[SquirtRGU]

Hello, I'm thinking about getting a trailer to tow behind the bike on long trips (heading to other coast this summer), I know HD says no, but that's only because they don't make one... I don't have an HD warranty anyway, I've got another company, except for where I purchased the bike I've had to pay them and then get reimbursed. They sold me that warranty because I was going to change things over night.

Anyone have any experience towing with their bikes? How did it hold up, are there things you wish were better?

 

[PanWhenUCan]

N-line

I have pulled these for about 70,000 miles
Not as much storage as many other brands somewhere around 100 pounds max
I actually get better mileage pulling them with out any back draft
Plus they do not hydro plane since they run in your single track
Easier to miss road kill, bumps and potholes
Pretty reasonable price
Bob


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[JacktheBagger]

Been doing it since the mid 80's myself , be sure and get an isolator harness , it runs your trailer lights directly off the battery .. We have had campers and cargo trailers , fixing to buy another one soon , going cheep this time .. N-Lines are nice , if I could ever find one cheep , I'd get it . Want a Tailwind myself .. Find something used , some think they want a trailer and find out it's not for them , so if it isnt what you like , you wont be in real deep ..

 

[SquirtRGU]

Thanks for advice guys

 

[Hullhorr]

There is a company in South Carolina (the USA trailer store) that sells a pretty cheap trailer on Ebay. From what I have been able to gather they are nice trailers. I thought about one myself, but I have determined since I only do long trips 1-up I can pack the bike with all my gear. The only downside is when I roll up on that hot chick hitchhiking and I don't have room for her, so I have to ditch some gear. At least that's the way it happens in my dreams. :wink:

 

[tdkkart]

The only downside is when I roll up on that hot chick hitchhiking and I don't have room for her, so I have to ditch some gear. At least that's the way it happens in my dreams. :wink:

That's OK, you won't bee needing your clothes then either.......according to your dream.>

 

[tdkkart]

Here's a forum that has a lot of info:
Delphi Forums Login*-*Welcome! Please log in.

All depends on what you want, a Harbor Freight trailer with a cartop carrier, all the way to a BushTec, N-line, or even one of the
camper trailers. It all depends on what fits your needs.

If you're going solo, I'd say skip it.
If you're riding 2-up and intending to stay in motels, again, skip it. Pack 3-4 days of clothes and rough it.
If you want to camp, do the trailer.
if you're taking your Bulldog along, do the trailer.

 

[tanglefoot]

I pulled a camper trailer from Washington to Texas for Shark Week this past summer. Trailer weighed 400# loaded, slower take-offs and stops, fuel mileage took a hit. I loaded it and checked axle and tongue weight, balanced for proper tongue weight. Going down the road I had no issues.

Get a good hitch and an isolating relay for the electrical as has been mentioned.

I just finished installing Andrews 48H cams so I have more low end torque foe pulling the mountain hills that I encounter out west. Will find out how that works when the weather warms up and head over the pass into eastern Washington!

 

[ironmark]

I never pulled a trailer but from what I understand talking to people that did that it is harder on the swingarm bushings.
Also I would think it would be best to upgrade the rear shocks to a heavy duty shock considering the added weight of riding 2 up pulling a loaded trailer is going to put on the bikes suspension.
Personally I would think that if you can get away without pulling a trailer then don't do it. JMO

 

[tdkkart]

I never pulled a trailer but from what I understand talking to people that did that it is harder on the swingarm bushings.
Also I would think it would be best to upgrade the rear shocks to a heavy duty shock considering the added weight of riding 2 up pulling a loaded trailer is going to put on the bikes suspension.
Personally I would think that if you can get away without pulling a trailer then don't do it. JMO

Actually, if you consider that a trailer allows you to transfer a fair amount of weight out of the tourpak, off the top of the tourpak, and probably even some out of the saddle bags, it's actually easier on the suspension. You'll add the tongue weight to the hitch, but that will be less than what you took off the bike.

I pulled a trailer for a fair number of miles with an 88" Ultra Classic, and a 95" Dyna before that, with no power issues at all. Remember, it wasn't so many years ago that people were towing with 80" EVO motors. Power is not an issue.

Once rolling down the road, unless you're in a really stiff crosswind, you'll honestly never know the trailer is back there. Yes, you have to brake a little sooner, turn a little wider, and ALWAYS remember it's back there, but overall it's nowhere near as dramatic as most people(mostly those who haven't done it at all) make it out to be.

 

[JacktheBagger]

I pulled with a 1984 Tour Glide and a 1988 Tour Glide , both 80" carb'd EVO five speeds .. Mileage went from mid 40's to 38 or so running 70 ish which was a bit over 3000 rpm ..

My 08 96" RG and 11 Ultra 103" , both went from mid 40's to 38 or so as well ..

With a 400# camper you will feel it doing slow maneuvers and coming off from a stop , once you get rolling , it's fine , you'll feel it a bit on the hills , I think first gear is a bit tall , you have to slip the clutch sometimes to get rolling .. If you get a cargo trailer , you will never know its there ..

I don't need a trailer , it's the spousal unit ..

 

[jrxlh]

I have had three campers. An old pop up, a Roll A Home, And a Bunkhouse. Pulled them with a Street Glide, Limited, and a RG. Slowing is harder than starting. We load it up. Carry everything. Shower, Hot water maker, easy up, chairs, you name it. Weight has matched the weight of the bike on long trips.
With that said. I always go with a good wiring harness and hitch. I like the bush-tec stuff. No worry's on swing arm or bearings. I put 54000 on my limited pulling a camper. I like to run breaks on my camper but like I said. We run it heavy. Two up full cooler and two weeks worth of stuff adds up. PM me if you have any questions. i would be glad to help.

 

[JacktheBagger]

I agree , if you get a camper , get the brakes option , well worth the extra expense

 

[NETacoma98422]

My group has 4 Bushtecs. They all swear by this trailer and they are well made. But they are pricey. You can find a decent used one for $2000 to 2500.

 

[Yellow09SERG]

Wife and I send a lot of time motor camping off the bike and the trailer is great. All the equipment will fit nicely there. Other than feeling it during take off and braking as mentioned you really don't notice it there. Also as mentioned earlier use a isolator for the lights and use a good hitch. My lighting relay and hitch are both Bushtec and have proved to be very reliable. The Bushtec hitch is also a hidden receiver so the ball can be easily remove when not pulling the trailer. As far a trailers go....well your pocket book is the limit. Bushtec makes a nice trailer but way out of my price range. N-lines are nice. I pull an Aluma and for the price it is hard to beat. New are around 1500 but they show up pretty regularly used in the 800-1000 range

 

[steel breeze]

All great info guys. When I bought my 05 a few years back (From the dealer) it had a hitch on it. They told me it'd void my warranty if I kept it on there, even though I purchased the bike with it already installed. Anyway, I have the hitch off, and tucked away, patiently waiting for the warranty to expire. I will definitely be getting a trailer. I like the n-lines, but would love the camper style as well. Again, thanks for the information here. LOVE this forum!

 

[JacktheBagger]

The hitch business and towing has always been a mystery to me in regards to warranty .. They will void your warranty for towing , but they will sell you a Tri Glide with the same power unit and drive line and stick a warranty on it , knowing full well the Tri Glide is much harder on the power unit and drive line ..

Heck the first hitch I bought in the early 80's came from Harley ..

I am out of warranty , but have ESP for two more years , and ESP says that if you tow it will void the ESP , so what I do , since we only tow a few times a year , is remove the hitch and isolator harness when not being used .. Told her , we fine as long as we don't break down towing ..

 

[Yellow09SERG]

Wife and I spent a little time looking at trailers and what we would use one for or could use one for and that kind of sent us in a different direction from where we started. The camper type trailer was where we started, but when we really started looking at things we have to do in a cage vs what we could do if the bike just had a little more cargo space it sent us in the direction we are now with the Aluma, or any of that type trailer. It just gave us more options as an excuse for a ride. Sam's is like 80 miles from us and used to be a cage trip. Now it is an excuse for a ride....lol. For the last few years the first ride "excuse" to hook on to the trailer has been to make a ride to the nursery to get tomato and jalapeno plants. Used to be a cage trip just down the street, now it takes all day and a couple hundred enjoyable miles with the bike and trailer to get them. For us a trailer has opened a whole new way to get on the bike and enjoy while still doing some of lives daily task, and is still there when we get ready to hit the road for camping. One bonus we have found that really adds up fast is the $$$ you will spend camping vs the hotel route. $20 a night for a camp site with shower and all compared to $100 a night if you go the hotel route. If your out for a week it adds up fast!!!

 

[bcbuch]

I have a early '90s Kwick Kamp with a 360 hitch from before they went out of business that is in great shape I pulled behind the '09 RK Classic with 21" apes that I traded in on my current '13 RG Custom. I have a friend that wants it. So I'm selling it to him for 1500. I am currently looking for a more aerodynamic cargo hauler preferably with a fibreglass shell to replace it with. Also looking for the right hitch and isolator set up for this bike. The Kwik Kamp set up has plenty of cargo space, but the pop-up tent is a little on the lacking side when it comes to room. I figure a a cargo hauler will carry a decent sized tent and the other stuff that we need to keep complaints to a minimum for a week on the road.