Track day transport. Which vans are good? opinions please

[rapid van cleef]

HI all. Im thinking about buying a van for taking me bike to the track instead of my current car and trailer. makes it easier id imagine, keeping it all in one place. Also, it would mean selling our current big car and selling a little sporty thing for the Mrs to use. At the moment, when Im at a track day shes got no transport. And bikes hold very little interest for her(which is ok)

Im thinking of something like a Hiace. But is it possible to keep one rear seat in the back and still have room for a sports bike plus all the shite that goes with it?

[Mystic13]

I've worked myself through the idea of buying a van and just trying to find one now. I decided against the Hiace and flat front end vans because a prong on the open road doesn't bode well for the legs. So that leaves me with transit, VW, Nissan some models, elgrand, mitsi delica etc. Some of them are luxury modes of transport so all good.

The only question I have is bike (petrol) fumes issues.

Some of the ones I saw had a wall between front and back and these included some transits and VW's.

I'm guessing some good ducting and airflow for the rear and all will be good.

I am so looking forward to the van arriving.

[Zamiam]

Dependent on budget have a look at the Hyundai iLoad/H1. There's a reason they are the biggest selling van of their type. Problem with vw is they are fwd. Transits I've had ate front wheel bearings but was older models. Viano is good but expensive for same power as Hyundai.

You'll need a fold forward seat to fit a bike in

[flyingcrocodile46]

Gotta be worth a look for the money

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/150144-Bike-mover-Hiace-with-hydraulic-lift

[carburator]

Ive got one of these which you can drive on a class 1 liscence yet the axles are rated for 2ton front and rear.
Full C channel chassis ( mine has a 2tonne non braked towbar system )
the motor is the 3l version of the toyota hilux 2.8 they just run and run
the lock to lock on them is good! RUC is no worse than the bloody hilux!
and the best part fits inside a suburbain garage ( well mine at least )

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/toyota/auction-476875591.htm

[Dave-]

Hiace, fumes aren't a problem.

[Tony.OK]

A SuperCustom in good nic is hard to beat imho. Geared for travelling and good sound damping makes travelling so easy, important after a hard day on track. You can leave one single seat in the rear(the one closest to sliding door).
Good on diesel and go brilliantly, loaded up passing on hills is effortless. Good as a daily driver too.

[rapid van cleef]

thanks for all the replies. i am wondering if a high roof would be necessary? how much of a pain is it to load and unload with a standard height roof? also, with a lwb hiace for example, is i possible to leave a row of seats in place or do they still need to collapse or come out to get a bike in?

the way im thinking is, if i get a lwb high roof it can double as a camper for some touring.....the mrs is a lot more keen on that!

so many options....

thanks

[Kickaha]

LWB mid roof transit, long enough for bikes and retain a row a rear passenger seating, more room in the back than any Hiace will ever have, make sure it is the turbo motor though

[rapid van cleef]

being a pom, i was thinking of a transit. however, i am unsure about the availabilityof spares and costs of such items compared to the more common hiace. ive owned both a transit and merc sprinter in the uk. parts are cheap there( sprinter is the daddy of all vans as far as im concerned) but merc sprinters cost too much here. so transit would be cool, front engined too....hmmm

[Conquiztador]

I got a old beaten up Hiace LWB. Kept one set of seats. Have transported all sorts in it : Harleys, MX bikes, My BMW K1 when she just blew her drive shaft. Never an issue with space. And as the rear seat I have is a 2 seater, there is space towards the side door to push in a long bike. Used weekly to take my boy to MX all over NI.

Don't really have any negatives to report. And fast enough to get speeding tickets too. :Police:

Have now had it for 1 1/2 years and considering I paid $500 I am happy. Keeps bikes dry and nothing will go flying off as tends to be the case with trailers and ute's. Re petrol fumes: If there is a leak then yes, but apart from that no prob.

I will get another the same when she dies.

[rapid van cleef]

ok, cool. conquiztador....how many ks were on it when you bought it? i had a merc sprinter, lwb high top diesel in the uk. it had 130 000 miles on it when i bought it and would easily do well over the speed limit fully loaded with 5 guys in it. when i sold it it had 250 000 miles and still ran sweet and i never had any issues. sounds like the hiaces are as well built?? so maybe i dont need to buy a sub 200 000 ks hiace van?

[Madness]

A 2.8 diesel Hiace is just run in at 200,000k.

[Kickaha]

. Never an issue with space.

You might not have had an issue with space putting one bike in but a LWB Transit is considerably bigger inside than a LWB Hiace and wider as well

We cart a F1 sidecar around inside Daves and try putting three bikes in a Hiace and then try the same in a Hiace

[Conquiztador]

ok, cool. conquiztador....how many ks were on it when you bought it? i had a merc sprinter, lwb high top diesel in the uk. it had 130 000 miles on it when i bought it and would easily do well over the speed limit fully loaded with 5 guys in it. when i sold it it had 250 000 miles and still ran sweet and i never had any issues. sounds like the hiaces are as well built?? so maybe i dont need to buy a sub 200 000 ks hiace van?

Had somewhere around 260,000Km's when I got it. Now is almost 300,000Km's. Petrol motor. Takes approx 1/2 litre of oil over 10,000K's before I do a oilchange. They keep on running to 400,000Km's easily.


You might not have had an issue with space putting one bike in but a LWB Transit is considerably bigger inside than a LWB Hiace and wider as well

We cart a F1 sidecar around inside Daves and try putting three bikes in a Hiace and then try the same in a Hiace

It all depends on what you need. My Hiace transports what I want to move around. It also has a towbar and happily tows a trailer. Oh yes, it is an automatic and I have not had any problem there either.

[rapid van cleef]

this has been very informative. thanks guys.

[Ocean1]

Has anyone had to replace the Transit's smart key?

Only I understand it's a fairly common occurance. A fucking expensive one.

[mossy1200]

I use a liteace high roof 4 wheel drive that I got for 1.6k.
The only warrent I failed was a cracked exaust manifold in the 5 years I have owned it.
Idd get a nicer looking van but it just doesnt seem to want to die.
Engine oil light has been on for the last 4 years but im thinking when the bulb blows the problem will be solved.

[Kickaha]

It all depends on what you need. My Hiace transports what I want to move around. It also has a towbar and happily tows a trailer.

Good points, I am always thinking of transporting multiple bikes without the need for a trailer, single bike only then the Hiace would be as good as anything

[Conquiztador]

Good points, I am always thinking of transporting multiple bikes without the need for a trailer, single bike only then the Hiace would be as good as anything

Well... 2 big bikes fit in. Sports bikes or Harley's. And I easily fit in 3 of 65 - 85 cc MX bikes. My boy has 2 65cc ones that we always take to every meeting. And at times we have given others a ride if they need the transport. But if you need to transport more than 2 bikes for adults then you will be struggling if you leave the seat in. And it also depends on the length of the bike. When I put in my K1 I had to push the frontwheel in to the gap between the seat and the side door as she is a fraction too long. My rigid Panhead fits in straight and leaves space on the side for another bike that might need to use the gap between the seat and the door.

But if I wanted to I could turn the rear seat around to face backwards and move it up against the front giving me more space. So it will be another of these when she is done. But yes, a Transit van will give more space if you need it.

[slowpoke]

LWB mid roof transit, long enough for bikes and retain a row a rear passenger seating, more room in the back than any Hiace will ever have, make sure it is the turbo motor though

Sounds like good advice. I know nothing about vans but I do know that more room is better than less, 'cos you always accumulate more crap. I ummed and aahed when I was looking at trailers, bought bigger than was really necessary and don't regret it as it's made everything soooo much easier.

[FROSTY]

My van of many years was a high long hiace justlo. The justlo meant it had a completely flat floor and sliding doors both sides.-Ie NO wheel arches.Two race bikes. compressor,two tool kits,genset,piles of tyres and all the otehr stuff for the nationals fit in there

[Brett]

There's an old Mercedes bus for sale around the corner from me...$10k. Seems to be an ok runner too!