towing...

[bikenut]

Here I just found a link to the web site.

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/08/24/goldwing-retriever/

 

And yes it is the retreiver

Later:080402gudl_prv:

[duke]

I see all these touring bikes pulling trailers these days, was wondering how much weight can you actually pull.? I have an 86 venture 1300 and am wondering if it could pull a trailer with a dirt/dual purpose bike on it..??

 

 

Hi Doc.

 

I don't know about pulling a trailer with a bike on it but I also have an 86 VR and I pull a kwik Kamp. I use a hitchdoc hitch. I have no trouble pulling the trailer with my wife on the bike as passenger. I weighed the trailer and contents at the highway scale it topped out at 684 pounds. The bike ran real good and stopped good, (electric brakes would probably be better but I had no trouble stopping) The bike runs best at around 4000 rpm and up which is about 120 kph.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Hi Doc.

 

I don't know about pulling a trailer with a bike on it but I also have an 86 VR and I pull a kwik Kamp. I use a hitchdoc hitch. I have no trouble pulling the trailer with my wife on the bike as passenger. I weighed the trailer and contents at the highway scale it topped out at 684 pounds. The bike ran real good and stopped good, (electric brakes would probably be better but I had no trouble stopping) The bike runs best at around 4000 rpm and up which is about 120 kph.

 

You might be right about the weight, but I'd be inclined to reweigh on a more accurate scale. Highway scales, like at truck weigh stations, are not normally calibrated to weigh accurately at anything under about 10,000 pounds. You may be able to weigh that at a co-op, those may be more accurate. Or find a warehouse shipping scale, the kind that a forklift driver uses to weigh pallets.

 

I'm thinking that at close to 700 pounds, that thing would be tough to control. Downright scary if your decending a long mountain grade! My understanding of all this, is that the total trailer weight should not exceed about half the weight of the bikes wet weight.

 

Its a matter of the 'tail wagging the dog' if you try to pull too much weight. Not to mention braking, turning, and wear and tear on the clutch and gearbox.

 

The Motorvation trailer I pull weighs about 125 empty, and when I add camping supplies and a cooler, it is probably around 200-225 or so. And that is PLENTY.

 

I'd be willing to say your loaded trailer is closer to 400-450...but I could be wrong!

 

 

[hig4s]

I see all these touring bikes pulling trailers these days, was wondering how much weight can you actually pull.? I have an 86 venture 1300 and am wondering if it could pull a trailer with a dirt/dual purpose bike on it..??

 

 

What kind of dual sport/ dirt bike?

[dr.nemo]

Well either way, if that trailer is 6-700 lbs or 4-500 lbs it still says that a 2-300 lb dual sport bike should not be a problem... except for maybe the "stong cross winds" to the bike on the trailer... Doesn't sound like many/anybody has ever tried it.. I am thinking with a light enough trailer it would be possible, like the links for trailers shown earlier in this thread...

 

I am looking at maybe a yamaha wr 250 or kawi klr 250... about 250-270 lbs max..