I've been entertaining a bit of a hair-brained idea...  By  phssthpok (Read 3,692 times)

Saddle bag packs and dry bags are a better, cheaper, safer way to go than trying to jury rig a trailer as you propose. Just get a 3 gallon plastic gas jug that uses a filler spout that will work for you and strap it down where you can find room for it rather than risk leaks or complications from excess weight.

3 extra gallons for a 150cc scoot is more than enough. You will find that you will NOT spend hour upon hour of non-stop riding. Sounds like you could do it in theory, but you won't. Besides, stopping a few minutes to pour gas from a can a couple times is not going to take much time anyway. (take a sec and check your oil too and you'll be more likely to catch any oil leaks soon enough to do something about it and save your engine. check oil frequently on long and hard rides) Pouring gas from a 3 gallon jug is a whole heck of a lot cheaper than screwing around with a more expensive heavier and larger than necessary marine fuel tank and the expense and hassle of installing plumbing that you hope never leaks or fails to flow from a faulty pump or leaks from the float bowl overflow. It sounds like something cool to have I know, but for what you are going to do, it is unnecessary.

Conduit trailer frame? Not a good idea IMO. Conduit is really too soft and would probably split along a seam after the stresses of the road on a non-suspended and loaded frame. Bicycle wheels are for bicycles; mountain or otherwise. They would not last the trip. But the bearings would probably burn out before you got too far anyway. If you make a trailer, at the very least use scooter front wheel/s and tire/s; they are designed/made for the speed and loads that your scooter does.
If you are going to use a trailer, do it right, not cheaply. (and I don't mean just inexpensively. I also mean that about using inferior/inadequate materials and design as well.)

Doing some extended test rides first to get just a taste of what you may experience on the road could be very telling on how you actually decide to approach the ride. Road weariness does not just go away after a day, it compounds. What was a stiff back from the first day can become a bad back ache the 2nd day and abject misery the 3rd day. Rider comfort is of utmost importance. You won't go far if you are in pain. REMEMBER THIS!!! HEED THIS!!! and your ride should be fine.... even if you don't get there fast as you'd like.

You need to know if your scoot can endure the trip too. It's not an inexpensive trip if you need major engine work while en route. No engine would pretty much put an end to a trip by most standards. Make sure EVERYTHING is in tip-top shape before you go. fresh oil change, air cleaner, drive belt, brake pads and tires in good shape for the trip. full coolant (if water cooled) and brake fluid full. Good battery, all lights working and no fuel or electrical issues.

Take a spare drive belt and tools to change it along with other tools you may need, tire plug kit and at least a manual tire pump adequate to inflate a scooter tire. (or a small electric inflator if you can manage room for one) extra oil, a good long lasting and bright flashlight, water and small packs of high energy food (because you don't know how long it may be before you are able to get somewhere if you are broke down in the middle of nowhere) Rain gear is a must (can help keep you warm by acting as a windbreak as well as keeping you dry.) Take what you need and can reasonably expect to use; anything else is just wasted space and excess weight that causes you to use more fuel than it would otherwise.

I and others may sound harsh at times, but you need to understand and know the gravity of what you propose, our concern for your safety/well being and to give you practical info that you can (and should) learn from and use.

Good luck (through sensible planning) and enjoy your trip.