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For me and my big Victory, the MoTow simply isn't, and shouldn't be, an option. But please pass along the MotoLug video and see if MoTow would or could design something similar.https://www.motolug.com/index.php?route=common/homeThis version, made in SC is only about $300 more than the MoTow and could also be an option. vhttps://theusatrailerstore.com/ace-single-motorcycle-trailer/
"Interested in your critique of this bike hitch. New take on an old idea" Check out the Atlas Hitch video at the 0:23 second mark from 2019
throughout the country, even as the owner of a half million dollar home, your HOA will not allow a trailer on the property. In cities everywhere, urban dwellers have no room for a trailer. Trailers cost a mint and need to be registered annually and stored someplace. This goes in the hall closet/trunk/bed of the truck. Good point and good idea!!
The no trailer POA problem was addressed decades ago by Kendon:https://www.kendonusa.com/collections/go-series-motorcycle-trailers/products/go-series-single-rail-ride-up-folding-motorcycle-trailer
have you seen one of these? they're not small. If you have two cars and a two car garage, this won't fit. Ask me how I know. Either the trailer or one of the cars has to stay outside. The Motow takes up the space of one of the kendon's wheels, weighs less than 40# and costs $1800.00 less. The Kendon is awesome, but it doesn't meet the need as you describe. You still need significant space indoors. Not the case with many homes and urban dwellers.
Whatever happened to good old "Trailer in a Bag".That was the best of both worlds.remove duplicate text
The list to starboard that we observe in Kidsmoke's video is a bit worrisome. Maybe he could comment on how hard it would be to correct this the next time. I think that MoTow may have dropped an initial 1 1/4" hitch model due to concerns about this sort of thing. I also noted that they began including a hitch-stabilizer clamp with every MoTow about year or so ago. Whether or not listing or rotation around the listing axis is really a potential cause of structural damage to the bike, it is enough to worry the owner. The company reacted suitably to counter this worry.
My father made a simple towing device to get me and my girlfriend back over the snowed-in Rockies in Fall, 1974. It hitched the fork tubes to the trailer hitch via the front wheel axle. Ever since, I've thought of making my own hitch that would correct the biggest flaw of his design and of all hitches that allow the motorcycle to pivot on the front fork.That flaw is this. When the towing vehicle backs up and executes any kind of turn, no matter how slight, the motorcycle pivots on its steering stem. Since the stem is angled back from vertical by 20 degrees or more, the only way the bike can perform the pivot requires the steering stem to depart even further from the vertical. (Otherwise the rear wheel would have to be up in the air! Think about it.) This dipping quickly progresses to the point that the bike will lie down on the ground to be run over by the tow vehicle if one is not careful. For many years I tried to sketch out designs that would introduce a vertical pivot axis, separate from the steering stem, while supporting the front of the motorcycle, with or without the wheel removed. It always got complicated, and I never built one. MoTow's design solves the vertical axis problem and also reverses the motorcycle to put the front wheel on the ground. Reversing the motorcycle simplifies attaching it rigidly to the provided vertical axis since the rear wheel forms a rigid (more or less) extension of the frame. Holding the front fork in a neutral position then becomes as simple as adding some tie-downs, which is an adequate solution because only the minor deviating forces introduced from the front wheel itself have to be controlled, rather than the much larger forces needed to stabilize the whole motorcycle in a non-reversed design. This is brilliant, and well deserving a patent (which I think has been obtained or applied for). The end result is a towed motorcycle that does not try to disappear beneath your rear bumper when backing up, and which should back just like any small trailer, as reported.The reversed attachment of the motorcycle also saves worrying about transmission damage, or removing a messy chain. Though a Guzzi can be towed thousands of miles (as I have found) with the rear wheel on the ground and the drive shaft spinning away, many would hesitate to do this. So the reversed mounting is also a big selling point in this respect.Other obvious advantages have been discussed, including the ability to carry the device in one's trunk or store it easily in a small space in the garage, and the ease with which a single person can mount the motorcycle on the hitch (especially with a drill or the optional motor). The savings on gas mileage will be very large, based on my own later experiences with my Dad's device -- there was almost no mileage penalty at all.As for theoretical drawbacks, the idea that the forks are built only to handle forces from the front is wrong, based on my examination of forks. Though engineers could have built them in the proposed way, making them more liable to failure from forces applied from the rear, they did not. An examination of the construction of triple trees and forks shows a symmetry that means they are as strong from the rear as from the front, at least on every street motorcycle and racing motorcycle I have ever seen or seen described. Furthermore, the fore-and-aft forces that need to be dealt with are extremely small compared with full application of the bike's brakes: the front brakes will not be used at all. This is not a valid concern.The rotational torque introduced through the rear wheel and the trailer hitch is an appropriate concern. I discussed this with an extremely experienced and skilled professional welder, who declared emphatically that that the 2-inch hitch will have no problem at all, based on his and everyone's experience of towing heavy construction equipment with these things. This leaves the question of the ability of the motorcycle's rear axle, rear wheel, swing arm, and swing arm pivot to handle these torques. Here the lack of product complaints or returns will have to be sufficient. It is possible a torque from some pot hole hit by the towing vehicle could tweak one or more of those parts, but I doubt this would happen. Certainly the limitation to sub-600lb. bikes helps here, since they provide less resistance to these torques. The list to starboard that we observe in Kidsmoke's video is a bit worrisome. Maybe he could comment on how hard it would be to correct this the next time. I think that MoTow may have dropped an initial 1 1/4" hitch model due to concerns about this sort of thing. I also noted that they began including a hitch-stabilizer clamp with every MoTow about year or so ago. Whether or not listing or rotation around the listing axis is really a potential cause of structural damage to the bike, it is enough to worry the owner. The company reacted suitably to counter this worry. This device is not meant to tow large touring bikes, of course. You are supposed to ride those on tours! But it is suitable to tow Guzzi big blocks (all of which weigh five-fiddy, per Chuck in Indiana) clean across the continent to where the plains fall away and the mountains rise in purple majesty. I plan to do that this summer.Sorry if I left out reactions to the reader's own suggested worry. I've said all I have to say. Thanks.Moto
I think there's another issue you may have erroneously dismissed earlier..The steering head is designed to take the forces of braking, bumps, or portholes at an angle that allows the suspension to compress the motion dissipating much of the forces at play.When you reverse that angle you instead create a lever that is going to stress the steering head on impacts instead of compressing the suspension.
As for theoretical drawbacks, the idea that the forks are built only to handle forces from the front is wrong, based on my examination of forks. Though engineers could have built them in the proposed way, making them more liable to failure from forces applied from the rear, they did not. An examination of the construction of triple trees and forks shows a symmetry that means they are as strong from the rear as from the front, at least on every street motorcycle and racing motorcycle I have ever seen or seen described. Furthermore, the fore-and-aft forces that need to be dealt with are extremely small compared with full application of the bike's brakes: the front brakes will not be used at all. This is not a valid concern.
I think this argument misses the point (but I admit the point could be wrong).Whether we're talking about braking forces or a pothole the forks are angled forward, toward the vector of the force, meaning they are designed to compress inner and outer tubes with the mechanical spring and hydraulic damping to help dissipate forces.But angled away from the pothole or bump more force is applied as a lever and less directly vectored towards compression.At least that's my most rudimentary estimation.I guess the question is how much is too much (if we accept the forces are different).But I've been able to denya Brembo wheel on a pothole in normal operation, I would worry about more than just the wheel like this.
I see your point, which I was not considering before.I think the reason the forks are angled as they are has to do with steering geometry, not dissipation of pothole impacts. Nonetheless, they are better angled for the potholes than they would be when reversed, on the MoTow.What I see in the forks is a couple of robust steel pipes, chosen to withstand about 1 g of force from the front on braking. I think their overall construction is remarkably symmetrical fore-and-aft, as I said. I'd be surprised if they would be damaged from any pothole impact while facing backwards, but you can never say never.So, you've got a theoretical point. But I don't think it would be important in practice, as the experience of the builders of the MoTow, as it was related to Kidsmoke, suggests.Robust stainless steel MoTow, robust front forks, robust Guzzi frame, I'm good with all that.MotoP.S. Don't forget the front of the bike is lightly loaded while on the MoTow, since the rider is missing. Also, the brakes will never be applied. I'd be more worried about the wheel rim than the fork, as usual. But less worried overall.
It all just seems heartless to me..
Well, Huzo, don't do it.I've driven thousands of miles towing motorcycles with rigs like this, but that used the steering stem as the pivot. I've had zero problems running over stuff in the center of the lane with the motorcycle wheel.Your hand wringing is mostly to get attention, I believe. Enjoy it.
Wonder what riders on Trikes or CanAm's do?
Agreed on the light load.But I still wonder about the lever on the bearings.I'm a little confused as to the experience of the builders. If they've been doing this for 40 years and there's hundreds out there (not a great ratio to years or total number) , then why are they asking us.Or did I misread one or more of those numbers on the beach today? (Again, a fair possibility).
Designed in 2018. Brought ‘to market’ the following year. I think you merged a couple comments. :)
That’s a really great looking G5 Kidsmoke.
Yes. Yes it is.
Was thinking about this set up today. This would be GREAT when I need to take my truck in for service. Hook the bike up to the back. Drop the truck off, stow the tow rig in the bed, and ride off. Easy to hook back up when the truck is finished.-AJ
There is also the thing about having a wheel on the centreline of your vehicle.When you encounter an obstacle on the road, you will be hard pressed to stop yourself from instinctively adjusting your line so as to put that obstacle equidistant from the two steer wheels of your truck.Doing so will result in the bike wheel colliding with that obstacle.
I guess it depends on the kind of roads you travel. I personally see Huzos point as I spend about 10% of my driving attention dodging road potholes and surface issues on our country roads. I think this whole "towing the motorcycle like a trailer" is just a stupid idea, there I've said it.
I've considered the Motow option for my Moto Guzzi V700 but in their description they say you need 15″ of clearance on the motorcycle rear wheel (measured from ground to fender). The fender on my Guzzi doesn't quite have 15" of clearance. A shame, because at times I'd like to tow mine short distances and would probably get one.