After much debate... I've decided to post my recipe for towing a mid sized motorcycle and trailer.
Please note... This is what works for me. Honda USA does not recommend that you tow anything, so you do so at your own risk. I am not responsible/liable for your actions.


2009 Honda Fit MT
- Lower MT gearing allows the Fit to move well even when loaded with 950 additional pounds from a stop
- Lower gearing keeps the engine in the power band at freeway speeds
- In my opinion: MTs are less prone to heat and more tolerant when pulling a load
- MT ability to downshift and slow-down on steep grades
- Hidden Hitch / Draw Tite 1.25 hitch w/ 2" ball
- The rest of the world rates the Fit/Jazz with a 1000 pound tow rating w/o trailer brakes

Kendon Single Motorcycle Trailer
- Trailer Weight 300 pounds (One of the lightest on market)
- Standard Full size wheels and freeway rated wheel bearings
- Approx: 50 pound tongue weight with motorcycle loaded
- Trailer designed specifically for full size motorcycles
- Independent trailing arm suspension

2002 Yamaha Vstar 1100 (Significant Engine Mods)
- Approx 650 pounds (Mid size cruiser)


I have logged well over 5000 miles with the above combination. Most recently I've moved from NV to PA... 2700 miles without a hiccup. Average fuel consumption was 30-32mpg. Worst mileage during the trip was 28mpg climbing the hills/mountains near salt lake city. I was able to maintain the speed limit during the entire trip.

Why I tow my motorcycle with the Fit
- 30+ mpg loaded down with trailer, motorcycle, and luggage
- My 3/4 ton truck only gets 15-18mpg
- The load feels very stable at highway speeds
- The brakes are able to stop the above combination confidently when practicing proper trailer braking procedures
- 200+ miles on back of motorcycle = Unhappy Fiance = Headache
-- We can explore distant locations on the motorcycle and not be fatigued from the trip there and back
- Bad weather while on motorcycle = Unhappy Fiance => She won't go with me on the next ride = Unhappy Me
-- I am not at the mercy of mother nature
- I travel a lot for work and need the use of a car... bringing the motorcycle with me allows the ability to travel/explore during my downtime

I have travel significant distances with this combination and the Fit continues to impress me more and more. It has been the most versatile car I've every owned. I have had to execute emergency maneuvers and stomp on the brakes a few times... but I never felt unstable.

The best expressions I enjoy seeing is from diesel owners pulling a 5th wheel up a steep grade... I back shift into 4th gear, change lanes, and pass them with a smile.

 

I think I would be doing it the other way around and pulling the Fit with my Goldwing... It has a bigger engine, more power and torque + 3 disk brakes on 2 wheels..... Seriously I like your rig ...You may find it beneficial to install rear air shocks for increased dampening and a little increase in load bearing weight capacity.... They are cheap and easy to install .

 

TC you're a hoot - once you get that Goldwing set up be sure to post.... what air shock would you recommend??

mscott thanks for a mind easing post. For the past two decades I've been hauling a 4x6 trailer for all sorts of reasons on small cars and Cadillacs.

Sinse I got my FIT I've been hesitant because of ground clearance concerns. I have discovered, like you said, the FIT is rated for towing elsewhere. In Europe small trailers and small cars are a way of life - only the US worships pick-ups.

Great reassuring review - thanks. I know those "hills" coming out of Salt Lake. A never ending 7% grade or something like that - killer. If your FIT pulled that loaded that's enough for me.

K_C_

 

I have a light aluminum that I used the Civic and intend to use it with the Fit, ordered the hitch yesterday.

 

The gentleman that did the thread here on fitfreak used Monroe 1811A shocks on his GD3 as I also did and numerous others on here.... There is a thread about the installation and what shocks to use on the GE models that tells what shock number to use..... I keep mine an 21psi which is 1psi over the lowest pressure you can use in them and I can jerk the steering wheel side to side at 85mph with just a slight bit of sway in the rear but not enough that is threatening like it was at 50 before. I can haul a lot of stuff and not have my headlights pointing at the sky by adding less than 10 psi and the max on the shock is 120psi.

 

I would think that the auto would be able to better handle towing, if the tow-ratings on trucks are any guide (auto almost always has better ratings than the manual).

Still, this is pretty nuts! I would be concerned that any towing use, or evidence of towing, may void the powertrain warranty.

Anyone know why Honda sets the tow limit at 0 in the US? The UK Jazz is rated at around 900 lbs (450 kg) for an unbraked trailer, and around 2200 lbs (1000kg) for a trailer with brakes.

 

As I mentioned above, across the pond small trailers are very common. I lived in the UK for 3yrs and have family in Germany and they are just amused at our love affair with the pick-up truck. They see it as an over blown waste of money and resource, all you really need is a small trailer. Now I'm not talking about "construction" trucks and such - you get my drift. Honda has recognized the European sensibility and have no problem with towing over there.

Here in the US we look at things differently. We tend to push things to the limit. Hmmm, what's the most I could tow behind that thing. I don't know of any car in the class that's rated for towing. *IMHO*

I am positive that if you pulled into a Honda dealer with a trailer stuck behind a FIT warranty would be torn up period, all bets off.

K_C

 

I don't know what Toyota recommended but I got away with towing a 400 pound bike with a Corolla. Wouldn't mind trying it with my Fit too.

 

I use basically the same setup to tow around my mopeds and little motorcycles, it works great.

I don't see what the big deal about towing is. If you've got three large passengers in the car, that could be 600 pounds. So I don't see the problem with towing 500 pounds of trailer and bikes, especially since there's an extra axle to help bear the load.

 

Great thread!

Small cars (well, cars in general actually) are way more capable than most people think. A properly loaded small trailer will carry anything most personally-owned pickups or SUV are ever called on to carry. With the exception of towing a boat or camper (which generally have too much hitch weight for the Fit), the Fit is pretty darn capable.

 

Most people blame it on 2 factors: the litigious culture we live in and the acceptance/affinity for large vehicles in the US.

On the litigious side, I think manufacturers are reluctant to give tow ratings to smaller vehicles for fear of getting sued. If someone has a wreck while towing and the company has to defend the rating they gave, even if the person was exceeding the rating, that lawsuit costs money. Much easier to just exclude it altogether. In addition, the Jazz's tow ratings are fairly modest when you look at things most people would tow (boats, campers, etc). It takes some study and responsibility to understand the ratings and ensure you don't exceed them. Too many people would tow without understanding GVWR, GCVWR, GAWR, etc and then look to blame someone else.

Manufacturers can get away with it in the US because we're open to buying large vehicles, in part because of cheap gas. Many European buyers wouldn't even consider buying a truck/SUV, so an upsell isn't an option. And since towing with small cars is common there, NOT having a tow rating on a small car will likely lose some sales to other makes. Here in the US, if you want/need to tow, the dealer is ecstatic to show you a higher-profit-margin truck or SUV by telling you that you can't tow anything with their cars. And since most Americans don't know/believe that small cars are actually capable of modest towing, they buy a truck or SUV to tow occasionally with, and the cycle continues.

 

I agree, I think this is because Americans buy cars that don't use space efficiently. And when they can't carry enough stuff, they think "I need a bigger car." Often, they would do better with a smaller car that utilizes space better, like a Fit. My wife used to have a Buick Rendezvous. It was absolutely enormous and got about 20mpg. But we could put more stuff in my Fit.

On the other hand...

YouTube - Towing disaster

 

Glad to see this post. I have a Hidden Hitch (from Etrailer.com) installed on my Fit but have yet to install the trailer wiring harness. I should work well in towing my 150# utility trailer, 400# utility trailer and 700# teardrop camper.

 

Guy at work had a GREAT Idea.

Forget the Trailer, Someone needs to fabricate a bracket/adaptor to hook up the fit as a sidecar to a Goldwing.

~SB

 

Somebody needs to make a Rotrex supercharger kit for a Goldwing.