Do you love traveling on a motorcycle? If yes then pulling a pop up camper behind a motorcycle could be an awesome way to further enhance your experience. In this article, lets see best motorcycle pop up campers that you can own.
Living in a 40 feet motorhome gives you luxury, no doubt. But, it does not give you that freedom a motorcycle can give.
Many of us love traveling on motorcycles and having this little camper at your disposable increases the freedom to another level.
There are several motorcycle camper manufacturers, and in this list I have selected 9 of the best, reliable ones.
1. Aspen Lightweight Sentry
Coming in at 6 by 5 feet when closed you and your mate should find plenty of sleeping room in side. There is an included AC duct to help keep you cool when the nights are long and hot.
Once opened, you get 22 cubic feet of living space in a camper that weighs 325 pounds. Its $5,395 price tag is still affordable and leaves you money to get the accessories to match it to your bike colors, etc.
Lots of windows make sure you have good air ventilation. In addition to all of that you can get electric brakes to make sure the trailer stops when you stop.
2. Kompact Kamp Mini Mate
Once you find that perfect camping spot, this motorcycle pop up camper opens up to give you about 6 feet 4 inches of head room. On top of that, you have about 24 square feet of room to lay down in or read.
This pop up camper retails for about $3,195 and weighs a total of 265 pounds. Leaving you room for your gear weight. Then when you are ready to call it a day for traveling, it sets up in about 2 minutes. There is no delay in getting your rest. The camper is made from fiberglass to keep the weight down.
3. Roadman’s Queen Size camper
When you purchase this top pop up motorcycle camper you are in for a treat. Not only doe sit weigh under 300 pounds, it costs just under $5,000. The lightweight materials makes it easy on fuel consumption.
0plus you get about 100 by 35 inches of living space once the camper is brought to full size. Inside you will find a queen mattress to provide you and a partner with sleeping comfort.
In addition you have room for 225 pounds of gear, an aluminum luggage rack and diamond running boards. The trick is not to overload the camper with too much weight or your bike won’t handle the load.
4. Time Out Camper
When you do not want to sleep in a tent, the next best thing is to get your bike out and tow this little camper behind you. It is better than tent sleeping and a lot faster to set up. 3 Minutes is all it takes to get it ready for the night.
Once you are in position, this $3,995 camper folds out and lets you sleep on a queen sized mattress. The 345 pound trailer weight does not leave much room for your gear so pack wisely. There is 16 cubic feet of space just in case you need it.
5. Lee-sure Lite Excel
It is possible to not spend a lot and get a lot of camping room. This pop up camper for motorcycles costs a tad over $5,000. With that expense you get only 295 pounds of weight, leaving you room to carry the camping gear you need.
Its 30 cubic feet of storage space makes sure nothing is left behind. Measuring 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 feet in size, the camper expands to 11 feet once you open it up. Screened windows with awnings keep the bugs and the rain from ruining your getaway time. There is plenty of headroom inside as well.
6. Kwik Kamp II Camper Trailer
The next quality motorcycle pop up camper is the Kwik motorcycle camper which are very easy to setup and will take hardly 5 minutes to get going. It can be accomplished by a single person without the need of other person.
Even though they seem small you get real good room. They come with a king size bed, awning that can extend to provide extra living area, cooler on the front side and also a good storage. This is definitely a camper that gives more area for packing gears and other camping items.
They do weigh a little more as compared to others on this list. Even then, they can be easily towed by a standard motorcycle rated for towing.
Other thing that i like about this camper is their manufacturing quality which makes them durable and long lasting. As with other motorcycle campers, this too is easy to store and very compact.
Kwik camper has a 12″ hitch that makes it possible to be towed by a car or truck as well. How much does it cost? This camper can be bought at $3700.
7. Solace Deluxe Motorcycle Camping Trailer
This too can be setup in less than 5 minutes. Some of its notable features include below:
- Air conditioner port
- table
- 23 cubic fee cargo space
- good head room of more than 6 feet
- good dining and sleepign space
The setup is really easy and quick, a good option for a solo camper riding on a motorcycle. The cost of this camper is around $3500.
8. Roll A Home Wide Bed
When they say wide bed they mean wide bed. This 385 pound camper packs a king size mattress so you can feel like you are in the lap of luxury. Its 85 inch length and 72 inch width makes sure you can stretch out and not lose a wink of sleep due to cramped spacing.
When you are setting up you will find the fiberglass body holds 5 screened windows, LED lighting, and rubber torsion bar suspension. The overall cost of this camper is approx., $5,499 but it is worth it if you want to camp in style. It is possible to add a screened room for added living area.
9. Livin’ Lite Quicksilver 6.0 motorcyle camper
This is another popular maker of the motorcycle trailer that weighs very less and therefore can be towed using a motorcycle. They also have higher end campers that need car to tow. Even though its a modest camper it does provide a good living space with a sofa, and a bunk bed.
They have dry weight of 712 lbs and GVWR of 1286 lbs. Among other notable things to worry they do not include any water tanks also no propane tank.
The body material is mostly aluminum and a bunk material is soft shell. The flooring and sofa material is vinyl, the kitchen is centrally located. It comes with standard 12 month warranty, same for roof as well.
For price you need to contact the manufacture, it mostly varies at around $5900. This is definitely a worth it camper that gives you much needed freedom and space to live.
What can you expect inside such pop up campers
One thing you cannot expect is to find the same essentials that you would find in a top of the line Class A RV. What you are towing is basically a modified tent that is easy to put up and close up when the night is over.
These campers do not come with any facilities, bathing or cooking but some have a space where you could set up a camp stove or you go outside and build a fire. Make sure to park in a campground that has bathroom facilities unless you lie to dig a hole and crouch when nature calls.
Shower can be setup outside the camper. Remember, its a simplest way to live, camp and travel.
When you buy a motorcycle camping trailer what you are getting is just a place to stretch out and sleep. You are also getting a spot to lay out some gear so it is not damaged by the elements.
Head Room
If you are lucky you get enough head room to change your clothes for the evening or get dressed in the morning. In most of these camper you will get good headroom of more than 6 feet. That’s more than enough.
Costs
The good news about all of this is that you will not need to plug into any electrical outlets and pay additional fees for electrical usage. Nor will you have to pay any dumping charges either. In most cases, you would see that the gas bills will be your major part of expenses.
Does that mean pop up camper will reduce the gas mileage? No, with that much weight they only bring down the mileage by 3-8% only. Pulling such camper behind small cars like Prius, corolla or other smart car can be a great thing. You could simply use the space for living, sleeping instead of your car.
Motorcycle pop up campers on an average cost around $3000 to $4000. Price varies largely based on how much space they provide, compactness, weight and amenities they support.
A used motorcycle camper will cost you much less. You can check on forums and RV selling sites to find such great deals. Such campers can be used for years and therefore you will always find people selling their campers.
Bed
A queen size bed or even king size bed is possible with these campers. This setup is mostly for solo camper or a couple looking to travel and have a place to crash on at night.
Battery and Propane
You can have a small battery to power your electronics and other appliances like lights, heater. Propane tank can also be setup that will power our small fridge or heater.
Having a small solar panel will give you that extra power option. Solar is always a great power source as it does not cost anything. Also, its not going to take much space, you can store it anywhere in the camper.
Storage
With motorcycle alone you wont find this kind of storage. A pop up camper with bed will most likely have storage under the bed. The bed can be lifted to access this storage. As a solo or couple camper you will definitely love it.
What You Wont Find
The concept with such campers is simple; easy to tow, less weight and yet give you some kind of space, amenities to live. Its much better than having a simple tent trailer.
You wont have full kitchen, dinette or big fridge.
If you want motorcycle camper with ac then you may want to check on other trailers, none of the above mentioned campers include AC. Air conditioning will not be there as built in to cool you although you can get a portable AC.
Shower, bathroom aren’t included as well. The space does not allow such basic needs as well. Its up to you how you manage on this.
They do not have much insulation due to the canvas, its not going to be hard sided like tear drop trailer. So, this makes them vulnerable for harsh weather like winter cold, rain, storm and high heat summers.
Is It For You?
Such motorcycle pop up campers may not be for everyone. But, if you love riding bikes then this is a great option. You can ride as much as you love, see places and, at the same when time comes you can use the camper to sleep or rest.
The towing may not be much stressful if you choose the right weight trailer. Get the best camper which weighs light and then, you wont face issues towing them in traffic, snow, high wind or even rain.
Talking about rain, riding on motorcycle in rain is an issue. So, you can either dodge it by halting or avoid such weather by traveling at different regions. Its better to make a halt when it rains. The camper will be waterproof, your bike too but you need to protect yourself.
Other thing is, with such a camper its not suited for families. Its obvious isn’t it? You can have pillion rider and you can camp together. Probably a good idea is to go on a ride as a couple and have this facility to rest or sleep.
Read : Tips for using Pop Up Camper in better way
If you prefer better insulation then you may want to consider looking at motorcycle teardrop trailer.
Pros:
- A comfortable place to sleep
- No worries about ground dampness through the night
- A bug free environment
- Screened windows and entry way
- Lots of head room for the most part
- Extra storage space
- Convenient
- Saves you money on hotel bills, campground and other fees
- Living full time may not be easy during winter or hot summer
Cons:
- Breaking can be dangerous
- Ruin your tires easily with bad weight distribution
- Hard to go around curves at times
- Subject to wind influence from nature and big rigs
- Not all motorcycles can tow campers
- Need safety chains to protect against damage, and runaways
How much weight can a motorcycle tow
You may not have thought that a motorcycle could tow anything at all let alone a pop up camper. But, it is possible to use your motorcycle and enjoy the great outdoors. With some pop up campers you can bring along 225 pounds of gear but all of that packing will be for naught if you go past the towing weight of the bike.
Motorcycle pop up campers on an average weigh between 230 lbs to 360 lbs. The weight varies based on length, headroom and whatever amenities it provides.
Most road bikes can haul a fair amount of weight. For towing, the maximum capacity is up to 450 pounds on average. Some bikes will tow more and others will tow less. The way to figure out exactly how much weight your motorcycle can tow is simple.
Find the gross operating weight and that information should either be on the bike or in the owner’s manual. Then determine weight of the bike plus the wight of 1 or 2 people. Subtract the second figure from the first and that is how much weight your bike can tow.
To summarize on this, it all depends on the bike you own. A general rule is to avoid towing in excess of half the wet weight of the motorcycle.
There have been several camper trailers that can be towed by motorcycle. Many companies make and then they stop making them but you can always acquire one of those as a used one.
Motorcycle to tow the camper
A very few people are talking about which motorcycles are best to tow a pop up camper. Instead they are talking about how to tow campers safely with your motorcycle.
That tells you that if your bike has the power and towing weight capacity just about any brand will work. The more famous brands include Harley Davidson as some of their models are powerful enough to handle a camper behind it.
Then there are the BMWs, Yamaha, KTM, Ducati, Kawasaki which are made for all sorts of travelling. The BMWs do not sacrifice comfort so you can get to where you are going without any problem. Next up is the Goldwing as it is said to be able to pull another motorcycle, gear and still travel 85 mph without causing you any trouble.
Some motorcycle companies recommend that you do not tow a camper with a motorcycle unless you own a specific model of motorcycle.
You would have to check out the different motorcycle brands to see which model they made to tow a camper.
In Conclusion
It may seem like a great idea to tow a pop up camper behind your motorcycle. Not only do you save on fuel, you save on other expenses as well. Plus, you get a nice bed to stretch out and relax in.
What you are making up in convenience and comfort you are losing in amenities. Also, you may experience more wear on your clutch, tires, brakes and drive belt. But if it is just you then this may be the way to go camping.
