Motorcycle UHaul Trailer

2019 Tundra 5.7l V8 4WD DC. 3inch Icon lift. Falken Wildpeak tires 315/75/17

I'm about to use a UHaul motorcycle trailer to pick up a bike 30 minutes away. It's up the hills nothing too steep. I live in the flat valley.

Bike is a 2000 Honda Shadow about 600 pounds. UHaul trailer is about 800 pounds.

Will I need to use Tow Mode for this? I don't usually tow behind the truck. I usually load the bed down to haul stuff. I don't have a personal trailer.

I've pulled an aluminum boat before, but I think this is a little heavier.

Any issues with fishtailing I need to worry about? Use low gears from stops?

Thanks!

 

Start easy, but you're gonna get used to it really fast. For smoothness, I wouldn’t even bother with tow/haul mode for that load. It will be just fine and the truck will respond how you’re familiar with.

The hardest part about a trailer that size is backing it up. A longer trailer is MUCH easier to negotiate in reverse, so just be patient if you do need to back up.
Other than that, just take your corners a tad wider than you normally need to and watch how the trailer follows you through some turns. Load the bike as far forward on the trailer as possible. You won’t overload anything with that small of a trailer and it’ll help ensure that you have enough tongue weight for a smooth tow.


Side note, I had a 2002 Shadow some years ago. It was a really great bike!

 

Now that I think about it I did tow a rectangular trailer before and had a bunch of weight in it like a weight machine and weight equipment. Only went a few miles though. You're right, have to be careful back up and not jack knifing that trailer into the side of the truck.

Thanks for the reassurance! I was looking up the tongue weight and keeping most the weight up front so it doesn't fish tail.

This will be my first bike. Half the people tell me a 1100 is too heavy for a beginner and go with a 750. Other half says it'll be good. We shall see. Lol

 

All depends on the bike. An 1100cc Suzuki zippy bike is pretty light compared to an 1100cc Harley Fatass.

The biggest issue with any motorcycle is the person behind the handlebars. Have a level head, ride within your limits and you'll be fine.

Everyone told me to start on a 250. I started on a. Triumph Bonneville 865. The people trying to hit me all the time didn't give a shit how big my motorcycle engine was.

 

There's not really a reason to not use tow/haul. It'll give you improved engine braking performance, and that will be handy if you don't tow often. Even that little weight means you need to start slowing sooner, and making your turns 90° instead of swinging sharp corners would be advised as well.

 

Your tundra will laugh at that puny trailer. My 2019 hauls this monster just fine.

 

I just got a 2000 Honda Shadow 1100 ACE. About 575 pounds. I need to get a low profile and narrow seat so I can out my feet flat on the ground. This one has a wide @55 seat.

That's what the guy that sold me the bike said. Everyone is out to k1ll you.

Written test next week and then maybe MSF class early next year

Sorry this is turning into a motorcycle thread...

 

Oh man. How's it feel going up hills? Or even going down? Still feel like in control?

Speaking of... I may go into the dealer to get a little training on using the hauling feature. Never had to use it

 

How many miles?

And better than another oil thread!

 

You feel it back there for sure. You plan ahead. Brakes are fine, trailer has brakes and when adjusted, stops great. Uphill obviously is where the struggle is. But you plan for it, gear down and the 5.7 does the rest.

 

Post a pic of it in this thread
https://www.tundras.com/threads/lets-see-your-motorcycles.242/

I started riding last year on an old Yamaha XJ1100. Low speed skills test wasn’t easy on that bike, but 3rd time I passed. More of a nervous issue than a heavy bike issue. Bought a V-strom this spring and aced my road test on it. Put about 5500 km on it through the year. Looking forward to spring…


I’d skip tow/haul, downshift for descending hills and slowing down as that trailer won’t have brakes. It will be a breeze.

 

LOL

It has 39k on it. Its pretty clean and the title and registration was good. Alot of bikes I looked at had shady titles and registration. Or no registration or different names on titles.

For my first bike it won't hurt the bank account as much if I drop it.

 

Yeah as soon as I get a low profile seat I'll post it. Half the people told me a 1100 was too bit for first time and get a 750. Other half said it was fine. It's a 70 pound difference.

 

I’ve got a Yamaha Silverstar 1100 (actually a friends that I’ve been housing for the last 12 years). It’s not that much bike. A bit big for a small beginner, but if you’re bigger or have good core and upper body strength, no big deal. It’s imperative that you take a riders safety course and understand what counter steering and trail braking is before you start taking off on rides though. It will literally save your life. If you ride and don’t understand what counter steering is, you’re not really in control of the bike.

 

I bought a vstrom too ; affordable and a great all around motorcycle. I don’t ride nearly as much as I want to or would like to.

 

Just broken in. Many think motorcycles cannot do high milage like cars. I almost exclusively buy bikes with 20+k miles. Super cheap and just as reliable.

Enjoy and add some pictures when you get it!

 

My first bike was a Honda VTX 1300. Not a light bike at all, but the weight was not an issue. I have found that I prefer a different riding position than a cruiser offers, though. Leaning on a cruiser weirds me out, but with a mid peg position and upright seating I don't mind leaning at all. Just a personal quirk, and I kind of hate it because I love the aesthetics of cruisers and the sound of the V twins.

All that to say, you'll be fine so long as you take your time and don't out ride your skill. I'd highly recommend the MSF course as early as possible. It's very enlightening and it's better to get it in early before you develop any bad habits.

 

Towing won’t be a problem. Backing up the trailer might cause some stress. Honda shadows are great bikes & once you get a feel for it you’ll do great! I took the riders safety course 30 years ago & it made me a safer driver no matter what vehicle I ferry down the road. To this day I still practice what I learned in the riders safety course.

 

That's what my dad was saying about high miles. He's been riding for 40 plus years. I think the highest I looked at was 52k miles. That was a Honda Shadow 750. My dad was saying Harleys leak at high miles. My student says that Harleys just mark their territory. Lol

 

Yeah my plan was to get the CA permit and practice basics before the MSF. Definitely plan to do the class in Sacramento. What's funny is the Harley dealer in Sacramento has a two day class on Dec 23 and 24. Christmas Eve! I told the wife I'm taking that class. LOL.

 

Yeah backing up trailers takes some practice. I definitely need more of that. I've been watching videos of the MSF course to get an idea of what they cover. I'm definitely going to need ro practice slow turn and keeping the bike upright.

 

I equate backing up a trailer to playing golf - the only way to get good at it is to do it often.......but even then there are many variables that contribute to "trailer travel" during usage. Trailer length, number of axles, tongue length, etc can all influence the way the trailer responds while in reverse. The beauty is when you own/use a trailer often that you are familiar with and can park it in and out of spots with ease.