enclosed trailer vs moto van to haul bikes

https://www.vitalmx.com/forums/For-Sale-Bazaar,26/New-4x4-sprinter-moto…

Look in to getting a Smaller-sized Chevy/GMC/Ford commercial-type box truck (picture a small U-Haul box truck) Sprinter vans are big bucks.   Trailers are nice once you get where you are going, but a pain everywhere else.   

I got my first Sprinter in 2008. Never going back.

I’ve had many econolines, tall 170 sprinter, toy hauler, cargo trailer and now a single rear box van. 
 

i’d never go back to a trailer. My sprinter had a tree fall on it or I’d still be rocking it. 
 

here’s what I have now, no complaints. 

Well…BOTH?! 🤪 👍 😎

When my son was still at home and riding with me, (and we often brought one of his buddies along!) we’d use the van AND trailer.

 I still have the trailer but now that it’s usual just me, I mostly ride out of the van solo and the trailer sits at the house.

I’ve had this 2006 Econoline since it was new, but when the time comes for a new van, I will definitely be getting a long/tall sprinter style van! My 2001 Econoline was the extended model, and NOT getting the extended floor on the 2006 is the ONLY thing I regret about my beloved 06!

 I have never said, nor have I ever heard anyone I ride with say “Damn, I wish I had LESS room inside my van”!? Get the van and build it out the way you want it and enjoy it! We all only getting older and the opportunity to make the most of will pass by like life is stuck on FF!

Good luck with your decision and your search for a van! Have a great evening! 😎🇺🇸👍

Van.  I have both and the trailer sits 95% of the time.  I have a standard roof, 144 length crew sprinter.  I can haul myself, 2 buddies, 3 bikes and all of our gear for a week no problem.

I have a Nissan NV2500 high top for work and if it was just me going to the track I’d have another set up for moto. However it’s my bike, 85, supermini, and a pit bike so we go trailer. I vote the van for you though. Check out the Nissan. Great vehicle but unfortunately they stopped producing them so you’d have to find a used one. 

Trailer for me, I like being able to leave the bikes in the trailer and dealing with them when I have time. Plus all my riding gear stays in the trailer all the time. And trailers are cheap and last multiple multiple tow vehicles.

I’ve got an enclosed trailer…I like the freedom of leaving the trailer and being able to use the truck once I get where I’m going.  But I usually bring 3 or 5 guys…and that many wouldn’t fit in a van.  But 3-5 bikes, all our gear, and bags for a weekend, and secure in an enclosed trailer is the best option for me.

if I rode by myself or just needed to haul two bikes, I think I’d get a 4 wheel drive van of some sort (riding from northern utah in the winter almost always requires driving in snow and over a handful of passes to get to the warm weather I. Southern/eastern utah)…

Agreed! Plus no need to worry about a transmission and engine, cheap to insure, register and maintain. 

What mileage do these other vans get?

My 2005 Sprinter (inline 5 diesel) was 19mpg when I babied it and 16/17 when I tried to go 75 everywhere.

My 2020 v6 diesel is easily 20 when I go 80 everywhere and 16/17 when I try to do 90.

We have both the transits and pro masters at work and they are getting between 15 and 18. 

Another enclosed trailer vote from me. 

I have a 7x16 enclosed trailer I've used for quite a few years.  It's been great for my son and I, often times taking multiple bikes and or pit bikes.  Keeping the trailer stocked and ready to roll was nice, tools, popup, some riding gear.  Camping out of it on occasion is great too.

In spring of 2020 I pulled the trigger on a sprinter.  It took awhile to dial it in but the thing has been nice.  We use it for mx, mountain bikes, road cycling and whatever.  Have taken it down to Palm Springs on a business trip with stops at Tahoe and Mammoth to ride mtb, Montana mtb trip, Bellingham mtb trips, and norcal winter moto.  A couple times a year I will put the bikes in the trailer and camp out of the van.

Downfall is room.  Over Thanksgiving the wife, son, and I went to Norcal for our usual moto trip but I wanted to take an extra bike plus we all took our mountain bikes to ride on Friday.  Van can't haul all that so we took the pickup and trailer.  First time I'd used the trailer like this in over a year and wanted to see how my new pickup pulled it.  It drove fine and all, but was super annoying making stops around town or up in the hills to ride bicycles.  Too boot the pickup only got 8 mpg!!!!  Won't be doing that again.

Love my van.

The van is MUCH Better especially if it is just you, but you have to seal the partition well or it will smell like fuel all the time.  if you can afford it, Van x1000.  Trailers are great if you need a lower cost option.  

Ford extended high roof transit

 Van for moto….best to have a 2nd vehicle for around town…

Trailers are affordable and practical. Once you master reversing and maneuvering, it makes a lot of sense to go that route. 
 

I towed out my toy hauler for the first time to Fox Raceway and now I want to keep taking it. Super easy to load with the big ramp. It would be even easier with a small Enclosed trailer!

Pros and Cons to each.  At the end of the day it comes down to your personal situation and what matters to you.

Van is cool, unless it is also your daily driver.  Then it get annoying.    Yes, seal the wall, but some of these race gasses nowadays are super pungent and you will never stop those smells from getting to the front.  Race gas smells cool until you're smelling it all night while sleeping or on a long drive.

Trailer is great that when you're not using it you don't have to take it everywhere.  Most 1/2 ton pickups will get 8-11 mpg pulling an enclosed trailer.  Even all these high falutin new ones that get killer mileage empty.  Once you hook a trailer up that goes out the window.  I've done both.  Doing the trailer now.  Don't want to drive a Sprinter daily and the prices make it hard to justify for something that only gets used on weekends.

Let me share my moto vehicle journey.  For longest time just bike and truck. Made it to Loretta’s in 14 and bought a 6x12 enclosed , hated the hassle of backing-sold it.   Back to a truck in 2015. 2016 bought a new mid roof Ford transit, loved it but had nothing but issues- late 2016 back to a truck.  Fast forward to  early summer of 18 I bought a small toy hauler since my son was racing now -Hated it. Couldn’t store at my house and didn’t really like sleeping at the track- sold it.  Early 19 bought another 6x12, used it quite often but with all the 50s I had I for my son and my 450 it was too small- sold.  Late 19 my son was going pretty good and we decided to make Loretta run in 2020.  Bought 34’ toy hauler in March of 2020 and used the hell out of it.   Minus my family loving it I hate everything thing about it- still have it.  Bought a gas hd truck in 21 to tow the TH, hated it sold it mid summer.  Bought a diesel 1500 Sierra loved towed phenomenal.  We were riding a ton , so I bought 2006 e350 high top van - hated the hassle of loading sold it late 21.  Early 22 I bought a 7x16 enclosed and like it a lot.  Job situation changed so I bought a diesel 2500 for the write off late summer this year.  Tows the enclosed and toy hauler great but the price of diesel sucks.  
 
I met a guy at Daytona Sx that had the big Sprinter and a mid size camper.  He said it towed like a dream and was getting 15-20 mpg while towing since the van roof was taller than the camper.  
I’m leaning towards that setup currently.  

Yes don't try to pull that 7x16 with a 2500 gas. My trailer sets due to horrible gas prices and mpg.

There's no right answer to this, both options have there benefits.

I'm a van guy, meaning even if I didn't ride or could only have one vehicle, it'd be a van. I have a good friend with a built out 12ft enclosed for moto, it's friggin awesome too.

I have a 12ft ford box van built out for bikes and travel. Going to the local track/trails, races ect its awesome but I built the van 70% home on wheels 30% motovan. And I use it for those purposes. I sleep in it a ton. 80% alone, 20% with my wife.  I should mention no kids, that would make it a bit tight. I've spent single nights and weeks at a time in my 1999 7.3 E350 and love it.

Anyway, vans rule.

I'll say 30-75k plus full coverage insurance for a van pays for lots of gas pulling a trailer with your daily driver SUV or pickup. Sounds like a lot of people don't like having to back up a trailer, never been an issue with me. On my uncle's farm when I was 10 he taught me to back horse trailer around a S curve for multiple afternoons. When my wife and I got our first wave runner we went to a low traffic boat ramp and I did the same with her until she could back the short trailer starting with it perpendicular to the ramp. She's actually helped people out at the lake by backing their rigs up after watching them struggle. Most of the time they expect me to do it and I just get out of her way!

Find a big empty parking lot, set up some cones, and practice for a couple of afternoons. You'll be surprised how easy it is once you get the hang of it.

This trailer was my brother's and now mine, 11 years old and still going strong!

Like others have said, lots of pros and cons.  Currently I have a 2011 extended Express and its working well for me.  I probably have 14k in it now after 3 years but its set up pretty nice now.  To me, a decent truck which I don't need otherwise is 30k or so, plus you need a trailer and a place to keep it.  I'm a sales rep so I drive a ton so I need a car with good fuel mileage so its always going to be a second vehicle for riding.  I wanted to keep the cost down but utility high and the express has been great.  The prices for used transits are coming down though so I could see making the jump up to one next year just for the extra head room.  Also my little dudes are riding more so I would like a little more room in the back.  

I've switched from a trailer to a transit 5 years ago and love it. Transit is also my daily driver. I would like to get a 1/2 ton again for certain daily commutes, but the van works. Best part is parking. Like today was running late for arenacross race, pulled up right next to track entrance on side of building and rode out. Cant do that in trailer. And if I decide to stay at hotel or eat dinner on way home super easy. If you go van route take time to get it set up right and you will love it. Only down fall is my parents liked sitting in trailer on cold or windy days with fire and TV going lol.

Vans are awesome, you also can drive in the carpool and fast lane in a van.  Nothing worse in Ca. than being stuck in the far 2 right lanes of the freeway because you're towing something. 

Transits are nice also if you were looking to spend less. Mine was trouble free and did the job. 

Pulled a trailer behind my Tundra for years.  My son finally convinced me to get a van over the summer.  Purchased a leftover Promaster 3500 and absolutely love it.  I thought i would get sick of driving it because it would feel like driving an RV everywhere but it's fine.  I loved my Tundra but honestly don't even miss it all that much.  My son rides on average 4 days a week so at this point in our life, it's the convenient option.

My wife however, she does not love it...

Sprinters don't tow very well especially if there is a hill.  5000 pound capacity does not get you far.  Probably fine in FL, but the GVWR is not very good once you actually load the van itself....especially if you outfit the van.