85 Honda Goldwing with trailer- a good idea in Central America?

[cassidyj]

My boyfriend and I are planning a 1-2 year trip in Central America and South America and we are thinking of taking a 1985 Honda Goldwing with a small cargo trailer that we are purchasing from a used motorcycle dealership. I don't hear or see a lot of people towing trailers or taking this style of a bike. I realize we may be limited by some types of roads but are there other issues we may come across that we're not thinking of?

[PanEuropean]

I don't think that the trailer per se will be a problem. I would be more concerned about taking a 30 year old motorcycle - a model that is very uncommon in the countries you plan to visit - on such a tour.

I'm not suggesting that just because it is 30 years old there is a problem. My concern is that if you need any parts for it - even something as simple as an oil filter - it will be very difficult to find them, and you may have to rely on the part being shipped in.

You may want to carry out a careful investigation of insurance requirements ahead of time, specifically what kind of insurance is required for the trailer, and whether such insurance is easily available for an out of country vehicle.

Michael

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Not saying it is impossible but I have a negative feeling about a bike pulling a trailer , anywhere . If you need to haul along so much stuff it is time to rethink and downsize the load to essentials which you can carry on the bike.
Road conditions in Central America and Mexico can vary greatly from what you may be familiar with in the USA and you will NOT be zooming along everlasting four lane freeways . ( I don't like trailers - not on bikes, not on cars)
A trailer will be a true burden and pain in the back end as you negotiate mountain hairpins . The millions of topes will be a real drag as your drawbar may touch them . And don't relish the thought of threading crowded narrow town streets with a trailer or getting stuck there in need of a u turn .
The age of the bike has already been mentioned.
.Even if the bike is sound the excess strain of slow driving and topes may bring
problems to light .
Bikes are designed to be only- vehicles and work best alone for true enjoyment .
It is your decision to make.

[fm61]

I don't know about the trailer as I never had one on a bike. I had a 83 Gold Wing and I think it is my second best bike ever.

We bought one in LA and went up to Alaska. Top of the world Highway, across Canada back to Europa. Two up with all the gear for camping and cooking. We stayed only two or three times in a Hotel. I think you do not need the trailer.
We had no tools with us. The bike is very reliable. Only oil changes and tires.

One problem I found is: You need a good sump guard. On gravel roads the rocks will hit the cover of the oil filter and I got some crakes in it. I just put a bit of carpet over it. An aluminium plate would be much better.
The fuel tank is also to smale you get around that.

I was thinking to take a Gold Wing for my next trip have now decided agenst it. Mainly because of the potenzial problems with getting part.

I think it can be done. If you like that bike you should take it.

[PanEuropean]

Cassidy:

You did not mention where you are now, or where you will be starting your journey from (i.e. what country you are in, or what region of a large country you are in).

If you are located in North America, you might want to start by doing a one-month long tour that loops back to your home location before you head off on the big 1 or 2 year tour you are thinking of. That will give you an opportunity to shake down the motorcycle, and also determine what possessions you do and do not need to take with you.

It is very common to see riders touring with trailers in Canada and the USA. I think that the comments that others have made about the impracticality of towing a trailer in lesser developed countries (Central & South America) need to be considered seriously. The trailer-towing crowd in North America generally sticks to paved multi-lane highways, and it is doubtful you will see a lot of those in Central & South America.

I'm not saying that you can't do what you have planned and have a good time doing it... I'm just concerned that if this huge trip will be your first time doing long distance touring, you might be inviting more complications than you need or want by taking a trailer.

I owned an '85 Gold Wing many years ago. If I remember correctly, a number of riders put little racks up on the trunk to enable them to carry lightweight but bulky items on top of the trunk. It sure would be easier to compromise by carrying less stuff and using a rack on the top box than it would be to tow a trailer.

Michael

[Threewheelbonnie]

The Spanish police used to go to town with bikes towing trailers. They used laws applicable to ice cream stands to extract bribes.

I wonder how the law stands in South America?

Andy

[VicMitch]

If you're going to take a 30 year old bike on this trip, there's probably no better one than a Gold Wing. It was designed from the ground up to carry 2 people and luggage over long distance. Sure, it's no dirt bike, so dont go off road. plenty of paved roads going everywhere.

My limited experience from a trip to Mexico is that there are lots of older Gold Wings there and I'm sure in Central America too. Sure, the campesinos have replaced donkeys with Chinese little bikes for cheap local transport, but among Bikers who ride bigger bikes, the Goldwing is next in popularity to Harleys.

There is lots of storage capacity on the 'wing and if you can, I would suggest not taking a trailer. Very few are built to take the much less smooth roads you will find on your trip. Even so, if you are determined to take a trailer, they are simple devices and bearings, wheels and other parts can be sourced anywhere. Worst comes to worst, you can just leave it somewhere and move the most important stuff to the bike.

[normw]

I second the trailer aversion other than on super slab.


I came across an injured Goldwing rider on the Alaska highway who had been towing a trailer on a gravel section (road reconstruction is common during the summer). The trailer began to fishtail and flipped the bike. On another trip I encountered Goldwinger who had gone down on a muddy Top of the World Highway. He'd been riding two up with his wife, towing a trailer, and she needed to be taken out by ambulance.


And I've heard of a number of instances in which the trailer tail wagged the motorcycle dog. It seems like a somewhat risky idea for a trip of the magnitude described by the O.P. which is bound to eventually involve some trailer unfriendly conditions.


A bike with the heft and power of a Goldwing would hopefully be able to carry everything a couple really needs.

[MikeMike]

Skip the trailer. It will be a magnet for transitos in small towns. You can easily ride that bike straight through here in Mexico on cuota toll roads and think it is a poor quality Pennsylvania interstate but even at half price it will add up. You will also experience little of the country.
Contrary to what has been posted above on this thread and some of the BS elsewhere on the HUBB, the real truth is that Gold Wings were never all that common in Mexico. Harleys became popular when taxation and imports changed under the Fox administration. BMW also opened up in a major way. Harleys and BMWs are the two largest touring brands in Mexico. I have known two Gold Wing owners here, big miles serious riders who did repairs locally and sourced parts via the US or a Guadalajara bike boneyard. You can find Gold Wings for sale, really old ones, most with dubious import papers, no papers, or imported as grey market.
Yes, you can tow the trailer but Sjoerd brings up some important points.
My bet is you will have more hassles from the trailer than the bike.
Buy yourself two good solid KLRs, put hard luggage on each, learn to ride them on the roads they were meant for and you will have the trip of a lifetime! Get an old Gold Wing with a trailer and miss the best parts of the various countries, pay bribes out the wazooo, get tired of answering the same questions while sticking out worse than you will on KLRs.
I have lived and ridden here full. time for 23 years and have yet to see a trip stopped on any bike by anyone short of accidents, of course. I know for a fact that at least in Mexico and Guatemala you can get anything fixed and parts within a week if you are willing to try.