Insta Motorcycle Tow by BillyBob1

[cal3san]

Until a month ago I was perfectly happy to tow the 1500, and now the 1800, using my old reliable gas guzzling 6x10 trailer. I say that with a bit of sarcasm ‘cause the 800 -1,000 pounds of trailer weight was definitely adding to the drain of the ol’ gas tank when I towed a trike.

But, was I reading the monthly Goldwing magazine when I noticed an ad hawking an “Insta Motorcycle Tow” that utilized the existing hitch of my truck to attach a tow gadget that weighs about 48 pounds. It features adjustable height, chock boot, removable load ramp and a pivot-point to make turning corners a breeze.

I called and talked to the owner, Ron, of www.BillyBob1.com and was so satisfied with his answers that I ordered one on the basis of that one conversation. It was a gamble that paid off.

I assembled the tow in about 10 minutes and put in on my Suzuki Equator pickup. Loaded the 1500 on the tow took it for the initial run.
Loading is easy, just attach the ramp, drive your trike up until you stop. Attach the provided short ratchet strap around the tow post and the front tire. I attached a second ratchet strap that ran from one forward foot peg and round the tow post to the other foot peg and ratchet it down. Remove the ramp and you're ready for the road.

Once I got use to seeing the trike up close and personal in my rear view mirror, I was soon going from 45-55 MPH to 65 MPH. Normally with the trailer I stay around 55 MPH.

Only negative I can say is that I set it on the bottom setting and scraped going and coming out of my driving way. But a couple days later I had to take the 1800 to MY mechanic and moved it up a notch. No more scraping. And, I observed that I used a about a ¼ tank less than when I used the trailer for the same trip.

As Ron told me on the phone---It’s great to tow a bike or trike someplace, drop it off, detach the tow and put in your vehicle and go do something else without the worry of that trailer you had been towing previously. I agree one hundred percent.

It comes with drawings which also shows you how to make an attachment for using the tow for 2-wheelers.

Cost: $300.00 plus shipping

[NVSB4]

It comes with drawings which also shows you how to make an attachment for using the tow for 2-wheelers.

Interesting concept.
What kind of attachment is required for bikes and what does it take to make it?

[cal3san]

To adapt it for 2-wheelers you bolt a piece of angle iron to the top of the tow post and attach eye bolts on each end. (The angle iron can be as long as you want it (not to exceed the width of the rear of your towing rig). Then you run a ratchet strap from each eye bolt to a point in the center of the 2-wheeler. This will stabilize the bike upright and allow it to turn with the pivot of the tow and not the bike.

[NVSB4]

That makes sense.
I was wondering how it would keep from torquing your front end.

[WingAdmin]

I hate to tell you this, but Goldwings should NEVER be towed with the rear wheel on the ground like this.

When the rear wheel is on the ground being towed, it is turning the final drive, which turns the driveshaft, which turns the output cluster of the transmission, even when the transmission is in neutral. The problem is this: you are rotating the entire output cluster of the transmission, with NO LUBRICATION at all. The engine is not running, so the oil pumps are not turning. This means no oil is being pumped to the bearings or gears of the transmission cluster - so it is getting no lubrication.

If you have to tow any shaft-drive bike with the rear wheel on the ground, you should first remove the driveshaft, so that the transmission output cluster is not being turned by the rear wheel. If it's an emergency, then leave the engine on the motorcycle idling for the duration of the tow, so that oil is being pumped to the transmission while it is being turned by the rear wheel.

Towing a Goldwing like this for any distance is a good recipe for a very expensive transmission rebuild.

[cal3san]

Steve makes a good point. Had not thought about the final drive spinning the transmission when in neutral. So, next time I use it to tow my Wing the drive shaft will be disconnected.

[NVSB4]

Sounds like it's back to throwing it in the pickup bed if I ever need to haul it.

I wonder if Ron at Billy Bob's has thought of this?

[Viking]

I saw these at Americade last year, and they do know about towing shaft driven bikes like this, and seemingly do not care as they will not mention it unless specifically asked.

[NVSB4]

I saw these at Americade last year, and they do know about towing shaft driven bikes like this, and seemingly do not care as they will not mention it unless specifically asked.

I have a strong dislike for companies like that.
I'm usually very cautious about purchases and do as much research as I can.
I'm very glad that we have this forum, it's knowledgeable members and others like it as a resource.

At least now if someone Googles "Insta Motorcycle Tow" or "BillyBob1", they will see this thread and know the facts.

[702scottc]

How much trouble would it be to put the rear wheel on the tow rack? Might be a better option than just throwing it away. Towing it from the front will ruin the transmission.

[tfdeputydawg]

How much trouble would it be to put the rear wheel on the tow rack? Might be a better option than just throwing it away. Towing it from the front will ruin the transmission.

Towing backwards is a good way to break a windshield off!!!

[702scottc]

That's true. If you where towing cross country you would take it off. I think he has a trike by the pictures he posted. He needs a car tow dolly. Saw someone towing a trike with one a while back. Looked like they narrowed the frame to fit the trike axle and towed it that way. Good idea really, better option than a trailer I think.

[paneled]

I have a question here, if the trans in a Golding is in the very bottom of the engine/trans,
and the oil to lubricate all of these parts is located it the same place, how is the trans going to
be damaged, isn't the countershaft of the trans rolling in this same oil all the time. So how is
turning it with the rear tire instead of the engine going to damage a trans in a gold Wing?
Just trying to understand this idea.

[wingman12]

Removing the windshield is a lot easier than disconnecting and reinstalling the drive shaft.

[WingAdmin]

I have a question here, if the trans in a Golding is in the very bottom of the engine/trans,
and the oil to lubricate all of these parts is located it the same place, how is the trans going to
be damaged, isn't the countershaft of the trans rolling in this same oil all the time. So how is
turning it with the rear tire instead of the engine going to damage a trans in a gold Wing?
Just trying to understand this idea.

It's not the gears themselves that are damaged, it's the shafts, bearings and bushings. The shafts are hollow, and pressurized oil is pumped into the shafts. This oil then emerges through small holes in the shaft, to lubricate bearings, collars and bushings as the shaft turns.

If the engine is not running, there is no pressurized oil pumped into the shafts, therefore the transmission shaft is turning with no lubrication. This will quickly cause heat, friction and wear on the shaft itself, bearings, bushings and collars.

[cal3san]

Since I first started this thread I've abandoned the Insta Tow (or rather "gifted" it to a Harley owner). I am in the process of modifying a used automotive tow dolly to function as a trike trailer.

Anyway, the current issue (JAN16) of Wing World's Workbench editor has a very good article that really explains the WHY NOT of towing a GW with the drive shaft attached. Here is the main thrust of the article as it defines the reason:

Quote..."Supplemental to the short answer, towing with the rear wheel on the ground will cause rotation of parts inside the engine case that will receive no lubrication with the engine no running. Will damage absolutely happen? That could depend on the speed and distance. But given the cost of engine removal and repair, I personally would not do this. One exception would be a trike with its drive shaft disconnected...Unquote.

The full article starts on Page 31 of Wing World

[Uncle Fester]

no pics of it, sorry, but back when I owned a VW powered trike, I used a car tow dolly with a lengthened out tongue and a center channel added so I could load the whole trike on it, front tire up the channel/tongue and rear tires in the tow dolly cradles , kept the whole rig off the ground and NEVER had a issue towing my trike. On a side note, car dolls do not, to my knowledge , require license plates / registration . . . .

[Geofd]

I owned a 97 concours and same thing on their msg board never tow like that with shaft drive

[ekvh]

I have been mulling the idea of a rear wheel lift version. I am not sure how well the forks would work pointing the wrong way. On a big bump???? I think you could make one that could be ground level to load then levered or winched and pinned up into position. Tire wear on the front is also a question mark.

[CMReynolds1]

Besides the torq on the rear end, what does it do to the forks? They are positioned to take strain and movement from the front. I am wondering if this is pulling on the forks in the opposite direction they are designed for, then wouldn't it cause damage? Or am I looking at things wrong?

[ED11AAAA]

i and friends have had these for years. One of my friends got the insta tow at the Keystone State Rally in Johnstown , pa years ago.
I had it first and bought it at a rally in Gettysburg, pa and we have other friends that got them from Billybob1.com at Daytona Beach Bikeweek. We all towed everything over the years and you dont need to do anything to unit to tow a 2 wheeler or trike and we even
know people that tow bikes w/sidecar on it . It didn't use to be in lit. but one of our friends that got it recently in Daytona
there now is an extra page of instructions if you want to add a cross piece for 2 wheelers you can but not needed and we all continue to
hook up tie downs under tow vehicle and it works great , heck we paid for them in gas savings alone going to sturgis and some guys we know with trailers had to take their trailers down the road and pay $50 a day to park them because there was only room at our motel for
about 6 trailers and if you weren't first you had to park trailer somewhere else and in Sturgis good luck. Another thing some say
you can't tow a Goldwing.. hogwash one of our friends called factory just last summer and first guy didn't know but he got a supervisor
and we have his name etc and he said some think you can't but it isn't true. It is just like drifting down a mountain. Besides I tow mine and my friends have too for over 2800 miles just last year and that is when I was keeping track. I think Stu or Stan whatever, the teck guy in gwrra, Wing World started that crap years ago and it has spread alittle esp. for ones that haven't used Insta Tow , well he doesn't say it now.
That $300 has save me $1000s and we just take bike with us much more ...park pick up and ride bike wherever we are.. It's great.

[ED11AAAA]

It comes with drawings which also shows you how to make an attachment for using the tow for 2-wheelers.

i've had it for years and yes mostly drive shafts including my Valkyrie. you don't need to do anything to tow 2 wheeler .. you can add a cross piece if you want too. Wing admin better talk to factory cause they tell a diff. story ... Stan w/ wing world use to say this stuff too and
he has changed his tune .. theoretically it sounds right but it doesn't damage anything and that comes from factory and 1000 of miles of use.

Interesting concept.
What kind of attachment is required for bikes and what does it take to make it?

[WingAdmin]

Another thing some say
you can't tow a Goldwing.. hogwash one of our friends called factory just last summer and first guy didn't know but he got a supervisor
and we have his name etc and he said some think you can't but it isn't true. It is just like drifting down a mountain. Besides I tow mine and my friends have too for over 2800 miles just last year and that is when I was keeping track. I think Stu or Stan whatever, the teck guy in gwrra, Wing World started that crap years ago and it has spread alittle esp. for ones that haven't used Insta Tow , well he doesn't say it now.
That $300 has save me $1000s and we just take bike with us much more ...park pick up and ride bike wherever we are.. It's great.

I'm sorry, but you really have no idea what you are talking about. If you think towing a bike behind your car using one of these is the same as coasting down a mountain, then you need to do some research into the oil circulation system as well as the bearing and transmission lubrication systems used in our Goldwings. Once you do, the light bulb will go on and you'll realize why it is such a terrible idea to use these things on your Goldwing (or any other motorcyle that shares the transmission lubrication system with the engine).

[flogger]

Another thing some say you can't tow a Goldwing.. hogwash one of our friends called factory just last summer and first guy didn't know but he got a supervisor and we have his name etc and he said some think you can't but it isn't true. It is just like drifting down a mountain. Besides I tow mine and my friends have too for over 2800 miles just last year and that is when I was keeping track. I think Stu or Stan whatever, the teck guy in gwrra, Wing World started that crap years ago and it has spread alittle esp. for ones that haven't used Insta Tow , well he doesn't say it now. That $300 has save me $1000s and we just take bike with us much more ...park pick up and ride bike wherever we are.. It's great.

I hate to see hogwash posted, I have to agree with WingAdmin, you WILL be doing damage that may not show up but it will be there and break something down the road, maybe not immediately but later on... I give you another towing example. Folks tow with their motorcycles, cars and trucks all the time... They exceed the manufacturer recommendations for towing weight, trailer weight or exceeding max gross (combined) weight... Now, exceeding these by a large amount, will do damage on the ride/on the road... You will break an axel, blow the motor, whatever... But exceeding them by a small amount will not show evidence of damage and folks then say it's OK, it didn't hurt a thing and thus it can be done all the time... But now something breaks 30,000 miles later or the motor blows at 50,000 for the following owner... People can't believe that doing something wrong with a vehicle is harmless just because they have done it or know someone who has done it... This happens a lot in the aviation world... Someone frequently flys an aircraft outside of its design capability, they often exceed it's structural limits. They then claim, it's safe, it's OK because nothing bad happened... They repeatedly do this knowingly or unknowingly... Then on a flight the aircraft or an engine suffers what we refer to as a catastrophic failure from cracks, breaks, stress, whatever... The failure occurs after previously being subjected to abuse that took its cumulative toll on the part, causing the failure non the less...

[ED11AAAA]

not just me but my friends and supervisor with Honda agrees. What you keep saying might make sense to you.
but empirically it is not true. I have and others we know have had them and used for decades. Don't know if I mentioned
but friend in Calif. call Honda and supervisor with Honda said you are wrong and we have the name and number.
I towed my Valkyrie over 2600 miles just last summer.. and that is a drop in the bucket of towing over the years and
there are just too many with real knowledge not just what it seems like on paper.