Am looking at buying a van for bike transport and other stuff Not sure whether ordinary roof height would be ok? I am hoping to be able to load / unload on my own - i have no sidestand for the bike therefore want to ride on / throttle it on and concerned may have to crouch / risk head I am only short mind Will it be necessary to go mid or high roof? Would really prefer ordinary swb low roof if practical I am aware that buying a fwd helps as lowers back end somewhat
Vivaro size perfect for most. Front wheel drive means lower back normally so not a transit. Depends what else you use it for
Bradders - have been looking at 06 on transits - swb but fwd and they do look good value and good space - just the height am wondering about - i couldnt push the thing on on my own i dont think?
Depends, they do tend to be higher. A mate clutches his up. Personally, I found it too high, my renault master is as a tall as I'd like to go
As in floor height? The FWD versions dont look that high? Will have a look at that Would it be possible to ride in (pretending to be Evel Knieval) or is the space on your mates limited in terms of roof height?
On a plank width ramp?! Get the video set up, YBF give £250 for gold like that lol Dont know if fwd are lower than rwd but certainly the rwd ones are higher to allow for an driven axle afaik. If you can just step up, its low enough imo
Look at the carry weight rating too of the transit, we have 2800 and 3500 at work, the 3500 sit a lot higher up. Probably not an issue but thought I'd mention it. Hired a Vivaro Monday to get my bike up to JHP. Enough room inside....I really wouldn't be keen to ride it in though. Roof seems too low for those antics and should you go either side you're off and probably best to not even think about what happens if you don't line it up right :/
Van is easier if you can afford it. Having used open trailer, box trailer and van there is only one winner...and a van is harder to nick!
I have a Vivaro and run the bike in standing to the side and slipping the clutch with no mishaps to date, no chance of riding it in. Steve
I have a 2008 Renault Trafic I'm just about to sell if anyone is interested. Nice clean van & great condition, perfect for bikes. I used for bikes and 2 Great Danes. If interested PM me and I'll supply more details. Price is £5k. Yrs MOT, serviced a couple of weeks ago etc.. It is low roof, SWB and I load myself, just push it on or drive up standing at side if I CBA pushing. Low roof is fine but obv you cannot stand up. Higher roofs hit economy so it's a price you pay. I've replaced it with a new low roof van that I managed to get from my sons business, only reason for change is this opportunity came my way. Good for 2 bikes and stuff and I use it as my car. Davy
Used a works trafic and vovaro for a while, could do 90+ fully loaded and still return more than 600 miles on a tank
Toyota HiAce are great. The LWB are the ones to have. Very low floor despite rear wheel drive. Go on for ever and hold money like nothing else. I had to swap mine out for a medium roof transit so I can get Multis etc. in, but id have a Toyota back any day of the week. My Transit is FWD but the floor is still 6" or so higher.
If I were using it for every day transport, I'd have a Hiace or the Hyundai version which is similar; same as a T5 but way cheaper
Bit of advice,buy a folding loading ramp , don't use a scaffold plank because when the front wheel is safely in the van and you are thinking that was easy,give it a touch of throttle and the plank shoots out from under the bike. Don't ask me how I know these things
Lol we watched two guys loading a blinged 1198 and a panigale S into a nice 3 yr old van on Tue on a scaffold plank. We were all ready with the cameras...it costs hardly anything for a ramp!
I remember riding my R1 up into the back of the old Window Lickers Bus after coming straight off track. smacked my head on the roof on the way in and shoot into the back of the seat. Always push with help, or clutch up, if on my own when loading.
FWD transit easy to push bike in. RWD a pain, floor level makes the ramp steep. No need to be jonny hero and ride up ramp with a FWD van. Low roof ones fine also
