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trailer towing

Discussion in 'Pull up a chair and sit for a spell' started by chucktx, Jun 6, 2006.

  1. Goose

    Goose New Member

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    Wow, that's considerable more weight than I'm used to haulin' around. :eek: That didn't tug a bit in sharp corners? Going hill climbin', though, you ain't exactly riding city streets to get there I guess, out in the boonies. That'd definitely be an eye full out on the freeway, probably cause some wrecks from an the rubber necking. :D

    Going to Huffman Saturday night with the mad dawger to do some short track. There's a TT in Baytown Sunday, but we can't make that one unless I leave the wife home and she wants to go. So, I'll be in the van for this one, I reckon. I sure like the TTs. Next one after this weekend at Baytown is to be a TT. I'll be on the wing to do that one, I reckon, 'cause the wife can't go on Sundays.

    Huffman has lights and they run at night. It's still hot, but at least the sun ain't beatin' down on ya. I've got to get some MX gear to race in. Those leathers are too danged hot. Skeeters are going to be KILLER, too. They get big enough to knock you off the bike at speed around here, like little buzzards. :D Ah, but it's still fun.
  2. Sleepy

    Sleepy Well-Known Member

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    so Chuck, as you can see

    You can tow just about anything..judging by most folks here, they already have. I gotta hand it to guys like Goose and Dutch though. Those old Wings aren't super strong..that's an 1100? We had a guy in the club with one of those..actually had a few of 'em, they didn't do too well in the mountains two up pulling a trailer. And you're pulling a bike with it. I've seen guys at Sturgis pulling customized baggers with baggers. That weight is a little beyond my comfort zone. Dutch's setup looked pretty neat. I've seen guys have their trailer get out of shape and wreck, I saw a 1500 wing pulling a tent trailer and a BBQ on wheels as the second trailer..like a A train semi...it's all out there.
  3. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    He must be a long haul trucker. :D Sure couldn't do that in Oregon.

    I know one guy that has a 1800 Wing (lots of torque) and has a Bunk House Tent trailer. His wife packs so much stuff in it he now refuses to pull it, so he rides the bike and she brings up the rear in her Subaru wagon pulling the trailer. I think there has got to be some limits as to what you pull with a bike. Most of the setups are only using the bikes brakes which makes it even harder to stop not to mention the longer stopping distance.

    I have even seen couples a rallies with a tent trailer that have a air conditioner stuck through the side of their tent. :rolleyes: Oh well, what ever they can pack.
  4. Goose

    Goose New Member

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    Bob's right about the GL1100, pathetic torque curve for a tourer. It's gotta be zingin' 4K or better to pull well. Now, you get that beeoch in the mountains above 8K feet and it's absolutely dead! ROFL! That bike is worse affected by elevation sickness than any other carbureted bike I've ever ridden in the mountains, well, with the possible exception of a GT550 Suzuki two stroke I used to have. As long as I'm not above 6K feet or so, though, it runs fine and pulls the loads I put on it, even up hill.

    It is the power curve that kept me from ever putting my sidecar on that old Wing. Someday I'm going to replace that old clunker, when I can afford to. It does run good, under 70K on the thing. Bought it from an old man that never rode it. Had 39K on it. I rebuilt a Voyager 12 for a guy. Man, that thing had a MOTOR in it! It pulled right off idle and STRONG. I've also riddin' Grif's (what ever happened to Grif) K1200LT and it has a good, strong motor in it. The GL1100s and also the 1200s ain't much to write home about, though. I might upgrade to a used 1500 some day. Not sure I'll ever be able to afford a new tourer, though. Probably, since the Voyager is extinct, the Electra Glide Standard is about the most affordable NEW bike now days.

    One thing I really liked about that BMW is the mileage Grif was getting. We were running 80+ me on my wing, he on his beemer out I10 on one Tucson trip. I was stopping every hundred miles for gas, SUCKIN' gasoline, maybe 30 mpg. He was showing 48 mpg! I might just go Teutonic some day, but I don't like all the danged computers those thing have and the gawd awful wiring harness. :D
  5. dutch

    dutch New Member

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    Trailers

    The trailer was a home made a friend and I designed and built it. The frame was light square tubing the body work was aluminum diamond plate it weighted a little over hundred pounds. The fenders had lids on them so you could load your gear in them helped keep things stable. I was living in Colorado at the time and pulled the trailer as far as a thousand mile round trip to Texas with no problems. The important issue was brakes you needed to keep that in mind as far as giving enough room to stop. In wind I found trailers to help keep the bike stable and in a straight line. I think I've put fifty thousand miles on pulling trailers and never had any problems other than a clutch rebuild on the FLH at about fourty five thousand miles. Dutch tn_scan0002.jpg
  6. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Goose, you are so right about the 1100 and 1200 Goldwing. Our first Goldwing was a 1100. We sold it after less than a year and bought a used 89 1500 Wing. What a difference it was. So much better handling and power that it was just unbelievable. Even at altitudes pulling our tent trailer and riding two up it still delivered plenty of power. Gas mileage was around 42 and at 80 plus well it to went to He8l dropping down in the mid thirties. Pulling our tent trailer two up we averaged about 38 which I figured was not all that bad. We put 100,000 miles on that 89 Wing before selling it and buying the Valkyrie. Now there is a bike that you would really like.
    There are plenty of good older 1500 Wings out there for sale. I would not buy the 88 1500 wing as it was their first year and even in 89 they made improvements.
  7. 2fastnaz

    2fastnaz Moderator

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    Hey Dutch is that a Cushman on that trailer? I haven't seen one of those in years.
  8. dutch

    dutch New Member

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    Cushman

    Yes it is a 1958 eagle 8 hp restored it and rode it around as much as I could. The picture was a grand opening for a new H/D shop, they thought it would help pull people in this was about 1992 I think. Lots of fun. Dutch
  9. 2fastnaz

    2fastnaz Moderator

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    Very cool, I had one when I was a teenager (70's) wish I still did. So much of my cool stuff went missing while I was in the service. My ex parted me out.
  10. Texas Road Glide

    Texas Road Glide New Member

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    hey chuck......i have a trailer hitch......and you may have it .......if you want it..............would glady mail this to ya......... [​IMG]
  11. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    that is great!!!! but what if we met half way????? im in rye, just south of livingston, on 146???
    chuck
  12. Texas Road Glide

    Texas Road Glide New Member

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    yupp that would work for me..........i did not relize you were that close.........i am up in lake livingston all the time......let me check with the mrs........i may just ride up ther next weekend.........:D weather permitting.....
  13. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    ok.......no problem.........and "scooter".....that is on this board lives a few miles east of me...we ride all the time.....the world is getting smaller with these cyber space machines we have!!!!!! lol lol
    chuck

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