How about hitches?

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  • #1

    How about hitches?

    When I ordered my Tailwind, I started shopping around for hitches and narrowed it down to either a Rivco or Bushtec and for me the Bustec V2 won out.
    The Rivco looked extremely well made and being aluminum was of coarse lighter, but just couldn't warm up to the idea of an aluminum hitch.
    The Bushtec also looks to be well made and mine has proven to be quite reliable.
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  • #2
    Jerry I went with Rivco and so far no problems. Maybe if I pulled a camper I would be concerned.
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    • #3
      I am on my second Bushtec hitch, this one is the V2 I think. I don't even remember what kind of hitch I had on my 2005. My only complaint was that they shipped me the wrong harness and I had to do a bunch of splicing to get my trailer lights to work. I also had to do some grinding on one of the support struts to get it to fit past a wire harness on the 2012 (I think it was engineered for a <2012. Otherwise, it has performed well.
      GOLDWING AND F6B MAINTENANCE VIDEOS
      Save $1000 a year in labor by doing your own maintenance!

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      • #4
        Originally posted by MD11pilot View Post
        Jerry I went with Rivco and so far no problems. Maybe if I pulled a camper I would be concerned.
        I doubt that you would ever have a problem. Rivco makes a very nice hitch that is extremely well made, and I almost went with one myself, but I just got stuck int he "steel is better" mindset.

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        • #5
          I am on my second Bushtec hitch, and still find no issues with it. I like the way it attaches to the frame in two different places on each side. It also attaches to the subframe. It poses no problem when changing the rear tire that I have encountered. I use the rear reflector location to mount a Whelen TIR3, so the hitches that use that location are a huge negative for me. (I also have a 2nd TIR3 above the tag.) I would like to see the Bushtec design made of strong, light weight aluminum, if it would save weight over the steel.

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          • #6
            I'm still looking for a Bushtec hitch and insert for my 05 Wing.


            SBB




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            • #7
              I went with a Rivco Hitch. Saved a lot of weight from the Kury that was on the bike.
              I remember seeing or reading that they lifted a GL1800 using only the Rivco Hitch. Figured if it could hold a 900lb bike, it can tow any trailer I would dare put behind a wing.
              Marc from sunny NorCal
              2008 Titanium Nav (non - ABS)

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              • #8
                I've got the Meadows' Enterprises Co (out of Pink Hill, NC) swivel hitch add-on. I really like it.
                2008 Red GW1800 -- NRA Life Member - American Legion PUFL, American Legion Riders
                USMC 21 YRS/9 MO and when dead, a dead Marine.
                US Four Corner Ride https://clayusmcret.blogspot.com/
                2014 Mid-States Ride https://mid-states.blogspot.com/
                2015 NC to UT/NV Ride https://2015nvride.blogspot.com/

                50th State ridden on 19 Aug, 2016 DS #1584

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                • #9
                  I installed a Rivco Hidden hitch on my 2014 Harley Ultra Limited. I ordered a Kuryakin wiring harness but I may pay those who know what they're doing to wire it up.
                  STURGIS 1993,

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                  • #10
                    I will be doing an install video soon on the new Rivco hitch. Just waiting for wiring harness.
                    GOLDWING AND F6B MAINTENANCE VIDEOS
                    Save $1000 a year in labor by doing your own maintenance!

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                    • #11
                      FYI. The Rivco hitch for the ST1800 Is stronger, (Steel) than the Aluminum version for the GL1800.

                      I questioned Troy at Rivco about the discrepancies in there web site verb-age.

                      Troy came the conclusion that aluminum was as strong as steel.

                      So I let it go about them correcting there own description between the two materials on there hitches.





                      Life is Tough, But It's Tougher If You're Stupid: "John Wayne"
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                      • kwthom
                        #11.1
                        kwthom commented
                        05-15-2018, 10:34 AM
                        Editing a comment
                        Interesting...wonder why the change in material?

                        Yeah, a person probably *could* overload the heck out of the hitch, but you'd have to be really dense to *not* know you've overloaded it significantly.
                      • Rocky
                        #11.2
                        Rocky commented
                        05-15-2018, 12:55 PM
                        Editing a comment
                        Are you trying to set me up with

                        "but you'd have to be really dense to *not* know you've overloaded it significantly."
                      • kwthom
                        #11.3
                        kwthom commented
                        05-15-2018, 06:17 PM
                        Editing a comment
                        No, not a setup...

                        Let's just say there's been at least one owner that *did* manage to overload that fairly beefy aluminum version of GL1800 hitch. I'm gonna guess the weak points may well be the kinks in the vertical pieces that support the hoop with the upper frame.

                        How much weight is that going to be? 300 lbs? Just how much trailer is someone trying to tow with that kind of tongue weight?

                        Just pondering the amount of ignorance it takes to get to that point, that's all.
                    • #12
                      Reading some posts elsewhere on a similar topic, it seems that there's some folks concerned about leaving their bag platforms on the bike (bags came into the motel room...) and then having someone muck about with either the platform or the hitch itself.

                      Now, can't say that I've really ever been in a location that Bar-and-Shield riders would really mess around with another man's motorcycle.

                      I pull bag and rack off as one unit from my Rivco setup. Takes about ten seconds to remove it; another ten seconds to get the pins latched in properly on the way out the next morning.

                      I guess I don't stay in places good enough for many of those other types of riders. Motel 6 | Days Inn | Super 8 about the best *I* can afford.
                      Effective 07/02/2022, in a self-imposed "social media detox" - focusing on offline social interactions and actions.
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                      • #13
                        I can see where in some applications, aluminum 'could' be as "effectively" strong as steel. After all, the entire Goldwing frame is aluminum. So, even with a steel hitch, the components are transmitting the forces to an aluminum frame. Where I think steel might have an advantage is in lateral and vertical flex. No matter how solid the hitch components are mounted, there is some lateral flexing of the components, vertical as well. This is why it is SO important that the hitch components be mounted directly to the frame and NOT the sub-frame.

                        The RIVCO hitch has the best design I have seen so far for the 2018 because all 6 mounting points are secured directly to the frame. There are other hitches that use the sub-frame for support. Not good! The thin, tubular steel used for the sub-frame is OK for saddlebags and a trunk, and even then, there are weight restrictions.
                        GOLDWING AND F6B MAINTENANCE VIDEOS
                        Save $1000 a year in labor by doing your own maintenance!

                        Website | YouTube | 2001-2017 Videos | 2018+ Videos

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                        Do you pull a trailer behind your bike? Or, do you haul your bike on a trailer?
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