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Old 04-18-2019, 08:59 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
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Store Dual-Sport Motorcycle In/On/Under Bus

In planning my next conversion, one of my wants is to have a way to store a small 250cc dual-sport motorcycle in, or on, or under the bus some way. I don't like the rear platform idea for aesthetic reasons, and because I want to not have the bike with me all the time.
I also don't want to tow a trailer for maneuverability reasons.

So I am left with somehow storing it on or in the bus. I considered building a front or rear rack which I like more than the rear platform because I can make it removable (there will be many times that I will not have the bike with me, but will flat-tow my jeep instead, which is why I don't' want to do a fixed platform.)

An alternate idea:

My bus will be a rear engine with a roof raise, and I did some preliminary measurements. I think that I can re-design the engine compartment and wall it off from inside just at the edge of the engine hump, and then cut a side access door and build a removable platform above the engine. This would give me the dual advantage of having access to the bike easily, and also I could design it so that the platform can be removed to give me full top and side access to the engine for servicing.

Another idea:

I will be re-locating my main entrance door to the middle of the bus, I could potentially make it large enough that I could use a ramp to load the bike into the bus, and design the living room to leave me enough room to store it while under way inside. I would then just have to keep it under the awning while at camp.

Anyone have any input on these ideas? or have alternate or better ones?

-Straypoet

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Old 04-18-2019, 11:32 AM   #2
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Go to the UserCP and fill out your profile. It'll help us answer your questions.You say the bus will be an RE, so I assume you don't have a bus yet. Have you considered a bus with the wheelchair lift in the rear corner? They make great motorcycle lifts with just some small mods.
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Old 04-18-2019, 01:54 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Go to the UserCP and fill out your profile. It'll help us answer your questions.You say the bus will be an RE, so I assume you don't have a bus yet. Have you considered a bus with the wheelchair lift in the rear corner? They make great motorcycle lifts with just some small mods.

Thanks, I had considered the wheel chair lift, but it uses up too much space. I could potentially re-locate it above the engine compartment though, which wouldn't be a waste of space.

I lived in a conversion for about 6 years as a kid, and then made my own right out of high-school, lived in it for about 5 years, then sold it. 10 years later I am ready for my next bus.

Since I don't have it yet, the only thing you might get out of my profile is my location, which doesn't have any bearing on my question. Thank you for the suggestion though.
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Old 04-18-2019, 02:01 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StrayPoet View Post
Thanks, I had considered the wheel chair lift, but it uses up too much space. I could potentially re-locate it above the engine compartment though, which wouldn't be a waste of space.

I lived in a conversion for about 6 years as a kid, and then made my own right out of high-school, lived in it for about 5 years, then sold it. 10 years later I am ready for my next bus.

Since I don't have it yet, the only thing you might get out of my profile is my location, which doesn't have any bearing on my question. Thank you for the suggestion though.
There may be questions that are local related. What is your aversion to joining the community?
Expand on the WC lift above the engine compartment? Can't see it being of much use there, or that it would have room to mount.
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Old 04-18-2019, 02:58 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
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https://www.amazon.com/Goplus-Anti-T...-1-spons&psc=1

Here's a link to a motorcycle hauler you can put on and remove from the back of your bus! I plan to use something like this for my 250cc Honda Elite
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Old 04-19-2019, 06:08 AM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Originally Posted by Mat_te_chu View Post
https://www.amazon.com/Goplus-Anti-T...-1-spons&psc=1

Here's a link to a motorcycle hauler you can put on and remove from the back of your bus! I plan to use something like this for my 250cc Honda Elite
That is a great solution, it would be easily removed if not needed for that particular trip. If I can't find a way to store it above the engine, I will go that route. I could put a receiver hitch on the front to carry it also, that would still give me the option to flat tow the Jeep. Thank you for your suggestion.
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Old 04-19-2019, 06:17 AM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
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There may be questions that are local related. What is your aversion to joining the community?
Expand on the WC lift above the engine compartment? Can't see it being of much use there, or that it would have room to mount.
I'm in Florida; Space coast area.

I think a lift is actually a bit overkill for a little 250, my idea would be to use the space above the engine compartment on RE type D busses. If you look at some of the designs (Thomas for instance) you can see that there is about 3' of floor area (or a little more) that is wasted because of the engine compartment. Most people seem to use this space by putting a rear bed over the engine area, and so don't miss the space, my thought would be to either re-locate the emergency door to the back corner and use a long channel-ramp to pull the bike into the space above the engine, or possibly to completely re-engeneer the rear access area to make the engine bay completely open, with a small 'shelf' for the bike. (enclosed again with double doors, or a roll-up door) I will be using a small Yamaha 250, so it really doesn't take up a ton of room. (I would trailer my larger bike if I wanted to take that with me)

the reason I wouldn't use a wheel-chair lift on the interior of the bus is because of how much room it would waste, I would still have the lift and the space for the bike even when not using it. I think I would miss this space less if it was space that was not ideal to begin with.
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Old 04-19-2019, 06:26 AM   #8
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I'd suggest finding a bus to actually walk around in. I don't think getting a dual sport up and down off the engine hump is gonna be fun. Lots of room for error there.

My folks have a yamaha 250 and its sorta bulky and awkward. Loading it 6 feet or so off the ground on a ramp doesn't sound fun. Relocating a WC lift to the engine hump won't work. The lift won't reach the ground and you need a strong, reinforced floor to support the lift.
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Old 04-19-2019, 06:51 AM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
I'd suggest finding a bus to actually walk around in. I don't think getting a dual sport up and down off the engine hump is gonna be fun. Lots of room for error there.

My folks have a yamaha 250 and its sorta bulky and awkward. Loading it 6 feet or so off the ground on a ramp doesn't sound fun. Relocating a WC lift to the engine hump won't work. The lift won't reach the ground and you need a strong, reinforced floor to support the lift.
The height would be the largest issue, yes I imagine you are right.

My last bus was a conventional; and I would load my bike (82 Suzuki GS450) into it all the time.
I didn't lose any space because my living room was in the rear, and I just removed the bike when I got to camp, and got my whole living room area back again.

But that was only at standard floor height; adding an additional 2 or 3 feet of height would require the channel ramps. (channels so the wheels drop down inside and the bike can't fall over while the bike goes up the ramp)

I would then possibly use a small electric winch to winch it up into place. I could make 2 sections of channel that extend to give me enough ramp distance so that getting the bike into place wouldn't' be too much trouble.

I had about a 8' ramp on the last bus, I made it slide under the rear overhang when not in use. I would probably need to use 2 sections of 8' ramp to get as high as I need with a RE bus.
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