How large a trailer have you hauled with your bike?

[rjs987]

Just curious. What is the biggest trailer you have pulled with your ST, or any other bike?
I am, of course, most interested in the ST and the ST1100 in particular. But chime in about any bike you've pulled a trailer with.

Also be sure to give an account of your experience pulling that big box.

I'll start this off. I haven't pulled anything (yet) with my ST. But I am looking into getting some type of cargo or camper trailer soon. On the Gold Wing ('90 GL1500) that I used to own I pulled a Time Out camper for many trips. Never had any problem and much of the time I had to keep looking in the mirrors to make sure it was still back there. Of course I loaded too much into it just because there was room. I even had a roof top carrier on it for when we were 2 up on a camping trip (when my wife was so inclined). The TO did let me know it was there when stopping or starting up, but once going it didn't really have a big impact on the ride. In fact, the highest mpg I ever had on the GW was while pulling that camper. That was mostly due to a stiff tail wind but was still a surprise. Was sure nice on camping trips to be able to put up an off-the-ground bed and base camp site without fussing about what was on the ground under it. Still have the carrier. It's a soft sided waterproof bag type so it folds up for storage. But sold both the GW and the Time Out for a profit some years back. Wishing I still had a camper but maybe a smaller one now. Sometimes miss the GW but having more fun on the ST. Don't know how a trailer would affect the ride on the ST. But maybe will find out some time soon?

:rd13ug:

 

[motomac]

I pulled my Bunkhouse with my ST, and I pulled my DRZ 400 behind my Wing.

 

[okcst1300]

haven't pulled a trailer but want to, not sure why though? can carry everything i need without a trailer. but if i was to get one for me it would probally be a PIGGYBacker xl.

 

[Bigmak96]

Hi Bob, I pulled this one to NatSTOC and then on to PuttSTOC last year. It was much bigger than I will have but I borrowed this one to test the 1100. It did fine other than a huge beating in the MPG area.
You can prolly tell that this trailer was made using a good sized car top carrier. It was FULL ;>)

 

[Happy Dave]

who needs a trailer,

 

[TMUS]

Cross winds are a ***** I bet. :wink:

who needs a trailer,

 

[LoSTBrit]

How about this ?

I am looking to add a tow hitch this yeah and would like to get a small MC trailer for camping trips.

However it would also be very useful to be able to use the 4'x8' HF trailer to haul another bike behind the ST. Though this would be ~1000lbs trailer/load combined. Maybe better would be a smaller version of the car dolly that just lifts the front wheel of the towed bike.

Anyone tried this ?

 

[Jerseyst]

How would you get it off the centerstand?

 

[STPaulK]

I have a friend who pulls a Uni-go with his ST1100. On occasion, I have ridden it for various reasons and I hated the feel of a trailer on the back end. It made the front end feel too light and the normally well handling ST turned into a pig. Now it could be that he needed to beef up the rear suspension so I shouldn't make judgments but I don't see myself ever pulling a trailer, mainly because I don't want one back there under a hard braking situation.

 

[Da Ace]

I did this a little while ago and did about 2000kms with the 6ft trailer behind me...
tooooo easy if you do it right and could be very bad if you do it wrong!

See pics etc at link:
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?92456-Towing-a-6-ft-trailer&highlight=

And

Pics in album at:

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?92456-Towing-a-6-ft-trailer&highlight=


So that was real
FUN

and I'm still towing ...though not right now \\
\In Cairo (Egypt) and only going home tomorrow to South Africa.

 

[LoSTBrit]

How would you get it off the centerstand?

Carefully?

 

[roadriderg]

I pull a bushtec roadstar behind mine. It is about 87" from hitch to end.

see pics
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?85115-Picture-of-your-rig.&highlight=bushtec

 

[SteveST1300]

Those Bushtec trailers are nice I toured their factoery a few years ago while at the Honda Hoot. But they are pricey.

 

[rjs987]

Has anyone pulled a pop up camper with their ST1100? Please, your stories here.

I may have a bead on a Bushtec hitch and am looking into possibly putting ball on it in place of or over the special Bushtec pin. I sent an email to them asking if they have an adapter for that change. I've also sent email to Bushtec asking how much of a trailer can be pulled with their hitches. Some of those Bushtec trailers have a capacity of 350 lbs and the trailer is not much smaller, if only not as tall, as the camper I may end up with.

I seem to be leaning toward that idea. Thinking of the mini-mate camper since it is all I would need and is also the smallest camper trailer available. Back when I had my GW I originally wanted one of these and almost got one but was just a half day too late and some one else beat me to it. Then I found the Time Out camper that I did end up with. I guess once you camp in a pop up trailer sleeping on the ground, even with the best mattress (air or otherwise) is less appealing. I was thinking tent camping would be fine, and it was for a time, but since there may be this trailer available to me I may just have to go for it.

 

[txdon2006]

Here's the trailer I use for my motorcycles. I'm hauled 2 Goldwings at a time, 2 ST1300's at a time, 2 Versys & a 650 Vstrom at a time, and 3 4-wheelers at a time. I have a winch on the front that slides back & forth when I need it. The trailer is 12' long by 6'6" wide.

 

[STPaulK]

Guys, I look at these trailers and the associated weight and I gotta ask, what happens if you have to hit the brakes hard, especially in damp conditions? It would seem to me that a fully ladened trailer is going to drive the bike at some point. Not looking to start any sort of religious war here, just curious about what I perceive as unsafe versus your real world experience, thanks.

 

[SoloTotoCoyote]

who needs a trailer,

George bought a new bike??

 

[safedoctor]

George bought a new bike??

Ask Dan

 

[rjs987]

Here's the trailer I use for my motorcycles. I'm hauled 2 Goldwings at a time, 2 ST1300's at a time, 2 Versys & a 650 Vstrom at a time, and 3 4-wheelers at a time. I have a winch on the front that slides back & forth when I need it. The trailer is 12' long by 6'6" wide.

So that's the trailer you pull with your bike?
That's what this thread is about... the biggest trailer you hitch on the back of the bike and pull while you are RIDING your bike!

 

[rjs987]

I tow a Kwick Kamp trailer with my ST 13, The wife packs everything even the kitchen sink, ha,
I think the best tow is in the hitch , If you have problems towing take a close look at the hitch,,
I had to reinforce the hitch I bought,
My maximum tire life is 3 to 5 thousand miles, so far,,, It eats rear tires.
Just got back from the TMRA area D chili cook off and averaged 24 to 32 MPG at 80MPH, about 40 MPG at 60 to 65 MPH,

I am curious. How did you reinforce or modify your hitch? What hitch did you buy?
I was looking at a Bushtec hitch some one doesn't want but that has a pin and I found out today that the pin is welded on and Bushtec doesn't make a ball for the model that fits a ST1100.

What I like about the Bushtec hitch is the main tubing that runs all the way up to the bolt under the driver foot peg in addition to another strap that goes to the muffler mount and the third commonly found strap that goes up to the saddle bags slide mount under the seat. Now I am looking at possibly getting a Denray hitch, but with no forward mount point like the Bushtec.