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803
Joined
8/21/2016
Location
Spring, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
3/2/2020 6:14pm
Looking for opinions and some pictures of setups.
I currently have a 7x16 enclosed trailer that’s built out with storage, tool box, lights, and AC. I’ve been debating on if I should sell it and get a Sprinter van.
As it is now, I haul 2 bikes and a pit bike, sometimes a mountain bike as well. My reason for considering going with a sprinter is I believe I can save some money by doing so.
My truck only gets used for hauling bikes, that’s it. If we aren’t riding, it’s parked. I also get 7-8 mpg when pulling the trailer. I don’t have a track within 50 miles of my house, so we are putting in some miles every week. The fuel costs add up quickly, especially considering we go out of town to ride/race 2 or 3 times per month.
The downside of a sprinter is obvious, less room. We are also considering adding a golf cart, which we can’t haul in a sprinter. Another downside is my truck will be paid off next year. So buying a sprinter stretches out payments unless I get a used one and pay it off quickly.
What are your thoughts? Surely some here have gone from a trailer to a van or van to a trailer. What’s the pros and cons? Also what kind of gas mileage are you getting out of a sprinter?
Thanks
I currently have a 7x16 enclosed trailer that’s built out with storage, tool box, lights, and AC. I’ve been debating on if I should sell it and get a Sprinter van.
As it is now, I haul 2 bikes and a pit bike, sometimes a mountain bike as well. My reason for considering going with a sprinter is I believe I can save some money by doing so.
My truck only gets used for hauling bikes, that’s it. If we aren’t riding, it’s parked. I also get 7-8 mpg when pulling the trailer. I don’t have a track within 50 miles of my house, so we are putting in some miles every week. The fuel costs add up quickly, especially considering we go out of town to ride/race 2 or 3 times per month.
The downside of a sprinter is obvious, less room. We are also considering adding a golf cart, which we can’t haul in a sprinter. Another downside is my truck will be paid off next year. So buying a sprinter stretches out payments unless I get a used one and pay it off quickly.
What are your thoughts? Surely some here have gone from a trailer to a van or van to a trailer. What’s the pros and cons? Also what kind of gas mileage are you getting out of a sprinter?
Thanks
Fuel mileage vs my truck: I had a 2016 f150 with the 3.5 eco while pulling the trailer at 80mph i would average 8-10 mpg My transit is a 2018 3.7 N/A and averages 13-15 doing the same speed. The trailer we used was smaller than yours so i didnt really notice having less room. My van is set up so me and my wife can camp out of it as well. I wouldnt limit yourself to a sprinter by any means. Transits are great vans and the eco has tons of power. My buddy has a 2016 med roof LWB transit with the ecoboost and gets the same fuel milage but has higher gears and rarely ever downshifts. My 3.7 has to do some screaming occasionally to keep up to 80.
I personally havent met anyone that went to a van set up and didnt like it. They are even more popular in the MTB world than in the moto world. I was against them until i went on a mountain bike trip with another buddy of mine that had one. The convenience was through the roof in my mind. I drove his for a couple hours to see if i could stand it being my daily driver since i would have to get rid of my truck to get one and i was convinced.
The only con i have about my van is its 9'6" tall and drive through windows are all 9' so i have to get out to get food when im on a trip. EDIT: and no 4wd but new transits have the option
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What's a Sprinter van nowadays? $50,000? Even finding a clean used one for $35,000 is a lot of oscar. You are in Texas, so I assume gas is way cheaper than here; about $2 per gallon? A $35,000 outlay would require 17,500 gallons before you break even on the cost - that's 122,500 miles at the 7 MPG you stated. Since you only go to the track with the truck, I'm also going to assume you will do the same in the Sprinter. At a 100 mile round-trip, that's 1,255 weekends at the track if you go each and every weekend, rain or shine, for 24 years.
Don't let me talk you out of it if you simply want a Sprinter instead of a truck. Those things are cool and I want one too! Just don't be mislead to believe your fuel savings are going to pay for it.
New Sprinter vans are like $50k. So why should I buy a sprinter? Is it just a way to flex? I probably wouldn’t have much other use for a sprinter cargo van other then hauling dirt bikes around.
My Tundra is paid off and i refuse to part with it, but i like driving the van around town too... and there's not really much that you can put in a truck bed that you can't put in a van...
I really started disliking daily driving a van. They are just clunky, dorky, ill handling, uncool.. and not "comfortable" to drive in. The nice thing about a van (and an enclosed trailer) is leaving all your race stuff in and not having to load/unload every week. The problem with daily driving a van is then you are hauling all of it around with you all week. The constant onslaught of kidnapper/raper/free candy jokes got pretty damn annoying after about the 50,000th time. It just does. Also, I live near the border and work on a federal installation. Was not cool being stopped and searched nearly every day since vans are such a magnet for this. The smell and noise get annoying in a van. You need to pay attention to how you store or mount stuff. There was always stuff rolling around and banging and bashing. Can't hear that from a trailer. Also, my wife 100% refused to drive the van and 95% refused to ride in it as a passenger.. LOL. Some things to consider.
I think 4x4 truck and flat bed trailer is about as useful as a combo as someone can get for just about everything. A box trailer is also extremely useful.
Sprinter vans = moto man buns IMHO
We travel a considerable amount for racing, usually 3 to 6 hours from home, so we spend a lot of nights in hotels.
I'm always paranoid about someone breaking into the trailer as they are very easy to get into and are routinely broken into or just flat out stolen. A van is less susceptible to this, but not 100%. This absolutely rules out a flat bed trailer.
Additionally, I can't keep the trailer at my house. I live in a neighborhood and it isn't allowed by the HOA, so I'm also paying for storage.
We are no different than the girl you're referring to. My kid isn't the next up and coming big name. However, we love this sport and we are fortunate enough to have some disposable income. So convenience and comfort is something I can justify paying for. My truck also isn't my daily driver, it is only driven when we are going riding. I have another vehicle that's my daily driver. Right now, I'm averaging about 8000 miles per year on it and that's 100% moto miles.
I believe there's more to the van thing that just a fad. People have been using vans since the 70's for moto. It's become popular again because of the size of these newer vans.
I'm on the fence and doubt I'll pull the trigger on it. If I owed more on my truck, I'd probably do it. Knowing how close I am to paying it off is what's really making me think otherwise.
Pit Row
Me personally, have always loved a good 4x4 truck and trailer. If I had the extra cash on hand (<$10K), and could outright buy a used van with cash to turn into a moto van, I'd consider it. But with a wife that is a stay at home mom, one kid in college and another one close behind, I have to make better $$ decisions.
just because you're married with children and can't do everything that you want to doesn't make it wrong for other people to have cool stuff... you make yourself sound like a hater.. maybe some people don't want a flat bed trailer and 4x4 truck? not sure why you would care what other people decide what is good for themselves...
So TBpop the basic white Econo “Van” that has been used for years and years is ok because they can be had for 10K?
But the NEW style Sprinter “Vans” that are replacing the old Econo “vans” that are 50K selling like crazy are a fad? Ok, I got it now!🤦🏻♂️
Ghost
There is a sink on left that drains out the floor. The jug of water goes behind the diamond plate cabinet and there is also storage back there for chairs, extensions cords, muck boots, umbrella, bucket of straps and clips for the E track. The ply wood behind the ramp on the left goes up on the E track and makes beds for overnight.
Enclosed trailers are much cheaper here and the top 3 selling vehicles are trucks. So if you already have a truck, a cheap enclosed trailer is a much cheaper option.
I would love to have one of the new Transit crew vans though, just not willing to spend the money.
Ghost
I think the Sprinter is a great idea nonetheless for other reasons: security, privacy when changing into your gear, a place to sleep when camping, etc. It's just not a way to actually save money. (Now, if he can sell his truck and pay for the Sprinter with the proceeds, that's a different story.)
However I still look at and dream of upgrading to a moto van someday, just sticking with the cheaper option for now.
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