rystjohn
Advanced Member
Hey all! This might not be the right forum for this...but I figured this is a trip that we're planning, and it does involve a truck camper....
I have a very scary question to ask everyone here - should I sell my bike or store my motorcycle?
The back-story: the lady and I are both turning 27 soon, and we are planning on hitting the road in March 2015 to travel the USA in our truck and truck-camper setup. We've been trying to become mobile like this for quite some time and this upcoming March is going to work for us! I'll try to keep this short and sweet, but also be as detailed as possible so that an opinion can be made.
We have a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel engine. In the 8' bed we have a Four Wheel Camper pop-up camper (~700lbs) which we will be living in. We will be touring all around the US, stopping in at various small towns and working to support ourselves. We are also both lucky that we can semi-support ourselves via the internet (she is an illustrator/painter and I am a writer/photographer/designer). We have no set plans, but rather are choosing to go wherever the wind takes us. We've tired of living a life paying bills and waiting for vacations to have fun. Even though we both worked hard to have the degrees we have, we both still work in the service industry in order to support ourselves and that has become tiresome as well. Long story short we're choosing to do this to free ourselves from constraints of "normalcy" and have our retirement now. But I'm not trying to convince anyone of what we're doing - we're going regardless and that's not why I'm asking people's opinions. What I'm talking about is the motorcycle.
I have a 2009 Suzuki V-Strom that I love with a passion that could rival Greek mythologies. It's my second bike I've ever owned - I've put so much effort, love, blood, sweat and farkles into the bike. I took my first solo long-distance motorcycle trip with it (from NC to AZ and back) and the lady and I have enjoyed countless summer afternoons riding the Blue Ridge Parkway. The bike isn't just a bike, it's a manifestation of memories and I've always said I could never get rid of this bike, but now I'm wondering if I should?
Unfortunately we can't put the bike on the truck - even with a hitch mount the bike simply weighs too much. I could store the bike in a climate-controlled storage center, but then we'd have to pay that much more per months, plus I'd probably worry about her. I have friends that could potentially store her, but then I worry about if they move or all kinds of what-ifs. I could sell her, but then I don't have a motorcycle anymore, and what if we decide to settle down, or things fall apart with our trip and then I have no mode of transport? I could also potentially sell the Strom, and then use some of the money to purchase a smaller bike and a rack for the hitch or front of the truck. All sides have their pros & cons, and I can't weigh them, not objectively. Which is why I need your help!
So - what should I do? What would YOU do? Take into account our traveling, our age, our limited income and the fact that I love my bike, haha.
Thank you!
I have a very scary question to ask everyone here - should I sell my bike or store my motorcycle?
The back-story: the lady and I are both turning 27 soon, and we are planning on hitting the road in March 2015 to travel the USA in our truck and truck-camper setup. We've been trying to become mobile like this for quite some time and this upcoming March is going to work for us! I'll try to keep this short and sweet, but also be as detailed as possible so that an opinion can be made.
We have a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel engine. In the 8' bed we have a Four Wheel Camper pop-up camper (~700lbs) which we will be living in. We will be touring all around the US, stopping in at various small towns and working to support ourselves. We are also both lucky that we can semi-support ourselves via the internet (she is an illustrator/painter and I am a writer/photographer/designer). We have no set plans, but rather are choosing to go wherever the wind takes us. We've tired of living a life paying bills and waiting for vacations to have fun. Even though we both worked hard to have the degrees we have, we both still work in the service industry in order to support ourselves and that has become tiresome as well. Long story short we're choosing to do this to free ourselves from constraints of "normalcy" and have our retirement now. But I'm not trying to convince anyone of what we're doing - we're going regardless and that's not why I'm asking people's opinions. What I'm talking about is the motorcycle.
I have a 2009 Suzuki V-Strom that I love with a passion that could rival Greek mythologies. It's my second bike I've ever owned - I've put so much effort, love, blood, sweat and farkles into the bike. I took my first solo long-distance motorcycle trip with it (from NC to AZ and back) and the lady and I have enjoyed countless summer afternoons riding the Blue Ridge Parkway. The bike isn't just a bike, it's a manifestation of memories and I've always said I could never get rid of this bike, but now I'm wondering if I should?
Unfortunately we can't put the bike on the truck - even with a hitch mount the bike simply weighs too much. I could store the bike in a climate-controlled storage center, but then we'd have to pay that much more per months, plus I'd probably worry about her. I have friends that could potentially store her, but then I worry about if they move or all kinds of what-ifs. I could sell her, but then I don't have a motorcycle anymore, and what if we decide to settle down, or things fall apart with our trip and then I have no mode of transport? I could also potentially sell the Strom, and then use some of the money to purchase a smaller bike and a rack for the hitch or front of the truck. All sides have their pros & cons, and I can't weigh them, not objectively. Which is why I need your help!
So - what should I do? What would YOU do? Take into account our traveling, our age, our limited income and the fact that I love my bike, haha.
Thank you!
