Motorcycle Hauling Adventure Van

Two weeks and 2500 miles in to my new 2017 4x4 and as my kids would say, "Dad, you're junk'n it down already".

Plan is to make this a motorcycle hauler, track camper, and occasional adventure travel van. My plan is to go light on the permanent interior installs in order to keep some versatility and adaptability.

Two motorcycles and folding bunk beds will go in the rear and a very basic stove storage, refrigerated cooler and food storage area in front of the bulkhead The hole in the ply bulkhead is to allow a wheel chock and part of a front tire to protrude through. That allowed me to place the bulkhead 86 inches from the end of the floor rather than 90 inches. The wheel chocks will be welded to a 3"x3" steel "L" flange that is in turn bolted to the floor with the existing pad eyes. The bunks will be pipe berths like what you might find on a boat (which is where all of my buildout experience is). The ply walls were scarfed to make single panels and will be covered with hull liner and held in place with cargo track on the right and poplar trim on the left, bunk side. Those pieces will secured with rivnuts.

I'll install a relatively small house battery system as I will almost always have access to electricity or have my tire warmer generator available. No plans to cook inside the van but I want to store a banquet size propane grill. Not yet sure where I'll put the propane tank(s). I have some 10 lb. aluminum tanks but they are all vertical mount so that means I would need an interior locker. Finally, no plans at this time for any plumbing or bathroom facilities as I will not be doing much if any remote camping.

I have done some searching to see if anyone else has built somethings similar but could only find versions that were far more dedicated haulers rather than campers.

Any input would be appreciated.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=93222&stc=1&d=1516232981

Sounds similar to my plans for my 144" HR 4x4 that I just purchased. Making it modular is a priority so I can still haul lake items when needed.

Uses:
- Haul two Big ADV bikes (GSA and KTM 990)
- Provide sleeping for one person only while there drives
- Haul two or three (or four) Dual sports or MX bikes to track or desert
- Mainly driving to destination and unloading - Loops from motel for day rides
- Camper for sleeping and MTN bikes
- bikes underneath
- Camper
- No bikes or dual sport on rear bumper

I'm working up my build (insulation, floor, ceiling, fan, heater, awning, solar, bed, etc.)
I plan to go with ADV wagons bed so I can use only two panels when hauling bikes and use bed as a gear shelf just above bikes seats. I'll use a lot of L-track on walls, floor and ceiling and might go with Risk Racing Lock N Load system on the floor for two bikes. Everything will be removable.

Indeed, very similar pans. How are you going to do the sleep one (person) while haul two (bikes)? Platform bed? I thought about and looked at all of the options and the issue i get stuck on is where do you put the platform sections while loading or unloading? That's what led me to the folding pipe berths. My thought is I could have the beds independently supported so that the upper bunk could be lowered over the port side bike and one could sleep while someone else drives or more likely in my case , I pull over and sleep when I get too tired to drive.

Yes, platform a bed (Adventurewagaon Moab bed).

Non-sleeping config with bikes - I measured 45" from floor to clear the motorcycle seats so I'll use only two of the Moab bed sections as shelves to carry gear when in this mode and mount the adjustable height Moab bed at 45" above floor.

Sleeping config with bikes - Mount the bed at 53" above floor with all three sections so it clears the gas tanks and handlebars. There certainly isn't a lot of room above the bed to sleep but I plan to only use this for sleeping in limited occasions or while one person is driving.

Non-bike config - Mount the Moab bed at the height that makes the most sense depending on people, cargo and gear.

When building my travel van, it was imperative to have a way to haul one or more motorcycles. I used a garage storage rack system from Home Depot to mount a queen size bed frame and it is capable of being raised up to the ceiling. I was easily able to haul my ZX10R and since have been able to get my Africa Twin inside with minimal difficulties. I have attached my google album, the first few pictures are irrelevant, but the rest might be of assistance. With this setup, I could easily load in and haul 2 dirtbikes with the bed up or down and depending on how you setup the bed support, you could have toooons of storage under the bed.


https://goo.gl/photos/Fk8B9YHwTWCmWFHA6

3 bikes and gear in my 144.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

None of my "projects" are ever truly complete but here is my Sprinter Van 1.0

Plywood covered with marine Hull Liner covers the sides, a Murphy bed with six inch foam covered with matching gray Sunbrela is to the left, cedar planks stained light gray comprise the headlight. The right side panel is secured with aircraft cargo track held in with Rivnuts. Barely visible in the picture in the front is an opening counter top that holds my galley gear. On the left side is a counter that positions my Dometic cooler at the perfect height to open and make a sandwich on the center counter. Under the cooler, I store a large two burner propane stove. For now, I am storing the propane tank under the center counter. On the other side of that counter, behind the seats is a folding table accessible when the side door is open. The floor space in the center gets filled with tool boxes holding track spares and generator. There is an aux. battery under the passenger seat that gets topped up with a 12v to 12 v charger when the engine is running. The lights are low draw LED and you can see the ARB compressor in the left rear corner.

With the Pit Bull trailer restraints (through bolted) I can load two bikes and all of the track tac in about 45 minutes. I can't say enough about the versatility of the trailer restraints. Two units and the adaptors for every bike I own mean no more cargo straps. With the bed folded up, you see the mounts that hold Pit Bull Track stands. In the picture, I have loaded my Triumph Thruxton and a Yamaha YZ250 for a long weekend of riding in the Georgia mountains

When I go mountain biking, I position a Thule roof rack with four bike mounts between the wheel wells. For now I secure it with cargo straps but eventually I will get around to securing the tower bases to the floor. The shelf on the left side is lacking a restraint system but the open nature allows helmets and or bedding to be easily accessible. Track suits, clothes, back packs hang on the right side from the top cargo track and stay close to the wall behind the cargo net.

The arrangement of the motorcycles is very simple and intuitive. So simple that when I had on "off" back in May that led to an ambulance ride, I returned to the track that evening to find my van loaded and organized almost as if I had done/directed it myself.

Future projects include a roof rack and ladder so that I can get some kayaks on the roof. For now I am taking a break to use it rather than work on it. To that effort, I have put on 21,000 miles in 10 months of ownership.

heres how I have my van setup, and its worked out great for me for hauling up to 3 motorcycles.
basically I went out to harbor freight and picked up the tracks and bolted them directly into the original floor, and then I got some hand-e-track inserts with threads that mount into the tracks so that wheel chocks can be mounted to the them, and they can be positioned in any one of the slots on the tracks themselves, they are now offset for 2 forward and one in middle setting, no issues with handlebars (unfortunately I don't have a pic of 3 bikes for some reason, but they were a bonneville, r6, and a ducati sport classic, with the ramp strapped to rear standing up)
I use canyon dancers alone basically, after thousands of miles with bikes in the back, they are facing forward and basically jamming the bike in forward position. Ideally I guess you can run a strap to the back too just to be safe, but the vans suspension is basically taking care of any bumps etc.
I also ran those truck bed lights all around, I think theres about 12 REALLY bright LEDs all around on the roof basically making it daylight inside there no matter how dark it is outside.
ive had everything from a tiny scooter to a fully dressed HD Ultra classic and everything in between.
ill post a few pics so you can see how this all goes together, hope that helps

didn't cost me too much at the end, I think tracks ended up being $40, and-e-tracks were $30ish, wheel chocks I already had but they can be bought at harbor freight for about $30 a piece or so, and canyon dancers are around $30 each if I remember. ramp I already owned for years and used in my other vans and trucks for loading bikes, so thats personal preference, just gotta make sure its arched so no bike can scrape.

If you're planning tire warmers for a 90" long motorcycle, I'm guessing you're hauling a supermotard.

We're planning on building a 170 or 170 extended Sprinter to haul one or two standard-sized sporting motorcycles, which would place that forward "bulkhead" at about 81". The loft bed we build over it, will be removeable, but at a fixed height of about 44" to clear the windscreens. If our plans change, our design will allow us to alter the height of the loft bed.

kwlr3 said:

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With the Pit Bull trailer restraints (through bolted) I can load two bikes and all of the track tac in about 45 minutes. I can't say enough about the versatility of the trailer restraints. Two units and the adaptors for every bike I own mean no more cargo straps. With the bed folded up, you see the mounts that hold Pit Bull Track stands. In the picture, I have loaded my Triumph Thruxton and a Yamaha YZ250 for a long weekend of riding in the Georgia mountains

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I have to thank you for the Pit Bull Trailer restraint suggestion. I plan to have mine installed over the next couple of months. Can you remember if you used the standard 2" bolt or did you need longer ones? Also, where are you keeping your ramps in transit? I am torn between hanging it on the wall or laying E-track on the floor so it doesn't slide.

I'm not familiar with how the pitbull system but maybe u could mount it to a 1/4" plate of aluminum and then attach that to L/E track when u need it....that's how I did mine

Bob

Four dual sports and four guys in a 144" HR - to Death Valley. Six guys total - great weather and conditions!

MotoXPress said:

Four dual sports and four guys in a 144" HR - to Death Valley. Six guys total - great weather and conditions!

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Okay, so I have a Mototote. I was thinking I could do 2 sportbikes in the crew, and one on the hitch. My question though is how much rear sag do you get by adding the extra fulcrum of weight on the back in addition to everything inside the van?

I didn’t see any sag when adding the 500 lb KTM 990.

Subscribed.

We bought the 2006 118” primarily for track day hauling (GSX-R750 ~ 81”). Sometimes we may take two: Tiger 1050 is 83”, WR250R and R90/6 are 86”. We have an Aluma 548 trailer if needed.

Usually we use a Condor Pit Stop to hold the bike up and four straps. Terrific product.

Not planning any permanent build other than insulation, wall covering and L Track. Have a folding REI Cot to sleep on, 12V fan and a Coleman thermoelectric cooler. At several of the tracks we can rent garage space which includes 120VAC, or a power hookup. I have an EU2000i but won’t usually need it. Usually cool enough at night that AC is not needed and in Fall plug in a Quartz heater.

There are a number of van build-out threads on Advrider, the main one now is the “Big bad van” thread. There is also a Sprinter thread. Availability of ProMaster and Transit has greatly expanded this market. First van was a Ford E250, last van was a medium roof standard wheelbase Transit with EcoBoost, only fit out was insulation and tie downs. We used a marine product called Soundown.

Garandman said:

Subscribed.


Usually we use a Condor Pit Stop to hold the bike up and four straps. Terrific product.

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I don't have any personal photos yet, but I recently invested in the www.boltiton.com product.



Lots of configurations for dirt/street bikes.

Check list:
Thermal insulated garage with partition within the Van
Rideable ramp
Pitbull restraints

Hauling:
BMW S1000RR
Energica Ego Black
Kymco 400i Scooter
Yamaha YZ450