[Wayne and Karen]

Ok, it's dead winter in Buffalo NY so I guess this might be a good time to sit back and think of what I want to do in the spring. We've got a 2002 wing that we just bought at the end of last riding season but we love it. After buying it, we sold out '95 Kawasaki Voyager XII which we (wife and I) rode for 3 years.

I've got a Bushtech trailer hitch that came with the Goldwing. It's the original hitch that does not have the removable back section for changing the rear tire easily.

We do some decent traveling at least a couple times in the summer. We've gone to Rapid City SD, Bowling Green Ky, Charlotte NC, etc. already with the Voyager. This year, we're heading for SanteFe NM from Buffalo NY. I've seen some of the back platforms or 'boxes' that are attached to a trailer hitch and give you that extra rectangle bag for storage. It looks like a great idea for longer trips.

Here's my question:

I'm not interested in pulling a trailer so let's forget that option. Do you think it's worthwhile selling the Bushtech hitch (it's off the bike but everythings there) and buying the new version 'Bushtech V2' with the removable back? Should I put on the original hitch I have and not worry about the rear tire? I've heard you can change the tire by laying the bike down on it's side. Yikes! I don't know about that.

I've also seen a neat looking hitch attachment from Rivco that's less money than a complete hitch ($130?) that is made to hold a platform.

Finally, I really wanted to get a luggage rack (the bike doesn't have a rack or a spoiler on it), but I've read a lot of posts that say the lid will crack and you can't really put that much weight on the lid of the trunk. Maybe it's better if I save the money on the luggage rack and put it towards one of the other options listed above.

What do you guys think?

Thanks for helping,

Wayne and Karen
2002 Wing
Buffalo NY

 

[kro650]

Trailer hitch

I would install the hitch that you have and not worry about the removable back. If you take the bike to a shop and have the tire changed they are going to put it on a lift. If you are out on the road and have a flat there is not a lot you can do unless someone with you has a spare tire.
One of our group had a flat on the rear when we were returning from the Big Bend. We had a spare tire with us this time. We laid the bike over on its right side on some jackets and had the tire changed and back on the road in less that 10 minutes. It did not hurt the bike because it rests on the crash bars.

:cop2:

Ken

 

[sammisgrammy]

I think that if you have a serious enough problem while on the road that the rear wheel has to be removed, you probably don't have everything with you that it will take to get back on the road. A call to road service is probably needed anyway and they should have access to what it takes. If you only have to rope plug the tire you don't have to remove it. I would use the Bushtec that you have and find a buddy with a welder. I had a rack built that fits the Nelson-Rigg bag that Pak-it Rak uses, and for about $120.00 have it set for travel.

 

[NJREF]

When choosing a hitch I would get the one that is the most sturdy and most securely attachs to the motorcycle.....the hitch will be used whenever something is attached to it

I would not consider the infrequent tire changes as an issue that might make me buy a lesser quality htch.

Personally, I have a Bushtec V2...and am quite satisfied

 

[bkdraft]

Hitch

I would put it back on. I have the V1 Bushtec on mine. I changed out the rear tire by laying it down on the side, no problems. It lays on the crash bars so no plastic touches the ground. I did have a large carpet that I used under it, but it was really not necessary. Someday you "might" decide you want to pull a trailer and then you will already be ready to go.
And if you use a Packit Rack or other racks the hitch would be a lot stronger to use for support.

 

[cycledude]

i don't have a hitch or any kind of pakit rack, but its easy to understand why someone riding double might want or need one

for some reason i thought the older Bushtec hitch like yours had a section in the middle that was easily removed and reinstalled with just a couple of bolts ?

 

[08RedWing]

Wayne, There is a rivco Rack & mounting system for sale in the classifieds, if you are interested in going that way. :biker: ....John

 

[GregP]

I have this Cooler rack installed with my Bushtec V1 Hitch. I am not too concerned about changing a tire on the road and I have a lift at home for changing the tires. If I were you I would leave the V1 hitch alone.

 

[ponton]

Get some plugs to carry and a slime air compressor from HDL. The plugs will fit in the air compressor pouch and the whole thing is about the size of a wallet before you bought a wing. If you get a flat that will get you to a shop for help. If you need a tire then you need to get help. Have you seen Bartmans contact list? Print it and take it with you.


http://www.hondagw1800.com/contactlist.html

Here is the rack that I use. It is lighter than the more popular brands but works great. It is also much cheaper.

http://www.chriscoacc.com/webPages/CaddySystem/UtilityPlatform.htm

I use a suitcase from Kmart for $40. I line the inside with a double garbage bag to keep everything dry. The suit case will carry 4 pair of jeans and 8 T shirts plus a bunch of miscellaneous stuff. I have the Kury rack and bag. I carry underwear and socks in it. I keep the wings bags empty so we can put our Gerbings and mesh suits inside and locked up when we go in somewhere. The bags can be stolen but I can replace everything in them at Wallmart petty easy so I don't worry about them. I carry a bicycle cable with a combination lock. I loop it through the suitcase and both helmets and hook it on the helmet hooks under the trunk. The suitcase has wheels on the bottom and a pull out handle. When we get to the motel I set it up and strap the Kury bag on top of it, strap both helmets to the handle and I can go in with one hand free.
This has worked for us for many years, but you may wonder what I am doing reading the trailer board. Well we have decided we need a trailer. On our last trip to Florida the boy went deep sea fishing and we had to carry 35 lbs of frozen fish back with us.

 

[Guest]

I think that if you have a serious enough problem while on the road that the rear wheel has to be removed, you probably don't have everything with you that it will take to get back on the road. A call to road service is probably needed anyway and they should have access to what it takes. If you only have to rope plug the tire you don't have to remove it. I would use the Bushtec that you have and find a buddy with a welder. I had a rack built that fits the Nelson-Rigg bag that Pak-it Rak uses, and for about $120.00 have it set for travel.

+1 with sammisgrammy :agree:: My personal preference is the Rivco hitch but since you already have the Bushtec V-1, I would install it and buy a cheap Sears lift for $60 to do the tire changes and future work on your Goldwing at home. The rear luggage racks will crack the plastic if you put too much weight back there and that is easy to do. AAA and Visa for those repairs needed on the road. I don't carry hardly any tools and I pull a trailer.

 

[Dandy Dave]

+1 for keep the hitch. Previous posters are right.. If you have a problem serious enough to require tire removal on the road, you're probably beyond fixing it on the road. Do you carry a breaker bar & socket big enough to break the rear lugs loose? I carry a slime compressor & rope kit just in case, but if it goes beyond simple plugging, my GWRRA roadside assistance thingie is going to be exercised.

We have a Pak-It Rak and love it. I would like a little more weight capacity, and using a Bushtec hitch will get you there. The Bushtec has a 75 lb limit. (If I'm wrong about that, I'm SURE someone will provide the right number). The Rak comes with a plate that attaches to the rear saddlebag triangle, and this isn't the strongest part of the bike. The Bushtec braces off the frame, giving a lot more vertical support. The Rak with the stock mount is good for about 20 lbs off stuff. The Bushtec setup should let you raise that to about 40 lbs, which is pretty much all you can get into one unless you are carrying batteries or gold bars. I wouldn't go much more than that, because the weight is carried out and back from the rear axle. We've had ours pretty stuffed coming back from an Americade, and I couldn't feel it, even at 35 lbs. The Rak with a Bushtec hitch is a "best of both worlds" proposition, IMHO. YMMV. And you already own one, so the price is right.

Luggage Racks:
We have one, a tube style, probably from Big Bike. It's light, and stuff easily attaches to it. I used the star washers to distribute the forces. We have a Kury rack bag that we use on the road. I put light fluffy stuff in it, like raingear, Gerbing liners, etc that we might need during the day. The official weight limit for the trunk is something like 2 lbs. A trunk rack probably exceeds that, and a rack bag certainly does, empty. Then again, the weight rating for a Goldwing is 417 lbs. Most Wings are overloaded with just the rider & co-rider....:shrug: While some have reported cracked trunk lids, they seem to be few & far between, and some might be caused by installation errors. If the holes aren't drilled right you can torque the plastic enough to crack it when you tighten the bolts.

So far we've pretty much been able to take what we need when travelling. I shipped some stuff when we went to Wing Ding this year. (Let's see, $50 to ship a package both ways, $2k to $6K for a trailer I will use a couple of times a year and need to store. Let me think here..) I did kind of regret not having more space last year for Americade. It was mid to low 50's and raining on the way out, and 97 - 99 on the way home. I'd have liked my Kilimanjaro jacket & HT overpants on the way out, but I wanted my mesh stuff for the ride home. Oh well. If you could take everything all the time you'd be driving a class A motor coach. What's the point of leaving home if it all follows you?

Dave
GWBBA #9