dirtbike in doublecab bed?

[Type2meister]

Hi all,
I am looking at a Doka and am wondering...can I can actually fit a dirtbike into the back of it?
I realize it is much higher than a 'standard' truck bed, but even if I could get it up there, is there safe spot to tie it down? If not it doesn't matter too much as my friend has a nice little 3 motorcycle trailer I could borrow....but just curious as I would like to haul a bike or two once in a while.
I have recently realized I do need a truck and this could fit the bill perfectly...fit the kids in the back, haul stuff in the bed, tow hitch for a small trailer....nice.

[vwlovr]

i've seen it done. can't give you specifics, but here's a pic for scale...

as for the high bed, i've had higher so i wouldn't worry about it. get atv ramps or something so you can walk up one ramp while guiding the bike up and down.

[WestyBob]

My vote is to use the trailer. For all the effort to get it up there, maybe needing some extra guys to help, the trailer is just so much more convenient. Assume you use the bike on occasion like weekends.

I almost used my single cab to carry bikes but decided just too many possibilities for something bad to happen while wrestling it up there.

Good for bicycles, though.

[syncrodoka]

One minor thing to ad is that the truck picture posted isn't how the rear gate on trucks normally work. Normally they just flop down against the rear bumper blocking the taillights. You would have to rig something up to keep the rear gate open flat like the picture. There was a OEM option to do that, but those parts are all gone.

[The Salt]

[smokin_dodge]

actually - youve got me thinking along the same lines you are. ive started riding and i prefer traveling in the van to my 3/4ton diesel - i would say the stock suspension can probably hold up to a 300cc 400 cc if it really had to but a 400 weights alot....

the bed on the doka is acutally shorter than the deck on my 2wd 3/4 ton dodge - its a heavy duty for towing so i have overload springs in the back - puts it about 4.5' up in the air.... and then of course running big all-terrains dont help....

as far as getting it in the bed since its just a bike all you need is about a 5' aluminum ramp about 12" wide to ride it up - shouldnt be a problem - ive used shorter ramps on bigger trucks and not had a problem

personaly im against towing trailers in the vans because of how the hitch connects to the frame- not really satisified with the connection - now granted your only pulling about 1000lbs weight (rest on trailer when PROPERLY loaded) im still skeptical - now the main reason i say this is because where i live everybody has heavy duty diesels and pulls 15-20K lbs on a 3/4 and 1 ton truck...


in order to rig the tailgate you just need cable's like on a regular truck bed - you could probably make your own for a few $$ at the hardware store - just need some good strong cable.

[vwlovr]

yeah that guy in the pic used some hardware for like a ford truck gate and rigged it up. said it was super easy.

really tho, if you're only hauling one bike you could easily fit it in at an angle and get that gate up. the height of the bed is a non issue. go to any OHV park and you'll see scores of lifted american trucks with beds way higher.

i personally don't like riding up and down ramps so i just use a second ramp for walking. with a dirtbike a shorter steep ramp won't be an issue since you won't high center like you might say loading a cruiser.

go for it. i wish i had. my wife loves the van too much now, but i still want a doka.

[WestyBob]

Rear gate (to hold the gate straight out) : I replace one bolt in the side hand latch with a longer one - on the inside slide on a "S" hook, then a washer and nut. Attach an appropriate sized and measured chain to the S hook, attach a S hook to the other end of the chain and then attach that to the rear gate latch loop. Super strong, and can also put a rubber tube like from an old bike inner tube over the chain to keep it from banging noisily against the side gate (or remove the chain when not in use). Do it for both sides.

Ramps: I've always been nervous about the ramp pulling away or even folding when the bike is about halfway up. Just seemed so much easier, especially when needed for weekends only, to load on a lower trailer.

Guess I need to find super strong, stick like glue ramps.

To answer the original poster question - plenty of places to tie-down the bike - the corner bolts and/or the eye-lets along the top sides of the side gates.

[Type2meister]

OK thanks a lot! I just wanted to see if it was possible with tie downs, etc...looks entirely do-able!
I really need a truck so I don't have to rely on friends to transport the bike to the bush, get firewood, haul stuff from the yard and get supplies from the hardware store...you know.
I am going to look at the '86 double cab tonight. I've seen it once quickly but will give it a good look over. It has some rust spots but is original paint, has tow hitch and looked fairly clean. Oh and it's a syncro! He wants about $8000 Canadian....fair price?

[smokin_dodge]

if it has visible rust spots you want to go over the van completely - i mean crawl underneath and look for frame damage from rust, etc.....probably gonna have to do a little work to it but if it runs and drive down the road without problems sounds like an alright deal...

i say alright because of the rust....rust could be as easy as just a few spots or the entire underframe rusted totally out

[WestyBob]

[Type2meister]

I got it all loaded...had to cheat a bit and put truck down a bit of an incline to lower the height but walked it up the ramps and loaded it up myself!
I think I will add the chains as mentioned above and add a couple tie downs where the rear latches are (longer bolt with a eyelet added).

[MKIII and Sons]

bit off topic, but is that a canadian spec doka?
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[WestyBob]

[Type2meister]

[Type2meister]