I am contemplating solo trips around the western half of the U.S. in my MH and am seriously considering a motorcycle as the necessary "utility vehicle" instead of towing a car behind me. I just see a motorcycle as being far less trouble and hassle than a toad.
Having said that I know there are a variety of other issues surrounding the use of a motorcycle. So, I am opening it up to all you other Winnebago folks out there for comment and input please.
I have motorcycle experience from my youth (its been a while) so I think it would not be difficult to get back into it in my 60's.
I am looking for a motorcycle big enough to handle me (6-2, 290) with some groceries strapped on... but one that is small enough for me to roll on and off a rear-hitch-ramp-mount. I don't intend to get onto main highways or freeways with the motorcycle (or at least not for any distance) so "lots of power" won't be a requirement.
Suzuki DRz400
Just about any KTM enduro.
Honda makes a 4-fiddy enduro.
TW200's are all over the parks but you might look like a gorilla that escaped the circus on it as it's a smaller bike (<-- that was describing me riding one to be honest)
You see a trend of me suggesting enduro's because they are lighter and easier to deal with.
If you want something easier to ride look at a recluse clutch for it. It basically allows for clutchless shifts (and works great for off-road adventures). I rode an older Husqvarna 250 out in the desert last fall that had a recluse and I said that if I was able to take a bike with me it would have one installed.
My Triumph Tiger 1050 is way to heavy for a hitch mounted rack so it's at home sadly.
For your height I'd suggest a Kawasaki LKR650 but they're tall and possibly too heavy to manage on a rack. It will go anywhere you point it though as it's kinda like the Swiss-army knife of bikes.
Do you have a budget in mind? That helps too. KTM are really proud of their bikes and the price tag shows that. Honda, Yahama, Suzuki will be the lowest cost. There are also some extremely cheap Chinese bikes out there but not sure about getting parts and service.
I've seen a couple of these and they seem nice, but it may be more than you're looking for. For instance this has some bags, etc and this is about the price of an enduro with just plastics but that shows in the weight too. https://www.cscmotorcycles.com/defau...=xAllInventory
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Thom Boles
2010 Winnebago Vista 32K with a 2013 Mini Cooper S Roadster toad.
I have A Honda Reflex on the back of my MH, 250cc's it goes 70 mph with me & the wife on it, I'm 280 lbs. I got a nice carrier with ramp from Discount Ramps. It hangs on back real nice and you don't even know its there.
Fishbear,
First off, if you haven’t been on an M/C for that many years, you’re in for a rude awakening. You may be able to recall some old skills from long ago and, that MAY help with you re-entering the motorcycle world. But, while you see , and maybe encounter them on an every-so-often basis, there are ZILLIONS of bone heads in cages ( that’s what seasoned vet m/c riders call people’s in cars) that cannot, will not, and refuse to see a motorcycle rider.
This answer to your thread is not to be condescending at all. I’m only trying to convey that, if you get back into m/c riding ON THE STREET, after being gone from it for a long time, just learn to ride with eyes all the way around your head. It’s on the news EVERY DAY about some m/c rider got squished ‘cause someone didn’t see them. BE CAREFUL!!!!
Now, as far as which bike, well, your statement about not needed too much power is a mistake. POWER can get you OUT of trouble waaaaaaay easier than no power can. COMMON SENSE is also in play here. Been riding for decades and, still alive to coach you on this subject.
You’re gonna be fighting yourself here. On one hand, you want something that MAY go onto a receiver mounted rack . Well, on the other hand, you need something that’s SAFE out there in the dog-eat-dog world. Many, many roads and backroads in this country are 55, 60, 65 mph and more. Anything less than 400 cc is working its guts out to keep up with traffic. Now, you don’t have to take my word on this, it’s your choice.
The larger and more safer the bike, the HEAVIER the bike! The heavier the bike, the tougher it is to load on any form of receiver mounted rack. Knowing what I know, been on motorcycles FOREVER, close calls up the ying-yang, and have had motorcycles from 70cc to our present Honda GL 1800 Goldwing, (no less than 30+ motorcycles) if I were you, I wouldn’t even think about anything less than a 650cc. There’s a ton of them out there. And, you can go slow or, keep up EASILY WITH 65 mph traffic, if needed.
Good luck and be EXTREMELY CAREFUL out there. I DONT want to see you on the news!
Scott
Thank you for the input. I appreciate your thoughts. I have been thinking about a DRZ400 as this one of the bikes my son had as a teenager (mid 90's). I spent some time riding it and learning about it as my son was constantly wrenching on something. I have been trying to recall how difficult that 300 lbs. was pushing around.
I have not honestly thought about a scooter but hey, I am willing to do the research.
Thank you for the input. I appreciate your thoughts. I have been thinking about a DRZ400 as this one of the bikes my son had as a teenager (mid 90's). I spent some time riding it and learning about it as my son was constantly wrenching on something. I have been trying to recall how difficult that 300 lbs. was pushing around.
I have not honestly thought about a scooter but hey, I am willing to do the research.
Keep those thoughts coming!
Fishbear,
The DRZ400 will work but, again, bear in mind, it’s still probably in the neighborhood of 275 - 300 lbs. that’s no issue for anything OTHER THAN loading and unloading it on your intended bumper rack (hitch mount-same thing).
I commend you for your approach into this kind thing. If you’re gonna be running running around on a bike, be cognizant of the weather, road condition, dusk, dawn, sun angle in car/truck/motor home drivers eyes. Have fun and be careful out there.
Scott
The DRZ would be north of 300 lbs. so I am wondering if this is practical for a one person "put on and take off" scenario. Might have to see what those scooters will weigh.
I appreciate the advice about those drivers that can't/won't see MC's. Even back in the day I tried to ride with a level of awareness that every driver was trying to run me over... oh, and not assuming anything with regard to those other drivers (i.e., about their awareness). These days I can only imagine how much worse it is.
I can tell you from experience that it is not easy for one person to get the cycle up the ramp, hold and balance it in place and try and put tie down straps on with one hand. We have a kymco 150 (245 lbs) that we carry on back when towing our catamaran to regattas and the couple of times i loaded/unloaded when my dw wasnt available was a CHALLENGE with one unplanned unloading error. When we are not towing rhe boat it was much more reasonable to put the kymco or the bmw k1300s in our 4×8 trailer. My recommendation is to use a small trailer vs a hitch mc carrier...i have and use both depending on the circumstance
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2005 Winnebago Journey 36G, Cat C7
Apple Valley, MN
I have a Yamaha SMax scooter that I take along. I have a tilt a rack carrier, it has a max wt of 600Lbs. It is easy to load the scooter on my myself. My scooter weighs 325lbs dry. I love it, and its easy for traveling. The wife does not mind riding on it so its all good for me. Sorry for the side ways picture but you get the idea
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Frank
2001 Itasca Horizon
24' Enclosed Car Hauler
Just went through the hitch mounted motorcycle deal. Bought a Moto-Tote carrier-best I had seen and a Yamaha XT250. Great bike, but it was not big enough for the wife and I. Went looking for a big enough bike for the both of us, yet light enough to be within acceptable limits for our Navion. Settled on an '18 KTM 500EXC. Great bike as well, but not for everyone--kind of high strung. Well, I fitted it with a wonderful Fisher seat, added some passenger pegs, lowered the suspension 1 1/2", and a few other mods. It does the job really well, but was expensive. Here are a few pictures (with the XT on the back). I also added the two left and right braces to help stabilize the bike. It doesn't move a bit while running down the highway.
I have a CanAm Spyder F3t LTD that I tow on a rather custom trailer called a Stinger. Don't know the exact weight of the Spyder because i'll never drop it! Not your average motorcycle, this is a three wheeler with two wheels in front and one fat tire in back. Engine is 1300cc so there's tons of power even with two people...top speed on the speedometer is 200MPH. I've had it at 82 and didn't even know it (and that was plenty fast enough for me). Very comfortable ride, no clutch, thumb paddle with 6 forward gears, reverse gear, parking brake and lots and lots of storage in the frunk (front trunk), top case holds two big helmets, and hard saddle bags hold lots of gear plus a little glove box. Bluetooth, cruise control, heated grips, 6 speaker stereo....check it out. Loads like a dream..just drive it onto the trailer. I'm heading out to SoCal early March with it in tow.
I am in the process of doing the same thing. Decided car is too much hassle and expense for a weekend warrior. Lots of good advice here from others. I have a lot of motorcycle experience and have given up large bore cruiser riding. I chose the xt250 because is light (under 300 lbs), low maintenance (air cooled so no radiator), a low seat height of 31.9 inches (much easier for a new or returning rider) and I have some buddys at home that like to go trail riding in the mountains around the beautiful area we live when we are not RVing.
Also, I have a 2018 Vista XL 35F and the rear bumper is very high (hitch is 26 inches). I purchased a hitch mounted rack from Discount Ramps and the ramp is too steep for easy loading (even with a drop hitch which is a must). However Pitposse makes a 60 inch ramp that ends up being a much more gradual assent. It does require some trimming. I have not used any of this new stuff yet as we have 20 inches of snow on the ground.
It is true that a Yamaha xt250 is not sufficient for hiway riding. It will just get to you the store for more supplies.
If I did not trail ride at home, I would definitely go with a scooter in the 250 cc range.
I will take my 2013 Honda Silverwing “scooter” with me on trips. Although they discontinued them in 2013, they are readily available as are parts and service. It has a 600cc engine, water-cooled, ABS, and fuel injected. It will also top out at well over 100 mph. There’s a lot of room under the seat, and there’s many accessory racks available aftermarket. No shifting either. I believe it weighs right around 500 lbs and it easy to load and tie down. It’s similar to a Suzuki Burgman. But I have to admit, those off road bikes look sweet as well.
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Ron and Cindy
2021 Minnie Winnie 22M
2020 Travato 59K
We use a Piaggio 350 scooter. My wife and I ride it and have had it up to 70 mph with both of us. But we haul it on an Aluma aluminum trailer. Less weight and much easier and safer to transport without damaging the rear support. The View frame isn't really built like other RVs that can support more weight.
My wife and I were both motorcycle riders, but quit a few years ago when distracted driving took off. For the motorhome we bought an SMax scooter and it worked great. It was 125cc and hauled both of us at highway speeds just fine on those rare occasions when we rode it that fast. Since you are not going over the road with this but probably running to the store or a scenic tour the ease and lightness of a scooter is great
Just be mindful that the rear frame of the Vista may not be of the same capacity as the receiver hitch mounted to it so there should be a sticker from Winnebago indicating this reduced capacity. If the sticker is missing then its best to call Winnebago Customer Service with you VIN number so they can verify this for you. It is not unusual for a 500 or 600 lb capacity receiver be mounted to a rear frame only capable of supporting a 350 or 400 lb tongue weight.
The weight of the motorcycle carrier also has to be taken into consideration since it can add 100 of more pounds to the load on the receiver plus concentrate the load of the bike farther out from the receiver than a hitch ball would be located.
Also due to the frame extensions added behind the rear axle depending on how your Vista is loaded you may not have enough chassis capacity left to suspend a 300 lb bike on the hitch which can reduce the weight on the front wheels enough to impact handling especially in cross winds.
Blue Ox used to have a good calculation sheet to help you determine what impacts tongue weight on the hitch or a hitch carrier will have on unloading your coach's front wheels. If I can find it I will post it here.
Personally I use a 250cc Piaggio powered Aprilia Scooter which weighs in at 326 lbs on a 74 lb aluminum motorcycle hitch carrier for 400 lbs total. The bike has the capacity to carry 465 lbs at speeds close to 100 mph on level ground however they do not make them any longer. A Piaggio BV350 would probably be the closest thing now however they weigh in at almost 400 lbs. The Yamaha mentioned would also be a good choice or one of the Suzuki 250's. On a 250cc bike you want a sport fairing and a full face helmet to make maintaining interstate speeds more realistic. Vertical windshields and open face helmets create a lot of wind resistance and can slow down a 250.
Another thing to consider is that top heavy bikes can be harder to load so take that into consideration when sampling bikes. As far as weight distribution goes I find the Piaggio large wheel scooters pretty good with their 14" to 16" tires with the Yamaha almost as good, Suzuki a tad more top heavy and the current Honda with the Silverwing being the most top heavy. You may find with the heavier and more top heavy bikes you may have to store the rear jacks and more fully extend the front to make loading and unloading the bike easy enough to do without a helper or two. Having your ratchet straps basically adjusted and in easy reach before you start loading is an important thing. I usually have one ready to hook to the rear riders peg between the bike and the back of the motor home on mine so it will hold the bike from falling out at you while you get the other straps in place.
Whatever motorcycle or scooter you choose do give serious consideration to taking the MSF Basic Riders Course as a refresher. You should find the coaches helpful and they will help bring back to mind safe practices such as look ahead and such. MSF will usually have a selection of Suzuki and Honda 250cc bikes for you to ride. When I took the class they took one look at my size 50 jacket and size 12 Quadruple E boots and told me please do not get on a Honda Rebel 250 because you will more likely damage the shifter so stick with the Suzuki 250's or the Yamaha 250 Crossover bike.
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Neil V
2001 Winnebago Adventurer WFG35U
bike carrier built specifically for one person operation, Sportster 1200
This was my solution. Hitch mounted, block and tackle winch setup controlled with remote control. A pin on each side to relieve tension on cable once lifted back up. Ride onto carrier tray, that is sitting on ground, no ramp. Put kickstand down, attach tiedowns, raise carrier back up with the push of button, put pins in, one on each side, slightly drop carrier 1/4" so that weight is resting on pins, not cable. Have since added turning /brake/tail lights to the back of carrier for extra visability. Can be loaded or unloaded in about 5 minutes. I also travel with bike cover on bike. To protect from elements, sun, rain...all done by one person, me. Lol no hydraulics. Class a 34' DP. 92 adventurer with camera in back so I can keep eye on.
Regarding the hitch. I took my coach to a shop and had the rear hitch beefed up. I also tow a 8,000 enclosed car hauler and my hitch was amped up to handle this. The Tilt-a-rack rack is well supported, you can go on like an look up the adds for this rack. Its light wt aluminum but steel where its needed. Well done IMO.
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Frank
2001 Itasca Horizon
24' Enclosed Car Hauler
....check it out. Loads like a dream..just drive it onto the trailer. I'm heading out to SoCal early March with it in tow.
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