Pull behind towing. Hitch Capacity
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
The tongue weight will push down on the back of your bike when braking, not lift it up.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 17
From: Mid West
Not true, watch any cage or even a tractor trailer in hard braking, the trailer looks to path of least resistance, will try to lift the back end as front end nose dives.
Brakes on our rides are designed for our rides and around 20-25% overkill for the engineered weight rate, we have all read the posts on warped rotors so adding 150# to the brake load will only create more heat and more damage. If you need gear to the level of need for a 3x3 or 3x4 trailer that can handle coolers, BBQ grills, tents, suitcases and so on you may need to rethink riding to a destination and tow the ride while stowing the gear in a car or truck. I am looking to a N-Line single wheel trailer, weighs in at 80# and can handle UP TO an added 80#, doesn't mean I can expect it to carry an additional 130# as that would be wasted effort and fuel as well wear and tear on the bike beyond that of adding a towed machine.
I ride to ride, and pack light, 4 to 5 days clothes/gear, no coolers, no excess weight items, I challenge the bike's systems by just being on it with the wife as I am not a small fella. A small single wheel trailer will move more so than add to our gear, the TP would empty, no longer would need a rack bag and can get the center of gravity back down low. We would be able to carry a few more days gear but not very much more.
Brakes on our rides are designed for our rides and around 20-25% overkill for the engineered weight rate, we have all read the posts on warped rotors so adding 150# to the brake load will only create more heat and more damage. If you need gear to the level of need for a 3x3 or 3x4 trailer that can handle coolers, BBQ grills, tents, suitcases and so on you may need to rethink riding to a destination and tow the ride while stowing the gear in a car or truck. I am looking to a N-Line single wheel trailer, weighs in at 80# and can handle UP TO an added 80#, doesn't mean I can expect it to carry an additional 130# as that would be wasted effort and fuel as well wear and tear on the bike beyond that of adding a towed machine.
I ride to ride, and pack light, 4 to 5 days clothes/gear, no coolers, no excess weight items, I challenge the bike's systems by just being on it with the wife as I am not a small fella. A small single wheel trailer will move more so than add to our gear, the TP would empty, no longer would need a rack bag and can get the center of gravity back down low. We would be able to carry a few more days gear but not very much more.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Many small trailers are built unnecessarily heavy, and a great deal of weight can be removed. Build one yourself and you can remove quite a bit more. For carrying a dirt bike, nothing more than a rail and an axle are needed.
Not true, watch any cage or even a tractor trailer in hard braking, the trailer looks to path of least resistance, will try to lift the back end as front end nose dives.
Brakes on our rides are designed for our rides and around 20-25% overkill for the engineered weight rate, we have all read the posts on warped rotors so adding 150# to the brake load will only create more heat and more damage. If you need gear to the level of need for a 3x3 or 3x4 trailer that can handle coolers, BBQ grills, tents, suitcases and so on you may need to rethink riding to a destination and tow the ride while stowing the gear in a car or truck. I am looking to a N-Line single wheel trailer, weighs in at 80# and can handle UP TO an added 80#, doesn't mean I can expect it to carry an additional 130# as that would be wasted effort and fuel as well wear and tear on the bike beyond that of adding a towed machine.
I ride to ride, and pack light, 4 to 5 days clothes/gear, no coolers, no excess weight items, I challenge the bike's systems by just being on it with the wife as I am not a small fella. A small single wheel trailer will move more so than add to our gear, the TP would empty, no longer would need a rack bag and can get the center of gravity back down low. We would be able to carry a few more days gear but not very much more.
Brakes on our rides are designed for our rides and around 20-25% overkill for the engineered weight rate, we have all read the posts on warped rotors so adding 150# to the brake load will only create more heat and more damage. If you need gear to the level of need for a 3x3 or 3x4 trailer that can handle coolers, BBQ grills, tents, suitcases and so on you may need to rethink riding to a destination and tow the ride while stowing the gear in a car or truck. I am looking to a N-Line single wheel trailer, weighs in at 80# and can handle UP TO an added 80#, doesn't mean I can expect it to carry an additional 130# as that would be wasted effort and fuel as well wear and tear on the bike beyond that of adding a towed machine.
I ride to ride, and pack light, 4 to 5 days clothes/gear, no coolers, no excess weight items, I challenge the bike's systems by just being on it with the wife as I am not a small fella. A small single wheel trailer will move more so than add to our gear, the TP would empty, no longer would need a rack bag and can get the center of gravity back down low. We would be able to carry a few more days gear but not very much more.
My previous motorcycle cargo trailer weighed 40 lbs.
Many small trailers are built unnecessarily heavy, and a great deal of weight can be removed. Build one yourself and you can remove quite a bit more. For carrying a dirt bike, nothing more than a rail and an axle are needed.
Many small trailers are built unnecessarily heavy, and a great deal of weight can be removed. Build one yourself and you can remove quite a bit more. For carrying a dirt bike, nothing more than a rail and an axle are needed.
Like this http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Images/TrailerHF1.jpg
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
Well, I concede that there are obviously trailers out there a lot lighter than 150 lbs.
But too little tongue weight causes sway....negative tongue weight would lift your rear when braking.
I stand by my post that positive tongue weight presses down on the hitch while braking, not lift it up.
And, you should never exceed the manufacturer's tongue weight recommendations, regardless of what "10-15%" of the total weight of the trailer is!
But too little tongue weight causes sway....negative tongue weight would lift your rear when braking.
I stand by my post that positive tongue weight presses down on the hitch while braking, not lift it up.
And, you should never exceed the manufacturer's tongue weight recommendations, regardless of what "10-15%" of the total weight of the trailer is!
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 17
From: Mid West
There were engineering results out in the real world when I was a wrench in the trucking/equipment industry that supported the heavy braking rear end lift from trailers, unless you can maintain a absolute strait line to centerline of the drawbar and tow vehicle the tongue will lift the rear during severe braking. Almost all weight drives to the front wheel(thus our twin rotored tourers) while braking, in doing so drops/loads the front suspension and actually unloads the rear end, watch any ride at speed when they brake, the rear end raises, cars/trucks will actually break loose at the rear first from that unloading so I cannot see a variance to the physics at this date for bikes.
You place that much weight behind one of our bikes and it is going to push you where it directs, not where you may expect.
You place that much weight behind one of our bikes and it is going to push you where it directs, not where you may expect.