Getting a bike in and out of a van/pick up

[Al]

I've been thinking of getting a cheap van/pick up instead of a car so that I can transport my bike to trackdays and what not.

Is it pretty easy to get a bike in and out of a van with one fairly puny guy or am I going to end up in a heap on the floor with my bike on top of me.

So I'll need one of those metal ramp things, then walk the bike up using the throttle to get up the ramp?
Use the front brake to slowly let it roll down the ramp? or will the front wheel slip?

Is there a better technique?
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Yamaha FZR400RR 3tj
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[.....]

I'd definitely get a decent ramp - they only cost about £30. I've seen a bike fall off a plank of wood at a trackday and end upside down on the floor.

Getting it in and out is very do-able on your own, if not grab someone near by and they'll be happy to help, I've helped a few people at track days before. I'd suggest just pushing it up the ramp to minimise the chances of it slipping off. Take a good run up and just shove it up there. I've found that vans with a step on the back makes it easier getting the bike in there on your own if the back of the van is quite high.

[Ste]

Loading a van is easier than loading a pickup. The back of a van is lower than the back of a pickup, so for loading a pickup it's much easier if you've got a second ramp so you can be walking alongside the bike rather than having to step up into the back of the pickup.

For unloading the bike don't touch the front brake, have the bike in gear and use the clutch to control how fast it's going.

[ttr]

I find it much easier with two ramps or a wider one so you can walk with the bike. Had to ride a bike up a ramp once because the brakes were binding too bad!

Good fun.
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GS125-> NT400->VFR400->CRM250->Z750 + GS125->NTV650 rat + VMX1200->GSF600 + GPz550

[Pete.]

Been doing it for years with nothing but a scaffold board. You don't need to be a bruiser to do it just have a good technique.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[KevTM]

I can get my KLX650 out of a Peugeot Boxer myself, arse first, very easy. Haven't tried getting it in myself and I doubt I'd manage it without a ramp of some sort. One ramp should suffice, if you're small and can't run it up the ramp, get a wee stool or box, or bucket or something to make a wee step-up for yourself rather than making one big leap into the van

[G]

[ttr]

When I sold my VFR the chap turned up with no ramp. That was fun times, proof of how easy it is to nick a bike by lifting it into a van though!!
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GS125-> NT400->VFR400->CRM250->Z750 + GS125->NTV650 rat + VMX1200->GSF600 + GPz550

[Gazdaman]

Getting one of those decent ramps is useful, the metal ones that clip together in the middle. It's long enough so it's not too steep, and its wide enough not to worry about falling off too much.

Loading a van is easy, it's just becomes difficult with the wrong ramp.

Gaz

[G]

Ideally a one-piece ramp I'd say - always been happy with mine, nice gentle curve so that things don't get caught at the top and absolutely stable (the scaffold plank could suffer from the belly pan scraping when that was all I had.)

[Gazdaman]

This is roughly what I've used before and was very good.

https://www.theramppeople.co.uk/photos/md_cb86c9035820b2483691a0f94a63fe4cs.jpg

Gaz

[KevTM]

I'll leave riding it up the ramp to the adventurous

[Al]

Cheers for the advice.
I'm still torn between just getting a tow bar and trailer or a van/pick up.

I like the idea of a van but it would need to be fair size to get a bike in the back transit, vito ect.
I'm not that keen on driving a massive great van around all the time though.
Another problem might be the insurance as I work as a plumber and the chance of an insurance company believing that a plumber wants a van for SDP + commuting but isn't going to use it to work out of is pretty unlikely. Trade insurance would probably be expensive and I'm really not going to use it for work.

So pick up is winning, I called into a local garage on the way back from work today to look at a Nissan Navara king cab. It was pretty cool but Ste's right I think it would be a bit high for me to load the bike in. Plus I've just checked and they only do 28mpg. A small car would do twice that and even a van is better.

So now I think one of those lower 'more homosexual' 2wd pick ups could be the way to go, I don't plan on going off road so don't need
4wd and heavy duty suspension anyway. They should hopefully be more economical and lower.
Something like this - https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2002-FORD-RANGER-DIESEL-1-TON-PICKUP-NO-VAT-LOW-MILAGE_W0QQitemZ260558797723QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Commercial_Trucks?hash=item3caa83bb9b#ht_1393wt_937
But a little cheaper and more local.
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[KevTM]

Yeah the Ford thing does scream out "Gay Cowboy with a Mullet" but who cares

Some of the newer vans drive like cars. I borrowed my Uncles Movano (I think it was, 04 plate Vauxhall, transit size, SWB) and it was really not much different from driving a car except it was a bit slow. Would happily drive that around than a car anyway. Not sure if you've driven a newish van or not but maybe it's worth giving one a shot before making your mind up on a pickup.

[G]

Don't see why you'd go for a pickup over a van - still big, but generally less practical. Definitely like just being able to throw stuff in the van - whether it be bikes or general stuff I'm transporting. While you have to worry about making sure stuff doesn't jump out of the trailer more.

Something like a SWB transit isn't that big - think it was shorter than my Laguna, though it was wider, but so would the pickup be.

You can get away with a bit smaller van - the SWB would take three (two fat) sports bikes and a load of kit on top, so could go with a bit narrower and little shorter one.

[Sparks!]

I think I'm fairly qualified on this subject!

I sold my Fiat Scudo and bought a Mitsubishi L200 Tart Warrior.... I then sold the Tart Warrior and now use a Fiat Ducato

Vans are easy to load, I can load pretty much any bike by myself, struggled a bit with my big africa twin (pushing it, I don't usually feel the need to use the engine) but anything is easily loadable by yaself and same for unloading. If you want to use the engine to push up the ramp then ratchet strap the ramp to the vans tow bar/bumper/whatever as a few times I've lost the ramp from under me as the CBR rear will spins the ramp out

Trucks.... There's no way in hell I'd load a sports bike by myself that's for sure.. I could load the trail bike myself but it's a bit of a pain... I was never brave enough to use the engine, I'd always push and use a tool box as a step up.

Note: two ramps does NOT make loading a truck easier

Off loading trucks is equally akward.. and as the tail gate is down you can't just chuck stuff in the back like a van so tools/spares/riding gear etc has to go on the back seats which sucks if you have leather seats! Unless you bolt in/secure in boxes etc in the bed.

Never tried two bikes, didn't really fancy it to be honest!


With the van, lower so easy as pie to load, can get 3 bikes in a fiat ducato... 2 bikes in a Fiat Scudo which is a smaller van yet still spacious in the back.

Driving a big van around isn't actually that bad to be honest... depends how new it is also, I've got an 06 Fiat Ducato and it drives well, fairly quiet and handles suprisingly well, bit slow but it's a van afterall. I find parking relatively easy but then I have pretty much always owned big vans... the fiat scudo is kinda like a large car to drive... I think the scudo's are really ideal for bike transportation, really liked mine, just a shame they depreciate so much.

The truck is longer than the van... just as big plus you've got the long bonnet and high tail gate to contend with... reverse sensors make it easier but I found I pretty much always had to reverse park it as could never tell how far the front was from things and the swing into parking spaces front on was a bit akward.. reversing was far easier

Trucks look pimp are nicer to drive and erm, they look pimp but if you primarily want bike transport, save yourself the hassle and get a van

p.s I have one of those folding ramps for sale, £25 + delivery or collect from Portsmouth, reasonable used condition, does the job! PM if interested
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[Al]

I'm not totally against a van, we have a couple of vivaro vans at work 57 and 03 plate and there not bad to be honest.
They just seem to be a bit lardy to use all the time, too wide for the supermarket, too tall for the multistory, no rear visibility.

I can't be bothered to go and measure my bike but the average sports bike seems to be 2m long, but the load area length of most small vans Kangoo, combo ect is only 1.7m.
Could I just take the passenger seat out

If not the next size up seems to be things like the peugoet expert, vito. ect which are all pretty big.

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Yamaha FZR400RR 3tj
My Instagram Thingy

[CaNsA]

[G]

The low-topped transits come in at 2m or so, which should just fit into most multi-storey car parks.

Personally I haven't found utility 4x4s much less lardy to drive than vans - Danny drove my LWB LT35 (same size as a big sprinter) as the first van he'd driven I think - coming from an old mini he found it light, easy to drive and turn.

[chris-red]

Real men wheelie out of there vans.
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[Ste]

[pa_broon74]

I have some experience too.

I use a LWB transit for moving bike if necessary. Maybe it's just me, but getting a bike up a ramp into the back of it was a nightmare. I put my 125 in several times for one reason or another and picked up my KTM in it too.

The KTM was easy as there was three of us, the 125 I tried to ride in once... I ended up wearing it. No one saw though, so it didn't actually happen. I wouldn't even try putting my TDM in on my own, its just to heavy.

I'm not a weakling, but even with a run up, because the ramp is to short (so steep) it's just a wee bit too much for comfort. I now have a British Rail ramp (you see them in special cubby holes on platforms,) they fold in half length-ways and have a non-slip covering, it's ideal.

Vans are fine now, the transit I use is a bit old and shit for parking. But newer vans almost drive like cars these days.


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Didn't catch anything.

[Polarbear]

I being a superstar wheelie it up
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[Polarbear]

no i dont really,
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[G]