SuzukiSavage.com - tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a trail

verslagen1

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #15 - 02/17/08 at 16:34:04

ebmiller2 wrote on 02/17/08 at 15:10:25:

Another way to do it

http://www.model-t-man.org/Savage/SavageMCCarrier.JPG

This like the one I have, It's well built. And they have one for the smaller receiver too. Only one thing I don't like about it. Take a look at the head angle, The more tilted back that is, the more the bike will lean thru the corners. Now take a look at the front wheel, it's straped in there pretty good too. When the bike leans it's the wheel that's trying to hold the bike upright, which translates to alot of twist on the forks. The straps are supposed to be a little loose to take up shocks and allow it to lean, but I take up till there is only a couple of inches freeplay. Doesn't lean as much in turns. If you're still thinking this way, get one that pivots at the hitch. It'll have a crossbar that you strap the bike to and not only the handlebars. The pivot point is verticle so the bikes tracks well behind the car without leaning.

And if you're going to spend a couple hundred for this, take another look at used trailers or harbor freight. A cheap light weight trailer will do you too.

My main reason for going with the front wheel cradle is ease of stowing when you get to where you're going. Makes it easy to drop off the bike or the car at the mechanic, throw the hitch in the trunk and go.

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #16 - 02/17/08 at 17:09:31

Max_Morley wrote on 02/17/08 at 16:19:09:

Think about the results if someone put your Savage in gear (or a piece of highway debris managed to hit the shifter while traveling), In any of the lower gears the engine would rapidly self destruct at freeway speeds. Have you thought about letting your friend just haul your gear and you 'scoot' down? Might be simpler and easier. Max

how could i have not thought of that, Shocked

Well I am thinking it just might come down to that. the thing is She wants me to be in the car with her.

At least March will be a bit warmer. I road yesterday 28f outside. I would spend less money riding my self. ME to AZ sounds like a fun trip. It would be my first long trip. I have only riden 200mile at one wack.

And I just got my licence in June 07, But put in over 7000 mile. I guess I could make it.

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #17 - 02/17/08 at 17:16:54

verslagen1 wrote on 02/17/08 at 16:34:04:

ebmiller2 wrote on 02/17/08 at 15:10:25:

Another way to do it

http://www.model-t-man.org/Savage/SavageMCCarrier.JPG

This like the one I have, It's well built. And they have one for the smaller receiver too. Only one thing I don't like about it. Take a look at the head angle, The more tilted back that is, the more the bike will lean thru the corners. Now take a look at the front wheel, it's straped in there pretty good too. When the bike leans it's the wheel that's trying to hold the bike upright, which translates to alot of twist on the forks. The straps are supposed to be a little loose to take up shocks and allow it to lean, but I take up till there is only a couple of inches freeplay. Doesn't lean as much in turns. If you're still thinking this way, get one that pivots at the hitch. It'll have a crossbar that you strap the bike to and not only the handlebars. The pivot point is verticle so the bikes tracks well behind the car without leaning.

And if you're going to spend a couple hundred for this, take another look at used trailers or harbor freight. A cheap light weight trailer will do you too.

My main reason for going with the front wheel cradle is ease of stowing when you get to where you're going. Makes it easy to drop off the bike or the car at the mechanic, throw the hitch in the trunk and go.

(alot of twist on the forks) I don't like the sound of that, all that twisting 3300 +miles of that. Hmm i'll think on that one too.

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verslagen1

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #18 - 02/17/08 at 18:02:23

My use is for short hops, 5 - 10 miles at most. I know what I don't like and how to avoid it, stops on a corner. If you keep rolling through the corners the lean is less. But mostly I travel straight with it minimizing the turns. Load and unload on the street rather than a driveway that you turn into.

Someday I'll modify mine so it pivots.

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #19 - 02/18/08 at 02:06:30

3300 miles would make a fine ride. I would want the ability to tow it, tho, just in case. Good thinking, the shifter problem. The shifter could be removed, but I would pop the belt off so the belt wasnt spinning the tranny, just leave it on the front pulley & strap the belt up to the bike, no real tight bends in the belt.

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #20 - 02/18/08 at 08:41:19

You know me, Rockin' John, I sometimes got to be contrary Tongue

I do recommend the U-Haul 5x9 open trailer if you have a good hitch and want a good solid trailer. Granted the thing weighs as much as 2 bikes, but it tracks well and and is suspended nicely. The sides give good protection too.

The first time that I ever rented one, was when we moved from NC to OR. Pulled that thing behind our V6 truck for 3400 miles and had everything you could imagine thrown in with our 2 Savages. It did put us into some slow going in the grades to Flagstaff and the CA mountains, but it worked well. Never had to worry where it was back there. Even pulled it with chains through the Siskiyous mountains in December and our truck is only 2 WD.

I also rented one last weekend and hauled 2 1/2 CB 750s home, so if you want "utility", you can't beat that trailer...unfortunately, I asked U-Haul if they ever sell those trailers, and they said "NO!"

Some of you "old timers" remember this...Man, what a ride Tongue

This tumbleweed hitched a ride for 100 miles to Sacremento...

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #21 - 02/18/08 at 12:52:05

great pic!!

love the tumble weed.

Hey every one there is a motorcycle trailer in a bag on ebay motor going for about 540.00!! single rail

It is out on my price range, Angry

some one go get it! retail value 1200.00 I just got the qote from a dealer on the phone.
wish I wasn't so poor. :'(

I have just enought money to ride my bike out there and have enought to eat every other day!

So now I am looking for info on riding across the country!

What am I getting myself in to?

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Jack_650

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #22 - 02/18/08 at 14:16:36

I bought the little red trailer kit from a large chain hardware store. You put it together, easy as pie. It weighs in at a hundred pounds with a 48"X40" bed frame. You don't even feel it behind any vehicle. Down side is that it's got those little tires, but if you grease the bearings hauling the little 350# Savage is a piece of cake. Even at highway speeds all day. They're rated to a thousand pounds but I would go easy on that one. Our bikes are an easy load to haul though.

They have a bike rail they sell for it too, but the track is too narrow for the 650's back tire. I bent the sides of the back part of the rail outwards (I had already bought it) and just use it that way with the rail bolted to a 2"X6" board about 7' long which is bolted to the trailer. You could go to a sport bike shop and pick up a front tire block and bolt it to the 2"X6" (or what ever you use) and strap the rear tire directly to the plank to keep it in place.

There's a big brother to this trailer which is a 4'X8' version that folds in the middle for when you need to store it on end. The little one is great for me 'cause I pull it behind my 650 and use it for trips to the mulch dump. And then I tow the bike when needed behind the pickup.

When you get where you're going - you sell it or you keep it and make a hitch for your Sav. Great way to shop the rummage sales for furniture for your new digs at school. Been there, done that.

Jack

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #23 - 02/18/08 at 14:29:39

If your bike is new to you and you've not put many miles in the saddle on it you'll want to think real long on riding it across country. Ask anybody on here what even the third hour in a row is like on that stock seat. And take my word for it, the gel pads don't help much either.

I've made several multi-thousand mile trips, some with 500+ mile days, on my Savage and none of them could have happened without a lot of comfort mods being made. Even with a nice wide saddle seat with a gel pad, thick padded floorboards, a full fairing type windshield and a bottle of Ibuprofin it can still be a chore after a while. Don't even get me started about riding ten hours in the chiily rain.

Use some of that financial aid money and do the trailer.

Jack

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #24 - 02/18/08 at 14:47:53

Jack_650 wrote on 02/18/08 at 14:29:39:

If your bike is new to you and you've not put many miles in the saddle on it you'll want to think real long on riding it across country. Ask anybody on here what even the third hour in a row is like on that stock seat. And take my word for it, the gel pads don't help much either.

I've made several multi-thousand mile trips, some with 500+ mile days, on my Savage and none of them could have happened without a lot of comfort mods being made. Even with a nice wide saddle seat with a gel pad, thick padded floorboards, a full fairing type windshield and a bottle of Ibuprofin it can still be a chore after a while. Don't even get me started about riding ten hours in the chiily rain.

Use some of that financial aid money and do the trailer.

Jack

The financial aid wont pull through till june.And I have to use all of it for school and take out a pell grant and staffored lone. and maybe eat every two days. so till then I'm s.o.l

I have only done 200miles at a wack. I am going to have to buck up and take it. :'( I really have no choise, I don't even have i car. I did 2hours in the rain and hated it with a passion! it was so horrable.

I only have 7300 mile on it I got it new in June 07.

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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #25 - 02/18/08 at 17:06:57

Jack_650 wrote on 02/18/08 at 14:16:36:

I bought the little red trailer kit from a large chain hardware store. You put it together, easy as pie. It weighs in at a hundred pounds with a 48"X40" bed frame...
There's a big brother to this trailer which is a 4'X8' version that folds in the middle for when you need to store it on end. ....

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42708
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42709

I picked up similar to the larger one in '89 or so, used it quite a bit for the next 10 years. Made stake sides for it for general hauling. Made 3x4 plywood ends with a lengthwise center divider -- curbside was set up for kitchen/food storage with tents etc. on the streetside. Went camping several years with it, mostly local, two trips to Seatle, lots of highway miles at 60-65mph. If you push the load limit and speed the tires are problematical -- but you can get 5.70x8 wheel/tires from Walmart as an upgrade. If you load over a ton on the trailer you can bend the axle.

Hitches for your car:
http://www.hiddenhitch.com/ http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/

Hauling a trailer is easy. A lightweight trailer doesn't even need brakes. Backing up can be fun -- find an empty parking lot and practice. I back up by opening the driver door and leaning out looking backward. To make the trailer go left you steer the rear of the car right and then steer the follow the trailer. Usually just look for pull-through spaces.

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Soon Junior Member Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 61 Portland ME Gender:	Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t Reply #26 - 02/18/08 at 17:30:47 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42708 hey this might be do-able
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Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t Reply #27 - 02/18/08 at 18:16:17 A 48" long bed carrying a motorcycle with a 58.3" wheelbase? Do-able if you add a pair of three foot long aluminum c-channels sized to hold front and rear tires.
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Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t
Reply #28 - 02/18/08 at 18:49:03

Paladin. wrote on 02/18/08 at 18:16:17:

A 48" long bed carrying a motorcycle with a 58.3" wheelbase?

Do-able if you add a pair of three foot long aluminum c-channels sized to hold front and rear tires.

was thinking i could put some rails on would have to renforce it with the c-channels, but thought that it might off set the balance. and wont be to good.

So now the girlfriend is thing she doesn't want her car to tow my bike Roll Eyes

o well.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: tow my motorcycle by car, where can I rent a t Reply #29 - 02/18/08 at 19:00:10 Soon wrote on 02/18/08 at 18:49:03: So now the girlfriend is thing she doesn't want her car to tow my bike o well. Looks like you're in trouble my friend. Watch out.
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