I have a 2015 Honda Fit Manual.
I just bought a 2004 Yamaha Fz6 (450 lbs).
Would I be able to tow it? I'm trying to find an inexpensive way to tow it from place to place. If anybody has any suggestions...? Right now I'm looking at something like this:
If you are considering purchasing a motorcycle trailer… You should buy the

 

You will be just fine




I'm pulling a 5x8 utility trailer that's about 960 pounds empty. I test drove a 5x10 at 1200 pounds and it hauled it fine too, though a bit acceleration challenged. I have the manual too. Check out my profile and posts, plenty of pics and write-ups on my part about towing.

 

Honda's lawyers say you can't tow with the US model. Near-identical Fits sold elsewhere in the world magically have light towing capacity.

That said, you don't want to tow a motorcycle with that "front wheel lift" setup on a light duty hitch like you might have on a Fit. It will work acceptably well with a class III hitch. The problem is the front wheel of the motorcycle weighs more than the maximum tongue weight rating of a light duty hitch, and the wheel-holding fixture extends beyond the standard hitch location making the problem worse because of its leverage.

I used a similar setup on an old Datsun 510 to tow a dirt bike. My arrangement removed the front wheel and put the axle through a fixture bolted to the hitch. This worked great although the motorcycle does some interesting backwards leaning when going around corners! Backing up was really touchy but can be done. You want to remove the chain to prevent undue wear on the chain and sprockets. Don't forget that you have to have a working tail and brake light on the motorcycle as well.

 

Makes me uncomfortable to recommend towing anything with a Fit, though less so with a manual trans Fit. I tow motorcycles (have eight of them, from a Kawasaki KLR 650 through a Harley Ultra) behind a Subaru Forester (2012, with a conventional auto trans) with a Baxley fold-up trailer.

There used to be a "trailer-in-a-bag" available, but Googling it just now indicates that they are out of business. That was a very light trailer that would probably be OK, with not much tongue weight and which would avoid the problems of dragging/rolling the rear wheel of the motorcycle (can't be good for the bike to roll that rear wheel, even though it's in neutral).

I'd feel a lot better about a "real" trailer that keeps both motorcycle wheels off the ground.

Hope you find the right one.

 

Thought about your concerns, and found the following. Don't know how good it is, but looks reasonable:

Ace Single Motorcycle Trailer

 

Honda FIT isn't alone in that department of magically being able tow in other country and not the USA. When the vehicles are identical in about every fashion.
It's called corporate greed. You gotta have truck to tow anything these days, or say they market.
Honda would sell you new Pilot or Ridgeline to tow a motorcycle then tell you that you tow with a fit. Other countries, like European areas, have high gasoline prices and make do with small vehicles. It's there culture. We have culture in US too. You need biggest, most bad ass truck to tow or haul anything.

But to the point, the FIT will tow something like that just fine.

 

I have the class I Curt Trailer hitch, tongue weight is 200 pounds with a 1.5inch receiver. Even the 2 inch Torklift hitch is only rated at 200 pounds tongue weight too. Not much wiggle room for heavy weight.

Maybe a flat trailer to haul a bike rather than a dolly? I'm not familiar with hauling motorcycles.

 

Bassguitarist1985, what type of mileage do you get with your trailer?

 

IDK yet, I had mine custom manufactured with a heavier axle, electric brakes, and a few other extra mods. Actually it should be in stock this week. Just need to register It. Ill get back to you on that point.

 

It's not corporate greed, it's too many lawyers in this sue crazy country.

 

Picked up the trailer two days ago. Check my main thread. Between highway and lots of backroads (wanted to see how well it drive) my trip meter was showing 28-30mpg empty. Ill be moving a friend into his new place either nextweekend or the one after. Ill report back soon.

 

That's not bad mileage at all. It will be interesting to see what effect a full trailer has on it.

 

Me too. My limit is about 1k of cargo though the trailer I got customized for 2k cargo. The trailer weighs 875 pounds empty according to the certif of origin.


5th gear I noticed I was using a lot more than 6th on the highway, engine felt more comfy at that ratio.


Be in touch soon on loaded trailer mpg.