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.

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.

 

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.

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.

 

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

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.

Photos courtesy of Chris Collard