Trailer Pulling.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,896
Likes: 2
From: North Lima, Ohio
Trailer Pulling.
How many of you guys are pulling trailers with your mature Evo's and what kind of trailer is best? Do I need an isolator to run the lights? I have a hitch already on the bike but no wireing yet. I am thinking about a Piggybacker XL trailer. Have seen a few but havnt talked to the owners about them. Have been looking on E-Bay but what I see is either too far away or over priced for used.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
There are pro's and con's on the various trailers depending on who you talk to. Look at the various ones and get the one that fills your needs the best.
When starting out tow just the empty trailer, slowly at first until you get used to it. You may find upgrading the brakes to be a good thing as you are stopping more weight. Then put a light load in the trailer and repeat. Next a heavier load and repeat. Then if you are going to ride two up put your significant other on with no load and repeat the above sequence. Always maintain at least a 5 second interval to compensate for the increased load, and figure that everyone is going to pull out in front of you. Tire pressure becomes critical when towing. Hope these tips help, you might want to post a similar post on the hecked/trike/trailer forum here.
When starting out tow just the empty trailer, slowly at first until you get used to it. You may find upgrading the brakes to be a good thing as you are stopping more weight. Then put a light load in the trailer and repeat. Next a heavier load and repeat. Then if you are going to ride two up put your significant other on with no load and repeat the above sequence. Always maintain at least a 5 second interval to compensate for the increased load, and figure that everyone is going to pull out in front of you. Tire pressure becomes critical when towing. Hope these tips help, you might want to post a similar post on the hecked/trike/trailer forum here.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,195
Likes: 3,085
From: NW AR
I just built one. I haven't tried it out yet. HF now sells basically what everyone was buying separately and putting together, a small trailer with a clamshell top box for about three fifty or so.
I got a mchitch.com hitch, swivel ball (eBay), and for lights I put the trailer lights mounted into the box with LED bulbs. Note that a standard Hoppy 5 wire to 4 wire trailer light converter set will not drive the LEDs properly, but should do OK on regular bulbs. Adding two extra 1157 bulbs is sucking down another amp all the time and like 6 amps with the brakes on. One of those isolator things is probably a good idea if you go that route.
John, if I can get this thing out of my driveway, the rest of the trip is licked.
I got a mchitch.com hitch, swivel ball (eBay), and for lights I put the trailer lights mounted into the box with LED bulbs. Note that a standard Hoppy 5 wire to 4 wire trailer light converter set will not drive the LEDs properly, but should do OK on regular bulbs. Adding two extra 1157 bulbs is sucking down another amp all the time and like 6 amps with the brakes on. One of those isolator things is probably a good idea if you go that route.
John, if I can get this thing out of my driveway, the rest of the trip is licked.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,376
Likes: 2,574
From: NC USA
My current bike was a one owner with 12,000 miles (local). The previous owners best friend and wife were killed in front of him because of a trailer. Going thru Nashville in 1988, the hitch jumped off, caught in a pot-hole, the chains held and the trailer flipped up onto them and crashed them into and up under a truck. Done deal. He was a very experienced rider too.
Driving, I've seen some riders do OK with them and others scare me so bad I wouldn't pass them on a wide 4-lane. But I won't ever get anywhere near a bike pulling a trailer.
I try to avoid offering unsolicited opinions on here but if it were my bike, I'd take the hitch off and cut into pieces with a torch. And if you feel the need for more stuff on a trip - rent a motorhome.
Driving, I've seen some riders do OK with them and others scare me so bad I wouldn't pass them on a wide 4-lane. But I won't ever get anywhere near a bike pulling a trailer.
I try to avoid offering unsolicited opinions on here but if it were my bike, I'd take the hitch off and cut into pieces with a torch. And if you feel the need for more stuff on a trip - rent a motorhome.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,195
Likes: 3,085
From: NW AR
Well ain't you a beacon of happiness, Rufus.
I kinda think that if my trailer flips on top of me and pushes me under a truck, my time was up. Besides, that's not how I die anyway.
I do freely admit to bringing too much stuff. I built my trailer to get some weight off of my bike. With the sleeping bag, helmets, luggage bag on the tour pack luggage rack, way more tools than I used to carry 23 years ago when just the little kit that came with the bike would do, tent I can stand up in (AKA "The Condominium"), camp gear, etc., I was really overloaded. It would take me 50 miles each year to get used to the new center of gravity. My trailer weighs 100 lbs empty, or about like adding a small passenger, and all the weight is now off my bike and low. I just have to accelerate it and stop it, not balance it. To me, it's really about adding cubic inches, not mass, and getting the mass off my bike.
I kinda think that if my trailer flips on top of me and pushes me under a truck, my time was up. Besides, that's not how I die anyway.
I do freely admit to bringing too much stuff. I built my trailer to get some weight off of my bike. With the sleeping bag, helmets, luggage bag on the tour pack luggage rack, way more tools than I used to carry 23 years ago when just the little kit that came with the bike would do, tent I can stand up in (AKA "The Condominium"), camp gear, etc., I was really overloaded. It would take me 50 miles each year to get used to the new center of gravity. My trailer weighs 100 lbs empty, or about like adding a small passenger, and all the weight is now off my bike and low. I just have to accelerate it and stop it, not balance it. To me, it's really about adding cubic inches, not mass, and getting the mass off my bike.
Last edited by Dr.Hess; Jul 10, 2009 at 12:16 PM.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,376
Likes: 2,574
From: NC USA
To each ones own, and whatever makes it work for the individual is precisely what he or she should do - I totally respect that approach to living
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,896
Likes: 2
From: North Lima, Ohio
I like miacycles reply the best so far. Being a first time trailer puller, I fully intend to practice all phases of the pulling process. The reason I want a trailer is simple. We take alot of Weekend trips to the beach or whereever and there isnt enough space to haul beach stuff so we always end up in the cage. On vacation trips we have to what I call overload the Bike. A simple trailer will do me just fine. Only thing I would do is add a swivel hitch and some extra lights like a light strip for brakes and a couple amber lights for turning. Im going to look into the HF trailer. Last I knew, they only made the flat bed and the rest was up to me. The local HD can get the wire harness and they recomend the isolator so it dosent take power away from the bikes system. Ihave seen them on e-bay but cant find one for a '96
Last edited by Classic Eagle; Jul 10, 2009 at 11:17 AM.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Canton, Michigan
Saved this link (provided by one of the bro's on this forum): http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...R%7CGRPSESWAMS
Looks like a good way to power a trailer without stressing the existing wiring. I know I'm considering installing a hitch/wiring on my 93. That is if I can steal a trailer for minimum cash....
Looks like a good way to power a trailer without stressing the existing wiring. I know I'm considering installing a hitch/wiring on my 93. That is if I can steal a trailer for minimum cash....
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,195
Likes: 3,085
From: NW AR
When I called Hoppy biatching about the 8 volts that their 5->4 wire converter supplied to the turn/blink circuit, that was what they recommended I use instead. I already had it wired up on the bike so I blew it off and installed some relays in the trailer.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,896
Likes: 2
From: North Lima, Ohio
I just looked at the Harbor Freight Trailer and it looks just like the Piggybacker. Only thing is that it is only rated for a max of 55MPH. Is that a tire thing? It has 4.8/80 tires or is it truly a safety issue with the trailer? Some web sites I checked say its a tire thing and some say it's just what the manufacturer says to cover their butt. I think it needs more investigation. Thunder Tower Harley can get the wire harness with the isolator for around $40.00 or so. Its listed for $429.00 and thats a couple hunderd or more less than the Piggybacker @ $695.00 VS $895.00 for the XL model with torsion arm suspension. Being this is a first trailer, I just might get it and stay off the Interstates with it untill I get it figured out and learn the pulling thing.
Last edited by Classic Eagle; Jul 11, 2009 at 01:14 PM.