Small cars and lightweight moto trailers.

[choneofakind]

As the title says, small cars towing lightweight single motorcycle trailers.

Who's done it? Got a picture of your setup? Advice? things you'd do differently? Horror stories? Success stories? Special driving techniques? Special considerations for towing with a small car? Any noteworthy trailers that are either really good and should be sought out or really bad ones that should be avoided?

Share your stories! I'm doing some research for my own purposes, and I cannot be the only one looking for info like this.

[TnNinjaGirl]

Not much information other than a friend with a Civic hatch that tows his CBR600rr reliably. manual transmission

Before he passed away I had a friend towing a trailer regularly with a 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX. Manual transmission. Key note: be careful as second gear is known to self-destruct. It happened twice on this particular vehicle.

Good luck on your quest!

[Bigballsofpaint]

I towed my bike with my saturn aura xr, granted it has a V6 so its not the 4 cylinder model. The key really is to find a nice LIGHT OPEN trailer. Most FWD vehicles are rated to tow 1,000 lbs, and awd 2,000 lbs. I just left extra a little extra room for braking, and when i would hit hills i would put the trans in manual and downshift to stay in the powerband so i wasnt lugging along. Didnt go over 70 or 75 on the highway either.

I know @adouglas towed his gsxr750 with a fricken honda fit, so maybe he will chime in.

[adouglas]

I just did this over the weekend for my first track day. I have a Honda Fit and towed my GSXR. I have a folding Harbor Freight trailer I bought used for $260... that's about what they cost new, but this one was already built and had the deck installed.

It went very well. Zero issues.

Tips:

- Think about living with a trailer. Do you have a place to store it? You're only going to use this thing occasionally. I didn't want a rusting hulk in my yard, so a folding trailer I could store in my garage was mandatory. You can also rent motorcycle trailers from U-Haul for $15/day.

- Invest in a GOOD ramp. You will have to walk up the ramp next to your bike, so you need one wide enough. The longer the ramp, the easier it is to load the bike. Think this through. I got a 4' wide folding ramp from Tractor Supply.

- You don't NEED a chock, but you'll want one. Makes loading and tying down MUCH easier.

- Do your homework on loading the bike. What works for me is to put the bike in gear and walk it very carefully up the ramp, using the bike's own power. If you have a helper, that's better. Just have them push.

- Don't overtighten the straps or you'll blow your fork seals.

- Drive like an old person. Trailer tires don't deal with high speeds well. Mine say 55mph max so I just set the cruise control on 60.

- Load the trailer properly... a bit more weight ahead of the axle... or it'll sway.

- CHECK THE TIRES. Even if low they can look okay.

[TnNinjaGirl]

Great looking setup @adouglas

[Bigballsofpaint]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Tips:

- Think about living with a trailer. Do you have a place to store it? You're only going to use this thing occasionally. I didn't want a rusting hulk in my yard, so a folding trailer I could store in my garage was mandatory. You can also rent motorcycle trailers from U-Haul for $15/day. HA, remember this if you live with anyone else. My GF absolutely HATES the trailer in our driveway. Granted we have plenty of room, but to her its an "eyesore".

- Invest in a GOOD ramp. You will have to walk up the ramp next to your bike, so you need one wide enough. The longer the ramp, the easier it is to load the bike. Think this through. I got a 4' wide folding ramp from Tractor Supply. You could also just have 2 ramps to walk along the side on one. If you have a small trailer height it may not be an issue, it wasnt for me. I built it to hold 2 ramps though just in case.

- You don't NEED a chock, but you'll want one. Makes loading and tying down MUCH easier. If the bed has a wood deck, you COULD also just put your bike up and see where the kickstand would land if you still have it. I just screwed 2 2x4s down so the bike is ALMOST vertical, i tie the kickstand side down first, then the other side. Just enough so the straps are now holdign the bike vertical. Then pick the kickstand up and tighten them down evenly.

- Do your homework on loading the bike. What works for me is to put the bike in gear and walk it very carefully up the ramp, using the bike's own power. If you have a helper, that's better. Just have them push. Both solutions work, i was able to just push my bike up the ramp. Again, a low deck helps this a lot. Not much of an option if your loading into the bed of a truck though.

- Don't overtighten the straps or you'll blow your fork seals. This SHOULD be obvious, but to some its not.

- Drive like an old person. Trailer tires don't deal with high speeds well. Mine say 55mph max so I just set the cruise control on 60. Depends on the trailer and tires. I have a "ghetto" home built trailer that uses 15in car/truck tires . But it is something to keep in mind.

- Load the trailer properly... a bit more weight ahead of the axle... or it'll sway. Yes, you dont want sway, but depending on what trailer you get, you also dont watch the toungue weight to really exceed what the car or hitch specs call for.

- CHECK THE TIRES. Even if low they can look okay.

Responces in Red.

[Xtina]

I pull mine with my CSX (civic). Auto tranny. Trailer is about 200lbs so total is well within the 1000lbs load limit for the car.

[choneofakind]

Xtina, I really like your little trailer. 200 lbs sounds perfect as well. Any suggestions where I can find one like it?

[Alex]

Piece of cake for just about any car. We wouldn't think twice of loading up any of our cars with 3 of our nicely rounded friends, and that can easily weigh more than a light trailer and a sportbike. The weight of a trailer also only puts the tongue weight directly on the car's suspension, so in some ways it's even easier on the car. (acceleration & braking would be the same either way)

[verboten1]

1200 mile round trip from the Detroit area to Tellico Plains. TN.

33 MPG average. 70-75 MPH the whole way

KLR650
'00 ninja 250
'08 ninja 250

[ForceofWill]

Is that a TDI jetta?

[Old Lemon]

cant offer any information, but ill stay cause im curious as well

[Sirref]

@adouglas damn man, your fit looks like it's been lowered due to all the stuff you packed in the trunk.

This is why I'm glad I invested in a pickup truck, I can tow anything that I will ever reasonably need to

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Sirref

This is why I'm glad I invested in a pickup truck, I can tow anything that I will ever reasonably need to

Yeah, but driving it will put you to sleep.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by Sirref

@adouglas damn man, your fit looks like it's been lowered due to all the stuff you packed in the trunk.

This is why I'm glad I invested in a pickup truck, I can tow anything that I will ever reasonably need to

32-35 mpg + $4-ish/gallon = enough money saved to EASILY pay for a track day... or three.

I'll actually tow a handful of times a year. The other 360-odd days I still need to feed the beast. You'd be amazed how much stuff I've carried in/on that car.

Right tool for the job.....

[choneofakind]

^^ that's why I'm looking at this trailer thing for my tC. Planning a little multi-track day trip after graduation, need a way to transport my bike. it's either borrow my family pickup, or get a small trailer for my tC and be a little more independent about it.

Just need to find out what the break-even point is. I get about 28-29 on the highway with the scion. Lower gearing + a 2.4L compared to your 1.8L honda. My sister's civic has the same engine as your Fit and gets similarly higher mileage in comparison to my car.



Side note: I really like the Pitbull trailer restraint systems that have the little cup you put on the rear axle, then just push the bike up and snap it in. Tie down the front if you feel so inclined and you're off!

[Bigballsofpaint]

Honestly i think i got better mpg when i towed because i drove like a grandpa. I cant say for certain, but after the 4 hour drive i still have a half tank, usually i would have about a 1/4 tank left in that time.

[adouglas]

The Pitbull TRS is tempting. Having said that, strapping the bike down is really trivial.

A good chock is a great thing... when you load the bike onto the trailer you pull into the chock and the bike is held in place, upright, secure and in position to strap. No helpers needed, no gymnastics, zero risk of screwing up and dropping the bike.

The TRS is similar in that respect if you let the frame drag... just pull forward until it clicks in place. Getting out, though, you need to get that frame up and out of the way.

I invested in the Condor chock because you can reset the pivot point farther forward than other chocks, which makes the bike easier to remove. That's important for me, because I'm so short I can't haul up on the bars enough to get the bike out of a regular chock. I know... I've tried and the Condor is actually my third chock. The chock also serves double duty. I put it in my garage and just pull right into it every day. Bike gets stored upright, so it takes less space.

BTW... as Sirref noted my car is pretty low at the back when loaded. You'll see that the trailer is pitched forward a bit. I got the bolt-on jack from HF, which I use to hoist things up so they're level. That makes unloading a lot easier since you're not pulling the bike uphill. It also makes moving the trailer a snap.

[choneofakind]

Truth in all stated. I've strapped down the bike a few times before for track days, both on a trailer and a pickup.

The pitbull systems (seen 'em in person) combined with a front wheel chock make for really really simple loading. Like <7 minutes by yourself. Seen it done after track days. It's awesome and jealousy inducing when done right. If I do this trailer thing, I'll likely pony up and go for the pitbull (or something similar) and wheel chock, position it so the trailer balance is right, and have at it.

@Xtina, what trailer is that?

[verboten1]

Originally Posted by ForceofWill

Is that a TDI jetta?

Yes, stock TDI, 242,000 miles and still going strong. Eibach pro-kit and Curtis hitch.
Newer 3 rail trailer

[choneofakind]

What brand trailer, Jason? I'm interested in a single rail version of that.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Yeah, but driving it will put you to sleep.

I actually like it, it's relaxing and comfortable. I can easily drive it the way it was meant to be driven too and later on I'll get a sportier car that fits more people as a winter daily driver but it's more useful to me at this point in my life...though everyone needing my help to move stuff is a bit annoying

Originally Posted by adouglas

32-35 mpg + $4-ish/gallon = enough money saved to EASILY pay for a track day... or three.

I'll actually tow a handful of times a year. The other 360-odd days I still need to feed the beast. You'd be amazed how much stuff I've carried in/on that car.

Right tool for the job.....

I can see your point, the gas mileage of the truck doesn't really matter to me as much though since my bike is still my primary (including through winter, though I won't be riding through ice and snow again and I'm glad that won't be the case) and I average around 50mpg on it.

for the most part though the fit is an insanely practical vehicle and makes logical sense to own as a daily driver.

[Xtina]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Xtina, I really like your little trailer. 200 lbs sounds perfect as well. Any suggestions where I can find one like it?

I believe its name is Snow Bear. I got it off Kijiji ads second hand.

[Yakaru]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

What brand trailer, Jason? I'm interested in a single rail version of that.

Don't know if this is what he has, but sounds like you want something like this?

http://www.kendonusa.com/trailer_single.html

[JohnnyBravo]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Yeah, but driving it will put you to sleep.

Seems as if you think all trucks are slow, pokey, workhorses... Haha wrong!!!

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo

Seems as if you think all trucks are slow, pokey, workhorses... Haha wrong!!!

well, in this case my truck isn't necessarily slow I just drive it like it is. In a straight line with nothing in the bed it'll move just not in a way that would be worth it to me. If I really wanted to I could floor it instead of using 10% throttle but that's not what it's meant to do in my eyes. Babying it has it's own sense of satisfaction, that said the bike is my primary for more than one reason.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo

Seems as if you think all trucks are slow, pokey, workhorses... Haha wrong!!!

yeah... I just don't like driving monsterous vehicles. We have a sierra. We've had a tahoe. We've had a silverado. All because we need a tow vehicle for our camper. Not fond.

Too big. Huge turning radius. Can't see ****. Slow. Drinks gas, even driving like your right foot is on eggshells. Brakes with no feeling, steering with no feeling. Swaying in turns. The Chevy work vans I've used are all the same, but worse. I just don't like big vehicles.

My perfect vehicle is a Miata coupe with a permanent hardtop that I can mount a roof rack to. So yeah, trucks are all boats. Hence the thread about small cars towing small trailers with small motorcycles

[verboten1]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

What brand trailer, Jason? I'm interested in a single rail version of that.

I should be over there today, I'll check for you, the registration doesn't say

[Skullz]

A little pricey but would be perfect for what you want to do.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...r9YaAhwP8P8HAQ

[verboten1]

http://www.yachtclubtrailers.com/motorcycle/MC14.php

Found a picture that showed me the brand.

It's a sportsclub trailer. Made by yacht club. They don't have a single rail, but it's only 330 pounds, and you don't have to load 3. The best part is, when you are out and see a bike you want you can tow another home...lol

[choneofakind]

Good info! In finding that weights are very hard to come by in sales descriptions.

For example; Tractor supply has a nice 4x7 trailer with a nice folding gate/ramp. It's $599 new. Idk how much it weighs though.

[Klondike1020]

I love this thread for all the pics of cars pulling bikes that surpass them in HP hahaha

[sharky nrk]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

yeah... I just don't like driving monsterous vehicles. We have a sierra. We've had a tahoe. We've had a silverado. All because we need a tow vehicle for our camper. Not fond.

Too big. Huge turning radius. Can't see ****. Slow. Drinks gas, even driving like your right foot is on eggshells. Brakes with no feeling, steering with no feeling. Swaying in turns. The Chevy work vans I've used are all the same, but worse. I just don't like big vehicles.

My perfect vehicle is a Miata coupe with a permanent hardtop that I can mount a roof rack to. So yeah, trucks are all boats. Hence the thread about small cars towing small trailers with small motorcycles

While this is true, nothing is "more useful" than a pickup truck for hauling around stuff lol. I have no desire to have a truck or suv or similar as my only cage but am dang glad I have access to one when I need it lol.

[BlownWideOpen]

Good thing I found this thread, thinking about doing this with my dads Chevy Malibu.

[Worldtraveller]

I drive a '97 RAV4. It's AWD, and it's just a little 4 cylinder, but manual transmission.

It tows two bikes, plus all our gear (note how full the back is) with no real issues. On steeper hills, I usually only downshift to 4th gear, and maintain about 50 mph with no issues.



I had to replace the rear shocks around 2005, so I had them install the heavy duty upgrade, and that seems to help her handle better when towing.

I got the trailer from Redtrailers.com

[csmith12]

I saw a miata pulling a HF trailer with a gsxr 600 on pit bull restraints at the track yesterday.

[sharky nrk]

While I was without a truck, I towed a 5x8 enclosed with two bikes with our '06 Honda Odyssey. I put a big tranny cooler on it, and try and keep on top of the AT fluid changes, but she did great. Love that vehicle.

[BlownWideOpen]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

While I was without a truck, I towed a 5x8 enclosed with two bikes with our '06 Honda Odyssey. I put a big tranny cooler on it, and try and keep on top of the AT fluid changes, but she did great. Love that vehicle.

Which is interesting, cause they have junk transmissions.

[sharky nrk]

^^ yeah in '07 (I think) they stuck the Ridgeline tranny in them and it is MUCH better. Hence the cooler and the frequent fluid changes. The previous gens 01-04 had even worse transmission life.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

While this is true, nothing is "more useful" than a pickup truck for hauling around stuff lol. I have no desire to have a truck or suv or similar as my only cage but am dang glad I have access to one when I need it lol.

yea, I intend to keep mine for as long as it runs for that reason. Down the line it'll turn into a "track day or hauling stuff only" vehicle when I make enough to justify a ~20k commuter car