Let me cast my mind back to the bad old days. I’ve been doing this for 57 years—since I was 10. My time is split between running Ferrante Ranch in Somis, California, with some livestock, and getting out to wild places for dirt biking. I’d usually take one dirt bike and chuck all my gear inside my truck. If I was surfing, I’d take a big old gallon water bottle that I’d fill with hot water, take off my wetsuit, wrap a towel around me, and tip that over myself as best as I could. Here in 2024, I have the Leitner Active Cargo System.
Bernhard Leitner is one of those guys who just seems to have been born with a passion for innovation. The son of motocross legend Horst Leitner, he’s got racing in his blood. Horst was the founder of ATK Motorcycles and AMP Research. Bernhard founded Leitner Designs in 2007 to combine his love of design and engineering.
Bernhard wanted to haul all his off-road and motocross gear around, but he didn’t want to sacrifice the use of his truck bed. The result is the Leitner Active Cargo System (ACS).
The main benefit I expected from the Leitner ACS was to free up more space in my truck bed. By the time I throw in all that might be required, there’s usually a tight space where my motorcycle nestles, with no room for unloading maneuvers and so on.
This Leitner ACS has turned things around. Now, when I go mountain biking and dirt bike riding, it’s so much easier. I’ve taken several trips to the lakes and the desert over the last few months with motorcycles, mountain bikes, and kayaks to test the Leitner ACS.
My new dawn began when a daunting number of boxes arrived. I thought, “Jeez, this will be a big job!” As a result, I procrastinated before fitting the ACS to my Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck.
On the day I began the installation, after a bit of head-scratching, I started putting it together. I was frustrated. I thought, “These aren’t the right bolts; this isn’t the right stuff.” This provided a good test of Leitner Designs’ customer service.
I’m pleased to report that the process went well—no robots or transoceanic connections! A real live lady answered my phone call quickly and was super helpful. We concluded that I had been sent the old manual and was following the wrong instructions! We had a bit of a laugh about me trying to use tools that weren’t necessary.
During my chat with the nice lady, I asked how they could help if I didn’t feel like getting my hands dirty. Fortunately, authorized dealers can take care of the installation for you—either have Leitner Designs send it directly to the dealer, or have it shipped to your front door and bring it along. You can pick up your ACS directly from Leitner Designs in Corona, California, where it is built using domestic and imported materials.
Before you start, make sure you have the right tools for the job—a 13mm deep socket is a must, and don’t even think about using a shallow one. Leitner Designs included T40 and T30 Torx hex key wrenches, which are a nice touch and make the process smoother. Although instructions aren’t my thing, more sensible people read the instructions and watch the installation video on the Leitner website.
Once I was rolling, I was pleasantly surprised by how straightforward it was to install the Leitner ACS. Everything lines up easily, though you need two people to hold the pods up while you tighten them down. However, you can’t do it alone—shifting the rails requires two people.
The Leitner ACS weighs in at an impressively light 70 pounds for my five-foot short-bed Chevrolet Colorado. If you have an eight-foot bed, the ACS weighs 110 pounds.
The frame mounts on top of the back of your truck, and the side rails are what the pods and water system hook onto. The ACS storage pods are rugged and secure. They have a smart fitting for attaching to the rails that is easy and strong. Swapping the pods from side to side is simple.
There is a cross-rack that slides—you slide that forward and lock it in place to fit your bike in. You can also slide it back for a weekend at the lake. My two kayaks were securely mounted on top—it worked perfectly.
The Leitner HydroPod is part of the kit I tested. It boasts a generous 4.8-gallon water capacity, making it easy to carry a substantial amount of fresh water. The HydroPod is made from food-grade polyethylene and is BPA-free. There’s a $349 shower kit, a luxury I haven’t enjoyed before on my forays into the dirt.
After a dirt bike ride, I use the water system to wash up before getting back in my truck. I found it easy to adapt to different trips; for some places, more items, for others, less. I can just add or subtract pods for storage as needed.
The Leitner ACS has a durable feel, and its streamlined design surely enhances my fuel consumption. The upright arm is made from forged 6061 aluminum. Other aluminum components are military-grade, so that’s peace of mind right there. The black heavy-duty fasteners for securing gear are made from grade 10.9 and are zinc-nickel plated.
I leave the ACS in place because my truck is still usable. The pods are locked on and lockable, so no worries about theft. Now, my dog can sit comfortably in the Colorado’s cab!
The whole experience of going out for a dirt bike ride has been transformed. When I decide to go, I just grab my sandwiches and beer, load my bike, and I’m gone. It is much easier to be spontaneous now.
You can put the Leitner ACS on your truck and drive to Mexico—it won’t fall apart. The storage pods fit all my gear, including my helmet. I’ve left all my gear in the pods and driven everywhere all week, forgetting my stuff was in there. My truck is unusually tidy now that my gear is not loose and all over the bed.
I’m planning to customize the Leitner ACS a bit for different trips. It can take a tent on top, so when I do that, I’ll get some smaller pods to switch it around. I’m all fired up to customize my adventures, and I can still use my truck for all the usual daily duties. It’s very well built.
The Leitner ASC is a fantastic product. A couple of my buddies had thought about buying other cargo systems but found them flimsy. Now they’ve seen the Leitner Active Cargo System; they’re each getting one. I’m certainly not going to talk them out of it.
