Minivan bike hauler?

Spooner
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Spooner
Edited Date/Time 9/26/2015 11:24pm
Anyone stuff a bike in a newer minivan? Thinking about picking up a newer grand caravan since they are dirt cheap to use for work and would love to be able to toss the bike inside occasionally. I think length would be fine but not sure if they are tall enough inside. I really want a Transit Connect but from some looking around they seem to be a bit too short.
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Jmcd1988
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Jmcd1988 9/25/2015 8:32pm
9/25/2015 8:32pm
I sold a 92 rm125 a few months ago and he brought his moms caravan. I had to load it in side ways. It wasn't tall enough to load a bike, unless you ride an rm80.

I would look for a used express or savannah. I drive a 2011 express for work and I always wonder if I could get my bike in there.
motokiwi
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motokiwi 9/25/2015 10:08pm
9/25/2015 10:08pm
Apparently you can fit a full size dirtbike into one of these: (with the passenger seat folded down and the cage open)

teggers
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teggers 9/25/2015 11:07pm
9/25/2015 11:07pm Edited Date/Time 9/25/2015 11:11pm
Sadly, I still use Chevy astros.
You can put your bike in it, but, I understand you have to drop your handlebars.

I own three of them and still look for low milage 2003-2005 to add.

There is no other van like them.

I picked up a V8 Astro LX hot rod last year. Fun car.
cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 9/25/2015 11:09pm
9/25/2015 11:09pm
I've never owned a mini-van, but I've heard the trick is to use an extra tie-down to keep the forks compressed a bit.

The Shop

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Spooner
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Spooner 9/26/2015 6:03am
9/26/2015 6:03am
I wonder if I used a hole shot device to hold down the forks if that would work? Then use a strapless system to hold the bike in. I guess I just need to bring s measuring tape to a car lot and see how it looks.
GeorgiePorgie 9/26/2015 6:13am
9/26/2015 6:13am Edited Date/Time 9/26/2015 6:17am
Two inches height in the Benz and 13 inches more length will make your life so much better when you wanna moto. The 1500 express is perfect if you want put in sleeping quarters. Fuel economy isn't that bad. But fuel economy is awesome in these sprinters and metris.

Metris I think would be too small.
slipdog
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slipdog 9/26/2015 7:11am
9/26/2015 7:11am
Spooner wrote:
I wonder if I used a hole shot device to hold down the forks if that would work? Then use a strapless system to hold the...
I wonder if I used a hole shot device to hold down the forks if that would work? Then use a strapless system to hold the bike in. I guess I just need to bring s measuring tape to a car lot and see how it looks.
That should work, I use to hook a tie down from my bars to my axle and cinch it down just like a holeshot device would do. once it was in my Astro I'd strap it in and release the forks. I could always get them out without compressing the forks, but on the way in it'd take the skin off your knuckles if you didn't compress them down.
Xracer
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Xracer 9/26/2015 7:32am
9/26/2015 7:32am
Oh and no...you can't get a bike into a normal minivan without taking it apart.
mblair
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mblair 9/26/2015 10:25am
9/26/2015 10:25am
few years ago I decided to go down to Daytona for the SX and didn't want to take the box truck because gas was so expensive and i have family down there so I already have a place to stay. I made a little block with caster wheels on the bottom of it and all i did was take the fron wheel off and put the axle back through the forks and it sat in my block i made. Worked like a champ and 80-85mph on the way down and back and 23-28mpg. Used it a few other times after that but you do have to take the wheel off everytime.






1
GeorgiePorgie 9/26/2015 12:20pm
9/26/2015 12:20pm
That's not bad. Atleast the suspension isn't always under a load. Taking wheel off isn't that hard.
cable
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cable 9/26/2015 12:53pm
9/26/2015 12:53pm
I'm with teggers. I've had 4 astros. I've had 3 bikes in them. pre holeshot device times, id put a tie down from handlebars to front axle and pull it down. always looking for a clean one..
FWYT
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FWYT 9/26/2015 1:18pm
9/26/2015 1:18pm
teggers wrote:
Sadly, I still use Chevy astros. You can put your bike in it, but, I understand you have to drop your handlebars. I own three of...
Sadly, I still use Chevy astros.
You can put your bike in it, but, I understand you have to drop your handlebars.

I own three of them and still look for low milage 2003-2005 to add.

There is no other van like them.

I picked up a V8 Astro LX hot rod last year. Fun car.
Why do you say "sadly"? In the back of my mind, I keep thinking that
the next bike hauler will be an older Astro cargo van. Something I should know?
JZ125
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JZ125 9/26/2015 2:32pm
9/26/2015 2:32pm
A bike in a Grand Caravan is a great idea. When it breaks, you can ride the bike to get help.
JZ125
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JZ125 9/26/2015 2:34pm
9/26/2015 2:34pm
teggers wrote:
Sadly, I still use Chevy astros. You can put your bike in it, but, I understand you have to drop your handlebars. I own three of...
Sadly, I still use Chevy astros.
You can put your bike in it, but, I understand you have to drop your handlebars.

I own three of them and still look for low milage 2003-2005 to add.

There is no other van like them.

I picked up a V8 Astro LX hot rod last year. Fun car.
FWYT wrote:
Why do you say "sadly"? In the back of my mind, I keep thinking that the next bike hauler will be an older Astro cargo van...
Why do you say "sadly"? In the back of my mind, I keep thinking that
the next bike hauler will be an older Astro cargo van. Something I should know?
Yeah I was a Chevrolet driveability tech and worked on Astros in the day. I made a lot of money on them and you will spend a lot of money on it.
endurox
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endurox 9/26/2015 2:43pm
9/26/2015 2:43pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2015 2:47pm
I had a 1990 Astro Van, almost flawless in the 128k till a guy hit me from the side. I had one full size bike inside with the forks compressed and my daughter's xr 100 on a staught rack on the back. 20mpg and nice seats. Once a put my KTM 150 diagnoly in my Element when gas was 4.50 a gallon. Just took the front wheel and fender off and made a short rod to replace the shock. Drove 550 miles round trip so the 20 minutes to put bike together was worth it.
You can even get a trials bike in the back of an Element just by lowering the bars.
toomey706
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toomey706 9/26/2015 3:56pm
9/26/2015 3:56pm
endurox wrote:
I had a 1990 Astro Van, almost flawless in the 128k till a guy hit me from the side. I had one full size bike inside...
I had a 1990 Astro Van, almost flawless in the 128k till a guy hit me from the side. I had one full size bike inside with the forks compressed and my daughter's xr 100 on a staught rack on the back. 20mpg and nice seats. Once a put my KTM 150 diagnoly in my Element when gas was 4.50 a gallon. Just took the front wheel and fender off and made a short rod to replace the shock. Drove 550 miles round trip so the 20 minutes to put bike together was worth it.
You can even get a trials bike in the back of an Element just by lowering the bars.
I remember in 1990, I think it was Tony Graves at Broome-Tioga riding out of a Chevy Astro. He was on an RM125. I thought different about the Astro after that, dude was fast. Good times.

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GeorgiePorgie 9/26/2015 5:49pm
9/26/2015 5:49pm
That was our first race hauler, the astro van back in 1991. We went a lot of places with that thing, including loretta's. Until she blew in 1996. Ever since she's been sittin in the field dreaming about her better years.
shanes
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shanes 9/26/2015 7:11pm
9/26/2015 7:11pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2015 7:13pm
my little grandmax van , can carry 2 bikes no problem as long as i load on the side like in the pic .

cost 20 dollars to fill up sits on 120 kph and can do 320-350 km per tank



i only use 1 strap to tie the bike/bikes in and they never move , also no compression on the suspension




ans fitted some copy race seats :-} so much better


Spooner
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Spooner 9/26/2015 7:32pm
9/26/2015 7:32pm
I would buy that in a second!
notme
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notme 9/26/2015 9:27pm
9/26/2015 9:27pm
That is a cool van, but our closest daihatsu dealer is in costa rica?
shanes
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shanes 9/26/2015 11:24pm
9/26/2015 11:24pm
notme wrote:
That is a cool van, but our closest daihatsu dealer is in costa rica?
that is shame you can't get them there ,they are great little van and it cost less than my bike brand new with a 2 year warrantee :-}}}

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