Moto van question

dcorbett62
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Morehead City, NC US
Edited Date/Time 6/13/2019 10:24am
Looking to get into a van. Looking for something you can stand up in (high roof) and the extended version. I’m looking to maximize my living quarters and make the garage barley able to fit a couple bikes. Wondering everyone’s opinions on Mercedes sprinters, ram pro master, or ford transit.
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Markee
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5/28/2019 6:10am Edited Date/Time 5/28/2019 6:14am
Smart man on 1. getting a van. 2. minimize garage / maximize living.

I have an older sprinter, 2005 high roof long wheelbase. If I had to do it over I would make the bed over the garage.

I'm not sure ram pro master has a long wheelbase model like the mercs and transit? ... just looked they sure do.

Side question, where do you ride around Morehead?
7eleven
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Aliso Viejo, CA US
5/28/2019 6:54am
If you can find a Ford Transit with the Eco Boost, do it! 3.5 twin turbo gas engine, 310 hp. I Absolutely love mine.

Mercedes Sprinters are great, but the upkeep is pricey.
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Markee
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5/28/2019 7:06am
Here is my setup. Believe this year the wheelbase was 158, the bed measured 14 ft. Went with the bare min for the bike which left over 6 and a half for living plus the cab room if you put in swivels on the seats.

I've got water, gen power, aux battery with inverter and window a/c unit.



19
dcorbett62
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Morehead City, NC US
5/28/2019 9:25am
Markee wrote:
Smart man on 1. getting a van. 2. minimize garage / maximize living. I have an older sprinter, 2005 high roof long wheelbase. If I had...
Smart man on 1. getting a van. 2. minimize garage / maximize living.

I have an older sprinter, 2005 high roof long wheelbase. If I had to do it over I would make the bed over the garage.

I'm not sure ram pro master has a long wheelbase model like the mercs and transit? ... just looked they sure do.

Side question, where do you ride around Morehead?
I usually ride, West Craven, JWTF, NCMP, CowBranch, and sometimes County Line!

The Shop

dcorbett62
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Morehead City, NC US
5/28/2019 9:28am
Markee wrote:
Here is my setup. Believe this year the wheelbase was 158, the bed measured 14 ft. Went with the bare min for the bike which left...
Here is my setup. Believe this year the wheelbase was 158, the bed measured 14 ft. Went with the bare min for the bike which left over 6 and a half for living plus the cab room if you put in swivels on the seats.

I've got water, gen power, aux battery with inverter and window a/c unit.



That looks awesome! Similar to what I’m shooting for. I’m not sure if buying one setup or building my own would be the better route.
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Markee
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5/28/2019 10:52am
Markee wrote:
Smart man on 1. getting a van. 2. minimize garage / maximize living. I have an older sprinter, 2005 high roof long wheelbase. If I had...
Smart man on 1. getting a van. 2. minimize garage / maximize living.

I have an older sprinter, 2005 high roof long wheelbase. If I had to do it over I would make the bed over the garage.

I'm not sure ram pro master has a long wheelbase model like the mercs and transit? ... just looked they sure do.

Side question, where do you ride around Morehead?
dcorbett62 wrote:
I usually ride, West Craven, JWTF, NCMP, CowBranch, and sometimes County Line!
Looking forward to the new West craven. Wish I could go this sat for the opener of the new track. Never been to jwtf or county line
Bret31
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Clackamas, OR US
5/28/2019 11:08am
I have a 2014 sprinter van 170 wb high roof sent up ready to go.






1
kary
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FR
5/28/2019 11:20am
Here is mine :





Sprinter XLWB and extra high roof !
I've got the bed above the garage, I can put my 2 YZ + my pressure washer + my tools, ......... And still have room for (I think, never tried) a 3rd bike !
Just love it !
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Markee
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5/28/2019 12:18pm
Very nice Kary, that's the layout I posted about. You got a bathroom in there?

lostboy819
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5/28/2019 12:18pm
dcorbett62 wrote:
That looks awesome! Similar to what I’m shooting for. I’m not sure if buying one setup or building my own would be the better route.
Build it yourself so it will be how you want it.
1
yz25
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Trussville, AL US
5/28/2019 3:57pm
Well after seeing the rides posted..... I was actually feeling good about my Ford Transit med roof I was able to snatch up.

Good night. Some guys on this form that can really bring you down a notch! Lol.

Amazing looking set ups!
1
Mr. Ted
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5/28/2019 4:12pm
Just bought a 2018 Promaster 2500 high roof long wheel base. Love it! Gets great gas mileage (V6). Very cost effective versus Mercedes.
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AZRider
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Rock Spring, GA US
5/28/2019 4:49pm
Transit gets my vote, but i have a fun mover. Van isnt big enough for 3 bikes and all our stuff for a full weekend.
tobias56
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Hinesville, GA US
5/28/2019 5:27pm
Markee wrote:
Here is my setup. Believe this year the wheelbase was 158, the bed measured 14 ft. Went with the bare min for the bike which left...
Here is my setup. Believe this year the wheelbase was 158, the bed measured 14 ft. Went with the bare min for the bike which left over 6 and a half for living plus the cab room if you put in swivels on the seats.

I've got water, gen power, aux battery with inverter and window a/c unit.



Looks totally spacious, probably even for a second bike.
Red Crawford
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Huntington Beach, CA US
5/28/2019 6:05pm
ChaseRyder wrote:
This is how mine is set up. Absolutely love it! http://www.creative-rv.com/freightliner/ [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/05/28/350774/s1200_bike_area.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/05/28/350775/s1200_inside.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/05/28/350776/s1200_outside.jpg[/img]
This is how mine is set up. Absolutely love it!
http://www.creative-rv.com/freightliner/


Wow. Your rig is cherry. Just checked out their site... Your van appears to have a higher clearance for storage than the Sprinter. Did you compare?
ChaseRyder
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Platteville, CO US
5/28/2019 7:41pm
Wow. Your rig is cherry. Just checked out their site... Your van appears to have a higher clearance for storage than the Sprinter. Did you compare?
The Freightliner and the Sprinter are the same except for the logos. I really like the living space and I feel that it's kinda a waste to spend the entire headroom clearance of a hi-top on the bikes. I can fit 3 bikes in, and one on a receiver hitch rail.
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Markee
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5/29/2019 6:45am
tobias56 wrote:
Looks totally spacious, probably even for a second bike.
Oh yeah, take a few bikes all the time. Never tried three, but it could go just have to load the middle bike in backwards.
roninho
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IT
5/29/2019 7:29am
This is my setup i'm currently close to finishing. It's a 2004 Ford Transit XL van.
The setup in the 'living'-part is largely influenced by the rules in the Netherlands to get a camper-license (which saves 75% of taxes and insurance).





What i found important was the ability to stand up straight in the van, both partly in the garage part as well as in the living part. I'm 6'3-6'4 so that takes away a bunch of vans (especially if you take into consideration that you'r going to add some material to the ceiling. Also, to be able to stand in the back i had have a retractable bed.
Still some stuff to do like adding rails with straps (not sure what the english word for that is but bindrails in dutch), some pillows and something like a kitchenette.
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FiendzCC
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Murrieta, CA US
5/29/2019 1:45pm
roninho wrote:
This is my setup i'm currently close to finishing. It's a 2004 Ford Transit XL van. The setup in the 'living'-part is largely influenced by the...
This is my setup i'm currently close to finishing. It's a 2004 Ford Transit XL van.
The setup in the 'living'-part is largely influenced by the rules in the Netherlands to get a camper-license (which saves 75% of taxes and insurance).





What i found important was the ability to stand up straight in the van, both partly in the garage part as well as in the living part. I'm 6'3-6'4 so that takes away a bunch of vans (especially if you take into consideration that you'r going to add some material to the ceiling. Also, to be able to stand in the back i had have a retractable bed.
Still some stuff to do like adding rails with straps (not sure what the english word for that is but bindrails in dutch), some pillows and something like a kitchenette.
Very clean. I'm same size as you and I'm in a '04 Ford E-350 right now. Wouldn't mind upgrading in future to something where I can stand a bit more, and I'm liking what I'm seeing with the Transit.
Markee
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5/31/2019 11:37am
roninho wrote:
This is my setup i'm currently close to finishing. It's a 2004 Ford Transit XL van. The setup in the 'living'-part is largely influenced by the...
This is my setup i'm currently close to finishing. It's a 2004 Ford Transit XL van.
The setup in the 'living'-part is largely influenced by the rules in the Netherlands to get a camper-license (which saves 75% of taxes and insurance).





What i found important was the ability to stand up straight in the van, both partly in the garage part as well as in the living part. I'm 6'3-6'4 so that takes away a bunch of vans (especially if you take into consideration that you'r going to add some material to the ceiling. Also, to be able to stand in the back i had have a retractable bed.
Still some stuff to do like adding rails with straps (not sure what the english word for that is but bindrails in dutch), some pillows and something like a kitchenette.
Looks great, love the retractable idea.
1
5/31/2019 1:01pm
With the amount of money that some of these sprinters are going for, have you looked into a used fun mover? They are bigger overall and will get worse gas mileage, but it seems like you get a lot better bang for your buck.
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Markee
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5/31/2019 2:15pm
I got about 12k total in my sprinter. Used van and materials. 136k on the ticker
roninho
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5/31/2019 5:54pm
My Transit xl was 4k euro and i put 3k euro in materials in and 500 euro for taxes. Add probably 2 weeks of work at whatever hourly rate you want to count it. Van is from 04 and has 185k km on it (110k miles).
yak651
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6/5/2019 12:07pm
ChaseRyder wrote:
This is how mine is set up. Absolutely love it! http://www.creative-rv.com/freightliner/ [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/05/28/350774/s1200_bike_area.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/05/28/350775/s1200_inside.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/05/28/350776/s1200_outside.jpg[/img]
This is how mine is set up. Absolutely love it!
http://www.creative-rv.com/freightliner/


Did you purchase thru company on that website? I tried to email and use their contact page to get info on the other sprinter they have for sale but haven't received a response. Was wondering if they were helpful with you?
Ozzy
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Santa Clarita , CA US
6/5/2019 1:04pm
I own a Sprinter.
I’m from the Moto Industry where Every1 has 1.
I ❤️ Mine..however I’m most likely going FORD AWD ECO BOOST when the 2020 Transits come out.
Sprinters are COSTLY.
Dealers SUCK!
I recently drove an 18 Ford XLT 350 Eco Boost & it blows away the Sprinter from the Interior on Down.
Plus they’re less costly for everything.
Dodge’s NEVER.
ChaseRyder
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Platteville, CO US
6/6/2019 8:04am
yak651 wrote:
Did you purchase thru company on that website? I tried to email and use their contact page to get info on the other sprinter they have...
Did you purchase thru company on that website? I tried to email and use their contact page to get info on the other sprinter they have for sale but haven't received a response. Was wondering if they were helpful with you?
Yes, bought it from Paul Coates. He and his dad own Creative-RV, and they crank out these floorplan conversions. They are close to Tampa. Splitting time between the US and the UK. Let me know if you need some other contact info.
oceantrav
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Tarpon Springs, FL US
6/6/2019 8:11am
Here’s my 17 promaster. Simple setup

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