Thinking of changing my work Ford Ranger pick up for a van and wondered what the smallest van was that I could get a couple of motorcycles in? My lad and I have Multistradas and Mrs a Street Triple. Just be handy for breakdowns, servicing and the odd long distance trip with the family where it's still nice to have the bikes with you. 90 % of the time it would be used to carry Landscaping machinery materials and must be able to carry 1 tonne. Be nice if it was reasonably quick and comfortable on a motorway Any recommendations?
if money is no object Jez Clarkson recommended the VW van saying it was the fastest van available plus it was more stylish than others. Chris.
For secondhand, a Mercedes Vito would be my choice; compact but big enough to get a bike in, and they're pretty quiet and comfortable. New, you could do a lot worse than a Hyundai iLoad, with a 6-year, 100,000-mile warranty, starting from £14k. Good size, too, and a low loading platform.
I've hired Vitos and VW Transporters. The VW drives better, but I find it just a little smaller in the back than a Vito, which is odd, because the Vito has a Transporter chassis. Your problem is going to be height tho. I have a KTM 950SM and that is very marginal inside a van. You might find you need a SWB Sprinter.
I've got a lwb sprinter which was bought originally for shifting the race bikes around and sleeping in at circuits, but had now become the company van. A lwb is overkill for just moving 2 bikes around but a swb would be a good bet. They have a 1 tonne load limit too. They come in standard and high roof versions. Get the high roof if you can as it makes a big difference when loading. The later CDI engines are a bit more defined, from about 2000 onwards. Mpg is about 30 mpg. Mines been real reliable and a great workhorse. Much less pleasant to drive than a pickup though due to reduced visibility and handlings. Rear wheel drive on some vans can mean a higher rear loading area. The sprinter suffers from this. Apparently the ford transit has optional fwd which supposedly gives easier loading.
I've got a 2009 T30 VW Transporter which I've had from new. Before that I had a Peugeot Expert (which is the same van as the Citroen Dispatch and Fiat Scudo). The Peugeot was a tad small and you could only just get a 748/99* bike in the back (and only if you took the back door lining off). The VW Transporter is ace. It's a very comfy drive and the 2.5L 130bhp motor on mine pulls like a train. I've taken my 748R and a mate's 1198S down to the south of France two years running. It sits at a ton easily with those two in and all our luggage, spares etc. I'd say you certainly don't want anything smaller than that........ Guy
I've got a rwd (current version) Vito medium wheelbase (ie not the short or extra long one) and door hieghts are a bit marginal. I can get a superlight in no problem but had to remove the screen to get a GSXR750 Slabbie in. Not sure how you'd get a Multistroodle in as bars/screen/clocks may be too high for doors. Ps local cooncil wont give Vito taxi owners a wheelchair taxi license due to the low door heights, so they tend to use VW T5s /vivaros /etc or converted peugot thingies.
As Gulps said, the Transit has loads of space in the back ans there are many different sizes. However, they're a bit agricultural compared to the T5 and even the Vito.
Cheers and thanks I like the look of the VW Transporter and Vito just not sure they are quite big enough. Time to get the tape measure out I think, wonder how may dealers will let me test load the bikes in the back.
