3 Of The Largest Motorcycle Campers On The Market (And The Bikes Big Enough To Pull Them)

Motorcycle adventures have a few limiting factors and just how much stuff you can bring with you is near the top of that list. Some riders prefer to go ultra-light, packing as little as possible. Like a hiker trying to make haste on the Pacific Crest Trail, they'll cut their toothbrushes in half, bring a tarp as a makeshift tent and forgo luxuries like pillows, using their detached motorcycle seats instead. Other motorcyclists go with some saddlebags and maybe even a backpack or waist bag to bring along essentials, stopping at camp sites or hotels along the way — a bit more luxurious experience. Eventually, there's the ultimate luxury move of bringing your motorcycle along with you via a trailer of its own, pulling it out for the fun bits of the journey while you relax in the front seat of your tow vehicle, but that means the motorcycle riding is kept to a minimum. 

What if you want to ride your motorcycle a long distance, camp or haul gear along the way, and you want to bring a trailer along for the ride? There are several options for pull-behind motorcycle trailers that allow you to bring along an impressive amount of extra gear. There are even pop-up campers that allow for full-size sleeping accommodations. Here are a few examples, along with how much motorcycle you'll need to tow them.

The name of the game with motorcycle trailers is keeping them light. A heavy trailer can upset handling and braking, making your journey dangerous or uncomfortable. Many trailers are built with lightweight materials like fiberglass or aluminum so finding heavy ones is a bit tough but, there is a bit of an upper limit to how big motorcycle camper trailers get. That limit seems to be around 400 pounds for the trailer, 800 pounds for the combined weight.

The Time Out Camper Deluxe from Open Road Outfitters is a large trailer with a pop-up tent of sorts, housing its own impressive interior dimensions once it's assembled. The trailer (with the weight of the tent) checks in at 385 pounds, but it can carry an additional 415 pounds of gear. Pulling an 800-pound trailer, however, will take some serious power from your bike. The Solace Deluxe is another big fold-out camper which weighs 385 pounds, allowing for another 450 pounds of gear to be added to the trailer if needed. Kompact Kamp sells a hard-shell trailer with a maximum carrying weight of 500 pounds and a trailer weight of 260 pounds – less than the first two trailers but still a significant load for any motorcycle to pull. You may be more comfortable once you arrive at your camping destination with trailers this large, but it will definitely change the riding experience too, so consider the trade off before you buy.

Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the maximum amount of weight a vehicle can hold, including the weight of the vehicle itself – whether towing with a truck, a compact hatchback, or a motorcycle. With motorcycles, big cruisers are where you'll find big GVWR and the ability to tow bigger trailers. A large bike like the Indian Super Chief, for example, has a GVWR of 1,160 pounds and a curb weight of nearly 740 pounds, so something a bit larger is probably within reach. But if your motorcycle has a GVWR of 800 pounds for example, and the bike itself weighs 400 pounds, that means it can only handle another 400 pounds of weight before it reaches its maximum. That's not much when you consider that weight includes riders, gear, accessories, and a trailer's tongue weight all contribute to GVWR. 

Calculate the tongue weight of your trailer before setting off on a road trip (some manufacturers provide this) and check the trailer's overall weight compared to your motorcycle. Many guidelines state that a trailer should never exceed half the total weight of a motorcycle (if your bike weighs 400 pounds, no trailers over 200 pounds), which is a good place to start.  But no matter the size of your bike, make sure the trailer never contributes to exceeding the GVWR. If a trailer is too heavy to tow comfortably, leaving it at home or opting for something lighter is the right choice.