How far can you lean?

Use a trailer for M/C camping, storage, or hauling your bike? Need some wiring advice, brand or model advice? Here's where you want to be.

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trikebldr
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How far can you lean?

Post by trikebldr »

Some bikes can lean a lot less than others because of accessories like running boards and crash bars, but sport touring bikes can usually lean way over. So, if you are using one of these sport bikes to pull a trailer, and that trailer doesn't have a swiveling hitch, you may find that the trailer will limit just how far over you CAN lean before the coupler and ball interfere with each other. That can sure increase the pucker factor or send you in search of a clean pair of shorts!

There is a solution, though! Since we don't load our trailers all that heavy, or at least SHOULDN'T be, we don't need any class 3 or class 5 balls. most of our trailers also come with 1-7/8" balls. The trick for better clearance and more "leanability" is to switch to a 2" ball/coupler and buy one of the lower class, cheaper 2" balls. They use a smaller diameter mounting stud making their neck much smaller, allowing the coupler to rotate farther around before binding. Some really cheap ones have a 5/8" stud, but most have a 3/4" or 1", and some class 5's have a 1-1/8" stud. Most motorcycle hitches I have seen come with a 1" hole in them, so if you use a 3/4" stud ball, it will require a 1" to 3/4" reducing bushing. If you can find a 2" ball with a 5/8" stud, all the better for maximum rotation.

The relationship between the diameter of the ball and the size of the neck of the ball is what determines how far over you can lean your bike in corners before causing bind. So, the cheaper, lower class balls will give you the best clearance, but will still be more than adequate for the trailer weights we SHOULD be pulling.

Here are three 2" balls. The first one has a 1-1/8" mounting stud and should probably never be used for a bike towing a trailer. It would give very little ability to lean the bike. The second one has a 1" stud and might be OK for big Harleys that can't lean very far. The last pic is of one with a 3/4" stud and will give the best clearance for really leaning into the turns before binding with the coupler. Couldn't find a pic of a really skinny-necked 2" ball with a 5/8" stud. Just compare the neck sizes to the ball diameter.

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doug of so fla
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Re: How far can you lean?

Post by doug of so fla »

You can also find a ball with a taller neck. But you still have to make sure that the ball is not higher than the M/C axle when your are on the M/C. Also have to check when trailer is 90 degree from M/C that coupler or chains are not binding so you know your limit in a tight slow maneuver. And practice backing up the M/C with trailer on it cause sometime you will have to do it.
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