The Retriever: Motorcycle That Can Tow a Car

1. Sid Morrison
   October 24th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

   Ugh... There is a difference between physically having enough engine torque to pull a heavy trailered load and the tow vehicle having enough mass and tire contact area to maintain control stability. Undoubtedly, you can do the former with this Goldwing, but the mass of the vehicle being towed + trailer is a LOT higher than the motorcycle. If the trailer starts getting blown around in crosswinds, it could be very dangerous. This is a pretty stupid idea.

2. LV
   October 24th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

   I once saw a Harley tow a loaded 1 tonne truck about a half mile. Not very far, but I wouldn't want to do it. I agree with Sid.

3. DOJ
   October 24th, 2008 at 6:01 pm

   i like how the tow trailer folds up
   and i think for short tows it should work fine
   (but i hope it has amazing brakes)

4. Thomas
   October 25th, 2008 at 10:32 am

   Seriously, the biggest concern is braking.

5. Christophe
   October 25th, 2008 at 11:43 pm

   I don;t know : it's just a utility vehicule, it does not need high performance (aka speed), just to get a vehicule out of the way... Let's wait for the videos!

6. jmarsico1100
   October 26th, 2008 at 8:35 am

   THANK GOD!!!!
   There is one of these folded up and parked alongside the main highway in Dubai. For the past year and a half I've tried desperately to figure out what it is. Even going to the extent of parking next to it and walking around it for 20 minutes. Never had an idea what it was until now. Thank you neatorama.

7. Sid Morrison
   October 27th, 2008 at 8:28 am

   Yeah, the brake issue is a big one as are the tiny little trailer wheels -- they would have to rotate REALLY fast at highway speed & typically neither the bearings or tires last when you do that.

   I read their downloadable pdf a bit more closely. The absolute key to the whole thing is that they specify a maximum tow speed of only 30 kph (18 mph)! At such a slow speed, the braking, handling, and crosswind performance characteristics become a lot less bothersome. But the vehicle itself also gets a whole lot less useful for towing. It seems this would only be suitable for towing stalled (but probably not seriously damaged) cars just off a very crowded (nearly inaccessible) highway. The advantage lies in being able to squirm through backed up traffic more easily than a regular towtruck. But on highways with passable shoulders (most in the US, not sure about worldwide) it wouldn't be much benefit I think.

8. Don Wells
   February 21st, 2009 at 11:56 am

   Our long before the AA put some of these units into service.Will they remember that they are unfolded or think that they can still go thru that 40" gap.
   I feel there is a place for these units in the hands of the independent skilled recovery person to remove vehicle promptly from urgent situations.
   Don

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