Wanting to take my motorcycle ... travel trailer ...

[RB6]

Hi all, new guy here, hope I am not posting something in the inappropriate area.

I have had campers before but never anything other than that. I am recently retired and want to get into RV'ing for both local excursions as well as snowbirding to a minor degree. My desire is to stay in the 22-24' travel trailer size, pulling with a Tundra, however I also want to be able to take my touring motorcycle with me (850 lbs).

So far I see pretty much my only option as a toy hauler however I am suspect that the interior configuration will provide the level of comfort that a 22-24 w/slide non-toy hauler would ... and that too is important to me. I have seen lifts for the rear of motorhomes but I'm not wanting to go that big/sophisticated.

My question is what alternatives have you all tried or have had luck with? ... or am I pretty much going to have to go the toy hauler route? Any lifts or innovative ideas that I haven't seen yet online?

Thanks for the help.

[PenMan]

An 8 ft. bed is a standard. 6 1/2' is a short bed.

[ktmrfs]

George3037 wrote:

wanderingbob wrote:
I thought a "standard " bed was a 8 footer . Did that change ?

I don't know when it changed but the last 3 trucks I've owned had a standard bed which is about 6 1/2'. The long bed is an 8'er.

yes confusing to say the least. In days of old it was "long bed" or "short bed", and standard bed meant "long bed" But at least with GM by 2004 "std bed" meant "short bed"

[George3037]

wanderingbob wrote:
I thought a "standard " bed was a 8 footer . Did that change ?

I don't know when it changed but the last 3 trucks I've owned had a standard bed which is about 6 1/2'. The long bed is an 8'er.

[camperdave]

rose090999 wrote:
Just go get a Dual Sport 400 or 650 that weighs less than 400 lb's and put it in the bed of you truck. Unless you're going to Bike Week a dual sport bike would be much more enjoyable to cruise around the back fire roads, trails, or local town when camping anyway.

lol, that's like telling a 40 foot DP owner that they should just go buy a Roadtrek because you think it would work better for them.

[wanderingbob]

I thought a "standard " bed was a 8 footer . Did that change ?

[rose090999]

Just go get a Dual Sport 400 or 650 that weighs less than 400 lb's and put it in the bed of you truck. Unless you're going to Bike Week a dual sport bike would be much more enjoyable to cruise around the back fire roads, trails, or local town when camping anyway.

[falconbrother]

At MB Bike Weeks I pulled my bike on a trailer behind my motorhome. I see people carrying their bikes on 1/2 ton trucks and towing travel trailers. The guy camped next to me at the last one I RV'ed to was hauling his Road Glide in the back of a Dodge 1/2 ton and towing a trailer that I would put at about 27 feet. I would never do that. It's way too much weight on a 1/2 ton. I do think it would work on a 1 ton chassis though, like dually. Now I pull a trailer with a Suburban so, I ride to bike rallies and get a hotel room.

[4x4ord]

I haul an 800 lb motorcycle on a homemade lift behind my fiver. it works ok with 400 lbs of gravel placed in the bedroom closet for counter weight but I won't be fully satisfied until I install a third axle under the fiver. You also have to find a fiver with a very strong frame if you don't want to have issues. Here's a pic of mine:

Click For Full-Size Image.

[ktmrfs]

we go camping & riding quite a bit. Here is my $.02 experience.

1) you aren't going to be able to put the bike on the back of a TT, or with that heavy a bike on the back of a 5'r either. a 300lb bike on the back of a 5'er possibly but not 800lbs
2) A long bed is a BIG advantage over a std box. I have a 3/4 ton std bed and need to turn my KTM400 sideways in the bed.
3) with that weight and trailer tongue weight I suspect you are definitely into 3/4 or 1 ton territory.
4) In a 4x4 the bed I would NOT ever try getting a sport bike in the back. Even getting my KTM in the bed is usually a 2 person job for safety.
5) In my case I have 1400lb tongue weight and with bike in the bed and riding gear I am right at my denali 3/4ton GVW.

So...... take a look at some of the outback toyhaulers with the side entry ramp. they may fit your need nicely, still give reasonable inside room and with the side entry don't take as much space out of the living area.

[Ivylog]

Not sure about double towing in BC or any of Canada and usually the first hitch has to be a 5er/fifth wheel.

[jmtandem]

Dick_B wrote:
Maybe it's time to reconsider what type of ride around vehicle to take on camping trips. A pedal bicycle is lots easier to carry and a foldup one is even easier.

Maybe motorcycle riders want to ride a motorcycle and not a bicycle.

[Jay_Coe]

Small 5er and lightweight utility trailer?

[Dick_B]

Maybe it's time to reconsider what type of ride around vehicle to take on camping trips. A pedal bicycle is lots easier to carry and a foldup one is even easier.

[jmtandem]

My question is what alternatives have you all tried or have had luck with? ... or am I pretty much going to have to go the toy hauler route? Any lifts or innovative ideas that I haven't seen yet online?

Thanks for the help.

The Tundra will likely go away and you will need a stout truck. Then get a Rampage lift and put the motorcycle into the truck's bed. Rampage makes loading and unloading 850 pounds of motorcycle virtually effortless. But, you will definitely want a long bed and a one ton or heavy duty three quarter ton truck.