Motorcycle lift vs. trailer - Montana Owners Club

Montana_1970 · 12-04-2004, 05:56 PM

We will be getting ourselves a Harley for Christmas. We are trying to decide whether to have a lift installed on the back of our Monty or to pull the bike on a trailer. Weight vs. Length. Can the Monty take on the load? Are there states that will look unfavorably on our truck pulling our 5er pulling a bike trailer?
Thanks in advance for your input/guidance/2 cents

harleyrider · 12-04-2004, 10:45 PM

i`am almost sure that Keystone will void your warrenty if you put a lift on the back.That being said saw a Montana with a lift on the back hauling a very heavy Honda Gold Wing.Not sure of the year of the Montana but it was fairly new.I said to him about the warrenty issue,and he could of cared less.has had it on his Montana for a little over a year with no problems so far.No bend or cracks in frame.all his slides worked fine.Had the lift put on in Virgina.it really was nice looking.I asked him how the Montana rode down the high way with the bike and he said it was a tad on the bouncey side but no big deal.to each hes own I guess.

good luck with your new harley-what model did you get????

kdeiss · 12-05-2004, 12:20 AM

I know a trailer would be a no.no. in the state of Pennsylvania

trukdoc · 12-05-2004, 04:14 AM

I am interested in information here as well. I want to build a platform to hold a Generator and either a 4 wheeler or Personal water craft. Depending on time of year. Weight would be no way near a Harley.
In Texas you can go up to 60 ft and a trailer behind a trailer.
Rick

azstar · 12-05-2004, 04:18 AM

Yep, Pat & Rock,

Tough decision. We have traveled with a Bike for many years. We considered every possibility. We will stay with the TT's until we can no longer ride.

If you tow you would be chanceing it in some States. Don't know if they would ticket you if you had out of State plates. But they might. Also if you tow using your 5er you always need to remember you can never back up. There are times at Gas stations and RV parks that this can be a real pain. A Trailer with even a small HD is going to be pretty heavy to move by hand.

There might be some insurance issues too in case of an accident. You'll have to check that out.

Let us know how you make out.

Happy Camping

Glenn and Lorraine · 12-05-2004, 11:26 AM

There was a Montana in here just 2 weeks ago with a Honda Goldwing on a hitch on the back of his Montana. The steel frame work for the hitch ran all the way from the back of the rig and stopped just behind the rear spring shackle. This steel was welded to the Montana's frame. He "claimed" that Montana OK'd it and in fact the frame was now stronger than before. He will be back here in a week or so and I will try to get further info.

AND I don't recall who it was but at the rally someone had a hitch on his Montana for pulling his boat.

DHenry · 12-05-2004, 12:30 PM

I thought that I read about Rob Cooley installing a hitch on his so he could take along bikes. You may want to do a search.

DHenry · 12-05-2004, 12:35 PM

I just searched Rob's member profile and came up with this link for you to go to. He has pictures of the hitch he installed. http://www.PictureTrail.com/ziggy101

Dave e Victoria · 12-05-2004, 02:13 PM

Sometime back there was a post to a link selling a one wheel trailer specifically for hauling a motorcycle behind an RV. The bulk of the weight is carried over the pivoting wheel. It is an interesting idea as it seems to solve the concern about hitch weight on the frame, and seems like a lower cost solution than beefing up the 5ver frame.

I just found a link to the site:
http://cruiserlift.com/products.htm
There is a picture of the trailer on that page. It has a Harley on it and is hooket to a fifth wheel.

tbhd · 12-05-2004, 03:33 PM

The first problem with carrying the motorcycle on the back of the 5ER is that a Gold Wing (own one) is too long to be legal as far as maximum width is allowed. A GL1500 is actually over nine feet long and maximum width allowed in all states is eight and one half. Don't know about Harley's as to the length of their bikes. I have seen Gold Wings carried on the back of motorhomes but never on a 5ER. Here in Mi. you can get away with just about anything but somes states and Canada are very strict about max. width. As far as pulling a trailer behind, as long as you don't go over max. length in your state, it would probably be alright. Max. length varies from state to state.

jrgwdenner · 12-06-2004, 02:21 AM

This past weekend we spoke with a disc jockey who was traveling from Michigan to Florida with an enclosed utility trailer towed behind his Monty. He said he didn't have any trouble towing the trailer. It wasn't big but probably measured 6 - 10 feet long. Certainly longer than the little generator that we'd like to mount on a receiver hitch.

Montana_1985 · 12-06-2004, 03:13 AM

I own a Suzuki Intruder LC1500, but sadly, had to leave it behind during our travels due to what I thought would be an impractical way to haul it around with us.
I've drooled over this webpage, http://www.motorcyclecarrier.net and almost bought the fixed trailer behind our 5er, but decided against it due to the warranty problem. AFter one year, though, I might revisit this idea...
Also, if you have a Trailer LIfe c/g directory, it lists all the allowable combos/weights/etc by state. It's probably on their website as well...

Jeff Heiser · 12-06-2004, 04:33 AM

Carrying my bike or 4 wheeler is the reason my wife and I have always gone with a travel trailer. We load up either the bike or 4 wheeler (4 wheeler when it's not up on the farm) and all HER, I mean my, other goodies she, I mean I, like to bring, hook up the trailer and we head down the road. It's also the reason I like my daully so much. It's is a pain loading the bike, not so bad with the 4 wheeler but it's well worth it in the long run. When I take my windshield off the bike it fits under the topper (I have the tallest Leer topper made) which keeps it out of the weather and discourages people from getting too close to the bike (if you know what I mean). It is a pain though loading and unloading either the bike or the 4 wheeler.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

Native Tex · 12-06-2004, 11:54 AM

Notwithstanding the possibility of voiding the Monty warranty, I have been reading and in most states if you are pulling a 5er, and are within the length stipulations, there are not problems. The problems begin when you have a TT and want to pull a trailer of any type. Most states frown on multiple coupling. The 5er hitch is OK since it sit on or in front of the axle of the truck. With a TT hooking to the bumper or below, and then a second type coupling behind the TT, you will get stopped in almost every state. I have a relative that is a Captain in the Texas Dept of Public safety and he has provided most of this information to me. However, I would still check with the states before you get too long of a trailer.

azstar · 12-06-2004, 12:23 PM

Wow,

These new 5th Motorcycle Trailers with the swivel wheel are very interesting. It brings up all sorts of questions in my mind.

What happens when you get a flat on the swivel? I see they recomend a spare tire & wheel. Would you know you have a flat? I'm surprised they didn't use a dual tire set up on the swivel.

I'm thinking it's at least a two person job hitching it up. I could see the wheel shifting the center of gravity, during the process.

Is it long enough to swing out even more than a 5er into the next lane when turning a corner in city traffic?

I like the concept but it does raise some questions.

Montana_1985 · 12-06-2004, 02:30 PM

Steve,
The wheel on the trailer takes most of the load off the frame. However, my view on a flat tire? When's the last time you had a flat on your bike? True, if the traling wheel did go flat, it would difficult to determine until your next gas stop..and could be ugly!!
Because that design is to be used with a reese class III+ hitch, it is, in fact, rigid and tracks exactly with the length of the 5er. It's just adding about 8 ft. to the overall length of the trailer.

azstar · 12-06-2004, 04:01 PM

Hello Tedd,

Your right, only two flats on the Bike in the last 15 or so years. And that's over 250,000 mi. on the Bikes. Mostly Gold Wings. Not bad eh.

Of course the swivel wheel has more surface area to catch those screws and nails and it's going to be traveling in the middle of the lane where all the junk is found.

Looking at the Trailers pics, it looks like the only stress on the 5ers frame would be laterally. It looks as if it has total freedom to pivot in the vertical plane. That's a good thing.

You would have to plot the path of the turning radius to see if the 8' extra length would cross over into the next lane during sharp turns. I think this explains the tapered design of the Trailer.

BTW, LC1500 very nice machine. A friend of mine bought a new HD Ultra Classic about a year ago and kept his LC. Still can't bring himself to letting it go. We feel the same about our Royal Star Tour Deluxe. There are some nice choices out there.

We should post to see how many Bikers & what kind of Bikes we have in MOC.

Happy Camping

Montana_1985 · 12-07-2004, 02:54 AM

I see your point, if making a R turn, the length could encroach into the "left" lane on a sharp turn...(stay out of the city!)
As for the wheel in the middle of the road? You are correct; a lot of junk in the middle of the road would lend itself to a higher % of problems!! I would guess that's why they recommend a spare!!
I was also considering the aluminum ramp idea, but didn't want an extra 650 lbs at the rear!

Montana_1970 · 12-13-2004, 05:28 PM

Hi folks!
Many thanks for all the great input!
You have given us a couple of new options and the websites you have provided have been valuable.
There seems to be a difference between triple towing with a TT vs. a 5er. Can anyone add solid info regarding states' interpretation of this law? Native Tex, would you be so kind as to point me towards the material you reference?
The swivel-wheel M/C trailer website states that triple towing is NOT allowed in 22 states (the entire east coast, Florida to Maine; Oregon and Washington). That would put a serious crimp in our adding the Harley to our travels.
We will be taking a beautiful '99 HD Road King on a test ride in a few days. My mouth is watering already.

sreigle · 12-14-2004, 01:47 AM

When we towed a bassboat behind fifthwheel I twice had flat tires on the boat trailer. The first time we went another 4 1/2 miles before someone signaled me about the missing tire. We were running on the rim. The second time a highway patrolman pulled me over to tell me about the flat and helped me change it. He told me I'd gone six miles before he could get around the semi to tell me. He'd seen me get on the interstate in a construction zone. Both times it totally ruined a mag wheel. Both times what remained of the rim was severely cracked, close to shattering and dropping the rear corner of the fibreglass boat onto the pavement at highway speeds.

I had to use two sway bars when towing the boat behind the first fifthwheel. Behind the second, heavier, fifthwheel I didn't need them. Once I got those sway bars a bit too tight and the surge brakes on the trailer did not release. When I came to a stop after a long jaunt on the highway I had smoke roiling out of both wheels, going a couple of hundred feet in the air. I thought I had a fire in those brakes and that may have been the case. I disconnected from the FW and pulled truck and FW away. The brakes eventually cooled down but until it melted the valve stems. This was after the above flats and I had steel rims on both sides.

I could not tell there was a flat back there. Couldn't see the wheels except during turns. No sway that I could tell from up front. So, just be very careful and know the limitations if you're going to tow a trailer behind your FW.

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