Toy-Hauling Trailers

Motorcycles are a blast to ride, but not everyone loves to live off one. Lets face it, for those of us glampers out there, squirming down into small fabric coffin passed off as a tent isn’t really that attractive. We, or our significant others, like to return to a comfy base camp with cold beers and a soft bed in the evening. There are also those who love to camp off their motorcycles, but maybe don’t like the idea of an iron-butt ride across the country’s pavement to reach their destination. So what are these discerning riders to do about such problems?

Well if you’re okay with sticking to paved or graded roads, and sleeping in campgrounds next to Jim, Bob, Jan, and twelve of your other closest neighbors, you can certainly buy a standard toy hauler. After all, they do have plenty of room, can be purchased for an acceptable price when used, and will move your toys across long stretches of interstate with ease. If you prefer to get away from it all though; to escape the hustle and bustle into the back country, you’ll need something a little more capable. For these more adventurous campers, a new kind of off-road toy haulers is emerging, one that will let you take your motorcycle and your campground far way from Jimmy and his generator. We decided to take a look at this new generation of trailer, and have assembled the following list as a guide to the most common options.

 

Note: The following list is meant to serve as a basic guide for motorcycle hauling trailers. If you feel we have made a mistake or missed a key trailer, let us know! We’re always happy to make changes and additions. It should also be noted that the products below are listed in alphabetical order only, and in no way reflect our preferences or any sort of rank or rating. Happy trails!

 

Adrenalin Camper

The Adrenalin camper is one of those awesome products that has somehow managed to slip by mostly unnoticed in the industry. It’s built out of folded aluminum for weight savings and corrosion resistance, features an independent air-bag suspension, and utilizes a strut assisted flip-top that opens up into a very large hard floored tent and changing room. The current model is called the Blaze, which besides sounding like a five year old named it, is actually really cool. It includes a host of standard features that are expensive upgrades on other trailers, and is the only model to provide such a large sleeping space. Of course that comes with a hefty price tag, and the well equipped “base” model comes in at $17,500. A good deal for what you get, but far from the cheapest in our lineup. All the standard and optional features, as well as the website, can be found below.

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STANDARD FEATURES:

  • 0.118 Thick All American Steel Chassis
  • Folded 0.118-Thick Aluminum Body
  • Fully Independent Swing Arm with Air Bag and Shock Absorber
  • Standard 225/75/15 rated “E” trailer tire with matching spare
  • 3-Burner Stainless Steel Stove
  • 20-Gallon Food Grade Water Tank, Stainless Steel Sink with Electric Pump
  • Queen-Size Bed, 4″ Foam Mattress
  • 4X Waterproof 450g High-Quality Canvas
  • Fully Enclosed Awning, PVC Floor, 3 Split Walls for Easy Assembly
  • Full Width Front Tool Box Plus under-Bed Storage
  • Custom 360-Degree 4WD Tow Coupler
  • Heavy-Duty Dual Pin, Foldaway Jacks
  • Heavy-Duty Jockey Wheel to Make Moving Easy
  • 10″ Electric Off Road Brakes, Hand Brake
  • All Exterior & Interior LED Lights
  • AGM Battery, USB and 12 volt outlets all with fuses.

 

COMMON OPTIONS:

  • ATV ramps
  • Custom body paint
  • Additional top carry capacity (from 800 up to 1500 lbs)
  • Additional Awning (a second complete 9ft x 16ft room with walls, floors and awnings
  • Wheels/Tires – LT 285/75/16 all terrain tires with 8″ aluminum wheel

 

For more information, check out the Adrenalin Campers website here.

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AT Overland Flat Bed

AT Overland may just be the most well-known trailer manufacturer in the market. They have been innovating and improving upon their products for over ten years now, and their hard work and painstaking research have resulted in a very capable and dependable line of trailers. The flat bed model is their newest addition to the fleet, but utilizes many of the same features that make the Chaser and the Horizon great.

The design was intended for hauling motorcycles, ATVs, side by sides, construction supplies, and even military equipment, so it utilizes a heavy duty boxed ladder frame. The chassis is then mated to AT’s 4th generation Trailing Arm Air Suspension (TAAS), which gives the platform excellent handling on the road and trail. This type of suspension also has the added benefit of allowing the user to adjust each side of the trailer independently to compensate for load differences. Configurations are adjustable and can be varied widely through the use of aircraft grade cargo track. In fact, AT claims over 400 possible tie down locations on this setup for securing a load or accessories.

Although their stock configurations are relatively simple, Adventure Trailers specializes in custom jobs and can build just about anything you can dream up. One of their latest custom trailers can be seen below with room for motorcycles, automatic wheel chocks, a lift-able roof for easy loading, a reinforced cage to hold a roof top tent, a water tank, a battery system, and more. Prices start at $7,200.

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STANDARD FEATURES:

  • Trailing Arm Air Suspension, TAAS 4.0 with Timken bearings
  • Heavy duty laser cut chassis, powder coated plus corrosion protection
  • Side protection bars
  • 2” Receiver type tongue and 2” rear accessory/recovery receiver for accessories up to 150 lbs
  • Fiberthane composite deck with polyurethane textured bedliner coating
  • Aircraft grade cargo restraint track
  • D.O.T. compliant LED lighting and reflectors
  • Standard textured black chassis and suspension

 

COMMON OPTIONS:

  • The mid-section of the tongue of the Teardrop trailer has a built in skid plate and is used to house the optional fuel cans, generators etc
  • Electric brakes, while not required for a trailer in its class, are highly recommended
  • A large nose box can be fitted at the front of the tongue and is typically used to house deep cycle batteries, battery chargers, solar controllers, inverters, 12 volt outlets, or just extra storage.
  • A Multi-axis Max Coupler for articulated travel on & off pavement, D.O.T. & S.A.E. J684 tested to 6000 lbs
  • 12 volt power systems, 110/120 volt shore charging, solar charging

 

For more information, check out the AT Overland website here.

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Bivouac Camping M.O.A.B. Yak

Bivouac is located in the heart of Arizona, and was founded by two friends back in 2008. The team offers a few different trailer options, but their heavy-hauler is dubbed the Yak. Like all of the trailers on our list, it was designed to haul ATV’s and dirt bikes, but the Yak can also accommodate larger vehicles like side by sides on its reinforced lid. It has 82.5 cubic feet of internal storage which can be used for gear or, interestingly enough, for a roof top tent slide. It is certainly unique, and it allows the owner to store their tent in a protected dry space, as well as deploy it without disturbing the cargo. As an added bonus, it keeps the CG nice and low.

The Yak is cheaper than some of its competitors, but that comes with some sacrifices in refinement and capability. You won’t find an air suspension, shock absorbers, or even a 360 degree coupler, just a pure heavy-duty utility trailer with enough clearance to get you into the back country. All features and accessories can be seen below, and pricing starts at just $5,000 for the base model.

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STANDARD FEATURES:

  • Powder coated frame
  • Diamond plate tongue deck
  • Jeep fenders with side steps
  • 5000 lbs. torsion axle with electric brakes
  • 32″ off-road tires with aluminum wheels
  • enclosed locking cargo space
  • Front swivel jack
  • Front 2″x2″ receiver with 2″ ball coupler and rear 2″x2″ receiver.

 

COMMON OPTIONS:

  • Steel, front tongue box
  • Rear cargo glide
  • Ayer, 2 person tent
  • Kukenam, 3 person tent
  • Spare tire gate with tables
  • 32″ Spare tire and mount
  • 10′ Aluminum folding ramps

 

For more information, check out the Bivouac Camping website here.

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Military Surplus Trailers

Alright, we know it’s not really fair to include these in the list, but lets face it, they deserve a spot. M101 trailers, and those similar to them, present a serious value proposition to any motorcycle owner who needs a capable flatbed. For starters they are cheap, and we mean DIRT cheap. Many can be had for as little as $500-$1000, which will leave a whole lot of cash for your accessories or your next adventure. They are also designed for heavy-duty military use, giving most of them an enormous payload capacity along with a very durable frame. They use cheap, reliable, and simple technology, making them easy to work on; and they’ll outlast you if cared for properly. The biggest disadvantage to these trailers is weight. While their suspensions can be changed, living systems can be added, and a new paint job can help the look, they will always be rolling hunks of steel.

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STANDARD FEATURES:

  • 3/4 ton single axle
  • Welded steel frame and tub
  • Heavy-duty tailgate
  • Mounting brackets for frame and tarpaulin cover
  • Steel a-frame tongue with one-position lunette
  • Drop-down “landing gear”
  • Two hand brake levers

 

COMMON OPTIONS:

  • Roof tent
  • Matching hubs, wheels, and tires
  • Welded lid
  • Battery system

 

 

Turtleback Trailers

Rumor has it that Turtleback is developing a purpose built trailer as this is written to take on these heavy-hitting haulers. While we don’t have specifics, we do know it will boast some serious squarefootage for your toys, while still incorporating the conveniences that make the turtleback line great. We hear that it will be hitting events as early as this summer, and we look forward to seeing them on the trails soon. Sneak peek photos courtesy of Turtleback Trailers

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STANDARD FEATURES:

  • Unknown

COMMON OPTIONS:

  • Unknown

To see other great products by Turtleback Trailers, check out their website here.

 

XVENTURE

The XV series is another line of trailers that we’ve had plenty of experience with. (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 may be seen here.) Although not the most graceful options out there, they proved to be some of the most rugged trailers to come through our testing, handling everything we threw at them with durability to spare. Their aluminum non-weld design utilizes over 300 huck-bolts to fasten the components together, and each bolt can withstand 5000lbs of pressure on its own. Sure, they might not be purpose built for hauling ATVs and dirt bikes like some of the models in this lineup, but the combination of their heavy payload capacity, strong tailgates, and reinforced tie-down points make them perfect for the job.

The XV is available in different configurations ranging from a bare trailer all the way up to a rolling home on wheels. The pricing varies as much as the options, spanning anywhere between $10,000 and $22,000 depending on your level of comfort.

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Photos courtesy of Chris Collard

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STANDARD FEATURES:

  • All Aluminum Construction XV military grade chassis
  • 10 Year Chassis Warranty
  • Stamped Deck
  • Heavy-Duty Removable Tailgate
  • Military Grade Interior and Exterior Tie-Downs
  • Electric Brakes
  • Dual Independent Manual Brakes
  • Max Coupler Tri-Axis Hitch
  • Independent Torsion Axle Suspension
  • Front wheel jack
  • 32″ Tires
  • Locking Front Storage Cabinet
  • Emergency Breakaway System
  • LED lighting to include super bright Reverse Light Clusters
  • 2 adjustable height military rear stabilizers.
  • 3 Piece Step-Style Fenders – Designed to support full sized adults to access rack cargo
  • 2: Rear D-Rings – These are Air Lift Rated

 

COMMON OPTIONS:

  • Power Distribution Center – Completely wired with 6 fused switchable supply ports – This allows you to integrate up to 6 electronic accessories like additional lights, compressors, pumps, charging units etc., to a fused circuit that is remotely switchable from the control center switch block.
  • Exterior mounted weather proof 110V Shoreline-In réceptacle
  • Exterior mounted weather proof 110V output réceptacle
  • Exterior mounted USB and solar panel Input/Output ports
  • 50 AH Deep Cycle Battery, inverter, and charger. – We have optional GoalZero Yeti power systems available including Solar Panels.
  • Cargo bed mounted 12VOLT receptacles – Recepticals on either side of bed at rear
  • Truxedo Toneau Cargo Bed Cover
  • Poly Urea (Line-X) Coating – Cargo Bed Interior and Front Exterior Wall, Chassis, Fenders, Storage Cabinet
  • 3M Body Wrap in Any Color – Exterior Side Panels (Sides and Tailgate
  • Galley Table – All Metal, 89″ x 18″ folding. Fits Side accessory recievers
  • Spare Tire Carrier
  • Water Tank with Electric Pump (20L)
  • Water Heater (Propane)
  • Propane Tank (20LB)

 

For more information, check out the Xventure website here.

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Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Chris didn’t receive a real taste of the outdoors until moving to Prescott, Arizona, in 2009. While working on his business degree, he learned to fly and spent his weekends exploring the Arizona desert and high country. It was there that he fell in love with backcountry travel and four-wheel drive vehicles, eventually leading him to Overland Journal and Expedition Portal. After several years of honing his skills in writing, photography, and off-road driving, Chris now works for the company full time as Expedition Portal's Senior Editor while living full-time on the road.