Van or Car + Trailer or Rent?

[RickyT]

Moving to the Bay or Plenty!! Rural!! Leaving the wind in welly to some sunshine :) Time for me to get a car to complement my bike . Trips under 2 hours I'd do in the sunshine, but for longer roadtrips and in rainy days , I'd probably like a car or something with a roof . Otherwise I'd have to drive that auto snorto car of my partners .

Anyone got any experiences on choosing between a van or going for a car + trailer for motorbike transport? I like the idea of converting the van to seats, putting a bed , or fitting in my bike depending on the situation called for. Or even driving to a city with the bike in the back, and using the bike around town .

Or I could just get a car with a towbar . Either buy or rent a trailer and some sort of motorbike rack .

I vision doing a lot of long distance roading this year, both for work and just out of roadtripping fun . Any thoughts anyone?

[Grant`]

Moving to the Bay or Plenty!! Rural!! Leaving the wind in welly to some sunshine :) Time for me to get a car to complement my bike . Trips under 2 hours I'd do in the sunshine, but for longer roadtrips and in rainy days , I'd probably like a car or something with a roof . Otherwise I'd have to drive that auto snorto car of my partners .

Anyone got any experiences on choosing between a van or going for a car + trailer for motorbike transport? I like the idea of converting the van to seats, putting a bed , or fitting in my bike depending on the situation called for. Or even driving to a city with the bike in the back, and using the bike around town .

Or I could just get a car with a towbar . Either buy or rent a trailer and some sort of motorbike rack .

I vision doing a lot of long distance roading this year, both for work and just out of roadtripping fun . Any thoughts anyone?

Personally I would go with a van, as its not really going to change your fuel economy to much with shoving bike in the back, you can also use it for camping/sleep ing or put some rear seats in....

Trailer is also handy, but you have to have somewhere to put it, pay warrant and rego on it towing behind car you are only meant to travel at 90km and it also creates a lot of drag so you chew more gas.

Or if its going to get hardly any use rent, steal, beg, borrow and just save your cash.

[nodrog]

You should get us a van.

[SMOKEU]

How much money have you got to spend? Keep in mind that most vans are a cunt to drive compared to a semi decent car.

[RickyT]

Managed to save up some money for it . But don't really want to go over $4000. Yeah, took a van for a test ride the other day . On the open road will be fine to drive, but for inner city driving, thats where the bike will come into play!

[Hitcher]

Rooms to let, 50 cents.

[Stirts]

Yeah, took a van for a test ride the other day

You know that is not very OSH. Talk to Leanne, she knows all about it.

[sinfull]

Managed to save up some money for it . But don't really want to go over $4000. Yeah, took a van for a test ride the other day . On the open road will be fine to drive, but for inner city driving, thats where the bike will come into play!
You could have my deisel hiace van for that money !!

Comes complete with bike ramp, the makings of an airbed bunk, enough tarps and poles to make a complete canopy tent around the sliding door side !

Have had many a good sleep in that thing at the track !

[Drew]

Have had many a good sleep in that thing at the track !I hope it's been sanitised since, we know what you get up to ya deviant!

[RickyT]

You could have my deisel hiace van for that money !!

Comes complete with bike ramp, the makings of an airbed bunk, enough tarps and poles to make a complete canopy tent around the sliding door side !

Have had many a good sleep in that thing at the track !

Hiya Sinfull, pm me the specifications of the van . I'm interested to hear more e.g year, wof, condition

[Ender EnZed]

Any thoughts anyone?

Why the unholy fuck would you want to carry a road bike to town so that you can ride around once you get there? You'd miss out the good part and gain an enormous amount of fucking around.

[Bassmatt]

. On the open road will be fine to drive, but for inner city driving, thats where the bike will come into play!

I thought you said you were moving to the Bay of Plenty? Drive the van in the "city" for a while first, it will be alot safer, you may be surprised by the "drivers" around here

[mossy1200]

I got my liteace high roof for $2700 3 years ago.Since then it has done a exaust manifold cost $800 repair and thats it.6 warrents zero failures.

Its only a 2litre petrol auto and its slow but its cheap to run and nobody wants to steal it(bonus).Im in no hurry to sell it.I used to run to manfield with trailer and car but the van is so much easier and I go camping with it (Its also 4wheel drive).

[BMWST?]

i vote van too...doing what you propose with a traler would be a pain in the bum....what would you do with the trailer?Just be aware that vans have limitations in handling and safety

[sinfull]

Hiya Sinfull, pm me the specifications of the van . I'm interested to hear more e.g year, wof, condition

will do after the weekend mate, i'm off to taupo at 4 am, if it rains i'll be wearin my wets (watchin) hmmm mental note, rain coat !!!

She's a goody, two bikes tied in and if the rain holds off me and a mate gonna have us some fun at the track ! If we get a bit pissed the bikes go under the tarp and he sleeps beside em lol

[Conquiztador]

I bought a beaten up Hiace LWB for $500. It had done 280K. That was 1 1/2 year ago. Two tyres and a fixed muffler and she still runs. Left the front row of seats in so we can travel 5. Backend takes most bikes from my K1, Panhead and kids MX bikes. (Travel to MX meetings approx twice/month) And as I do some "wheeling and dealing" with bikes she is perfect. Also spent close to a week up Coromandel with my 4 boys after Xmas and we did sleep in the van a couple of nights. Perfect!

And the van has a towbar, so when I need to use a trailer I rent one locally for $15/day and everything gets done.

When the van gets too worn I will upgrade to another LWB one. I also have a car, but it needs a gearbox and been waiting for tomorrow for over a year now. Have started thinking that once I sort the car out I sell it and buy a small sports car so when I need to travel alone with more gear than I can fit on the bikes I don't need to use the van.