Fifth Wheels and Motorcycles

[normy41]

My wife and I are getting very close to moving to "Full Time RVing". We have one dilemma our 30K Harley Davidson motorcycle. We are still up in the air over Fifth Wheel w/ attached platform off the back supported by 1 or 2 wheels vs RV w/ trailer behind it. For me (and I am slowly convincing my wife) fifth wheel (may be toy hauler) or attached trailer that I was referencing earlier because I already have the truck to pull it. Or an RV w/ trailer behind it with motorcycle and small car inside of it. So I need a place to put my Harley when we make this move. Anyone on the Pros vs Cons of this idea?

Also when talking about the Harley, has anyone found any RV parks across America that actually has a small garage attached to the site? For anyone that rides motorcycles, there is a place in Georgia called Copperhead Lodge that caters strictly to "bikers". If you haven't seen the place or been there please check out their website to see what I am talking about referencing the garage. I would need to fine some parks across America that would have some kind of enclosure for that Harley.

Thank you to all that read this and "happy RVIing" hope to see ya'll on the road one day soon? Regards!

[fj12ryder]

attuco wrote:
... I think the Idaho Tote is legal in the Pacific Northwest.

Maybe it is, but unless you've pulled one there and been stopped and told it's okay by more than one LEO, it's very hard to be sure.

Add-on trailers, like the swivel-wheel types and Idaho Tote, are legal in some areas and not in other areas, and cause confusion to most LEO's. 🙂 I think that's the reason they don't get stopped more. We never got stopped and were in several states that don't allow double towing. It's just a **** shoot.

[fj12ryder]

attuco wrote:
My 2 cents: you have to sacrifice too much living space with a Toyhauler. I think the Idaho Tote is legal in the Pacific Northwest.

Not necessarily, it just depends on the model. We lose about 2 feet of living space when we take the motorcycles out and swing the wall back into position. That's one of the reasons we bought the Fuzion 383.

[meleavingsoon]

That will be a big seller....finally a designer with some creativity.

[attuco]

My 2 cents: you have to sacrifice too much living space with a Toyhauler. I think the Idaho Tote is legal in the Pacific Northwest.

[StirCrazy]

I saw this one at the Rv show last week. just enough space for a Harley and other than that you would never know its a toy hauler

cedar creek silverback

take a look at the pictures, not your typical toyhauler. inside you would never know it was one

Steve

[fj12ryder]

meleavingsoon wrote:
And there it is in a nutshell... we campers are always discontent and want more and more don't we 🙂

Just like car buyers, truck buyers, television buyers, cell phone buyers, cell phone plan buyer, etc. Tends to be the nature of the beast.

[meleavingsoon]

Veebyes wrote:
There is no getting everything you want. You lose living space with a toy hauler. Top end toy haulers are few. Short of custom frames & moving wheels aft to compensate for bike weight very few5ers of can carry more than a few hundred pounds on the back. Too many people want to carry too much stuff. Maybe a converted 53' semi with at least 6 slides is the answer

And there it is in a nutshell... we campers are always discontent and want more and more don't we 🙂

[Veebyes]

There is no getting everything you want. You lose living space with a toy hauler. Top end toy haulers are few. Short of custom frames & moving wheels aft to compensate for bike weight very few5ers of can carry more than a few hundred pounds on the back. Too many people want to carry too much stuff. Maybe a converted 53' semi with at least 6 slides is the answer

[Road_Phantom]

A Toyhauler would seem perfect for you. You could store the bike under the front overhang. A good boat shop can make a snap on tent enclosure for it.

[laknox]

normy41 wrote:
My wife and I are getting very close to moving to "Full Time RVing". We have one dilemma our 30K Harley Davidson motorcycle. We are still up in the air over Fifth Wheel w/ attached platform off the back supported by 1 or 2 wheels vs RV w/ trailer behind it. For me (and I am slowly convincing my wife) fifth wheel (may be toy hauler) or attached trailer that I was referencing earlier because I already have the truck to pull it. Or an RV w/ trailer behind it with motorcycle and small car inside of it. So I need a place to put my Harley when we make this move. Anyone on the Pros vs Cons of this idea?

Also when talking about the Harley, has anyone found any RV parks across America that actually has a small garage attached to the site? For anyone that rides motorcycles, there is a place in Georgia called Copperhead Lodge that caters strictly to "bikers". If you haven't seen the place or been there please check out their website to see what I am talking about referencing the garage. I would need to fine some parks across America that would have some kind of enclosure for that Harley.

Thank you to all that read this and "happy RVIing" hope to see ya'll on the road one day soon? Regards!

Without reading ahead:

1) Swivel-wheel totes are a great option, but aren't legal in a lot of states. Some states treat them as a trailer and they must be separately licensed. Those states likely don't allow double-towing and, because it's, according to them, a "trailer", it isn't allowed. Now you're stuck with how to get across that state if you get pulled over. Some states' LEOs will pull you over and hassle you even if it =is= legal because they have no clue. Lots and lots of "stories" here about guys who tow doubles and "never get pulled over" and guys who tow legally and =do= get pulled over.

2) To cover your bike, a) get a small pop-up shelter, b) enclose the front of a FW with snap-on tarps and park under there.

3) Get a TH. Just be sure that where you park that you can drop the tailgate to access the garage when you want to park the bike.

4) Get a MH with enclosed trailer that can double as a bike garage when not riding.

Lyle

[Cummins12V98]

TXiceman wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

R12RT wrote:

TXiceman wrote:
Toy hauler is your answer. No way should you hang the weight of a HD of the back of a 5er. The frames are not designed for that much weight.

Ken

Some frames can carry the load but they are few. New Horizons has no problem carrying it with their 18" frames and my Mobile Suites with a 16" frame has had no problems with over 40K miles on it.

Correction, DRV frames are 15". Two 2x6 and one 2x3 tubes stacked add up to 15".

I tow a Kendon two bike trailer behind my DRV. I would never give up my rear window!!!

Look carefully at the DRV stacked frame. They are NOT a full 15" frame through the entire length. The 2 x 3 section to give the total 15" height is only in the wheel attachment area. It also does not extend the 12" section all the way to the rear/

Ken

Here is my 39TKSB3 on the production line.

Correction again, first pic shows ALL 3 tubes to the end! Third pic the 3" tube shown runs the full length.

MORryde did add another shorter 3" tube below the full length bottom 3" tube when they raised the RV to run level.

[R12RT]

TXiceman wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

R12RT wrote:

TXiceman wrote:
Toy hauler is your answer. No way should you hang the weight of a HD of the back of a 5er. The frames are not designed for that much weight.

Ken

Some frames can carry the load but they are few. New Horizons has no problem carrying it with their 18" frames and my Mobile Suites with a 16" frame has had no problems with over 40K miles on it.

Correction, DRV frames are 15". Two 2x6 and one 2x3 tubes stacked add up to 15".

I tow a Kendon two bike trailer behind my DRV. I would never give up my rear window!!!

Look carefully at the DRV stacked frame. They are NOT a full 15" frame through the entire length. The 2 x 3 section to give the total 15" height is only in the wheel attachment area. It also does not extend the 12" section all the way to the rear/

Ken

This is inaccurate. You are referring to the riser that is added to raise the trailer to accommodate the higher tow vehicle. The frame itself is 15" for the full length of the lower frame.

[TXiceman]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

R12RT wrote:

TXiceman wrote:
Toy hauler is your answer. No way should you hang the weight of a HD of the back of a 5er. The frames are not designed for that much weight.

Ken

Some frames can carry the load but they are few. New Horizons has no problem carrying it with their 18" frames and my Mobile Suites with a 16" frame has had no problems with over 40K miles on it.

Correction, DRV frames are 15". Two 2x6 and one 2x3 tubes stacked add up to 15".

I tow a Kendon two bike trailer behind my DRV. I would never give up my rear window!!!

Look carefully at the DRV stacked frame. They are NOT a full 15" frame through the entire length. The 2 x 3 section to give the total 15" height is only in the wheel attachment area. It also does not extend the 12" section all the way to the rear/

Ken

[Bill1374]

Most of the eastern seaboard prohibits double towing and many states consider the swivel wheel as a trailer. I know for sure that NY does and pretty sure that VA does.
A lot of the new tow haulers have changed the interior designs to suit living and are worth looking at.