx 38 x 7.5 x 6 inches (allowing for fixed angle between mounting and ball plates) and weighs approx 9 lbs so with additional items (~ 4lbs) and packing (~ 5lbs) overall totals would be approx 39 x 8.5 x 7 inches and 18 lbs ready to ship.

Update : Sold on kijiji ...

[lefthander]

  Hello,
  I'm considering this hitch if it's still available. Can you give me a shipping estimate to 31405 Savannah Georgia. My name is John Young.
  Thanks,
  John

[Gio]

Hi John - yes, the hitch kit is still available. I need to modify a shipping box then measure / weigh (will update the ad with those numbers for reference) and send you a PM with an estimate of shipping cost to your zip. Over the years I have found a combination of Canada / US Mail to be the most cost-effective method (both ways) with a number of options depending on priority.

Gio

[Gio]

PM sent. Based on dimensional weight - shipping cost to Continental US (9 days basic) is around $55 CDN (or approx US $44 at current XR)

[lefthander]

 okay,  am looking into the prices of a trailer and will let you know. My bike is a K75 but I it can pull a trailer cross country unless others may have any experience with this setup?

[Gio]

Hi lefthander - an obvious bias here, but I do believe the K75 to be more than capable of towing an appropriately sized trailer - it has adequate power, great fuel economy and an available hitch that was designed for the bike (namely the Reynolds) which is single-sided ie rear wheel can still be removed if required and has 5-pin wiring (allows for aux 12v power). Here are some other thoughts on trailers based on earlier research (I had planned to do some long-distance touring this year but plans got thwarted, on many fronts ... alas) :

1. Size? A smaller/lighter trailer will tow better. Figure out what would likely be your minimum requirements - for my purposes this was to be a solo trip with ~ 12 to 15 cubic Ft of gear.
2. Weight? I something up to 150 lbs un-laden (~300 lbs loaded max). There are some open designs (eg Bushtec Spartan) which are light but obviously less secure
3. Hitch-height? The Reynolds (for example) has an installed height of ~ 13" so I upgraded the 8" trailer wheels (approx 10" hitch-height) to better 12" wheels (approx 13" height) to match the hitch
4. Suspension? I came across a lot of (usually older) trailers that did not have any (ie just a solid axle) ... opinions may vary on this but in mine, should have some kind of suspension
5. Make sure the trailer has a swivel-hitch (as all m/c trailers should have) - alternate "utility" trailers (for atv /small cars etc) are usually standard (ie non-swivel) type.
6. I had also planned to upgrade standard brake-lines to braided ... something that is probably a good idea (if not done already) given the additional trailer weight and age of our bricks now.

Just like any oil or tire thread - there are a range of opinions / experience out there - so do your research and make a list of what's important to you.

Hope this helps - and happy to answer any other questions you may have regarding the Reynolds. Due to circumstances, I also have the trailer I purchased to use with it listed locally (it is a registered m/c trailer but could also be used for other purposes) and will share that link with you (via PM) so you can visualise the above considerations, for my own plans at least.

Keep us posted on your project!

Gio

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I had friends back in the 70's who were in business building motorcycle trailers.  If I recall, their design worked very well, they sold several hundred of them around the upper Great Plains states, mostly to Goldwing owners.  They used those trailers for at least 20 years and towed them well over 100,000 miles behind their own Goldwings.

The trailer was pretty simple.  A hitch was welded to an aluminum frame along with a Sears X-Cargo cartop carrier.  The frame sat on top of the axle which was also aluminum and sprung with the leaf springs from the front skis on a snowmobile.  Wheels were small utility trailer parts as were the lights.  I could pick that trailer completely off the ground.  Fully loaded the tongue weight couldn't have been more than 10 pounds, if that.

These guys copied their design:  https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200692633_200692633

[Gio]

Agreed Gryph - lighter is better ... and general rule of thumb (regardless of tow vehicle) would be to aim for a maximum of around 10% of gross weight on the tongue (eg for a 150 lb trailer that would be around 15 lbs tops) ... so both trailer construction (axle placement) and how trailer is loaded are factors. Aluminum would be an excellent choice as is relatively light weight and durable - in fact I looked at a particularly nice one (made by Aluma in the US if I recall correctly) that would have worked well for my requirements ... but was very $$$ new.

[lefthander]

 Hey Gio,
 I'm a bit slow. Just figured out the trailer is yours. It's a nice setup.
  John

[mw074]

 Check this one.

 https://www.unigotrailers.com/product/uni-go-touring-trailer/