In all the years we have been full-time RVing with motorcycles, the number one question we are asked is: ���How do we haul our motorcycles?” 

We get that question not only because my husband and I haul his Harley Heritage motorcycle, but also because we haul my large sidecar. We also get this question because it's a lot more complicated than it sounds because there are so many variables and RV motorcycle carrier options.

Start by answering these questions (and we will delve into each below):

• What type of RV do you have or want?
• What kind of camper are you?
• What type of motorcycle do you ride?
• What states will you travel through?
• What are the towing options?

What Type of RV Do You Have or want?

If you do not have an RV yet, you're in a perfect position. You can select an RV that works with your travel needs and motorcycle. But if you already have an RV, you may need to make modifications so that your RV hauling a motorcycle (or more) fits your travel plans.

Whether you have an RV or not, you need to determine how or if your motorcycle will fit the RV. This is not as simple as pulling the motorcycle into the back of a toy hauler trailer or fifth wheel or adding a trailer to a Class A or Class C RV. 

You need to look at the weight limits of the RV. This is a whole other story on how to find and know these specifications based on the RV you have or want. But understand—this is research you need to do, and it is critical to the safety of your trip and motorcycle hauling. Don’t rely on the dealership to tell you because their main goal is to sell the RV or the truck to pull it. We did the calculations on our chosen RV, so we knew we had the capacity to haul an additional 4,000-lbs on our chassis. This is the weight amount we have for adding bikes, food, clothes, water, and any other weight for our full-time travels.

What Kind of Camper Are You?

Although this doesn’t initially seem like it is related to how you will take your motorcycle, it does go hand-in-hand. If you don’t need a lot of features and you only travel on a weekend once or twice a year, you might be looking at a truck camper instead of a full RV. But if you want the comforts of home, then you would be considering a travel trailer at a minimum. If you plan to travel 3-6 months of the year or even full-time, you may lean towards a fifth wheel or a Class A. In turn, this decision will affect how you haul your bike based on the towing capabilities and options available.

What Type of Motorcycle Do You Ride?

The weight of your bike is going to contribute to the weight capacity you can haul on your RV if you want to use a lift or put it into a toy hauler—a fifth wheel or travel trailer RV that features a garage space, often with a fold-down ramp door. Remember I mentioned above that you need to be aware of the additional weight you can add to an RV.

For example, my husband’s bike weighs 780 lbs and my sidecar weighs 760 lbs. We have the ability to add 4,000 lbs to our RV. So, 4,000 minus our motorcycle's total weight of 1,540 leaves us 2,460 lbs leftover for food, water, and all household items. 

If you decide that an RV with motorcycle trailer is the best option, then weight is not an issue when hauling your bike. Instead your focus should be on the pulling capacity of your RV. Or in the case of having a fifth wheel or trailer, the pulling capacity of your truck.

What States Will You Travel Through?

As if you didn’t have enough things to consider with weight and pulling capacity, there is one more criterion to keep in mind when trying to decide how to haul your motorcycle: Are you legal? 

You need to know that currently in almost 50% of the states in the U.S., it is illegal to tow two things behind you. This means that if you're traveling through multiple states or starting in a state where it is illegal to haul multiple items, it may not even be an option for you to have a large dually truck (a standard truck with an extra set of wheels in the rear) pulling a fifth wheel trailer, pulling a motorcycle trailer. Look up the laws for your state and the ones you will be traveling through to assess your options. It's important to do your research to understand how the laws in California differ than those in Florida, Texas, or Illinois.

We are full-time travelers and can wind up in any region or state, so we had to ensure that our RV was legal everywhere. Many people now are opting for Razors, three-wheelers, and even sidecars like mine, so this will impact your options. In our situation, we are pulling a fifth-wheel toy hauler with a dually truck. We couldn’t add a third tow. There are still a couple more options you can secure.

What Are RV Motorcycle Carriers & Towing Options?

As you can tell by the previous questions, the towing combinations are vast. You will need to narrow down those options based on your answers to the above questions.  But I can give you a quick overview of some of the combinations we have seen in our full-time RV lifestyle.  This is not a complete list, but consists of the most prominent combinations I have seen in our travels

• Class A Motorhome – Lift on Back of RV – Pulling a Vehicle (TOAD)
• Truck – Pulling Travel Trailer or Fifth Wheel – Motorcycle Inside Toy Hauler
• Truck – Pulling Fifth Wheel with Lift on Back – Three-Wheeler/sidecar Inside Toy Hauler
• Truck with Lift – Pulling Travel Trailer
• Class C – Pulling a small trailer with bikes strapped on the trailer
• Class A Motorhome Toy Hauler with bikes inside – Pulling TOAD
• Camper Truck – Pulling a small trailer with bikes strapped on the trailer

A very basic formula to keep in mind:
RV Type and Weight Limit or Towing Capacity + Motorcycle(s) Weight and Space Needs + State Towing Limits = Your Ideal Rig Setup

No matter what combination you choose so you can take your motorcycle on an RV, your life will change as you go, so don't feel like you must pick the perfect setup from the start. Throughout the years we have modified, modified, and modified based on our changing motorcycle and RV needs. Most importantly, get your rig together and get out there and enjoy some new twisted roads!

Don’t have a trailer? Can’t take your bike with you? Rent a motorcycle anywhere in the country on Twisted Road!