has anyone mounted a trailer hitch on an FJ?

[Klavdy]

I ran a towbar on my 93 model for about 5 yrs and never had any trouble with it, cant supply a pic as Ive since sold the bike, will look thru my old pics later and see if i can find it, did a lot of K's with the trailer on will see if Klavdy has any pictures.
My trailer was a home made job weigthed in at 65kilograms and had a a 500litre capicity, most important that when the trailer is loaded the drawbar weight does not exceed about 20kilos. Have the trailer axel unsprung and run nomore then 15psi in the tyres.
When towing never really noticed the trailer on the back except on down hill corners under brakes.
Still have the trailer which I now tow behind my FJR, will get some pics of it up here soon
Baldy

Thanks, like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Do you remember the mounting points or what was used?
[/quote]

I'll have a look mate but you'll have to be patient.
It's from quite a few years ago and it's on a drive somewhere.
Following Baldy with his trailer on, it tracks straight and true, you just have to remember that you have one on as it is easy to cut it across the centre lines.

[tmkaos]

Sorry that I don't have any details on this set up, but I'm sure some of us here may remember it!
Leon

I think i just threw up a little in my mouth... 

[rktmanfj]

Sorry that I don't have any details on this set up, but I'm sure some of us here may remember it!
Leon

That's a different pic, though... Leon, did you buy it?

[1tinindian]

Sorry that I don't have any details on this set up, but I'm sure some of us here may remember it!
Leon

That's a different pic, though... Leon, did you buy it?

I guess you'l have to make it to the Colorado Rally and find out for yourself!

[simi_ed]

+1 

[rossco]

big bro did -best investment you'll ever make

[93fj1200]

still looking for more information and photos on how it is mounted. that fj with trailer is somebody with a lot of imagination, i have seen a lot of harleys done up like that when i was travelling in mexico and attending a lot of bike events. if everyone was the same, it would be a boring world.

[ally]

there is an FJ here in the UK for sale on ebay that has a towbar fitted

if you contact the owner I'm sure he'll provide more info....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-YAMAHA-FJ1200-BLACK-/320856381789?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item4ab487d95d#ht_518wt_1344

[sfeilberg]

Hi all,

I have an 1988 1200 with a trailer hitch and haul a 150kg(300pound) tentwagon. If it's still relevant I could post some pictures. I haven't quite figured out how to do this yet.

Anyway. I haven't properly introduced myself yet. But I live in Denmark. I have a white and grey 1988 FJ1200 with a trailer hitch, my wife has a blue and white 1985 FJ1100. We also have a 1985 FJ1100 with a Mega Comete Side-Bike sidecar with a trailer hitch. Actually its the same hitch that I swap from bike to bike. The Trailer is a tentwagon, sleeping for two. We have been through most of the countries in europe with the tentwagon and have never had any issues.

We got the sidecar-bike because we now have 2 small children.

Email me if your interrested as I dont look in this form that often. I looking for a good mirror swap with indicators...

Søren

[rosso75]

In my opinion the only place to attach the hitch is off the swingarm by itself or the body by itself - obviously the swingarm, and in particular the axle, stays a static distance from the road surface, thus providing a more stable mount and would be my prefered option,  and the body of the bike moves up and down relative to the road as the suspension compresses and extends..

I have a '90 FJ that's in pieces currently, but going back together.  In the process, I want the ability to tow a trailer, so for me this thread is rather timely.

Anyway, I've been looking at every site I can find for trailers, and I've seen the trailers that mount to the swingarm.  My immediate thought was that it seemed like a really bad idea, for several reasons.  Take these thoughts for what their worth.  I'm no expert on anything except maybe sleeping and drinking beer.


First of all, wouldn't you be increasing your unsprung weight, and wouldn't that be bad?  If your trailer has a tongue weight of 20 pounds, you essentially just made your rear wheel 20 pounds heavier.  That has to have a negative effect on suspension response, doesn't it?

Second, I don't buy the idea that the suspension maintaining a static distance from the ground is a good thing.  If you attach a trailer to the swingarm, everything in the trailer is going to get shaken to death as the suspension travels through its motion.  The body on the other hand, would maintain a more steady path of travel.  For example, and old Ford commercial...

1971 Ford Pickup Truck Commercial

Just my two cents worth. 

[sfeilberg]

Well, I have never seen a car trailer mounted to the suspension of a car...  So that's probably not the way to go. I had my trailer hitch done by EZS in Holland (www.ezs-sidecar.com). There is a button for english. After installation the bike, trailer hitch and the trailer has to checked by the ministry of transport to make it legal.











I hope it helps.

Søren

[skymasteres]

Since they have already worked out the design I wonder if it would be possible to get one from them...

[rosso75]

Looks pretty simple.  I would thing it would be easier/quicker/cheaper to have a competent shop fabricate one rather than pay shipping and whatever else is involved in getting one from somewhere on the other side of the world.

[tmkaos]

Looks pretty simple.  I would thing it would be easier/quicker/cheaper to have a competent shop fabricate one rather than pay shipping and whatever else is involved in getting one from somewhere on the other side of the world.

I'd be finding out for sure first whether or not it's cheaper to manufacture - that drawing alone has absolutely none of the information required to make the towbar apart from showing what it looks like and where it connects.

You would absolutely need to give them the bike to measure up, along with all the photo's from the posts above.

You will have to pay for them to measure the bike up, there's another couple of hours labour costs right there.  You will be paying for the material used to make the bar, plus their markup along with the inflated price of the welding rods used, and time on any equipment used for driling holes, bending pipe etc. Then it has to be painted/powdercoated. If they do it you pay for it plus markup again.

Just some things to consider...

Happy riding 

[rosso75]

All valid points.  I was thinking about it mainly from the perspective of the original poster, who it seems is stuck in Mexico with a trailer, and no hitch on the bike he wants to tow it with.