New Kind of M/C Trailer

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SacramentoMike

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This will probably be making the rounds as an email, but it's worth sending along. Apparently a Gold Wing-based tow service in Japan.

What do you think? Fun in the twisties?

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I think they watched "Transformers" too many times

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Amazing!

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The fellow that started doing this was from a Scandinavian country I believe. There are many Youtube videos of him in action. There is one showing him doing figure eights in a parking lot towing a car.

 
That is a cool idea and all. But what is the point? Why do you need to do this with a motorcycle? You can't say narrow streets because that thing is wider than a car unfolded. Why not just use a pickup for a lot less money.

 
That is a cool idea and all. But what is the point? Why do you need to do this with a motorcycle? You can't say narrow streets because that thing is wider than a car unfolded. Why not just use a pickup for a lot less money.
In the interview I saw with the original fellow who did this. He said he he got the jump on the other tow companies because he could get to the accident first if traffic was backed up as he could weave between cars easier. The drawback is that the vehicle has to be mobile--roll. It cannot be an accident of any major proportions.

 
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I can't imagine that setup would be any fun under an emergency braking situation with a car in tow...kinda like bringing the other piece of bread with you to the sandwich party.

 
That is a cool idea and all. But what is the point? Why do you need to do this with a motorcycle? You can't say narrow streets because that thing is wider than a car unfolded. Why not just use a pickup for a lot less money.
In the interview I saw with the original fellow who did this. He said he he got the jump on the other tow companies because he could get to the accident first if traffic was backed up as he could weave between cars easier. The drawback is that the vehicle has to be mobile--roll. It cannot be an accident of any major proportions.
I had the same thought on it after I looked closer at the last picture. I got the impression this was a test demo and they'd held traffic back behind it, but it made me think of the typical freeway accident scenario around here. Two miles of backup before the accident, sometimes with nobody moving at all. One of these things could ride the shoulder or maybe even lane split and get up there to get traffic moving much sooner. I don't think the tow companies compete to be first on scene in these parts, but I could be wrong.

 
This could be like an alternate universe for the Harley Crowd: they could travel from all over the country riding to an alternative reality Sturgis where they would then unload their cars and drive up and down the streets in a wild drunken party... :D

 
These things make perfect sense... As SacrementoMike pointed out, after an accident or a vehicle becomes disabled, traffic will back up quickly, in some cases for miles, especially during rush hour commutes into large cities. When this happens the tow vehicle usually has to sit through that traffic to get to the vehicle to move it. Even if the goldwing was just used to move the disabled vehicle a few hundred feet to get traffic moving, and wait for another vehicle, it would help tremendously. The trailer appears to have its own brakes as well. I am surprised they haven't purchased any of these yet for the various NYC crossings that are prone to these issues.

 
Even if the goldwing was just used to move the disabled vehicle a few hundred feet to get traffic moving, and wait for another vehicle, it would help tremendously. The trailer appears to have its own brakes as well. I am surprised they haven't purchased any of these yet for the various NYC crossings that are prone to these issues.
CHP has push bumpers on their cruisers. I've seen them push an overturned vehicle (people were out of it and safe, of course) to the shoulder to let traffic flow. As well as stalled vehicles or lightly damaged "rollers" that would not run.

The "long" of the story is that in most metropolitan areas, the need for a tow vehicle for more situations than the simple removal of a vehicle such as the one shown in the photos.

In the right niche it would be a very cool option but probably not a multi-use as normally seen.

Besides, the operator would need a motorcycle endorsement.

 
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