Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff
but it worked fine so i would say, imho, you might want to consider a smaller trailer option.
oh o.k., for some reason I thought that was what you where interested in. Pulling a regular small trailer with wheels shouldn't be too much of an issue so long as it will fit the hitch. Unfortunately lots of trailers are made for class III hitches but they do make them for at least class II (I almost bought one at habor freight). I'm sure they have them for class I as well.Quo Vadimus wrote: We're not thinking of a tilt-a-rack type system where tongue weight would be an issue.
The nice thing about trailers and hitches is that the balls and couplers are usually swappable. A class 1 hitch can go on almost anything - even a Smart Car or Mini - and is more than adequate to haul a scooter on a small trailerjmkjr72 wrote:the limiting factor on being able to hook up to a trailer with a class 1 or 2 hitch is the balls
you can only tow things with 1 7/8 or 2 in balls
Typically a class 1 hitch has a tongue weight rating of 200 lbs and trailer weight limit of 2000 lbs - more than adequate for any scooter. The vehicle may have lower limits - for instance the Smart Car with a class 1 hitch has about a 600 lb weight limit - still adequate for anything but the largest maxi-scooters (you have to include trailer weight).Dooglas wrote:The hitches for small vehicles such as the FIt have a tongue weight and a total trailer weight rating. You are okay if you do not exceed those ratings. The trailer itself often has a maximum speed rating as well as a maximum load rating. One scooter on a light weight trailer is only about 500-600 lbs (or less) and the tongue weight is certainly well under 100 lb if loaded properly. The only catch is that U-haul trailers are usually much heavier than the light weight trailers usually used for scooters.
Thanks for the info. So, does it actually come with a bag?cdwise wrote:We have the trailer in a bag - dual model but it can still be configured for one scoot. I did go with Condor chocks and that makes securing the scoots a breeze. Expensive true but I storage space is at a premium here so it has been worth it. We've trailered 1300 miles with the only incident being my husband not paying sufficient attention when he tightened a strap so we had a little cosmetic damage from the buckle rubbing on the Suzuki but that could (and should) have been avoided.
We pulled 2 scoots including a Suzuki Burgman behind a 4 cyl Rav 4 up to Breckenridge, CO from Texas (yeah, could have ridden the Burgman but that wouldn't have got the two dogs or two kids up there for the summer would it?)
The Honda UK website puts the Jazz at a curb weight of 1070 kg (2359 pounds). The US website has the Fit at 2489 pounds. The Sport version (the one we have) adds an extra 30 pounds.jmkjr72 wrote:
and there are diffrences between the us fit and the euro fit
thanks to the crash protection requriments the us fit is about 600lbs hevier then its over seas counter parts
Ours came with 2 because we have the dual bike model. Putting it in the bag is more trouble than its worth since you have to put it in "just so" if you want to zip it. Besides it takes up less space when I don't put it in the bag. I stand each wheel up on the ground like a t-ball stand and put the rails & other bits beind it with the V tree stuck whereever it fits best nearby. Its easier for me to move the various pieces that way too since hauling the parts in the bag would be too heavy. I have full asembled and disassembled it myself though. It is faster to assemble and easier to load if you have two people though.babblefish wrote:Thanks for the info. So, does it actually come with a bag?cdwise wrote:We have the trailer in a bag - dual model but it can still be configured for one scoot. I did go with Condor chocks and that makes securing the scoots a breeze. Expensive true but I storage space is at a premium here so it has been worth it. We've trailered 1300 miles with the only incident being my husband not paying sufficient attention when he tightened a strap so we had a little cosmetic damage from the buckle rubbing on the Suzuki but that could (and should) have been avoided.
We pulled 2 scoots including a Suzuki Burgman behind a 4 cyl Rav 4 up to Breckenridge, CO from Texas (yeah, could have ridden the Burgman but that wouldn't have got the two dogs or two kids up there for the summer would it?)
I got a wiring harness off eBay. Plug and play.Quo Vadimus wrote:Thanks.
And thanks for the pics. Great cars, aren't they? Is hooking up the brake lights much of a pain?
Excellent point. It is also important to remember that the towing capacity isn't only dependent on toung weight for handling etc but also on the ability of the motor and tranny to pull the extra weight without overheating.jmkjr72 wrote:the one thing i didnt see you mention is what the towing capicity of the car its self is
The truck tow packages with transmission coolers etc is for towing heavy loads, like a full size camper or a small yacht. We are talking about trailering a very tiny load - a scooter that often weighs less than two passengers - a load any car is capable of handling.BuddyRaton wrote:Excellent point. It is also important to remember that the towing capacity isn't only dependent on toung weight for handling etc but also on the ability of the motor and tranny to pull the extra weight without overheating.jmkjr72 wrote:the one thing i didnt see you mention is what the towing capicity of the car its self is
Most trucks with "tow packages" include transmission coolers and extra motor cooling.
You don't need a trailer to fit the hitch, you need to install a ball on the hitch that fits your trailer. Most trailers take a 2" ball, except for the really light duty ones.jasondavis48108 wrote:I have a 2008 Honda Fit and could not get the class three trailer hitch installed as they said they did not make them for the Fit. The class 2 hitches really arn't meant for much more than hauling bicycles so you might have a hard time finding a trailer that fits the hitch you have.
Note that this puts significantly more stress on the hitch than a trailer, because the hitch bears the weight of the front wheel, while on a trailer, the tongue has much less weight on it.BlueMark wrote: Found a really inexpensive tow dolly offered by Sears - requires a 2x2 hitch receiver which is not standard for a class 1 or class 2 hitch - but is available.
Those adapters are for carrying bicycles - loads well under 50 lbs directly on the hitch - NOT for towing.Anachronism wrote:
Note that this puts significantly more stress on the hitch than a trailer, because the hitch bears the weight of the front wheel, while on a trailer, the tongue has much less weight on it.
Do not try to use an adaptor to use this setup on a class 1/2 hitch.
How much was the trailer and how do you set it up to hold down the bike(s)?siobhan wrote:Congrats on the honeymoon!
As soon as my Fit came off warranty, I installed the hitch I had bought months prior. I've used it to haul two Honda CT90s (lightweight bikes) and one Honda Transalp (400-450 pounds) [not at the same time!].
I have a Harbor Freight trailer with a wooden platform and wood sides which adds weight. I've driven the car loaded with the TA from north of Boston down to Providence on the highway with no issues. The trailer pops around a bit on its itty bitty 10 inchers, but the Fit doesn't complain.
You'll be fine with two scoots in a trailer with the Fit. I've rented a UHaul trailer before (the metal one with the sides) to haul bikes and it's been fine.
