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Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:01 am

Has anyone fit a dirbike inside their tintop with the middle seat removed? I'm picking up a vintage Honda XR500 this week and I want to be sure it will fit it inside.

Thanks 8)

Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:33 am

those are pretty long... i'd be surprised if it fits. no way my DRZ400 would ever fit, 58" WB. the XR500 is 55" WB.

Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:43 am

I used to haul my early 80's Yamaha YZ125 around in the back of my bay bus. I pulled the rear seat out as well and pitched it in diagonally, back end to the back driver's side corner, with the bars turned hard to the right to swing the front wheel in against the back wall of the front passenger seat. Slam the slider hard against the front tire and no straps needed. Couldn't budge an inch. Probably want to borrow a small trailer or someone with a pick-up truck.

Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:50 am

hmmmm... a YZ is 57" WB. maybe it WOULD fit!

Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:53 am

I put my KTM 200 EXC inside a Westy once. The front wheel just went in between the front seats and the rear wheel was up against the Westy rear seat maybe a little kitty corner, but not crazy tight or anything that I recall. The light weight of my 200 made it easy to lift up and move around. If the 500 wheel base isn't much different, it should just fit in without taking anything out of the van. If you have 2 people it might be easier to move around.

Mon Sep 10, 2018 12:17 pm

Remove the inner fold down arm rests ( 2 dowels) on the front seats. Back the rear of bike in backwards between the front seats nearly touching the gear shifter. Center the bike with the front tire centered in the van and use the rear bench seat back pins (the parts it clips into) to secure tie-downs from them to the handlebars. I did this with my Aprilla SXV supermoto with blinkers.
You will need help to wrangle it so have someone with you. Another method is remove the vertical baseboard below the bench seat (4 screws) lift the bench bottom up, that will let the front wheel fit into the drivers side rear corner with the front fender fitting over the bench seat. The rear tire may totally clear the sliding door, if it’s super close air out the tires otherwise just strap the door shut as much as possible and strap the sliding door around the B pillar.

Brian

Mon Sep 10, 2018 12:39 pm

I will pull the armrests & the vert section at the bench seat.

Here's a pic

It's a stripped, hot rodded XL500R (not XR - misspoke)

Mon Sep 10, 2018 12:40 pm

Google search:

Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:49 pm

We used to put my brothers Suzuki PE 175 Dirt Bike in the Syncro with a jump seat removed and easily 5 people inside. (the 1990 base model Syncro)

Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:24 am

Just make sure you have a receiver on the back of your bike so you can tow jerry home after it quits or catches fire

Fri Sep 14, 2018 8:59 pm

If you take the wheels off it fits well.
Need some muscle though.

Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:22 pm

Run it between the front seats. Make sure you have something between the rear tire and the rear seat to avoid a black mark on the upholstery. You might want to make a small ramp from scrap wood to get over the 2" rise running it between the seats. Make sure it's not too far forward that you can't shift into 2nd. Have all the tie-downs all set up and ready to go to avoid the contortions you'll be making trying to hold the bike up and tying it down.

I pushed the bike hauling limits in '15 hauling 3 bikes to Denver. Everything came out.

Sat Sep 15, 2018 9:46 pm

Mmmmmm! Parillas. 8)

Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:40 pm

If you run a wheel between the front seats be sure to pad the axle ends, especially the Jesus clip ("If it ever comes loose, you'll see Jesus.") so nothing tears the upholstery.