I'm looking for a new hauling vehicle for my SV650 race bike, as the Miata + trailer is less than ideal for a lot of reasons. I've been debating between a full size cargo van and a pick up truck (any size), but I'm torn between what would be more useful and (importantly) which would be easier to load, alone.
The main reason I don't like my converted HF utility trailer is that the deck height is tall enough that I can't push the bike up on level ground by myself.
Ideas either way?
The floor of a van is probably lower to the ground than a modern pickup truck (they're about 8 feet up in the air these days, it seems.) Either one is probably going to be taller than a utility trailer.
It's hard to steal a bike from the back of a locked van 
We towed my girlfriend's race bike from Austin to Pikes Peak behind a 1993 AWD Subaru Impreza with 2000,000+ miles on it's 1.8 liter engine. Spare parts and camping gear filled the trunk and rear seat.
We've also taken the motard and the R1 to the track with my 2003 3/4 ton Chevy truck. The motard was in the bed and the R1 was on it's trailer. The spares were tucked around the motard. It's a lot easier, but a bit more expensive.
Ideally, I'd use a van. And I'd make sure the bike fits through the rear doors. I'd also either use an RV awning or an EZ-up to provide some shade for your pit area.
Because we need an RV and will also be towing two racecars or a bike and a car to most events, we're in the market for an E450 box van with the 7.3 diesel.
Van or something like an El Camino or Ranchero. Regular pickup truck is probably as bad as what you've got now.
Van has a lot of convenience here. However hauling race fuel (ie. in the gas tank) inside the van makes for some nasty fumes. I prefer hauling on a trailer.
another simpler design.
I like the pick-up because of fumes but also because it can be washed out with a pressure washer and used for mulch, lumber, and all manner of other useful things that are less convenient with a van.
Now, if you put the bikes on a trailer... I change my answer because vans are great for sleeping at the track - much better than the fold down area behind the seats of a crew cab and a million times better than a tent.
The ideal setup is a 10' enclosed trailer and a pick-up for all the reasons a pick-up is good + sleeping in the trailer at the track plus you get a garage for your bikes that leaves the garage at your house open for working on stuff.
I don't understand where you guys are getting these fumes from?
We used a van for a few years, and the only time there were any fumes, was when we spilled gas, and that was rare. I would go van all the way. A lot of my races are a few hours away, so being able to sleep in the vehicle is important to me.
Having used both, I vote for a van. The load floor is lower, it's a bit more secure (at least out of sight, if nothing else), and it's nice to have the bike out of the elements.
For the record, my last van was a long-box Aerostar, and I could easily load an SV650-sized bike myself, with no need for an additional ramp to walk up myself while pushing the bike. With the additional room inside a full-sized van, it would be even easier.
And you know, if it's this low, loading is just that much easier...
I have a pickup, I would rather have a full size van. Standard cab pickups have NO space to recline the seat, and I wish I had noticed that. Long trips suck.
How can you not get the bike onto a HF trailer by yourself? Just ride it on. Then to get it off, unhook the trailer & ride it off. I have a HF trailer that I used to haul bikes behind my Accord & it worked better than the pickup.
Van, becuase if its a 2 day track event, you can sleep there. Old conversions vans are stupid cheap, you don't have to be stuck with a cargo van. They usually have AC, nice stereo and the seats come out. Never had an issue with fumes and I have slept next to my bike. My E150 paid for itself in hotel room savings alone.
I'm leaning towards a cargo/conversion van after all this, but what is an unreasonable amount of miles for one of these. Because of the work truck market it doesn't seem like you can find a van with less than 100k miles, will these trucks be completely worn out or just broken in? Ford/Chevy/Dodge, is one better than the other?
All I have is anecdotal evidence: a good friend of mine used to do fleet service on airport shuttles, which were all E-series Fords of various size. All had multiple hundreds of thousands of miles with basic maintenance. Really, I imagine, like the pickups they share so much with, the story will be basically the same with any of the big three.
Grtechguy wrote: another simpler design.
That's pretty cool. Plans online anywhere?
http://www.roromotorcycletrailers.co.uk/ is the site I found that.
but, I imagine it wouldn't be all that hard to duplicate
Cool video of it being used
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILajMExVY5Q
alex wrote: All I have is anecdotal evidence: a good friend of mine used to do fleet service on airport shuttles, which were all E-series Fords of various size. All had multiple hundreds of thousands of miles with basic maintenance. Really, I imagine, like the pickups they share so much with, the story will be basically the same with any of the big three.
I'm with him. My 94 has 185K on the clock. The front is a bit loose, but everything works. By the nature of these pigs, most of the conversion van trips are highway miles.
I've actually seen one of the breakdown services here turn up with a similar trailer. They do work quite well if all you have to transport is a single bike.
When I raced, I looked at picking up an ambulance. They were dirt cheap, diesel, had maintenance history, had lots of storage inside, enough electrical power to run anything except tire warmers.
I Googled your inquiry. A Freightliner Van is the best option, but pricey.
Here are some other options. Get smaller bikes:
Buy a used van from this lady:
Get a cool Euro van thing:
Go big!
Go small:
Goo Redneck:
A Dodge Caravan might work:
From the folks who brought you the Porta-Potty?
1993 XR600R Supermoto in the bed and AMA winning 2004 R1 on the floppy trailer. Tools, cooler, ramp, airtank and rain tires are in the bed.
I want your supermoto.
4eyes wrote: It's hard to steal a bike from the back of a locked van
Not to mention: What can't be seen is less likely to get stolen. For example, when I was racing mtn bikes, I made sure nothing on the exterior of the van gave any hint to the contents. From the outside, it looked like any other conversion van... while on the inside, it was basically gutted to haul cargo.
I hauled around couple of my friends bikes with my old E150 conversion van. Compared to the ONE time I trasnported her DRZ400 with my 2500 4x4, the van was MUCH easier. We needed a long-azz ramp and a conviently parked hill to load the truck. The van was cake. That said, the truck was easier to tie the bike down, but after a couple of scary moments, we learned how to tie it down in the van as well (front seat bases and rear door hinges). Were I planning to haul motos on a regular basis, I would install a better tie-down system (E-track, for example) and replace the floor carpeting with rubber flooring.
If you do chose a van, be sure to get one with a raised roof. Your life will be much easier.
alex wrote: I want your supermoto.
This one? Me at a track day on my 40th birthday.
It's actually my girlfriends Pikes Peak and RallyMoto bike. Her at Pikes Peak, most likely a practice day.
Here's the low-buck rig we used to tow to Pikes Peak. A $800 Subaru swapped to manual and AWD and a $200 trailer stuffed with camping gear, tools, coolers, spare parts and race tires. That's Brianne in the background using a fellow competitor's tire changer to swap over from the worn practice tires to a fresh rear race tire.
Yeah, that one. Care to share the lowdown on the suspension/brakes/wheel/tire setup? I think I'll be building one of these after I sell my TL1000
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