Bike that can tow a trailer?

[RiderofBikes]

650 ninjas are a great all-rounder.. still around 50-60mpg
or even a ninja500, suzuki gs500f, right around 65mpg are top ones i would look for? especially price wise

[thomason2wheels]

Originally Posted by RiderofBikes

Sure towing with a bike can be done, but thats a totally personal option! those who do pull anything usually arent riding a 250! Mostly cruisers of some sort.

Lower seat height, lower frame height, weight distrobution is favored to the mid/front of the bike(the rider evens that out) when riding. Avaliable hitches are usually mounted on the lowest point of the frame or FIRMLY mounted body fairing as close to the rear of the tire, safely.

Anything that ofsets the load "triangle" will already compromise the bike, unless ballast weight is added to the front, even a passenger of substatial weight disrupts this balance, will surely present unsafe conditions from the get-go.

Like Europe using Goldwings to navigate through traffic, deploy a rolling car skid, and tow the vehicle away. While its practical and economical, the bikes weight is about equal to the front of the car it must support/pull behind it on the skid. The frame and suspension have been beefed up as well to distribute the load as even as poss



I suspect a 650 vstrom would do what u need with reasonable weight and power reserves. Relaatively inexpensive used, combfortable seating position and nearly 60 mpg easily achievable one up, possible 2 up as well. Any questions about the strom i am happy to answer.

If this is a "just gotta do it" type things, I'd go with a 2cyl for torque with relative hefty weight >400lbs, with a Linked-Braking System of some sort. Buell comes to mind, while still being "sporty". But, for longivity and greater Load bearing design, virtualy anything Shaft Driven would be more suitable

Sorry about the reply....tablet not friendly with forum..grr

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by stillsearching

i'm solely interested in how to put a hitch on when literally every motorcycle manufacturer I talked to says its not recommended yet people clearly do it.

On the swingarm, you can use an extended axle to secure the hitch assembly mounting, then brace it against the swingarm (not unlike a torque link).

Some systems tie into the hollow rear axle, like a motorcycle stand, they clamp onto the rear axle.


Only on the heaviest cruisers have I ever seen a hitch mounted to the rear subframe - with the hitch usually mounted low down on an extender plate.

My problem is I cant even search stupid google for "motorcycle trailer"

you could search for lightweight trailers ...

A lightweight motorcycle trailer wouldn't be a bad start to fabricate a stores carrier, either.

PS to weight transfer on braking, as long as the force were transmitted to the rear of the bike, i'd wonder if it might even brake BETTER since the toungue weight of the trailer would counter the nosediving of the bike under hard braking.

If the hitch is too high, the trailer will push up the rear end.
Keep the hitch low - even if you were to mount it on the rear subframe.

The last thing you want behind a bike is a US style trailer with relatively high tongue weights.
Depending on where you mount it, it'll weigh down the rear suspension (subframe mounting), or add to the unsprung weight (swingarm mounting).
Yeah, I know there are bike trailers with the wheels at the very rear - just have a look at their allowed weights ...

What you need is a Euro-style trailer which is more or less balanced, with a small bias towards the front and relatively low tongue weight (like 1/10 or even 1/15 of the loaded trailer weight).

[RiderofBikes]

Originally Posted by thomason2wheels

I suspect a 650 vstrom would do what u need with reasonable weight and power reserves. Relaatively inexpensive used, combfortable seating position and nearly 60 mpg easily achievable one up, possible 2 up as well. Any questions about the strom i am happy to answer.

Great option, the suspension rate for the rear could be a little soft when loaded so heavy, but the extra travel could soak up the harshness and calm potential eratic behavior. another that comes to mind is a FZ6 of FZ1 but sacrificing low-end Tq a bit.

for OP, would this be custom mounting hitch or something manufactured already?

[euromodder]

It's in French, but this might give you some ideas about mountings.

Les avantages d'une remorque conçue pour la moto

These trailers are quite light though - some 150 to 200 lbs loaded.

[euromodder]

Some more Do-It-Yourself ideas on bike trailers :

Ma remorque
La 2eme remorque
La 3eme remorque
La 3eme remorque

[ciderbarrel]

As others have said, Goldwings are always towing trailers. I've never used my tow hook, but the previous owner of my Valkyrie used to tow trailers all the time.

[beatr911]

For 250 bikes also consider the Yamaha Virago or VStar 250. They have a very long stroke engine and make good torque at low rpm. The Ninja is nearly torqueless at low rpm. This will be most welcome starting up any sort of incline.

MPG potential for the Virago/Vstar 250 is very similar to the Niinja, and may exceed it with your intended use.

Mounting will be a custom job. I like the swingarm mount idea for it's simplicity but do not like the increased unsprung weight, especially with a loaded trailer. The front of the trailer will be essentially unsuspended. A frame mount should probably be mounted very close to the swingarm pivot on each side and then two more locations higher like under the seat. The mount should consider lateral loads.

Google "Motorcycle trailer hitch" and use the Images option to see several examples.

Good luck with your welding job. I love projects that do more with less using conventional ideas unconventionally.

[stillsearching]

Originally Posted by RiderofBikes

Great option, the suspension rate for the rear could be a little soft when loaded so heavy, but the extra travel could soak up the harshness and calm potential eratic behavior. another that comes to mind is a FZ6 of FZ1 but sacrificing low-end Tq a bit.

for OP, would this be custom mounting hitch or something manufactured already?

Something manufactured already would be ideal... if I could find who does such things and for what bikes. Like I said googling doesnt even turn up anything, it thinks I want to put motorcycles onto a trailer.

--

Euromodder, that looks almost exactly like what I want in a trailer, yes. Something about that size, for mounting a car carrier on, just perhaps with something like a roof rack on top of the carrier (or say four 'postholes' in the corners around it, on which I can add a second frame on top of it to ease hauling sheet goods) and a slightly longer toungue(?) so that if I stick 4x8 sheets of styrofoam on top of the roofrack I can still maneuver well. Toungue weight shouldn't have to be heavier as long as it's balanced to the center of the axle roughly.

But then the trailer idea I sort of already had ideas for, it's the mounting to the bike part that i'm still wanting to figure out. I see there are some pictures of it but I don't fully understand "cycle anatomy" so I dont fully understand where it's attaching and why... is there any reason a similar hitch shouldn't work on either a Kawasaki Eliminator 125cc or a Ninja 250 for instance? (despite the fact neither will be highly recommended tow vehicles... duh! :P )

Actually someone else did

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1zZdRvKZG4

for a trailer which is just the harbor freight 4x4 one apparently, but hauling big awkward yet not too heavy things like that with a small bike (or even a scooter) is what I have in mind.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by stillsearching

Something manufactured already would be ideal...

Really ?
The Gunco guys want 500-600 euro , just for the mounting hardware .

Toungue weight shouldn't have to be heavier as long as it's balanced to the center of the axle roughly.

But then the trailer idea I sort of already had ideas for, it's the mounting to the bike part that i'm still wanting to figure out. I see there are some pictures of it but I don't fully understand "cycle anatomy" so I dont fully understand where it's attaching and why...

The "horsecollar"-like frame mounts to the rear subframe (under pillion seat) and the passenger footpeg mounts as far as I can see.

On some bikes the swingarm shaft is hollow (it might have a cap on though) , and depending on the rider's footpeg position, that could also be used to mount something.