Hi point Trailers

[wfopete]

Are Hi Point Trailers still being made, if so, sold by?

Pete Petrick

'01 KTM EXC 520, '74 YZ 250, '86 Honda XR 250, '71 Hodaka 100, '74 SUZUKI TM 400

[ktmkirk]

quote:Originally posted by wfopete

Are Hi Point Trailers still being made, if so, sold by?

Pete Petrick

'01 KTM EXC 520, '74 YZ 250, '86 Honda XR 250, '71 Hodaka 100, '74 SUZUKI TM 400

[ktmkirk]

If you look in the back of Cycle news they used to  have an AD but I couldn't find it in some of my old issues. I know it was sold to someone in Ohio who was starting to make them again, I'm not sure if he is still in business or not, maybe someone else knows...

quote:Originally posted by wfopete

Are Hi Point Trailers still being made, if so, sold by?

Pete Petrick

'01 KTM EXC 520, '74 YZ 250, '86 Honda XR 250, '71 Hodaka 100, '74 SUZUKI TM 400

[Kip Kern]

Yes, Hi Point trailers are still being made, over by Mansfield actually east of there.  If you go to Google, do a search and it will come up.  I got some literature from them about 6 months ago but couldn't find it last night.  As I remember, their prices are very reasonable for the product, I would love to have one myself!

[bildough]

for what its worth. i have been using a Haul Mark "Low haul" for the past several years. carries 3 bikes easily. well finished on the inside with  paneling and lighting. Rear door folds out into its own loading ramp and the roof is low enough that it does cause any drag if pulled behind a SUV. have used it each year to go back and forth from OR to SC and trips in between and it has been great. I think they cost under $4k new.

[Mick Milakovic]

Has anyone ever tried installing an air conditioner in their bike trailers?  I'm going to buy an 18 footer next year and was thinking about a generator/air conditioning set up.  I know it sounds crazy, but I arrive late to a lot of races and would like to just pull up, unload bikes, and go to sleep.  We tent camp all the time, and a large trailer that can haul our bikes and serve as an escape during wet and/or hot weather sounds pretty good.

[firstturn]

Mick,
  It really isn't a big deal.  We have had them on box vans,race bike and horse trailers.  I think the first thing to determine is,  if putting a roof air conditioner on the trailer going to make it a problem  with the height of the trailer in relationship to where you park it.
  I think roof air conditioners have really dropped in price in the last 7 to 8 years.  If the height is a problem go with a window unit normally mounted on the front.
  Generators are to most people a mystery.  No problem in comparing apples to apples.  Just remember that most manufacturing companies of generators list their unit in wattage output, as say 3500 watts.  To convert just remember that Volts X Amps = Watts.  One other thing, air conditioners are what is called a reactive load which simply means that it takes more Amps  to start the unit than in normal running.  So be careful and don't buy to small of a unit(generator) that ends up burning up the air conditioner(because it won't start) and could damage the generator as well.  If I can help just e-mail me.
  I have friends that have this set-up on car trailers and it helps during the hot summer months when we are at races or car shows.

Ron Carbaugh

[DKWRACER]

Let's see..how do you spell "jeannie-us"
WAN.....

[TGTech]

Sad to say, at our last information, the Hi Point trailers are no longer being made. When we (Penton Imports) sold the company to KTM who immediately sold it to the Van Wagnen brothers from Sheffield, Ohio, they spent an inordinant amount of time and money getting the fiberglass molds refurbished. The problem was, all the while, they didn't have anyone selling the trailers. So when they were ready to build, they didn't have any sales to bolster the brand.

At the same time, another of the Van Wagnen brothers' companies, got the school busing contract for the City of Lorain, and in order to handle it, they had to put a huge sum of money into their transportation company. It was a financial decision: spend more money to keep the trailer company going or moth ball the company, and put the funds into the busing company. They chose the busing company and began to look for a buyer for the trailer company.

A firm from near Wooster, Ohio, by the name of GRT Utilicorp, whose owners used to be Penton riders back in the 70's, came up to look at some machinery that was used in the trailer company, and when they saw the trailer company idle, they decided to buy it, as well as the machinery.

It took them a long time to get the company up and running, but when they did, they also made some advancements. Alas, it was more than they were willing to undertake, so they shut it down as well. We haven't tried to contact them, but other people who we've referred to them, have come back to us, and said that they've shut down. I don't know about the future of the company and materials, but I can't imagine that they would have trashed it.

Dane

[Kip Kern]

Bummer, I guess I won't be getting a new Hi Point trailer now.  My initial contact to the company felt like the folks were headed in the right direction.  I sure hate to see another business close down:(  I wonder what the Indian liquidation will be like at the VMD swap, probably a madhouse like Cannondale was:(

[Mick Milakovic]

Ron, thanks for the info, sounds like the way to go!

[firstturn]

Mick,
  If you are going to build the trailer to sleep in be sure to build a compartment outside for gasoline and other chemicals.  On the generator side you might call or email me for other tricks.  You don't want to mount it improperly and have problems with carbon monoxide poisoning or improper air flow for cooling purposes.

Ron Carbaugh

[LynnCamp]

Great story Dane.  Thanks for sharing that bit of history.  If you can get John P. off of his tractor... maybe you all could take a crack at reviving the trailer business.  I have been eyeballing the toy haulers, but haven't seen much variety or innovation.  I think the toy hauler business is going to boom -- and it could use some innovation... like the way you all innovated change in the dirt bike industry .......

[Mick Milakovic]

Thanks again Ron, I'll keep you in mind:D

[Lew Mayer]

How come when I search for Hi-point trailers, I find a website for them in Lancaster Pa.?

Lew Mayer