Transporting a bike in a van

[dizzyblonde]

ahhh, well thats no good is it

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

Holland's too flat for the take off.

Scaffold board be alright, walk alongside the bike and drive it up the ramp.

[flymo]

I've transported my bike hundreds of times in my van, I wouldnt recommend that you use the stand.

I always have the bike as far forward in the back of the van as possible, in the right hand side (I have a side loading door on the left). It has the front wheel turned to the left and it rests against its right hand bar end, slightly leaning to the right hand side. As if its leaning up against a wall.

Its important to place a flat board of wood or carpet between the bar and the van side if the van isnt lined or you'll end up with a big dent in the side of the van.

Its then chocked with a block of wood behind the rear wheel, and two strops. One strop runs from the top side of the van (where the roof joins the side there is usually a lip) around the bike and to a strop point on the floor.

The second strop goes from the top side of the van around the furthest handlebar and back.

Solid as a rock.

A proper bike ramp or a scaffold board is fine to load them up. The longer the better or you'll find the bike is pretty heavy to push up it and also will bottom out on the fairing as it enters the van.

Originally Posted by Sean_C

Scaffold board be alright, walk alongside the bike and drive it up the ramp.

Last time I went with YC to deliver a bike a board was used. Makes it a little tricky to reverse the bike out of the van (it was quite high up off the ground), having more than one person to help might be a good idea! A chair was put in the back and strapped to the bike, then the bike was nicely wedged and with a few ratchet straps at the bars and tailend, perfectly secure. They've transported a few like that now (am sure he'll be along to give a more accurate description though )

[Red Herring]

I also always put it into the front right corner of the van (Is the van you are hiring right or left hand drive, if left then because of the side stand it's still better to put the bike on the right hand side of the van and not use the side door, unless you want to reverse it into the van.) but I then turn the bars to the right so that the wheel is wedged right into the corner. If you then put the bike on the side stand it brings the bar away from the van side and allows you to lift the back of the bike towards the side of the van, although sometimes the rear wheel arch on the van can get in the way, and then stick a block of wood behind the rear wheel. I then stick an old cushion between the bike and the van side (usually about right peg area, remembering to fold the peg up first) so that the bike ends up wedged at the front, back, and against the van side to the right. All you need to do then is strap it to stop it going up and over the side stand to the left. Most vans have something to tie to in each corner. The front right strap goes to the top right fork area (around the yoke or similar and remember to put the strap in place before you push the bike into the corner!) and the other either to the exhaust hanger or over the top of the bike and down to the left peg area. Just now and then depending on the bike you need to loosen the front brake master cylinder and rotate it on the bars to avoid it hitting the side of the van.

As for loading it up a scaffold board is fine but be careful if you are using the engine to power it up. You wouldn't be the first to get the front into the van and then the rear tyre shoots the board off the back of the van dropping the bike onto it's bellypan! Either wedge the bottom of the board or get someone to help you. And if it's a full length scaffold board you will probably need to support it with something in the middle. Only problem with full length boards is you can't take them in the van with you for unloading the other end..... Good luck....going anywhere nice?

Just collecting my new bike, only 70 kms down the road, but I don't want to tax and insure it immediately as I've a few things planned over the next month so no riding time for a while. Also who knows what the weather's going to be like, I'm a weekend warrior after all

pfffffffft

i would just risk it

I've also got to pick up the standard screen, pillion pegs, pillion seat, and tail shovel.

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

I've also got to pick up the standard screen, pillion pegs, pillion seat, and tail shovel.

bubble wrap and blankets are your friends