DANGER! DON'T DO WHAT I DID.

Sage44 · Oct 23, 2021

Please learn from my very serious mistake of thinking that our sweet little Honda Trail could be carried on the back of a camp trailer without giving it a second thought. Wrong! The weight of the hitch, HF motorcycle carrier, and the Honda Trail created a "Tongue Light" dynamic which caused severe instability the moment I reached freeway speeds. At that point I cancelled my journey and proceeded to educated myself on the importance of weighing your trailer and then weighing your tongue weight to determine if you have achieved a stable weight distribution. My 19ft trailer and tow vehicle Tundra with an equalizer hitch have always been incredibly stable, but the day I decided to bring my Honda along, changed everything and could have been catastrophic. Please do the research and tow safely.

op46 · Oct 23, 2021

Damn exactly what I want to do too but I have two CT125s and was planning on putting one in back and one in front of my yet to be delivered 2022 23ft. Oliver Legacy Elite II travel trailer. Thats a 500lb addition but 250lbs each so was hoping to balance it out. Working with Oliver Travel trailers on the feasibility of this approach. They allow a 150lb rear end bike rack that they produce. Was hopping to get another 100lbs on it and balance with another CT125 in front of the tongue lift jack my modifying the twin generator holder rack. If this doesn't work out I might have to go with an Air Stream with rear hatch that would allow the bikes to be placed inside. Wife would be happier with that as the Air Streams are plusher than the Oliver which is a true off the grid four season trailer. Air Streams not so much.

Bar None · Oct 23, 2021

2021-Airstream-International-27FB-with-the-Rear-Hatch-Open-Exterior.png

I like having the bikes inside the trailer when traveling. Like the Olivier Legacy Elite II also. Tough decision.

dmonkey · Oct 23, 2021

In CO I have seen quite a few newer toy haulers that have a deck platform in front, between the tongue and the camper rear. They side-load small motorcycles and ATVs on them with fold up ramps, I imagine this is to address weight distribution relative to tongue and axle location.

That's a bummer that it was unstable, glad you caught it before there was an issue. Would not have expected that with the weight of the bike.

AZ7000' · Oct 23, 2021

The originals were 170# or so and the handlebars turned to fit on the front or back of a motor home. This one is a bit more portly. We are able to put one on the back of our navion. We usually pull the 12’ enclosed.

FleaMike · Oct 28, 2021

Weight distribution is a key component when carrying on a travel trailer. I’ve got my fresh water tank up front so it’s full when the bike is riding on the back. Tows like a dream! For the record, the receiver is bolted to 2 frame members to avoid rear end separation.

TrailBoss · Oct 29, 2021

Really great thread here. I was planning on doing the same thing with my 32' Passport travel trailer.

I'm going to get a tongue weight scale and see what things look like before proceeding further. I'm assuming as long as I keep the same hitch weight before and after I'm good to go, right?

op46 · Oct 30, 2021

So decided last night to go look at a ATC Toy hauler trailer Monday. This drill of trying to figure out how to carry a CT125 on the rear or front too in my case has frustrated me to the point that I think I might as well get a camping trailer that is designed to carry them inside. Actually found a 25 and 28 footer in stock at a dealer so will drive 7 hours to go see if this will solve my problem. On a side note the dealer says all new trailers not in stock that are on order and coming in November and onward and are considered 2022s and will have a 18% markup due to inflation and supply chain problems. That would pay for the most extensive/expensive solar package I can envision so I'm going to have to make a decision on staying with the Oliver or getting one of the ATCs and adding the solar which would bring the cost to about the same as the Oliver with its most expensive solar package.

TrailBoss · Nov 1, 2021

op46 said:
So decided last night to go look at a ATC Toy hauler trailer Monday. This drill of trying to figure out how to carry a CT125 on the rear or front too in my case has frustrated me to the point that I think I might as well get a camping trailer that is designed to carry them inside. Actually found a 25 and 28 footer in stock at a dealer so will drive 7 hours to go see if this will solve my problem. On a side note the dealer says all new trailers not in stock that are on order and coming in November and onward and are considered 2022s and will have a 18% markup due to inflation and supply chain problems. That would pay for the most extensive/expensive solar package I can envision so I'm going to have to make a decision on staying with the Oliver or getting one of the ATCs and adding the solar which would bring the cost to about the same as the Oliver with its most expensive solar package. View attachment 1726

Is that 18% dealer markup or manufacturer increase in MSRP?

Around here the car lots are practically empty, I haven't been by an RV dealer lately. Terrible time right now to try to buy a new car, and it sounds the same for a new RV or travel trailer.

rkutzner · Nov 1, 2021

I find it pretty easy to put into my F250 6'8" bed. Most travel trailers don't really have what you could call a frame. My Grand Design 3100RD has about 1000 lb tongue weight empty and close to 1150 with a full tank of fresh water.

Another option a friend of mine did was place a receiver on the front of his truck.

Everyone's setup is so different, though!

op46 · Nov 2, 2021

Well solved the problem. Bought a 2022 ATC 2816 Pro model yesterday. Drove 7 hrs to Mocktown NC to see one at the dealer. Wound up getting it from the Kellar Tx Complete Trailers dealer over the phone cause the NC guy was pricer and didn't have the colors I wanted coming and was $9K higher than the Texas guy. Will take both CT125s and the Harley inside. Front bedroom model. Nice trailer and just $8K more than the Oliver I have on order. Should have went this way from the start. Will now have to cancel the Oliver order and forfeit some of my deposit. Here is the link to what I bought.
<https://www.completetrailers.com/2021-atc-8.5-x-28-fully-loaded-pro-model-henderson-tx-76248/6914838> Delivery for this unit is for end of December or early January 2022 so its considered a 2022 model.
Price increase from 2021 to 2022 was about $10K for this model. So it came in at about $100K as configured. NC guy wanted $109K but it had a solar package. Looking at the BoonDoctor to maybe add a complete high end marine grade with commercial solar panels 3700 watt solar roof package for $15K to make it off grid capable. Components are tough to get right now though so may have to acquire and do my self next year or so? Found out that the standard Onan generators are not provided or even priced in the models since they cannot get them due to parts shortages. They make them right here in Huntsville AL. where I used to work and live. Luckly I got two brand new Honda 2200i's that will do what I need until I get solar install. This supply chain shortage thing is like a creeping domino effect cancer infecting everything and folks are just beginning to notice, mostly on grocery store shelves.

dmonkey · Nov 2, 2021

That's a beast of a trailer, congrats.

Glider · Nov 4, 2021

Bar None said:
View attachment 1701I like having the bikes inside the trailer when traveling. Like the Olivier Legacy Elite II also. Tough decision.

Airstream now makes a toy hauler?!

dmonkey · Nov 4, 2021

Their older toy haulers were the Airstream Panamerica (it's in the movie The Accountant), Airstream Basecamp, and Airstream Eddie Bauer. They now offer the rear hatch on International and Flying Cloud models so with some modification and the addition of a ramp you could rig them up to work as toy haulers, though they're not designed specifically for that use as far as I know.

AZ7000' · Nov 4, 2021

dmonkey said:
Their older toy haulers were the Airstream Panamerica (it's in the movie The Accountant), Airstream Basecamp, and Airstream Eddie Bauer. They now offer the rear hatch on International and Flying Cloud models so with some modification and the addition of a ramp you could rig them up to work as toy haulers, though they're not designed specifically for that use as far as I know.

I don't believe they are rated for the weight like the Panamerica was

dmonkey · Nov 4, 2021

Both are rated for over 1,000lbs carrying capacity and the flooring is designed to support large Americans. One of their current selling points is accessibility needs, you can fit a motorized wheel chair or mobility scooter through the hatch, I've even seen one of those compact Cricket mini RV golf carts loaded into one. Still need to be careful with weight distribution, but there's room enough to secure a load over the rear axles.

op46 · Nov 4, 2021

I looked at one of the new Airstreams with hatch in the rear . It was nice but the access hatch was small and the length was hindered by part of the L shaped kitchen counter. Price was almost as much at the ATC 2816 Pro I bought. ($94K now with some options removed). The ATC is all aluminum and this model is rated for over 5K lbs of cargo. That is 4 Harley's or a 4 wheeler plus a few CT125's. All furniture folds up against the wall including the dinette.
Even has a 36gal. aux tank for refueling the various toys you might have carried to camping site to play with after setting up. The Happijac queen bed in the rear nests up against the cieling and is on rails to lower down if you need to sleep extra folks. The two couches and the dinette also turn into sleepers. Thats Mom, Dad and two kids per for a total of 10 pax.

Bigman · Nov 5, 2021

Holy Moly....is that visible from space?

op46 · Nov 5, 2021

Well the 45 footer is. Its a 3 axle 5th wheeler and and damn near two stories tall in the front with slide outs. Think it can haul two cars.

Red Trail · Jul 6, 2022

Sage44 said:
View attachment 1692Please learn from my very serious mistake of thinking that our sweet little Honda Trail could be carried on the back of a camp trailer without giving it a second thought. Wrong! The weight of the hitch, HF motorcycle carrier, and the Honda Trail created a "Tongue Light" dynamic which caused severe instability the moment I reached freeway speeds. At that point I cancelled my journey and proceeded to educated myself on the importance of weighing your trailer and then weighing your tongue weight to determine if you have achieved a stable weight distribution. My 19ft trailer and tow vehicle Tundra with an equalizer hitch have always been incredibly stable, but the day I decided to bring my Honda along, changed everything and could have been catastrophic. Please do the research and tow safely.

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