Ever got your car towed ... by a motorcycle? Behold the Retriever, a modified Honda Goldwing 1800 cc motorcycle that can tow most types of passenger cars. The Retriever, made by Swedish company Coming Through, has one distinct benefit: it can squeeze in between cars stuck on the road in a traffic jam caused by a broken-down car ahead.
http://www.comingthrough.se/main.php?lang=UK&page=pro - via The Red Ferret Journal
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
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.
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.