GB01 is where it all started — the very first Gear Bus that Yama Vans ever built. The Canadian upfitter designed it as a no-frills, all-function hauler for people who live light but carry a lot: skis and a snowboard in winter, mountain bikes in summer, and friends or family whenever the trip calls for it. Even the colors come from the outdoors, with a palette grounded in forest green, desert orange, and alpine tones.
Under the playful “The Gear Bus” graphics is a seriously capable rig: an all-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144 on all-terrain tires, a pop-top for extra sleeping space, removable seating that scales from four to ten, and a Murphy bed across the back. The layout is modular, so seats and storage rearrange in minutes to fit the trip.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
The First Gear Bus, Built to Show What’s Possible
GB01 doubles as Yama’s rolling showcase for the platform — the build that proves out the “all of the thrills, some of the frills” philosophy. The orange grid graphics, rear access ladder, and spare tire on a swing-out carrier give it a purpose-built, expedition look, while the forest-desert-alpine color story sets the tone for an all-around outdoor machine rather than a luxury cruiser.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
An All-Wheel-Drive Sprinter on All-Terrain Tires
Like the rest of the lineup, GB01 rides on the Sprinter 144 2500 with Mercedes’ twin-turbo diesel and full-time all-wheel drive. Yama wraps orange Method wheels in BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 tires (Load Range E) and adds a FOX suspension upgrade to settle the highway sway that tall vans are prone to. The result is a van that’s just as comfortable on a snowy mountain pass or a washboard gravel road as it is on the interstate.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Seating That Reconfigures From Four to Ten
This is the heart of the Gear Bus idea. The rear seats are removable and ISOFIX-compatible, mounted on floor L-track so they can be added, removed, or repositioned in minutes — carry the whole crew to the trailhead one day, then pull seats to open up a cargo hold the next. The rear captain’s chairs swivel to face a fold-down table, turning the cabin into a lounge when the van is parked.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
A Murphy Bed That Folds Down Across the Back
When it’s time to sleep, a Murphy-style bed folds down sideways across the rear of the van and stows flat against the wall by day to free up the floor. Dressed here with a Pendleton-style wool blanket, it’s flanked by MOLLE rails and hooks for bags and clothing, and it’s sized for sleepers up to about 6’1″. Paired with the pop-top, the van sleeps two to four.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
A Pop-Top Adds a Second Bedroom
The roof pop-top opens to reveal a tented sleeping level with mesh windows on three sides — a breezy upstairs berth that’s perfect for kids or a second pair of campers, and a great place to catch a view. It’s the feature that turns the Gear Bus from a couple’s camper into a genuine family adventure van without adding length.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Gear Hauling for Every Season
GB01 is built to swallow equipment and reconfigure with the seasons. In winter, skis, a snowboard, jackets, helmets, and goggles hang from the MOLLE walls and door panels above a slide-out Dometic fridge. In summer, the same space holds a full-suspension mountain bike standing on a slide-out tray, with an EVOC wheel bag stowed overhead and Dometic and RUX gear boxes on the floor. All told, the platform offers more than 100 cubic feet of gear space, with T-track, L-track, and MOLLE mounting throughout.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Storage Built Into Every Surface
Above the windows, orange overhead shelves with bungee netting hold sleeping bags and soft goods, while MOLLE panels and rails cover the walls and even a marine-style Sirocco fan finds a mount. Removable aluminum cabinets round out a system where nearly every surface can carry something — and almost nothing goes to waste.
Images courtesy of Yama Vans
Design Details
- Builder: Yama Vans (Canada) — GB01, the first Gear Bus build
- Platform: Gear Bus on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144 2500
- Drivetrain: 4-cylinder twin-turbo diesel, 9-speed automatic, all-wheel drive (~15 L/100 km)
- Length: ~19’6″ (6 m)
- Seating: 4–10 (removable, ISOFIX-compatible seats)
- Sleeping: 2–4 (sideways Murphy bed plus pop-top)
- Gear storage: 100+ cu ft with T-track, L-track, and MOLLE throughout
- Power: 4 kWh lithium battery, 3 kVA inverter/charger, 30A DC-DC; 1+ week off-grid
- Heat: 7,500 BTU diesel air heater
- Suspension/tires: FOX upgrade, 17″ Method wheels, BFGoodrich KO3 all-terrains
- Palette: forest, desert, and alpine — slate-green body with orange accents
- Starting price: from $103,000 CAD (plus tax, excludes Sprinter chassis)
What Makes This Build Special
- True modularity. Seats and cabinets come out, so the same van is a 10-seat shuttle, a gear hauler, or a camper.
- Four-season capability. The gear walls swallow skis in winter and mountain bikes in summer.
- Two levels of sleeping. A Murphy bed below plus a pop-top above lets it sleep a family without adding length.
- Real off-grid range. A 4 kWh battery and diesel heat keep it livable for a week-plus in cold or heat.
- “Some of the frills.” The function-first philosophy keeps weight, cost, and complexity down versus a luxury conversion.
Learn More
- See GB01 on Yama Vans: yamavans.com/van-gallery/gb01
- Explore the Gear Bus platform: yamavans.com/explore-gear-bus
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Alex
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