Student builds motorbike camper

EVER found yourself torn between the comfort of a campervan, and the desire to travel on two wheels?

That was the problem faced by Californian architectural student Jeremy Carman. And so, like any resourceful individual would, he decided to create his own off-road capable MotoHome as his senior thesis project. That was nine years ago, and following his graduation this week he is preparing to ride the prototype to the tip of South America and back, covering 20,000 miles across deserts, rivers, beaches, and even the Andes mountain.

The MotoHome is based on a Honda CB street bike with a CR500 front end and modified rear suspension, designed to be able to cope with the 20kg shell attached to the back.

The shell is vaguely aerodynamic, although how it will affect handling is as yet unknown. It’s likely to make the machine a handful in any sort of crosswind, while the centre stand may not be enough to keep the bike upright when it’s parked.

But these are issues that Carman will address on the road. He’s currently just past halfway to his $5,000 GoFundMe goal, and will soon hit the road.