Selecting a Hitch
Keep these things in mind if you're thinking of pulling a
trailer...
For us motorcycle enthusiasts, there's not much in life
that's better than a nice long ride through beautiful
countryside in pleasant weather. However, a journey
spanning a long weekend or even weeks on end warrant some
additional considerations and planning.
The longer you're riding, the more
opportunities for inclement weather, which means
you'll need more room to take along additional gear
such as rain suits and cold weather protection.
There's more of a chance that the gremlins might
strike and you'll need some additional tools to keep
you on the road. You'll also want to take along at
least four days' worth of clothing to minimize the
joys of the laundromat. If you're riding two-up plan
on doubling that!
Motorcycles just don't have a lot of
carrying capacity. Sure, saddle bags, roll bags, tail
bags, seat bags and such can get you through many
trips if you're willing to make a few sacrifices and
you have some luck. But then again, if you're riding
two-up....whew! Consider where that additional weight
is carried and how that affects your center of gravity
as well as your ability to ride the way you would if
you were not carrying that weight on your bikes'
suspension.
Here's where an appropriate sized trailer
might be something to consider. But you can't pull
that trailer unless you've attached a hitch to your
ride! Most motorcycles can be fitted with some sort of
ball, receiver or specialty trailer hitch. There are a
few things to consider when purchasing a hitch for a
motorcycle. It's more critical to get it right for a
bike than it would be for a car or truck.
- Make sure the trailer hitch you select is made
specifically for the year, make and model of your
motorcycle. Take your time and ensure your choice is a safe
one as well as meeting your "visual" requirements. The
wrong hitch can mess up your ride, your bike and your self
in a hurry. If you choose to have a hitch custom made, make
sure the fabricator knows what they're doing and has
experience you can have confidence in.
- Your trailer must have a safety chain to
back up your hitch connection! This seemingly small
feature can have a huge impact on safety.
- Resist the temptation to put crap like a luggage
rack or cooler rack to your hitch! It's one thing to put
those things on the receiver hitch of a car or truck and
quite another to stick them on a bike...don't!
- Tow a trailer designed for a motorcycle! Most bikes can't
and shouldn't tow more than 500 pounds. We recommend towing
no more than 200 pounds! It's not just a matter of pulling
power. It's balance, handling, maneuvering and braking.
This is where I'm going to plug the
Uni-Go trailer one more time. Here's the deal:
- The Uni-Go only weighs 70 pounds. A fully loaded Uni-Go
should not exceed 180 pounds. That's less than some
passengers you might be carrying!
- Remember that the load you're carrying with a rider and
luggage is all being born by the suspension on your bike.
This weight affects your cornering ability and suspension
travel in a negative way. That same amount of cargo weight
carried in the Uni-Go is barely felt by your suspension
giving you the ability to ride the way you would normally
and adds many miles of life to your suspension
components.
- Whatever weight you're carrying on your bike with seat
bags, tail bags, roll bags, tool bags, windshield bags and
saddlebags, that same weight in the Uni-Go is carried down
low. That low center of gravity will make you feel
like you're not carrying a load at all and will make the
bike handle much safer. Believe me, I've had my bike so
loaded with stuff up high for a long trip that it made me
nervous setting it down on the kickstand..until I found the
Uni-Go!
- Regardless of the load weight, the Uni-Go
suspension system eliminates bounce to create an
exceptionally smooth and stable ride. Even fully
loaded, the Uni-Go has minimal effect on your bike's
cornering and braking abilities.
- The Uni-Go tracks perfectly inline with
your bike. Ride the best lines - Uni-Go leans with you
into the corners. It has minimal effect on fuel
consumption by towing in the bikes' slipstream. It's
no wider than the bike - wherever it fits, so does the
Uni-Go! Consider the picture on the left if
you're feuling up your bike with a regular
trailer...argh!
I've travelled both ways. A motorcycle hitch and trailer
can make your ride so much more enjoyable! You can only
hold so much stuff in your saddlebags. You really should at
least consider this option if you like to take long
trips.
You really should check out this video of the Uni-Go in action! Look
for an article on the Uni-Go here and a very special pricing offer
here!
The longer you're riding, the more
opportunities for inclement weather, which means
you'll need more room to take along additional gear
such as rain suits and cold weather protection.
There's more of a chance that the gremlins might
strike and you'll need some additional tools to keep
you on the road. You'll also want to take along at
least four days' worth of clothing to minimize the
joys of the laundromat. If you're riding two-up plan
on doubling that!
Motorcycles just don't have a lot of
carrying capacity. Sure, saddle bags, roll bags, tail
bags, seat bags and such can get you through many
trips if you're willing to make a few sacrifices and
you have some luck. But then again, if you're riding
two-up....whew! Consider where that additional weight
is carried and how that affects your center of gravity
as well as your ability to ride the way you would if
you were not carrying that weight on your bikes'
suspension.
Here's where an appropriate sized trailer
might be something to consider. But you can't pull
that trailer unless you've attached a hitch to your
ride! Most motorcycles can be fitted with some sort of
ball, receiver or specialty trailer hitch. There are a
few things to consider when purchasing a hitch for a
motorcycle. It's more critical to get it right for a
bike than it would be for a car or truck.
- Your trailer must have a safety chain to
back up your hitch connection! This seemingly small
feature can have a huge impact on safety.
This is where I'm going to plug the
Uni-Go trailer one more time. Here's the deal:
- Regardless of the load weight, the Uni-Go
suspension system eliminates bounce to create an
exceptionally smooth and stable ride. Even fully
loaded, the Uni-Go has minimal effect on your bike's
cornering and braking abilities.
- The Uni-Go tracks perfectly inline with
your bike. Ride the best lines - Uni-Go leans with you
into the corners. It has minimal effect on fuel
consumption by towing in the bikes' slipstream. It's
no wider than the bike - wherever it fits, so does the
Uni-Go! Consider the picture on the left if
you're feuling up your bike with a regular
trailer...argh!
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