One Van, Two Bikes

Easy job that

various ways of doing it.

harness your hidden inner pikey and you will find a way !

 

buy a bigger van or buy a trailer

 

Many years ago i purchased a brand new Buell S1 Lightning from the Carnells / Birmingham branch, i collected it in my WHITE transit short wheelbase with a scaffold board / wooden chocks and rested it on a bed mattress with just a few straps, the bike came home in one piece.
Parked the van outside the pub and then fired it up which the locals didn't like as it had gone 9pm.

 

Perhaps a little pair of step ladders are required.

 

I'd plenty of room left with mine strapped on the nearside, so that should work but perhaps a dry run first.

 

You need to buy a laser cutter, press brake and welding plant and make one of these. Works a treat.

 

I’ve carried Two in my van separated by a few tyres strategically placed and bikes strapped strapped down.

Different kind of bikes I now but for our trials bikes I just lean them against each side with the wheels against the bulkhead and strap them around the whole bike each side works a treat. I guess if it was road going bikes I’d put tyres wrapped in bubble wrap against the plywood panelling or foam insulation/thick polystyrene.

 

I thought Joe had made some, fairly sure it talking about himself EP.

 

OK bare with me on this one, I've done both methods many times over the years depending upon the van, number of straps available, bikes/tie down points etc and never had an issue. The first one is probably the safest IMO, but if your stuck for straps and can chuck a load of stuck in between the bikes option 2 will work just as well and provide a liitle more comfort, saying that I've done option 2 countless times also without issue, just your seat pad will need 5-10 minutes to return to it's shape once you tighten the straps.

Once you've tied them down load everything around them, ramp down one side, leathers hung up, tyres in the middle, etc etc

Option 1 (assuming you have a rear paddock stand, can be done with no paddock stand - see below)

1) Put both bikes in the van (forwards) side by side on rear paddock stands against bulkhead with cable tie on front brakes
2) On the outside of both bike tie/hook a ratchet strap around the centre point of the bike - frame, top of subframe, rear pillion hanger for example, and hook the other end on the closest tie down point on the side of the van
3) Now use a ratchet strap to go between the two bikes at the centre point again
4) Tighten centre strap until you see the bikes pulling together, then move to the two outside straps and tighten those - repeat as necessary until you are sure they cannot move, they should be rock solid if on paddock stands

No stands - You can do the above without paddock stands, but you probably need someone to hold the bikes upright and probably put in gear to be sure

Option 2 (will require pillow/towel etc)

1) Load first bike close to side of of van
2) Turn bars inwards and rest you bike on side of van with pillow/towel between bar end and van lining (hopefully it's ply lined)
3) Put a towel over your seat pad
4) Hook ratchet strap on inside rearset and over the seat and fasten to tie down closest to the middle of the van below the bike and tighten
5) put cable tie on brake lever
6) Repeat the above for the bike on the other side of the van
7) Optional - use another strap to tie between the bikes (as per option 1), I've never used this as the bikes should be solid and locked in place

Edit - Just relooked at your photos, ply lined not an issue with option 2 then, just cover the bar ends.

I'd also be tempted to use the straps on the floor parallel to the side door rather than the ones above the arches as your pulling down more directly (compressing the suspension) and more than likely keeping tension to keep the front wheel on the bulkhead too!

 

There's definitely another in there somewhere.....

 

Might be a bit pricey for the odd trackday but I’ve just kitted the back of the van with a setup from Hitchlugger. It’s a Custom and I’ve transported two Superbikes with ease using them. No straps just a tie down thru the front wheel and secured at the rear. There’s no load on the suspension so no risk of blowing fork seals etc. The units mount off a cross beam secured to the front tie down mounts that Ford fitted. If I need the van to be a van, there’s 6 thumb screw type fasteners and the whole lot is out in five minutes. Picture is of just one unit, but the they fit in side by side with one being offset back by about 400mm to prevent bar or mirror clashes. Wish I’d found them years ago. Transformed the way I transport multiple bikes and customer confidence in their bikes being moved safely.

 

Don’t know if you’ve sorted it but I regularly carry two bikes in my van, albeit Mx bikes. I only have two tie down points in the front like your picture. All I do is use a ratchet strap running parallel with the bulkhead to the two tie down points. I can then use the strap as a tie down point for the handle bars in the middle.

 

Works fine but that is for two Mx bikes though I don’t use wheel chocks. I can rest the outside end of the bar against the side of the van but harder with clip ons at a guess. The strap just gives me a tie down point in the middle of the bulkhead so I’m not relying on the side door to take to much weight of one of the bikes.