02-04-2016, 02:42 AM
Some rambling about towing....
I have towed a bike several times. Mostly on rides that started a couple thousand miles from home and only when my wife was with me.
The first time I towed a Triumph Bonneville from Ohio to Moab Utah in an enclosed trailer. We unloaded in Moab and did Moab, Arches and Canyon Lands etc. A day or two later we loaded up and headed south. Towed to another location and unloaded the bike and visited Canyon De Chelly and some other places. Day or two later loaded up and headed further down into Arizona and visited some stuff around Mesa. Loaded up and headed north did Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce etc. 2 weeks. Worked out really well except for the fact that I didn't like towing the enclosed trailer because it was very heavy, and I couldn't see through it behind me. It did provide protection for the bike and storage for extra gear. My wife and I really liked travelling like that and may consider that after she retires in another year and a half. In AZ it was nearly 120 degrees and it would have been miserable geared up while riding, but was nice in the trk with the AC on.
Towing in this case worked well, where we could spend a couple days in an area then travel a fair distance to where we would spend another couple of days.
For me alone, towing from morning to night, and then getting unloaded to ride around for a while after dinner only to repeat the next day would not be worth it.
The second time I towed my ST on an open trailer to a friends house in Montana. From there we unloaded and rode the rest of the way while we toured Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming..Glacier, Yellowstone, Cheif Joseph Hwy, Bear Tooth pass, Hwy 12, etc. Then back to my buddy's house to pick up the trk/trlr and head home. For her again it was nice being in the truck for 3 days going to MT from OH and 3 days back again. I enjoyed being able to see the bike, and see thru the bike to the traffic behind me. Also got better mileage with the open trailer. No protection for the bike though so one day that it rained all day the bike got wet ( not any wetter than if we had been riding it) and no extra storage either ( didnt need it with the trk though). Another downfall of the open trailer is people were able to see the bike while we were at hotels at night. A possible security risk. I did use extra locking protection for both the trailer and the bike to the trailer.
Towing saves wear and tear on the bikes brakes and tires so you only use the rubber after you have arrived at the good stuff. Plus if the weather is bad or you just dont feel like riding that day, you can still move on.
The problem with that for me is I really love riding. I rode to California and back in 11 days and loved every single mile on the motorcycle. Loved the heat, loved the wind, loved the rain. Being trapped in my truck on blue bird days driving thru awesome country was pure torture for me, and my wife wasn't too keen on driving the truck towing an empty trailer while I enjoyed the bike out in front of her.
Now my wife is not the 21 year old that I started riding with 43 years ago. A broken pelvis, a replacement hip, 2 replacement knees and 64 years of life have made it hard for her to spend full days on the road on the back of a motorcycle anymore. We are contemplating our retired together future and that may very well include towing because neither one of us is ready to quit riding and there are places in this country we want to ride in. I will do whatever I have to do to spend my final years with her and to keep on riding at the same time. It that means towing I will. A lighter bike and a low aluminum trailer with a bike holding chock would be nice.
I have towed a bike several times. Mostly on rides that started a couple thousand miles from home and only when my wife was with me.
The first time I towed a Triumph Bonneville from Ohio to Moab Utah in an enclosed trailer. We unloaded in Moab and did Moab, Arches and Canyon Lands etc. A day or two later we loaded up and headed south. Towed to another location and unloaded the bike and visited Canyon De Chelly and some other places. Day or two later loaded up and headed further down into Arizona and visited some stuff around Mesa. Loaded up and headed north did Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce etc. 2 weeks. Worked out really well except for the fact that I didn't like towing the enclosed trailer because it was very heavy, and I couldn't see through it behind me. It did provide protection for the bike and storage for extra gear. My wife and I really liked travelling like that and may consider that after she retires in another year and a half. In AZ it was nearly 120 degrees and it would have been miserable geared up while riding, but was nice in the trk with the AC on.
Towing in this case worked well, where we could spend a couple days in an area then travel a fair distance to where we would spend another couple of days.
For me alone, towing from morning to night, and then getting unloaded to ride around for a while after dinner only to repeat the next day would not be worth it.
The second time I towed my ST on an open trailer to a friends house in Montana. From there we unloaded and rode the rest of the way while we toured Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming..Glacier, Yellowstone, Cheif Joseph Hwy, Bear Tooth pass, Hwy 12, etc. Then back to my buddy's house to pick up the trk/trlr and head home. For her again it was nice being in the truck for 3 days going to MT from OH and 3 days back again. I enjoyed being able to see the bike, and see thru the bike to the traffic behind me. Also got better mileage with the open trailer. No protection for the bike though so one day that it rained all day the bike got wet ( not any wetter than if we had been riding it) and no extra storage either ( didnt need it with the trk though). Another downfall of the open trailer is people were able to see the bike while we were at hotels at night. A possible security risk. I did use extra locking protection for both the trailer and the bike to the trailer.
Towing saves wear and tear on the bikes brakes and tires so you only use the rubber after you have arrived at the good stuff. Plus if the weather is bad or you just dont feel like riding that day, you can still move on.
The problem with that for me is I really love riding. I rode to California and back in 11 days and loved every single mile on the motorcycle. Loved the heat, loved the wind, loved the rain. Being trapped in my truck on blue bird days driving thru awesome country was pure torture for me, and my wife wasn't too keen on driving the truck towing an empty trailer while I enjoyed the bike out in front of her.
Now my wife is not the 21 year old that I started riding with 43 years ago. A broken pelvis, a replacement hip, 2 replacement knees and 64 years of life have made it hard for her to spend full days on the road on the back of a motorcycle anymore. We are contemplating our retired together future and that may very well include towing because neither one of us is ready to quit riding and there are places in this country we want to ride in. I will do whatever I have to do to spend my final years with her and to keep on riding at the same time. It that means towing I will. A lighter bike and a low aluminum trailer with a bike holding chock would be nice.