Towing A Honda Scooter On A Fit.
#1
Towing A Honda Scooter On A Fit.
I'd like to tow my Scooters on my 2015 Fit. I have a 2006 Honda Big Ruckus, 2007 Honda Ruckus, and I just bought a 2015 Honda Grom.
I was thinking of buying a "Towster." The hitch would hold up the front wheel of the scooter while the rear wheel rolled on the ground. I figure this would save some weight from being pulled by the Fit. I know the owner's manual and dealer tech told me I can't tow anything on the Fit. Your thoughts or comments. Thanks.
I was thinking of buying a "Towster." The hitch would hold up the front wheel of the scooter while the rear wheel rolled on the ground. I figure this would save some weight from being pulled by the Fit. I know the owner's manual and dealer tech told me I can't tow anything on the Fit. Your thoughts or comments. Thanks.
#2
Someone on here has set up a trailer with air suspension. If they can do that you should be able to tow these small bikes. The large Ruckus may be 300 lb, so 150 lb each wheel. A class 1 hitch I believe has a 200 lb tongue weight max. As for the small Ruckus and certainly the Grom, you might be able to get those into the hatch as is, just remove the mirrors.
Whatever solution you come up with, take some pics. I'd like to see.
Whatever solution you come up with, take some pics. I'd like to see.
#3
I've towed dirt bikes in a similar way behind a Datsun (that dates me) and they tow very well. The Fit should be able to handle the weight easily as long as you deduct it from your interior load.
Caveats:
When towing like this you have to provide three hard points, the hitch in the middle and one of each side for the tie-downs. My Datsun had convenient holes in its metal bumper for this, but the Fit is covered in Tupperware and you'll need to make hard points.
Make sure that the drivetrain of the scooter isn't going to be damaged by towing. With motorcycles, I simply removed the drive chain but I'm not sure if a scooter would have anything turning and wearing in their belt drives.
Backing up is a real adventure. You're towing a trailer that is only a few feet long and it'll be very twitchy. Jacknifing the scooter won't do!
The scooter will look very odd when making sharp turns, leaning the "wrong" way due to the steering head geometry. It won't hurt anything, but be forewarned so you won't think that something is broken.
European Fits are rated to light tow trailers and, being a "world car," they use the same structure and suspension as US Fits. The prohibition in the US is a matter of paranoid lawyers and the Honda's desire to sell bloated SUVs.
Caveats:
When towing like this you have to provide three hard points, the hitch in the middle and one of each side for the tie-downs. My Datsun had convenient holes in its metal bumper for this, but the Fit is covered in Tupperware and you'll need to make hard points.
Make sure that the drivetrain of the scooter isn't going to be damaged by towing. With motorcycles, I simply removed the drive chain but I'm not sure if a scooter would have anything turning and wearing in their belt drives.
Backing up is a real adventure. You're towing a trailer that is only a few feet long and it'll be very twitchy. Jacknifing the scooter won't do!
The scooter will look very odd when making sharp turns, leaning the "wrong" way due to the steering head geometry. It won't hurt anything, but be forewarned so you won't think that something is broken.
European Fits are rated to light tow trailers and, being a "world car," they use the same structure and suspension as US Fits. The prohibition in the US is a matter of paranoid lawyers and the Honda's desire to sell bloated SUVs.
#4
Towing With A Honda Fit.
Thanks for the responses.
Another trailer I was considering was the Stinger Trailer. It's actually a trailer that hauls a motorcycle. It weighs 200 pounds. Not sure if I can haul the weight of the trailer along with the weight of a scooter.
Another trailer I was considering was the Stinger Trailer. It's actually a trailer that hauls a motorcycle. It weighs 200 pounds. Not sure if I can haul the weight of the trailer along with the weight of a scooter.
#5
If I can haul an 875lb (dry) plus just under 1000 of cargo without issue, towing a bike and bike/trailer is no problem at all! You can maybe skip the air suspension mod if you only tow occasionally. If you do long road trips then I'd say do the mod. Its about ~$110 bucks in parts and about 2 hours of work to do the air shocks.
#6
For towing a scooter you really need a minimal trailer.
You don't need suspension, folding, or other bells and whistles. All they add are weight. A trailer like this is easy to store on end on the side of a garage or building.
The downside is that you have to register it, something you don't do if you tow your scooter directly.
You don't need suspension, folding, or other bells and whistles. All they add are weight. A trailer like this is easy to store on end on the side of a garage or building.
The downside is that you have to register it, something you don't do if you tow your scooter directly.
#8
I doubt you'd find a wheel lift gizmo that attaches to a class 1 hitch. It would be very close to the tongue weight limit of the hitch, and as it extends farther out from the back of the car than a hitch ball, the torque applied to the hitch is greater.
A small trailer would be preferable and safer in my opinion. A Fit should be able to tow a small scooter or two on a trailer without unwanted drama so long as you exercise reasonable common sense about it.
As TorontoBoy suggests, you may be able to get some of the scooters into the Fit, either in the hatch or crosswise with the back seats folded up.
A small trailer would be preferable and safer in my opinion. A Fit should be able to tow a small scooter or two on a trailer without unwanted drama so long as you exercise reasonable common sense about it.
As TorontoBoy suggests, you may be able to get some of the scooters into the Fit, either in the hatch or crosswise with the back seats folded up.
#10
I think the idea of putting a 300 lb scooter in the back of your fit is a stretch. Not sure how you are going the muscle that thing in without damaging the interior or your back. Of course I am an old man so what do I know.
#12
Federal law is quite clear on warranties: an aftermarket part or accessory cannot void a warranty, and a warranty claim can only be refused based on such a part if the failure is directly attributable to it. Look up info on the "Magnuson Moss Warranty Act" for details.
In practical terms, it means that if you destroy your Fit's transmission or rear suspension by towing something too heavy, Honda is not obligated not fix it under warranty; but if you have an unrelated failure (the windshield wiper motor breaks, say), then they are. It does somewhat depend on the dealer: some are rather poor about trying to find any reason possible to deny warranty work, and may bend or even break the law if it's helpful to them in that regard.
Extended warranties (which are often more properly service contracts) can be different; if you have one, examining the terms might not be a bad idea.
Warranty concerns are immaterial if nothing breaks, which with the Fits seems to be the most common outcome. If you don't overload the Fit's suspension or overtax the drivetrain you shouldn't have anything break from towing.
In practical terms, it means that if you destroy your Fit's transmission or rear suspension by towing something too heavy, Honda is not obligated not fix it under warranty; but if you have an unrelated failure (the windshield wiper motor breaks, say), then they are. It does somewhat depend on the dealer: some are rather poor about trying to find any reason possible to deny warranty work, and may bend or even break the law if it's helpful to them in that regard.
Extended warranties (which are often more properly service contracts) can be different; if you have one, examining the terms might not be a bad idea.
Warranty concerns are immaterial if nothing breaks, which with the Fits seems to be the most common outcome. If you don't overload the Fit's suspension or overtax the drivetrain you shouldn't have anything break from towing.
#13
+1 Drew!
I tow big bulky stuff. I never tow too close to the max weight. If I do, its for short distances. The heaviest thing i have to tow is my John Deere tractor weighing in somewhere around 700 pounds. I only tow short distances with that, and very infrequent do I move it.
I tow big bulky stuff. I never tow too close to the max weight. If I do, its for short distances. The heaviest thing i have to tow is my John Deere tractor weighing in somewhere around 700 pounds. I only tow short distances with that, and very infrequent do I move it.
#15
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