River Mule: running the Salt with a little help from my "friends"

[Larz]

https://www.facebook.com/100078761633740/videos/746477224145072

 

[Paddy01]

Hey Larz, at the risk of being negative, isn’t towing a bike defeating the object of having one?  I know my brain still can’t comprehend the distances you guys in North America travel, and perhaps you drove somewhere very distant from home and then did some great riding on arrival. But isn’t getting there on the bike half the joy? 

[Larz]

7 hours ago, Paddy01 said:

Hey Larz, at the risk of being negative, isn’t towing a bike defeating the object of having one?  I know my brain still can’t comprehend the distances you guys in North America travel, and perhaps you drove somewhere very distant from home and then did some great riding on arrival. But isn’t getting there on the bike half the joy? 

well sure friend, although in this case towing the bike allowed me to accomplish a 10 mile float down the Lower Salt river. I guess it's not very apparent in the vid that I towed the bike to a get-out spot 10 miles down river, where I left the bike. Then drove upriver to the put-in, inflated my ( suddenly leaking) paddle board, ran the river down to where I'd left the bike ( river mule) deflated the board, packed on the bike, rode said bike back up to where I'd left the car.....

Anyhooo, 10 miles would be quite the hike packing the board back up the highway, but if that's the way you would have done it to keep the motorcycling experience "pure" well I salute your dedication to the sport, friend

[Paddy01]

Many thanks for clarifying. It looked like fun, even with the leak. 

[Larz]

7 hours ago, Paddy01 said:

Many thanks for clarifying. It looked like fun, even with the leak. 

It's on me, should have shown more info with the vid.  Crappy auto-edit off the GoPro app including music I didn't pick; I'm still trying to figure out editing with good software & capable laptop. And really the vid was intended to highlight the utility of the MoTow hitch: trailer your bike without a trailer,eh. When done just pop that puppy into the trunk or whatever; easy storage in a closet,etc.

Only posted here becuase I used the Tracer for this trip- locking panniers mean more protective gear for the ride back to the car. But I've towed my MT-09 SP to track school up at Willow Springs earlier this year, 500 miles to far for me to ride a naked bike and then do 2 full days riding the track. 

[2and3cylinders]

Wow, 10 miles for an old man, even in shape, is a is a long way! 🫠

Interesting contraption butyou need a video showing how you get it on, and going down the road! 

So the front wheel free tracks reverse of the way it was designed?

Does it track well but how does the whole front end including the frame absorb impact opposite way it was designed to do?

I just don't see it.

 

 

[Larz]

1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Wow, 10 miles for an old man, even in shape, is a is a long way! 🫠

Interesting contraption butyou need a video showing how you get it on, and going down the road! 

So the front wheel free tracks reverse of the way it was designed?

Does it track well but how does the whole front end including the frame absorb impact opposite way it was designed to do?

I just don't see it.

 

 

Thanks for asking, and yeah I dig running the river, but always kicks my ass. I'll put up a vid in the gear section on the MoTow. You strap the steering head solid so front wheel tracks straight. A fair portion of the bikes weight is on the hitch so the front suspension really carries what it normally would being ridden... Here's link to their website, they have vids. I can say I've towed with mine over 3K miles with lot's of freeway at 80 mph with no issues. And zero affilation with these folks, just think the product a viable option for those that want a trailer but don't have room for one ( like me) or want something more versatile.

 

https://motowus.com/about-motow/product-videos/

[2and3cylinders]

I still think the motow inputs stresses into the front end it was not designed to handle, and extensive use will have a detrimental effect. 

Still interesting. 

You don't wear a PFD or helmet when paddle boarding?  Especially when solo?

[Larz]

7 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

I still think the motow inputs stresses into the front end it was not designed to handle, and extensive use will have a detrimental effect. 

Still interesting. 

You don't wear a PFD or helmet when paddle boarding?  Especially when solo?

Well I don't know enough about enginnerin' to really have an informed opinion on whether there's additional stress on the front end when towing like that. Some might argue that normal trailering with the suspension compressed from strapping is also not what the suspension is designed to handle?

Naw, I use PFD and the leash on a lake or the ocean, where the possibilty of drowning is more likely,eh. On the Lower Salt I suppose you could advance a good arguement for a helmet; folks running serious whitewater on paddle boards often wear a helmet. Ain't much over class 2 at most on the lower Salt though. And it's not like a Kayak where you are pretty much stuck in the thing if you roll over.  Not to mention the heat- can't really go in the Summer without exposure to + triple digit temps, helmet just increases the odds of heat stroke, much more likely than banging your noggin'.