Hauling a racebike inside a minivan?

I was looking at minivans, and looks like Chevy Venture's rear door is bigger than most others'. Does anyone have any insight on hauling a bike (a 600) inside a van? I have a trailer right now, pulling with a V40 Volvo, but am looking at different other options.

 

Windstar experience.

We loaded an 03 600RR into the back of a Ford Windstar with little problem after the rear seats were removed. We then used the seat anchor points to attach the tie downs to.

BK

 

Cool, what year model Windstar? Didn't have to take the windscreen off?

 

My friend used my 03 venture to get a 05 999r and he only had to take the screen off and it fit great !

 

Correction! It was an 03 Ford Freestar...

On the 03 600RR we took the windshield off and folded the mirrors back. We had to flex the headliner up at the center of the door opening. Once through the back opening, the roof raises up substantially. The only "squeeze" was the rear opening.

Another time we loaded an 04 900 Monster in it with just the mirrors off.

It was definitely a Freestar (not a Windstar). It was either an 03 or 04.

BK

 

Hey Vadim..what ya ridin in 07? Looks like a 600? I sold the SV, got a Ducati for this year. Somthing new and different. I know Rob Lombardi hauled a GSXR 750 or 1000 in his van, but that was a full size van. I have seen the astro / windstar styles at track hauling bikes.

 

I know Astros can haul pretty much any race bike. Had a 03 GSXR 750 with a double bubble. Didn't need to do anything to it.

 

Sweet, I think I'm pretty much decided now for an Astro/Safari. Sounds like it's quite affordable, versatile, and decent on MPG. Thanks for all your replies, guys.

Hey Sean-
Yea, I got an '03 R6, hoping to learn a thing or two from all the ass-kicking I'm gonna receive! You got an 800SS? That's LWT legal, right? Cool.
I'd like to go to Jennings for Feb.17-19, would you - and Arnie, maybe - be interested in that? Right now I'm planning on taking my Volvo V40, but if I could get a ride with somebody, I'd love to split the costs. My g/f is coming with me. I figure, I need some major seat time on the 600 before I can actually race it, and $310 for 3 TD's sounds better to me than Daytona.
Let me know if you'd like to do something like that.
-Vadim

 

Hauled an '03 GSXR 600 around in the wife's Chrysler T&C minivan. Also hauled 8 Honda fitty's back from Tennessee...well 7 INSIDE the van and one on the roof! :up:

There's an amazing amount of room in there with all the seats out. I also picked up my Zuma scooter with her van, had to remove the mirrors to get it in there.

Also hauled 20 5 gallon cans of VP fuel (not recommended though!)...I've "camped out" in there at the track with all the seats out as well. Very versatile!

 

A Chevy Express Van is a great hauler. Even the short wheelbase version has plenty of room for the bike and spares. Ramps from Ramps.com for 125.00 and your good to go!

 

Used an Astro for years. Once got to bikes and all equip in it. Now I have an Express deisel. same chassis as the gas ones and you can not go wrong with either one. Just depends on if you're one of those guys that brings everything and the kitchen sink to the track or just what you need to race and be comfy.

 

That's a good idea about the kitchen sink, but a full-size van I just can't afford right now. On another hand, Astro can be had for about 3-4k for a late-90's piece.

 

isn't the astro a chevy product? i'm wondering how reliable GM motor vehicles are. maybe 100,000 and out!

 

Anything's better than a dodgy Dodge. I've had an '01 Ram 1500, and I've pushed that sucker more times than I've gotten rides from it. Tranny is a joke.

 

minivan..............

 

anyone have a safari or astro van? how reliable are those things? are the AWD versions more of a headache?

 

Yup, LW and D class legal. We might be up for the Jennings trip. We are planning on going.

 

I've been using the Safari / Astro van for a couple of years to haul my bike and gear. I have a 98 model with 110,000 miles on it which I bought used. There is a ton of room in the back once you take all the seats out. I haven't had any problems with the van so far, the engine is dead reliable. I'm more worried about the chassis rusting out from the winter salt than the engine crapping out.

 

Like they say, "Picture is worth a thousand words."
Does anyone have a pic of a bike inside an Astro/Safari? I'd really like to see how much room will be left for all the crap - before I buy the thing.

 

Used a safari all last year for one bike and loved it with 20 miles to gl.You don't know the bike is in it but also used the trailer 10' and it did not like it with two bikes in it and cut the miles to 12.The van will hold two bikes but I have work bins in it too.The v-6 motor is bullet proof but I here the trans is boarderline when worked hard.I put 30,ooo on mine last year going to races.