Driving with Motorcycle INside

[StefDS]

Hi all,

I have a T1 panel, but I’m contemplating on bying a T3 westy so the family (wife and a 4 & a 5 year old) can also enjoy the VW hobby

I’m also into (old) motorcycles, and would like to use the Vanagon for going to some oldtimer rallys, together with the bike I’m planning to ride the next day.

I was wondering if you can fit a bike inside the van?
Bearing in mind that the westy kitchen also takes up some place..

Maybe somebody already has done this with the wheel between the 2 front chairs or something?

Thanks already!
Cheers.

[pnwkayaker]

I think it wiil depend on the size of the motorcycle, doing a Samba search yield some results:

Dirtbike in Westy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=442519

Dirt bike inside tintop to transport?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=700334&view=next
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87 Syncro Westy EJ25 ("Tardis")

Seattle Meetup at Marymoor (link)
A collection of Simple Useful Mods (SUM) (link)

[kourt]

There's a few photos out there of folks with vans (Westys, even) with motorcycles inside.

I remember one poster who had to strap his door down because he couldn't close it all the way.

When I was riding small vintage Hondas (CB350f) I could have fit one of those in the Westy. Strapping it safely would have been a challenge. I would hesitate to do anything like that now because an accident, hard braking, or sudden turn would likely turn the bike loose in the van and cause injury to me or the van.

kourt

[danfromsyr]

while possible to some small degree, it is much safer and practical for everything involved to load it onto a small trailer.
the van won't even notice the trailer behind it, until you go to back up
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[the joker]

little off subject years ago we moved a Yamaha 650? up from NJ to NE in a 72 kombi , half way up 95 slider door tumbled off , on an exit ramp, those where the days , ran the rest of the way in a wind tunnel, what a rush the 80's where

[RainierSyncro]

If you have a Westy, then you'll have to run the front wheel between the seats. I've got a tintop Syncro with a super basic bench rear seat that comes out with two bolts. Plenty of room for a bike. With a Westy rear seat, I don't think you'll have much wiggle room to jam a bike in there since the rear seat is not easily removeable.

What size of bike is going inside? I made a 2 foot wide ramp out of scrap wood so I would have more control getting in/out. You could construct out of scrap wood a slot between the seats for a front wheel to drop into position. Then you'll have to find mounting points for the tie-downs. GoWesty has metal eyebolts that screw into the some of the seatbelt mounting points so you can hook into those for a tie down. All this stuff can be figured out with a measuring tape and some brain power unless the bike is too big.

[Steve M.]

You should really buy a AAA Premium Membership if you think you need to bring a tow vehicle with you,!
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This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[Snoww_]

I load my Honda Trail 90 in the main body of my van all the time, I have to remove one of the jump seats to get it to fit and tie down nicely. I'll see if I have a photo.

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1991 Tiico Vanagon Carat
1961 Baja Bug

[Zeitgeist 13]

This is one of those rare instances where the EV has a superior interior layout for this specific purpose.

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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH
'01 Weekender --> full camper
NEAT, no ICE.

[tjet]

I was out visiting my dad in CA last week. I woke up my syncro from a year long slumber and took it out camping for a couple of days. My modified TW200 with an ATV rear tire barely fit.

On a side note, I lost my rear hatch screen
The insulated window covers in the back were so-so

[GoEverywhere]

I put my son's Honda NC50 moped inside all the time, and I've also fit my own Yamaha RD350 in there with the front wheel in between the front seats.

Both of those are fairly small bikes and fit fine, but I don't know if you'd fit anything much bigger in there without removing a wheel.

[Sodo]

A spankin' new 2017 KTM 350EXC (on sale in May 2018 👍🏽) in a Westy, with 4 salesmen helping.
From thread Dirt bike inside tintop to transport?
It would be easier in a tintop.
I use a rear hitch carrier or trailer, it would beat the crap out of the interior doing this often.
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'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[outcaststudios]

i use this:

https://theusatrailerstore.com/the-original-slick-wheelie-motorcycle-hauler/
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'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791

[campism]

[jimf909]

I see a trend here. Well done.

[syncro surf]

[GoEverywhere]

[tjet]

[GoEverywhere]

[tjet]

We stripped down the GT. Nowadays they call them "naked" bikes. It looked like a vintage cafe racer with the clip ons. We also ditched the oil injection and just mixed it with the gas. That bike had a great sound.

Looked like this, but with a quarter fairing

https://tankautomotive.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SuzukiGT550-large-2.jpg

Don't even get me started. I worked at a Yamaha dealer when I was a teen. I uncrated a real TZ250E. My young brain could not comprehend such an amazing machine. They had it on display for a few weeks until the race team picked it up.