[Tangle Eye]

I've been trying to figure out a way to carry my bike when we pull our travel trailer on a camping trip. So far - the best I can come up with, short of buying a new "toy hauler" camper, is a bike trailer connected to the bumper of the travel trailer. Lots of things there I'm not comfortable with like - I can't see the trailer with the bike on it, very difficult to back up if I had to do that, I may be too long for some state regs with an additional trailer attached.

So - anybody on the forum have a way of carrying a bike and a travel trailer at the same time - I'd love to hear about it.

 

[billdksn]

The only state I know of that you can legally a 2nd trailer with a towed camper is Kansas, although I'm sure there are a few more. One thing I will say for certain is the you CANNOT back up with both the travel and bike trailers connected. The bike is also too heavy to mount a rack on the rear of the travel trailer, so it may be that the only way is to buy a ramp and put your bike in the bed of your truck. (assuming you have an open-bed truck and don't have a 5th wheel. (I ended up buying a toy hauler myself and love it.)

Of course you can always teach your wife/significant other to drive the rig while you follow on the bike! :lol:

 

[Tangle Eye]

LOL - billdksn - my wife can drive the truck/trailer as long as nothing unusual is going on but I doubt she'd try it by herself. I think we'll probably opt for a toy hauler in the next couple of years but I'm not quite ready right now.

BTW - what toy hauler do you guys have? The only one I've looked at closely is the Raptor 5th wheel.

 

[earl60446]

How about you ride the bike and the wife can follow with the camper rig.
You could also teach the wife to ride the bike so you can switch off when it starts to rain.

Tim

 

[shroomhead]

...You could also teach the wife to ride the bike so you can switch off when it starts to rain.

Tim

Good one!

 

[sonnybass]

bike in back of truck???? Doesn't work for me because I have a fifth wheel camper. I have been looking at toy haulers and travel trailers because of that. But for now when I camp I fish. When I ride the MC I don't camp. But that will change one day!!!!!

 

[Tangle Eye]

Well I DO have a travel trailer but my truck is a dual-cab affair with a 6.5 foot bed (I think). The tail gate has to be shut to make sure I have good clearance for turning the trailer. So - the bike won't fit in the back of the truck. The bike is 8 ft 2 inches long.

 

[billdksn]

Tangle Eye:

I got a Dutchmen Victory Lane toyhauler last year and it's perfect. Traded my 30' 5th wheel in and got better living space and a 10' garage to boot! Here are a few pix from last year. http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/552656525afazRJ?start=0 Best of luck!

 

[shrek]

Re: Travel trailers and motorcycles...what options are there

got pics of your rig tangle?

 

[Circles]

billkdsn, very nice rig, now that's my kind of camping. What size is your pickup, 1 ton?

 

[MikeB]

I'm also thinking of getting a toy hauler. Of all the ones I've seen the best value seems to be a Carson Funrunner. http://www.carsontrailer.com/

They are vastly cheaper than most other brands because they have fewer of the foo-foo details like oak-panelled cabinets, but DO have all of the same appliances, etc. And because Carson is a commercial trailer company rather than an RV company their stuff is industrial strength. I don't know if they are well-represented back east, but you might check for a dealer. Even if you had to come to CA to get one it would be economical -- a fully equipped (a/c, awning, 6 cuft fridge, etc.) front bathroom 22' model goes for $15,400. Side bath is about 2 grand less.

 

[Aeromark99]

By sheer coincidence, Mrs. Aeromark and I were at Cleveland's RV show last night and came across KZ trailer's Coyote Rockclimber - which has an 8'X8' toy deck at the FRONT of the camper. We're big fans of slideout 'tent' beds - you can still hear crickets chirp, birds sing in the morning, and aren't totally isolated from the outside world. One floorplan has THREE slideout beds. Plus that same floorplan has a slideout for the sofa - so it opens up real nice on the inside. An open, airy, roomy feel to it.

 

[mountain bike mike]

i feel your pain, tangle eye. we have a travel trailer that we pull with our expedition suv. i wish i had a truck so i could put my bike in the bed, as that is the only option is see. i plan on getting a diesel-powered long bed someday so i can do just that.

 

[Trueseaker]

This is just an idea Tangle Eye; could you load your bike on a 2x10 centered in the back of the truck, leaving the tailgate off all together? The plank would hold the back wheel of your bike and this setup may still give you enough clearance to maneuver your trailer, provided the crank on your landing gear doesn't hit anything.

 

[austinopa]

I'm building one

I'm in the same boat, with a 5th wheeler. I am looking at mounting dual front mount receivers on my 3/4 ton truck and using a ramp type carrier. (FYI You can pull two trailers at a time in Texas, but I wouldn't be able to see the second one)

 

[CBOLLING]

Try these links. They might be what you are looking for.

http://joehauler.com/

http://www.blueox.us/Carriers/carriers.htm

 

[Tangle Eye]

Try these links. They might be what you are looking for.

http://joehauler.com/

http://www.blueox.us/Carriers/carriers.htm

Now that Blue Ox Sport Loader is a cool product. That just might fill the bill and allow me to put off a toy hauler purchase for a couple of years. I'd have to measure the clearance between the back of that unit to the trailer jack to make sure everything would work OK but that sure looks like a good option at this point. Thanks for the link!

 

[txspirit]

you could build one of these yourself
http://www.campingtrek.com/carriers.html

 

[bearkatbiker]

I had a buddy that took a standard enclosed trailer with a side door and he fitted out the enterior to make his own travel trailer/toy hauler. It really filled the bill for him.

The bed and tables would fold up flat on the wall and then fold down either for whatever function you needed. He also added a heater/cooling unit on the top and mounted a generator on the tounge. I'm sure something similiar could be done to a 5th wheel trailer as well.

he had more plans in the future to build and modify as he went..including dropping a section of the floor a few inches for a new table area.

When they were done camping...everything folded up and went into compartments and they loaded up a trike and motorcycle with room to spare.

 

[trainer49]

When we just go camping, we take our popup. If we want to take the bikes, we pull then on a trailere behind the truck and use our big tent for camping. Works out well for us.