‘Toy haulers’ bring off-road fun to life on the road
Last year alone, more than 1.1 million motorcycles were sold in the United States, according to Mike Mount of the Motorcycle Industry Council.
Add to that another 856,000 all-terrain vehicles and it quickly becomes clear why sport utility RVs are becoming such hot items.
Sport utility recreational vehicles, also know as toy haulers, first became popular in Southern California, where the summers seem to stretch out forever.
“The toy hauler phenomenon is moving north,” says Brian Leak, sales manger with RVs Northwest. “We’ve been carrying them for about five years.”
Toy haulers, available as both pull trailers and motor homes, have all the amenities of regular RVs plus functional floor plans to hold heavy amounts of cargo.
These dual-purpose rigs are specifically designed with a rear or side-load ramp that folds down for loading motorcycles, four-wheelers, personal watercraft or snowmobiles.
Once at one’s destination, the power toys are offloaded and the interior cargo area becomes living space.
“Toy haulers make life easy,” says Dale Stevens, co-owner of Camp Motorsports in Spokane Valley.
Stevens, his wife, Debbie, their five children, one son-in-law and three grandchildren have a passion for motorcycles and four-wheelers.
Starting each April the Stevens’ 2003 Rampage by Skyview is in use almost every weekend until the snow flies.
“We camp a lot and ride a lot,” says Stevens. “That’s what we do for our family recreation. It is sort of who we are.”
Their 33-foot rear-load ramp fifth-wheel is fully self-contained and can sleep eight.
Its features include a stove, refrigerator with freezer, generator, air conditioner/furnace, full bathroom with shower, and sofas that fold out into beds.
Stevens pulls his fifth-wheel with a 1998 ¾-ton Dodge pickup.
“I’ve added some goodies to my pickup to make it tow nicer,” he says.
In addition to the basic tow package, Stevens has added rear overload springs and air bags to raise and lower the truck based on the amount of weight that he puts on it.
“Sometimes we carry five four-wheelers with us,” says Stevens, “so I wanted to be certain it could safely pull that amount of weight.”
Stevens and Camp Motorsports will be at next weekend’s Inland Northwest Motorcycle Show in the new Spokane Convention Center. (See details on page ## )
Information
“ Two RV dealerships will be at the motorcycle show: RVs Northwest, toll free (888) 493-3874, www.rvsnorthwest.com; and R ‘n R RV Center in Liberty Lake, (800) 873-9002, www.rnrrv.com.
“ Check out Toy Hauler online magazine at www.toyhaulermagazine.com.
“ Skyline Recreational Vehicles, www.skylinerv.com.
“ Camp Motorsports, 5701 E. Sprague, Spokane Valley, (509) 535-4116; www.campmotorsports.com.
Lightweight tent trailer
Lees-ure Lite of British Columbia will be back to the motorcycle show with two tent trailers that can be towed by a touring bike or small car.
These super-light pop-up tents set up in “6.8 seconds” and let you sleep off the ground.
The 48-by-66-inch model weighs only 230 pounds unloaded; and the 54-by-66-inch Excel model weighs 255 pounds dry and hold up to gross weight of 450 pounds.
For information go online to www.leesurelite.com, or write for a brochure to Lees-ure Lite, P.O. Box 1330, Osoyoos, B.C. V0H 1V0, toll-free (800) 660-0933, e-mail: info@leesurelite.com.