R1100RT trailering

I have a '99 RT and want to trailer. I have read somewhere that I need to worry about cannecting to the wiring system or I could blow the brain. What are the ins and outs of this?

Don't. After pulling a trailer for over 15 years behind a Honda Goldwing in the 80s and early 90s before switching to BMW, I will never pull a trailer again. With a rider, passenger and gear, you are at the Gross Vehicle weight of the bike. The brakes and drive train are not designed for a trailer and your asking for trouble at the worst possible moment. Imagine trying to stop in the rain at 65 mph going down hill with a 250 lb trailer behind you. Eventually, this scenario will play out and it may cost you your life.

My advice...learn to pack light and purchase a larger helen twowheels bag for the luggage rack.

Ken K said:

Don't. After pulling a trailer for over 15 years behind a Honda Goldwing in the 80s and early 90s before switching to BMW, I will never pull a trailer again. With a rider, passenger and gear, you are at the Gross Vehicle weight of the bike. The brakes and drive train are not designed for a trailer and your asking for trouble at the worst possible moment. Imagine trying to stop in the rain at 65 mph going down hill with a 250 lb trailer behind you. Eventually, this scenario will play out and it may cost you your life.

My advice...learn to pack light and purchase a larger helen twowheels bag for the luggage rack.

Click to expand...

I just started pulling a trailer, and it works beautifully. Your remarks make a point, but each has to make his own decision as to whether it is right for them. I look at the few miles I will actually pull it each year, and am willing to accept the risks associated with pulling it. And I see way too many trailers being pulled to accept the fact that it is that big a deal to trailer myself. A guy just needs to use some common sense as to the weight and handling comments you made. Case in point, I had a 3/4 ton pickup pulling a 30 ft or so 5th wheel camper with a large boat on the back of that pass me the other day, and I was travelling 70 MPH. I think a lot of the same rules that apply to them need to be adhered to when pulling with a bike.

I'm just curious, did you have any actual problems that you can share? If so I wouldn't mind hearing them. I wouldn't mind learning more on this subject from someone that has been there, done that.

Thanks.

Rich said:

I just started pulling a trailer, and it works beautifully. Your remarks make a point, but each has to make his own decision as to whether it is right for them. I look at the few miles I will actually pull it each year, and am willing to accept the risks associated with pulling it. And I see way too many trailers being pulled to accept the fact that it is that big a deal to trailer myself. A guy just needs to use some common sense as to the weight and handling comments you made. Case in point, I had a 3/4 ton pickup pulling a 30 ft or so 5th wheel camper with a large boat on the back of that pass me the other day, and I was travelling 70 MPH. I think a lot of the same rules that apply to them need to be adhered to when pulling with a bike.

I'm just curious, did you have any actual problems that you can share? If so I wouldn't mind hearing them. I wouldn't mind learning more on this subject from someone that has been there, done that.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Several years ago while pulling a trailer behind a Honda Goldwing, I had one of the wheel bearing lock up causing the right rear trailer tire to quit turing at about 55 mph. On the bike with me was my wife. I was able to get the bike stop without incident. But just 4-5 years ago out on Interstate 70 (near my home in Manhattan, KS) a couple blew a trailer tire will pulling behind their bike. Unlike a car, you can't cost to a stop with a fish tailing trailer. The rider on this bike lost control resulting in the death of his wife.

I have also had minor fish tailing while pulling a trailer in rain. On any surface degraded by conditions like rain, if you have to hard brake for any reason, the trailer may decide not to stop. Unlike the big fifth wheels equipped with trailer brakes and a truck with four tires, your brake patch on a motorcycle is less than an inch wide. You can mitigate the risk by allowing more distance between vehicles. However, eventually someone will put out in front of you or a deer will run out in front of you testing all your skills as a rider. With a trailer, your ability to stop is substantial degraded without the benefits of a 6,000 truck to take the crash.

Good points there, Ken. I was going to build my own trailer after looking at several of them that had been built by others. It just looks SO easy. And I believe it probably is. And then I had a change of heart. I ended up purchasing a Bushtec trailer, and even though it cost a small fortune, it has several things going for it that I like.

For starters, it has the taller wheels, 16" if I remember correctly. And the total trailer weight is only 125#, give or take a couple pounds. I think those two points are somewhat critical in my view, and the engineering behind the trailer is probably worth everything. One more really good thing about this trailer is that if a tire goes flat, it isn't actually flat, it's just out of air. You can actually keep towing it until you get to someplace to have it repaired.

I have seen many home-built trailers, and some of them are actually pretty dang nice. Was it worth it to me to spend the extra money? I guess in my mind it was, but for someone wanting to save lots of money, it is another way to go.

One more point not mentioned yet, I don't plan on pulling this thing down the road at 80 MPH either, mostly because of the things that you mentioned. I find 60 - 65 MPH to be in my comfort zone when towing. Wind and/or rain will lower that considerable, I am sure. I figure better late than never. Maybe after I have this thing for a while longer, I will get more comfortable with it.

I found the new ON interesting in that in the latest survey of the masses, 5% of us tow with a motorcycle. That was higher than I thought.

Anyway, thanks for the input, I'm attaching a picture of my trailer since I am quite proud of it.

As to wiring...

The best answer is to use relays on the brake and turn signals. This minimizes the added load to the stock system. It will make the turn signal flashing a Little faster. However, direct wiring will make it a LOT faster. Also, the added brake lights overloads the brake light switch, reducing its' life.
I have no idea how any of this would affect the engine processor. The bulb monitor may object to the added loads.
Another answer is to change all the trailer lighting to LED replacements. The light loads of these can be directly added with no ill effects (unless you light it up like a semi). Good Hunting... <<<)))