Camper vans range quite widely in how well they approximate the warm, comfortable feel of home. Vans with motorcycle garages often fall on the lower end of that range, trading warm, soft lodge-like furnishings for more practical, utilitarian solutions like metal-plate flooring, stowable ramps and cold bare metal. Czech shop WoodVans warms up the bike-hauling camper, creating a Moto van so cozy and inviting it could double as a winter retreat for four people, at least when it's not busy serving as a dirt bike shuttle and base camp.
Many apartments don't even come with a dedicated garage, so it's always impressive when a camper brand is able to squeeze a motorcycle garage and all the primary living amenities of an apartment inside a van. It's even more impressive when it's able to make that rolling apartment with attached garage a two-bedroom ... without even adding on a canvas-walled pop-top.
WoodVans carves its floor plan out inside the largest Citroën Jumper on offer, the 636-cm (250-in) L4H3 variant, and it does so while keeping all the amenities one would hope for in a European camper van, including a wet bathroom. The primary bed is a longitudinal double at the rear, set above the bike garage. The bed itself isn't quite a full and proper rectangle, cut off at the corner by bathroom, but it benefits from a cozy surrounding bedroom nook with a dedicated rear wall separating it from the double van doors. A skylight, quilted wall padding, overhead cabinets and reading lights fill out the space.
The second bed doesn't have its own fixed upstairs bedroom nook, but it remains less breezy and exposed than a pop-up roof bed since it's contained inside the hard-roofed van walls. During the day, the electric-lift bed blends in with the ceiling, complete with its own integrated lighting. At night, it lowers down to sleep two people over the dinette and kitchen counter. The van seats all four occupants at camp and on the drive there with a combination of swivel driver-area seats and a dual-seat rear bench. The double table expands for plenty of dining space.
The Moto galley packs the usual combination of stove, sink and expandable counter, keeping things chilled in a 50-L fridge/freezer located at the end of the block for indoor/outdoor access.
WoodVans steps up the cozy ambiance with its selection of materials and colors, at least so far as the Moto photo model is concerned. The combination of wood-grain furniture and flooring, deep golden walls and accents, and quilted padding creates a space that's warmer and more inviting than most camper vans, particularly bike-hauler camper vans.
Even the Moto's 135 x 130 x 220-cm (53 x 51 x 87-in) looks more attractive than the competition, trading out fold-away metal bed frames and diamond plating for LED lighting strips, interior-matched black walls and furniture, and dark flooring. Tie-down rails on the floor and wall strap everything securely. A water connection allows riders to spray down their bikes before loading them up, and waterproof materials hold up to wear and tear.
The only part of the cabin that strays from the warm, homey atmosphere is the bathroom, which goes for a cold but practical white, single-shell laminate design. The space includes a toilet, shower floor and hosed sink/shower sprayer, with a contrast vessel sink elevating the look.
The Moto comes equipped with a diesel air/water heater combo, and the heating is ducted to the garage to eliminate the chance of frigid air hovering below the main bed. Other onboard equipment includes a 100-L fresh water tank, 90 L waste water tank, 140-Ah AGM battery, 100-W solar panel, 220-V external hookup, USB sockets in the living area, outdoor awning, retractable entry step, and TV preparation. The Jumper van comes powered by a 160-hp BlueHDI engine.
While WoodVans puts motorcycling at the top of the Moto's agenda, that garage could be useful for all kinds of other sports gear and cargo. When we first saw photos, we thought the van looked like a rustic mobile lodge more fit for a cozy winter getaway than campers designed with that very purpose in mind. It could be the perfect vessel for multi-day backcountry MoonBike electric snow bike tours or ski and snowboard adventures.
WoodVans did not respond to our emails requesting Moto pricing, so the closest we have is the CZK1.55 million (before VAT, approx. US$72,400) of a Freedom van it has listed for sale on its website. The Freedom floor plan trades the motorcycle garage for a smaller 125 x 100 x 140-cm (49 x 39 x 55-in) bicycle garage. The layout is quite similar to the Moto's, albeit with the living area stretching farther back and a transverse rear bed over top the smaller garage area, no dedicated bedroom wall. The model listed for sale includes a more powerful off-grid electrical system with 200-Ah lithium battery pack, 150-W solar panel and 1,000-W/1,500-W inverter.
Source: WoodVans
