QUESTION FOR THOSE WITH TOW BEHIND TRAILER

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

just wondering how different you ride when you are towing, what highway speed difference do you do.
how does it feel on the bumps and what weight is yours?
i have mini trailer voyager, got in last month but haven't used it yet.

 

[Fire34]

just wondering how different you ride when you are towing, what highway speed difference do you do.
how does it feel on the bumps and what weight is yours?

We have a harbor freight trailer and on our first road trip we stayed off the interstates. We ran 60 sometimes 65 but not too often. My wife takes the kitchen sink with her where ever he goes. I barely noticed the trailer at all, and had to keep double checking in the rear view to make sure. The trailer is a 600 pound trailer but tongue weight is 400 I believe. We have a 2013 RTL with the 998. Hope this helps

Dave

 

[JayBros]

Ask or wait for SpyderAnn01's reply. No one logs more miles towing than she, and she doesn't drag her feet.

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

We have a harbor freight trailer and on our first road trip we stayed off the interstates. We ran 60 sometimes 65 but not too often. My wife takes the kitchen sink with her where ever he goes. I barely noticed the trailer at all, and had to keep double checking in the rear view to make sure. The trailer is a 600 pound trailer but tongue weight is 400 I believe. We have a 2013 RTL with the 998. Hope this helps

Dave

400 tongue weight? your rtl pulls a 600lb trailer? i also have a '13 RT and i expect to pull ~ 400lbs.
how is breaking is one of the things i worry about especially in an emergency.

 

[bodymanpainter]

I have a northern trailer with a custom built aluminum box ( 40'' X 48'') and loaded it is close to
300 pounds with a tongue weight of about 35 lbs. and riding two up I have pulled it as fast as
100 mph and did not know it was back there. Just allow more time for stopping and you will
be fine.

Toby

 

[bmwlarry]

We tow an Aspen Sentry camper when camping. Mileage cuts from 39 to about 26 with two up and the trailer. You really do not feel it behind the bike. The zipper pocket in the cover is a great storage place to put coats when changing. I keep the trailer weight to as close to 400lb as possible and keep tongue weight to 40lb. using a scale. the biggest thing to keep in mind is braking early and driving very defensively - as if we don't already!

 

[easysuper]

We both pull trailers, I pull an Aspen knock-off and my wife pulls a dog trailer or a cargo trailer. The Aspen tops out at 430 lbs with 40 lbs tongue weight, we usually stay off the interstates because we like to stop and smell the roses. We have run the super slabs at 70-80 when we have to but that's not why we bought touring bikes. We've logged at least 50,000 miles pulling trailers so I talking from experience not just opinions . The most important thing is to keep in mind that you have extra weight behind you.

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

anyone had any issues with towing or any problems before?
and thanks to all, i have never towed with bike or car so i am a little worried until i put on some miles. i plan on
using mine every sunday with 78 mile round trip and will go to wildwood nj for kite festival memorial day weekend.

 

[Blue Star]

Same trailer

just wondering how different you ride when you are towing, what highway speed difference do you do.
how does it feel on the bumps and what weight is yours?
i have mini trailer voyager, got in last month but haven't used it yet.

I have the same trailer, but ryde a F3-T. I have only traveled about 75 miles pulling it with the F3-T before putting in hibernation, so my experience is limited on this. About 55 miles were freeway, and I had no problem going 70 MPH. I was in California at the time, the speed limit for vehicles pulling trailers is 55 MPH, so did not want to try and push my luck with getting a ticket. Like others have said I did not know it was even behind me, and I too had to keep checking my mirrors to make sure it was there. Just make sure you give more time for stopping.

On a side note. When I picked up the trailer in Oklahoma I pulled it back to California with my Prius nojoke, and the trailer pulls better behind the F3-T than it did behind the Prius.

 

[UtahPete]

just wondering how different you ride when you are towing, what highway speed difference do you do. how does it feel on the bumps and what weight is yours? i have mini trailer voyager, got in last month but haven't used it yet.

I have two trailers. They each weigh about 250# loaded. I notice no difference in handling, but my bike is a little slower on acceleration and takes more brake pressure to stop.

 

[Blue Star]

anyone had any issues with towing or any problems before?
and thanks to all, i have never towed with bike or car so i am a little worried until i put on some miles. i plan on
using mine every sunday with 78 mile round trip and will go to wildwood nj for kite festival memorial day weekend.

Just remember to make your right turns a little wider, but left turns are no problem. Also the biggest tip is plan your path to avoid having to back up if you are not skilled in doing so. It is not hard, but just takes practice.

 

[UtahPete]

i also have a '13 RT and i expect to pull ~ 400lbs. how is breaking is one of the things i worry about especially in an emergency.

If you figure the bike is 1,000# loaded (approximately), then a 400# trailer is adding 40% to the overall weight of the rig when towing. It takes quite a bit more pressure on the brake to slow it down, but the brakes are up to it.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

I doubt there is another RT-622 trailer with as many miles on it as mine has. Since we began traveling as Squared Away my trailer is loaded with all of our tools so it is likely a much heavier load than most of you will haul in yours. With my 14 RT I had to downshift on hills to try to maintain speed but with the F3T I only lose power on the steepest inclines.

I always increase my following distance when towing so I am sure I can stop. Parking with the trailer will likely be the hardest thing for you to learn but practice and you’ll be fine.

Keep your wheel bearings greased and check your tires.

As for speed, I travel at or above the speed limit towing and have no issues. In the west we have Interstate speeds of 80 mph and I do that just fine. Of course I don’t go 80 in heavy traffic. Just use your head, pay attention and you’ll be good.

 

[canamjhb]

Expect to drop a couple MPGs and realize breaking will be a bit (not much) slower and passing vehicles takes a bit more room. Otherwise, the Spyder will handle a properly sized and loaded trailer with ease. The only time I could feel the effects of having a trailer was going down hill through twisties. I could feel the trailer trying to "push" the rear of the Spyder. I have not pulled the trailer since replacing the rear Kenda but I suspect pulling a trailer with that weak tire was the biggest reason I was feeling that push.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

trl for spyder

I built my own using a Sears car top carrier .... it weighs 110lbs empty .... I devised a stiff hitch ( using a tie rod end ) and I don't know if it's there while towing .... even at the max 400 lbs ........... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Fire34]

Sorry

400 tongue weight? your rtl pulls a 600lb trailer? i also have a '13 RT and i expect to pull ~ 400lbs.
how is breaking is one of the things i worry about especially in an emergency.

I think I meant 400 pound total sorry

Dave

 

[pegasus1300]

I doubt there is another RT-622 trailer with as many miles on it as mine has. Just use your head, pay attention and you’ll be good.

Best piece of advice you can have. I have been towing since 1993 with never an incident because I try to follow this advice. Since I don't take Interstates very much ant more my usually top speed is around 70mph. I leave plenty of room when following another to stop and plenty of room to pass,I just can't accelerate as fast as when not towing. I currently tow a Hannigan Europa I and it is great.

 

[Fatcycledaddy]

I have towed a bunkhouse camper for a two week vacation every year for the last three avaraging about 5,000 miles for each one. We run all back roads if we can, nut out west that was still 75 MPH.
Running from a nasty rainstorm on our heals on the way home 2 years ago, we hit the freeway and ran 80 MPH for about 175 miles and then hit a hotel.
2015 RTL does a GREAT job of towing the trailer.

No Problem towing, no problem handling, running slow speeds still get over 30MPG, running freeway speeds just below 30MPG, and a lot of those variables depend on the prevailing winds.

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

thanks everyone, i wanted to make sure cruising at 70mph would be ok on the long haul

 

[UtahPete]

I currently tow a Hannigan Europa I and it is great.View attachment 157379

Nice trailer.