[ptcary]

So Mazda says no towing, but we all know that the aftermarket hitches are out there.

I want to know if I could safely tow a single motorcycle trailer with bike on it a few times per year at most and short distances 20-80 miles.

Combined trailer and bike weight would be ~650 lbs.

I have a 2.0L with 5-speed.

 

[Neggert]

If mazda says not to, i wouldnt. Think of it this way... your going to put another 1/5 the cars weight on to the rear. That will definitely load the rear springs and take some weight off the front. If it was RWD i would say sure go for it, but FWD is a different story. Your going to sacrifice alot of grip and cause alot of understeer. I think its pretty dangerous, but it is not impossible i have seen it done before.

And another point is a 2.0 is a small motor. I put two bikes in the back of my brother 4.0 v6 frontier, similar to your wieght, and it stuggles sometimes.

 

[spwalker09]

You'll feel the weight. I tow every once in a while with my 2.0. When I tow my motorcycle, I try to get the smaller motorcycle trailer (the 14.95 one)...1, its cheap...2, its the least weight. You'll still feel it but you'll be able to make it.

Other tips...you'll have to wring out the gears, especially the 1-2 because that's such a wide spacing on the 2.0 5-speed, and as you prob know, there's no torque down low. But once at speed, it's pretty stable.

You should be fine to tow small distances. I towed a 4x8 UHaul with my motorcycle, a bunch of boxes, and some furniture 2000 miles when I moved from CT to Austin last year. Threw my bicycle on the roof to boot as well. Worst parts of the trip were the choppy ride on some of the less-evenly paved sections (the frequency of the damping in the 3 and the trailer sometimes compounded each other), and the fact that I could only cruise at 65. The 4x8 closed trailer has more wind resistance and is heavier (and was loaded down)...I've pulled at 75 with the small motorcycle trailer no problem

Here she is on the aforementioned trip:

 

[Rherold9]

Yeah you will be fine, just shift higher. After that it shouldn't be that bad once you get up to speed. Just don't go speeding around turn, drive too fast, etc with that thing on your rear haha. You will def see the drag in rear and feel it.

 

[ptcary]

Thanks guys. Nothing I need to do right away, but I know there will come a time when I will need to transport the bike without riding it. I know I can always rent a pickup truck or small truck if needed.

 

[TheFridge]

How would you guys feel about towing a ~425 pound motorcycle (plus a light trailer, of course) with a 2.5 6 speed? I'll be driving from Minnesota to Seattle and back this summer, and was hoping to bring the bike along. I would assume this would probably be a bad idea, but was curious about thoughts with the bigger motor.

 

[OrangeVirus1]

I think it would be fine at moderate speed. and don't load up the car inside either. whats the difference between towing something behind you and 400lbs behind the back seats? dont think there's much difference.

 

[TheFridge]

I think it would be fine at moderate speed. and don't load up the car inside either. whats the difference between towing something behind you and 400lbs behind the back seats? dont think there's much difference.

That makes sense, although 400 pounds behind the car might actually equate to < 400 behind the back seats. The car will be loaded, so it sounds like this would be a bad idea.

 

[Beckula]

Thanks guys. Nothing I need to do right away, but I know there will come a time when I will need to transport the bike without riding it. I know I can always rent a pickup truck or small truck if needed.

Well, if you need a hitch I've got the one I took off my 2010 isport when I traded it in sitting in my garage.

 

[john doe]

I think it would be fine at moderate speed. and don't load up the car inside either. whats the difference between towing something behind you and 400lbs behind the back seats? dont think there's much difference.

400lbs in the trunk would be far worse then towing 400 pounds. When you put stuff on a trailer you are supposed to load it so the hitch only sees between 100 and 150lbs. The trailer's axle is supposed to be supporting the vast majority of the weight. Not the hitch.

 

[Jstumpalump150]

Well, if you need a hitch I've got the one I took off my 2010 isport when I traded it in sitting in my garage.

What kind of hitch is this and how much are you looking for it? I am in need of one to trailer my bike down to Deals Gap in May. I don't think it will be a problem with the 2.5 and 6 speed manual. Mazda does say you can use a bike rack or a cargo rack(pretty much anything without wheels) on a hitch though don't they? No one needs to know anything about a trailer if you ever need service.

 

[spwalker09]

Careful, there are different part #'s listed for sedan vs. hatch hitches (sorry Beckula), so do your homework to see if you can fit a sedan hitch on a hatch (haven't looked into it myself)

 

[Beckula]

What kind of hitch is this and how much are you looking for it? I am in need of one to trailer my bike down to Deals Gap in May. I don't think it will be a problem with the 2.5 and 6 speed manual. Mazda does say you can use a bike rack or a cargo rack(pretty much anything without wheels) on a hitch though don't they? No one needs to know anything about a trailer if you ever need service.

Its a curt trailer hitch, I don't recall the part number but its for a sedan and it work on a hatch. It wouldn't fit when I tried to transfer it over to the speed3 and I had to get a different hitch for it. At this point I just want to get rid and am not looking to get too much money but I don't want to violate any forum sales rules so please PM me if you want to chat about it more. Also, I only every used it for a bike rack so I never had the wiring harness.

 

[Beckula]

Careful, there are different part #'s listed for sedan vs. hatch hitches (sorry Beckula), so do your homework to see if you can fit a sedan hitch on a hatch (haven't looked into it myself)

No worries man. No need to aplogize sometimes that can easily be overlooked.

 

[spwalker09]

Its a curt trailer hitch, I don't recall the part number but its for a sedan and it work on a hatch. It wouldn't fit when I tried to transfer it over to the speed3 and I had to get a different hitch for it. At this point I just want to get rid and am not looking to get too much money but I don't want to violate any forum sales rules so please PM me if you want to chat about it more. Also, I only every used it for a bike rack so I never had the wiring harness.

Are you sure you're not me from last year???

-I have a sedan, you used to (dunno if yours was the 2.0)
-I lived in Austin 'till last year
-I have the same hitch on my sedan - except I've hauled the s*** out of mine
-I've been looking to get a Speed3 (and have been thinking it over for, oh I dunno, 9 months!)


Too funny...:stuart:

 

[Beckula]

Are you sure you're not me from last year???

-I have a sedan, you used to (dunno if yours was the 2.0)
-I lived in Austin 'till last year
-I have the same hitch on my sedan - except I've hauled the s*** out of mine
-I've been looking to get a Speed3 (and have been thinking it over for, oh I dunno, 9 months!)


Too funny...:stuart:

Haha..it was a black 2010 isport 2.0 that I had for almost one year to the day then traded it for a speed and it was one of the best decisions ever made...at least until I decided to tradethe speed in for an aston martin...but then I woke up.

 

[cruzinit]

I just ordered the Curt Hitch

Im going todo some modifications to it so it will actually come out behind the licence plate. I will put a hinge on the licence plate so it can open up - kind of like the Old car gas tank fillers

Ill post pics when its done

 

[cruzinit]

Just ordered this