Only one wheel on my wagon

The conundrum of carrying luggage on a motorcycle without compromising it dynamics has almost been solved by a Christchurch fitter and welder, writes DAVE MOORE.

When honeymooning in Noosa, Queensland, Chris van Eekelen’s new bride saw a little bicycle trailer, and quietly suggested it would be neat to have one on a motorcycle.

The idea obviously struck a cord, because just 18 months later Mr. Van Eekelen is ready to start production on a peanut-shaped motorcycle trailer that could save luggage problems for two wheeled tourers.

It has not been a easy path. Early prototypes of the Uni-Go were not ideally stable, which was only to be expected bearing in mind the need to scrape parts together for the first versions.

That and the fact that finalizing the best combination of the wheel base, pivot point, centre of gravity, and amount of trail was a trial-and-error affair.

The Canterbury Business Development Board covered half the cost of the first development trailer, which like all subsequent Uni-Go’s, was designed from the ground up by Mr. van Eekelen.

His experience working for Chapman Engineering and his love for all thing automotive, particularly motorcycle, meant that Mr. van Eekelen was well suited to the task of making the Uni-Go work.

He was used to unlikely challenges, having turned and old Morris Minor, which had lain in a paddock for seven years, into a full restoration good enough to be used as his own wedding car.

The Uni-Go concept is a lot smaller than the old Morris, but the sensitivity of its universal-joint configuration and the special method of construction meant that a lot of the engineering involved in its conception was of a pioneering nature.

Each of the four experimental designs behaved in its own way on the road, contributing to the designer's leaning curve.

The pre-production prototype is now being tested, and now being regularly used around Christchurch behind Mr. van Eekelen Suzuki super-bike.

Through establishing the right basic geometry, he has sorted out stability and dynamics. The main emphasis is on refining spring rates and dampening, so that the Uni-Go behaves predictably regardless of its load.

An ingenious counter-acting swing arm helps to achieve this, and no matter whether the Uni-Go has a payload 50kg or its empty, it copes well with normal bumps and surface breaks.

The latest Uni-Go has been aerodynamically tested at more than 180km/h, and has proved stable and predictable. More importantly, Uni-Go can be towed behind the Suzuki super-bike with no discerning effect on its cornering and braking ability, and negligible influents on its performance.

In its present form, however, the Uni-Go is unsuitable for bikes less than 400 cu cm capacity, says Mr van Eekelen, although he may look at a smaller design in the future.

The Uni-Go is capable of holding up to 140 litres of luggage, which is all the more surprising when you consider that some small hatchbacks don't carry as much.

It weighs 35kg, but will take an extra 50kg, a vast improvement on the traditional pack-rack, which places its load weight well outside and behind the centre of gravity and balance point of an average motorcycle.

Work still has to be done before the Uni-Go goes into serious production.

A three-spoke alloy wheel is being readied for casting, and the moulds for the main shell and lid are being refettled to ensured a better weather seal.

Even with Mr van Eekelen putting each Uni-go together in a piecemeal order-by-order basis, he expects the little one-wheeler to retail for a basic $1850.

He is telling motorcycle dealerships around New Zealand about the Uni-Go, with a view to supplying small numbers of the trailer as soon as he gets firm orders.

The vast North American and European sports-touring motorcycle market is an obvious target for the Uni-Go, but Tradenz has advised Mr Van Eekelen to test the local waters first before thinking about exporting or producing the trailer off-shore.

In the meantime, although cars are no longer being built in New Zealand, in a small workshop in Christchurch something of a cottage automotive industry still exists.

The fact that is has just one wheel makes it no less important, not if Chris Van Eekelen has anything to do with it anyway.