Hitch Mounting Experience on Touring?

[Jay]

So we bought a trailer to do motorcycle camping around the country this summer when travel restrictions lift and now I am looking for a hitch. I thought I would like something like the HitchDoc, but apparently that only fits the Roadster. I have a Touring and it seems the saddlebag mounting frame will interfere. So looking around at BushTec, Trailer Etc, and the Trekker I see on eBay apparently they all mount on the saddlebag frame in a similar way. I have read many positive reviews about BusTec, so I am not looking for which is best.

I am wondering, how well does the saddlebag frame hold up to having items in it and having the trailer also mounted to it? It seems overtime the welds would fatigue or the bars would bend.

Anyone have thoughts or pictures to share?

 

[Tripps]

It actually stiffens and reinforces frames, I think. I just took my hitch, frame and bags off, but the bike is in Florida, can't take a picture. (Bushtec)

 

[Boog]

This may help

R3T Trailer Wire Routing

I'm going to be installing a hitch when it gets here (Bushtec says next week some time). I have the Kuryakyn 7671 trailer light relay set and a PDM60 to protect the bike. My question is this: How have other people routed the wiring harness to the back of the bike: tucked under the fender with...

www.r3owners.net

 

[Jay]

Thanks @Boog . I suppose that since the bag Frame and hitch survived @Tripps packing I don't have anything to worry about . Those pictures from @One Norse are super helpful. I will also likely follow suit by getting a set of stainless steel metric hardware for mounting the hitch.

 

[Tripps]

Sometimes I pack light and don't need the trailer.

 

[tribal]

So what brand & size trailer did you go with?

I found a pre-enjoyed 2018 Time Out Deluxe Pop-Up Tent Camper before going to Florida and opened it up for the first time yesterday. Wow, there is plenty of room inside.

I've done a lot of Solar Power research and just ordered a Renogy 160W Flexible panel, 30W MPPT Controller with Bluetooth, 12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Battery plus Monitor and a 1000W Inverter.

Discount here but holiday sale ends today -> Shop with me and get a discount at Renogy!

I'm researching portable Generators (2000W???), electric or propane heater and AC options now.

My Rocket is a standard so I bought the Custom Cruiser Chrome Hitch. It is well built but will NOT fit the Touring but you could call them and see if they could make one.

I'll be doing the wiring soon. It is a 5-wire trailer plus an extra wire for a brake control unit that will go under the seat. Historically I have not had luck with wiring so that should be interesting...

 

[Jay]

@tribal , I got the Lumina XL trailer. Seems to have great reviews and got it for a great price. We thought about getting a pop-up camper at some point, but just have the cargo trailer for now.

Good luck with the wiring install.

 

[tribal]

@tribal , I got the Lumina XL trailer. Seems to have great reviews and got it for a great price. We thought about getting a pop-up camper at some point, but just have the cargo trailer for now.

Good luck with the wiring install.

Very nice. Looks rock solid.
Time Out makes cargo trailers too but they are a little pricey.

I also put on a 360 degree coupler on the trailer for independent swiveling and a dolly wheel to make it easier to keep level and push around solo.

 

[Chip]

I too have packed my bike to the point of absurdity. Pulling a motorcycle trailer is almost zero power loss. I towed a trailer to Maggie Valley's get-together last year. Jamie and I always seem to over pack for trips. The trailer gives us (her) a whole new set of luggage.
I was looking in our history of hitches in our forum. The best designs use the bottom of the saddle bag brackets to carry the complete load. I made some material changes from the hitches I looked at. Basically, I made my hitch into three parts. The two sides and the center conector. My hitch utilizes a removable receiver like a class 3 automotive hitch. I bolted the 3 parts together and bolted the sides to the brackets holding the mufflers. I thought the whole assembly was fairly light weight. Then looking at it completed, I remembered it's a Motorcycle! I've towed it at least 1500 miles and no issues. The trailer wiring was simple. Right side cover off, splice into the exposed wiring, using a 4 pin trailer kit, and ran the wiring along hidden from sight frame and then along the inside of the saddle bag right frame. My bike has the chrome back fender wrap, I ran the exposed wires inside the fender wrap. The multicolored wires (4) are not visible to the casual looker but can be accessed easily.
Having a welding shop made this project both easy and enjoyable .