Going to a Sprinter from an enclosed/tow rig

I’m really stuck on the idea of transitioning to an extended High Roof cargo van (sprinter/transit etc) from my current setup.

Right now I’m towing a 6x10 Aluminum V nose behind a 2014 Silverado 1500. The enclosed is setup well enough with AC & 30A shore power and is currently used as storage for my race bike & gear when not in use. With a major transition at work going to 80% remote I barely drive my truck for anything other than track related events or Lowe’s.

I have the title for both and the truck has maybe 75k on it in rather good condition.

I’m really considering selling both and moving into an extended high roof van. What’s the downfall? With the market how it is I’m up in value on both the truck & trailer and would cover the rest with cash.

The Van will be my primary vehicle and really only used when it’s snowing or raining as my commute to work is 6 miles and typically taken on my road bike.

What’s the downfall of going to a moto van? Having to buy more candy is all I’m seeing. The truck gets maybe 12-14mpg towing and still have to deal with the trailer. I like the idea of simplicity and I typically only take 1 bike with the rare occasion of 2 maybe once a year. I’ll still be maintaining a single vehicle, have plenty of space if I need to get large objects as if I had a truck bed.

 

Downside is the constant smell of motorcycle/oil, fuel etc. in your daily drive unless it has an enclosed cab. Even when there is nothing in it it will still have that odor.

 

MotoVans certainly have their appeal, but I've never particularly enjoyed the idea of that much equipment just sitting right behind you, waiting to come up and visit you in the drivers seat in the event of a collision.

Realize that some vans have steel partitions and equipment should be properly secured, but still.....I still see a LOT of guys loading up their vans at the end of a weekend with loose fuel jugs, tool boxes, and such and it makes me cringe every time.

 

Parking is annoying with the extended wheelbase. It's not a big deal for track weekends, but that'd suck for other regular use. It probably comes down to how much you won't be using it as your daily driver.

 

Everyone walking by at the track will tell you how rad it is. Depending upon how white or “sketchy” it looks, you will disappoint officers of the law who are hoping to stop you for a quick drug bust. But they will be impressed by how many bikes you can fit back there because they will ask what you have in the back and they will also ask to see them. And yea, it’ll smell like tires and gasoline.


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The downside is you have to drive a giant van everywhere instead of a truck with no trailer when you do actually drive around town.
Vans are ugly.
The "being up on your truck price" doesn't mean jack when van prices are inflated just as much.

 

The Sprinter is appealing but apparently they are quick to rust.

 

Just got a medium roof 148 Transit last week and love it.
I wouldn’t want it as a DD though. Sounds like you already have that part figured out.

 

I went to an extended wheelbase, high roof Transit van.

Love it. Nice to have everything contained in a single vehicle.

Gas smell is annoying. It abates somewhat, but it is still there.

Noise is annoying. Tools and stands, etc squeak and rattle. You can do a lot to minimize it, but it is still there.

Tie everything down. Twice.

Nothing is perfect.

Cheers

Dave

 

I'd keep your current setup- that's from a guy with a diesel one ton and a big toy hauler who's riding shotgun to the mx track and trails in a buddy's 2019 Ram Promaster 1500 the last couple of seasons.

I rarely drive my truck too and the trailer sits around pretty much year round but the van ain't a change I would make. Just my bitcoin 0.02

 

The appeal of a single vehicle and especially one as useful as a van is huge, but the reality is it's kinda like having a huge trailer and a 2500HD diesel to daily drive so that you can tow that nice trailer once a month. It's ultimately just not worth the compromise in my opinion. My biggest complaint of the vans is the damn noise. Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but rattles and stuff like that are just extremely annoying to hear while driving around.

I will say this though, you could always rent one of these vans from U-haul for like 3 or 4 days and just run every errand you can imagine. Drive it to work one day just to see and see what it's like. A modern pickup truck has become so comfortable and capable that it's a no brainer to me which I'd choose.

Oh and if you're thinking "I'll just get a nice van that turns into motovan on the weekends" - the smells and stains never come out...just a heads up.

 

Van with a Snoeks crew setup. No fumes, everything separate and you could probably drop to a 144 sprinter or 148 Transit and have room in the garage for two bikes and gear.

 

Minimize it with a good stereo system.

UNCE Unce unce ...

 

I'm building one, hopefully with some sleeping and lounging arrangements up front with a partition. Hopefully the rattles will be not noticeable w/ the wall in place.

The major issues have already been noted, trying to improve the fuel vapor issues w/ vapor-tight gas cans and maybe adding a simple charcoal canisters to the fuel vent on my bikes. My generator has one already.

These guys have executed the same basic layout that I've wanted to build, I'd want a few more cabinets and stuff in the back though, and I have a full solar setup.

 

I switched from a 6x12 to a van two years ago and I love this thing. The convenience of not having a trailer makes it worth it. Save money on tolls/gas and here in NY I am allowed on the “Parkways” without the trailer which gives me more options.


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They're overall not bad to drive, the Transit has a 22" shorter wheelbase to make it more maneuverable than the extended Sprinter, but has a longer rear overhang to make it comparable in space. While it's not a daily driver, I do take it out at least once a week for runs to Lowes and whatnot. I'd say longer braking distance is the only annoyance.

I test drove the Sprinter before, and it was a bit softer in steering and such, but still not awful. If the $15/hr Amazon delivery drivers can figure it out, I'm hoping y'all can too.

 

I’ve seen the aftermath of a wreck with 2 dirt bikes and one... let’s just say decelerated a lot slower relative to the passenger in the front seat. Didn’t end well at all.

 

I condemned one of my old service vans (04 sprinter) to track duty, and it works but isn’t the same as a trailer. You’ll have less space than you think and setting up cabinets and mounting stuff on walls is more difficult.

You’re looking newer than my beater but I don’t know if I’d want anything nicer. I kind of like the luxury of giving no fucks about it. Keep in mind what’s going in it. Smells have been mentioned but also consider fluids, loading in the rain, drilling holes in the floor to mount things, etc.

Also I’ve had a few sprinters and they’ve all been shit. Least reliable things I’ve ever owned. If you pull the trigger I’d go Transit.

 

If you do the van you lose the the storage of the trailer and have to unload everything if you need to haul something. Also I like the ability to drop my trailer and leave the track for any many reasons. I did go to a bigger trailer because I wanted to be able to sleep without unloading when weather is screwed. The difference between the 6x12 to 8.5x16 was great. Like you I leave all my track stuff including the bike in the trailer year round. I have service vans I get rid of every few years and have heavily considered trying the van deal but not since I upsized my trailer. I also just downsized my truck a little
(Crew cab 8’ bed ) to a smaller cab and bed because parking lots were a pain in the dick.
Good luck

 

Noise traveling. Things clanging around and gas killing brain cells by the mile.

Trust me, the further you go to get to tracks, the more that fatigue is going to weigh in on your riding and your recovery, or lack thereof, on the trip home.

Plus, if you have to leave the track to get to a Walmart or something, youre taking the whole rig.