Towin Trailer

I just ordered a hitch and trailer for my darkside VTX 1800N, Any body tow a trailer and what cautions are there? Will my clutch and drivetrain be OK? How about the shock? Do i need better ones with springs? Got two lids for the trailer , One is being modified to be a cockpit for my Buddy Buster a 80lb Goldendoodle(1/2 Golden Retriever, 1/2 Poodle). His new title is Buster - vader Jr. Do you think i should always tether him in or will he learn and just stay in the trailer? Is he a darksider since the trailer has CTs hehe. Hes gettin a helmet, Doggles and a honda racing Bandana Had to order the bandanas from Japan. Cant get them in the U.S. Black and white checkerboard with red honda logos in the white squares. So he will be outfitted. Any help or advise is appreciated. Thanks Paul

I would not tether him in. he wil learn to stay in. just make your first few rides in the neighbor hood and short to be sure you can keep an write on him and talk to him. If he is tethered in he will have his neck snapped or strangled in the event of an accident. It won't take but a few of those short rides and you won't be able to for the bike up that he won't be ready to ride.

Thanks for the advise about tethering. We dont wanna crash but safety for all is good. Im sure once he does a few rides he will want to go every time! He goes nuts for ridin in the car.
Thanks Paul

A friend of mine in Houston had a peice of carpet he put up on his tank. His dog would sit in his lap, and sit up with paws on the gas tank. The dog LOVED it. He said he got lots of people that told him he was cruel ... and he'd just respond, "Does this look like a dog that is being punished?"

I'd say No to tethering too. If the dog happens to fall out while riding, you don't want him being drug till you get stopped.

He Will have a cockpit thats the 18" depth of the trailer, + the hight of the widscreen 10-12" so thats 30" high and hes 26" to the shoulders. 16 X 32 Cutout in the lid and a full wrap around wind shield 12" high at 60 degrees in the front. the sides will taper from 12" in the front to 3" in the back. It may be California law that he must be tethered now on a short enough tether he cant fall out and be drug. we figured if we tether him to the floor in front of him and give him some slack but not enough to get over the shield. He wont back out and cant get over the shield, but he can lay down in the trailer too. I will check on the law and if he learns we may take the tether off. I must be nuts to go to this much trouble for Buster but he's a cool dog and very smart too.

But still wonder about my Clutch, Brakes and suspension What do you guy think. I hope its OK

Paul

Oh yeah, the bike will be fine, you may shorten the life of the parts ..clutch, brakes and such but not by enough to matter.

I tow a trailer with my 1300 all the time ... bout 3k miles in the almost 3 months I have had it ... the bike handles it just fine .. hardly even know it's back there.
And where did you find a hitch for a "N" model?

I found a guy who makes one heres the link
https://sites.google.com/site/okiefabrication/home/vtx-1800-neo

He said 3-4 weeks Thanks Paul

Got my trailer from americas best trailers and now workin on modifying it for buster, My trailer hitch shipped friday so im gettin psyched. Pics to come soon

I pull a homemade monowheel that's 105 lbs. empty, double that full. CT helps keep your line, but no problems whatsoever.

I Think the car tire is probably the only way to go for a motorcycle pullin a trailer

I can't say for that, since I built the trailer after crossing over. But spokes I can tell ya won't stand up well to hard riding when pulling.
That's why I put the Fatboy wheels on her.

Got my trailer hitch and trailer in. Too Cool. Got the trailer wired and hooked up to my Prius to test the lights and make sure its road worthy. So far its great. Had to wire up a 6 prong connector as it has separate turn signals and brake lights so i wont need an adapter. The trailer is an America's best trailer - Escalade model ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pull-Behind-Motorcycle-Trailers-Tow-Cargo-Behind-Bike-Trailer-Motorcycles-/260872410434?pt=Motors_Trailers&hash=item3cbd351542 ) , fiberglass with all the trimmings and upgrades, Ice cooler, Mag wheels, spare tire and the works. $2195 + $249 shipped and i added a second Lid for $300 to convert to a cockpit for my Goldendoodle "Buster". I had a couple issues with the trim and Jason replaced it sight unseen. I'm very pleased so far and think its a great deal. They threw in a cover and spare tire on a mag for free because they didn't want to cut the hole in the fiberglass for me after promising it in the deal. I can see why now, but im gonna fab the cockpit myself now so i got a spare and cover now. The one thing they missed was the bearing load was too tight, i repacked the bearings and set the load correctly, Something to watch out for as it would fry the outer bearings. Now comes the task to tear down my bike and install the hidden hitch ON my VTX1800N model which is only made by a guy in Oklahoma who wanted one for his own bike and now makes them for others! His name is Matt Greninger his website is https://sites.google.com/site/okiefabrication/home/vtx-1800-neo . The hitch is absolutly perfect workmanship although it took 5 weeks to make . I was glad to get a hitch or i would have had to get a new bike. He was great and told me to be patient and he delivered. I will post pics soon after i get the hitch installed. I gotta remove the whole back end, Sissy bars , seat and fender to install and probably the rear wheel too, But my winter sport run flat will fit in the hidden hitch YEA.

Got 4000 miles on the darkside now and i'm sold for sure. I'm not bothered by it, I almost think im on a MC tire grinding footboards on hella twisties. Hardly any wear and handles better on wet pavement or gravel. It saved me when i went off the right side of the road goin to fast on a twisty. It stuck to the gravel got traction and i forced it back on the road and away i went, Thanks to the power of the darkside. Atrum Pars Est Validus !!!!

Tshirtmeister wrote:I Think the car tire is probably the only way to go for a motorcycle pullin a trailer

Hey Pal! Where did you find that black container?