tongue weight

[Monty]

I have the trailer loaded for the International Rally, and it seems I will have about 60 lbs tongue weight. This is by measuring with a bathroom scale at the correct hitch height. I have read where several on here have had no problems with 45-75 lbs tongue weight. The trailer pulls really nice, but I didn't have it quite this heavy for MD. I have most of the weight forward and over the axle, and the wife and I weigh about 325 lbs combined.

 

Any thoughts or concerns I should worry about?

[SC89Venture]

For what it is worth, when pulling an RV you want a minimum of 10% of the camper weight on the tongue. Seems like 60 is a tad high unless your trailer weighs 600 lbs.

[hillrider]

Maybe it's just a CYA, but all the hitches I've seen are written at 40 lbs max.

[V7Goose]

I personally would never hang that much weight off the tail end of that bumper and very small lower subframe.

 

Just my opinion, but I have a hitch on my RSV and I occasionally pull a trailer or use a cooler rack on the hitch, and I would not even put 40 lbs on the hitch. I prefer to keep that weight that far back down to between 20 and 30 lbs. I have put 40 on there before, but when the bike is fully loaded and that much weight is hanging off the tail, it wags the bike pretty good when you hit bumps in the sweepers.

Goose

[RJD]

for checking the tongue weight. It is intended to use for weighting luggage but it works good. Even with the trailer loaded to the limit (when my wife overpacks) I try to keep the tongue weight as close to 30 #s. Sometimes it is a little higher but I will try to rearrange the weight to the back more to lower the tongue weight.

[dynodon]

The industry standard is 10% of the total trailer and load weight. then you make sure the hitch will support whatever figure that comes out to be.

 

In reality, you can fudge a little both ways as long as you don't go way over the hitch limits.

 

But under NO circumstance do you want very little weight on the hitch ball. the trailer can start wagging the bike, and could take you right off the highway or into traffic!

 

Another part of this is to make sure the load inside doesn't shift as you drive. It is better to have the trailer slightly "tongue down" rather than up so that if some shift occurs, it is putting MORE weight on the tongue than less.

 

Pack so stuff doesn't move around.

 

Also, check the tires and bearings at EVERY stop immediately after you stop. Even on a very hot day, it should not be so hot that you can't leave your hand or fingers on them for at least a few seconds. If they burn quickly, they are too hot. Check that you have enough tire pressure and that the bearings have proper adjustment and lube.

 

Can't emphasize enough that this check could save your life, same as checking the tires and stuff on the bike every day, or more than once a day on long trips.

[Sideoftheroad]

I just did this using a bathroom scale and as really close to the Diamond R hitch height. I got 20 lbs. This from the small H.F. trailer w/ a cooler rack both of which are empty. Ice, food/drinks, clothes and anything else in the trailer could push it to the 40 lb mark I would imagine.

[Monty]

Well, we pulled it with 60 lbs tongue weight to the Int'l rally and back. Also had a trunk rack bag stuffed to the hilt. 1100 miles round trip, mostly 70-75 mph. Pulled like a dream. I had 42 lbs in my rear tire, and 48 lbs in the rear shock. No problems whatsoever.

 

Thanks for the input guys.

[buddy]

Monty when I had the Venture it pulled our trailer like a dream no problems what so ever doing 65-70mph. trailer loaded down wild guess of say 500 lbs and I used a fish scale on the trailer tongue setting the weight to 40lbs no problems!! you have a good bike there but when you come to the Hub you will see my better bike - The Black Stallion - I have people drooling over this Midnight more than when I had yours

Monty you have "excellent" bike there wish I still had it!!!But if I did I wouldn't have the black Stallion now:cool17:

Hope to see you soon:thumbsup2: say July 30

[Sideoftheroad]

I put everything in the trailer that I am going to take. Put it on top of the scales and rounding up I got 34 lbs.

 

That's with luggage, foldable chair, and a banner all the way in the back of the cabin. In the cooler, 7 bottles of water and a 12 pack of coke. I used 2 dumbells weighing 6.6 lbs each to take into account the weight of ice. If I use less than 13 lbs of ice, then the tongue weight will be even less.