Cargo bed for motorcycle storage questions/alternatives?

[basura]

as part of my 'retirement' plan - I hope to pull a 20-24 foot travel
trailer and wander North & Central America.

have an '05 4X2 AC V8 on order as the pulling power - and a nice drive

questions - I am planning on a travel trailer rather than a 5th wheel so I can also haul my '82 Yamaha 550 Seca street bike for touring, and running for a few groceries (beer)

1 - any suggestions as to how I get the bike off & on by myself?

2 - was thinking of a cap for more lockable space - I've seen some that look high enough in the rear to get a bike on - any comments or suggestions?

great group - I ordered my AC early Jan - they now say it will be mid Mar - getting impatient - phantom gray

thanks,
Sandy - Ottawa, Can

[Buzzard]

I saw a trailer the other day with a small deck on the back of the trailer. It had a ramp that hindged down. You could roll the bike onto the deck lift the ramp an it became the back side of the deck. Dont know if it was built by the owner or could be bought. Looked like a very good idea. ---Buzz

[xedge]

Originally Posted by basura

as part of my 'retirement' plan - I hope to pull a 20-24 foot travel
trailer and wander North & Central America.

have an '05 4X2 AC V8 on order as the pulling power - and a nice drive

questions - I am planning on a travel trailer rather than a 5th wheel so I can also haul my '82 Yamaha 550 Seca street bike for touring, and running for a few groceries (beer)

1 - any suggestions as to how I get the bike off & on by myself?

2 - was thinking of a cap for more lockable space - I've seen some that look high enough in the rear to get a bike on - any comments or suggestions?

great group - I ordered my AC early Jan - they now say it will be mid Mar - getting impatient - phantom gray

thanks,
Sandy - Ottawa, Can

Welcome future Tundra Owner!! Nice bike too!!! I think you'd be hard pressed to get a bike under a cap/shell even if its a "stepped" or "wedged" shaped one. I had a stepped-shaped A.R.E. on my last Toyota and true it did give me a larger opening in the back (I camped in it quite a bit & it gave me more head room), my 92 Seca wouldn't had fit with the shell on. Not to mention the angle of approach if you use ramps and being by yourself. Granted you can always use a bank to cut th angle down, but whenever I planted my bike in the back of my truck, the cap came off. I don't know if any of this helps or not. Good luck with new purchase and retirement plan. It sounds awesome.

[PbdBlue]

There's a local company (Callen Camper) here in Southern California that makes custom shells. They are steel/aluminum construction and are very well made. I have several friends that own them and haul motorcycles inside. The downside is they are heavy (probably ~500 lbs). Between the shell, bike and trailer I think you're probably going to be well over the GCWR rating of a Tundra. You could add airbags but it still will probably be marginal at best. I hate to say it but in this instance you would probably be better off going with one of the domestic 3/4 ton trucks or wait for the HD Tundra. If you go with one of the "lite" trailers and no cap you might just make the limit. Don't forget to include all the weight of your personal gear as well as food and water (50 gal water tank = 400 lbs). Trailer manufacturers are notroius for underestimating the weights of their models.

[bpbillings]

If you mounted a 2" hitch receiver on the rear of the trailer, you can use a hitch mounted motorcycle carrier. If you do go this route, I would suggest getting one with an upright support. This stabilizes the motorcycle's movement when accelerating and braking. I use one on my Tundra to carry my KTM RXC 620. Its a little bit of a challenge to get it on the carrier, because it is fairly high up. On a trailer the carrier would be lower and more managable.

It would be a significant challenge getting a motorcycle in the bed of a truck with a cap on it. Especially a bike as heavy as yours.

As far as caps go. I like the Snugtop for the Tundra. The side screens slide out so you can access the bed from the side windows, but still have the screen option. Also the front window folds down so the exterior sides of the windows between the cab and cap can be cleaned easily. The latch security is quite robust and the ability to lock yourself in the cab but also unlock from the inside was a good feature. Price seems high, but when comparing the standard Snugtop to a Leer with the options to get it to Snugtop level, the prices are comparable.

[glennk]

Have you considered a toy hauler? Not knowing what kind of amenities you require, but this can be a solution. Just drive your bike in, strap it down and your ready to go. I have been in a couple of these and they are really nice. They can be a bit pricey though.