Vans

[Cheese Monkey]

Transit SWB, cheap as chipss

[TLS-Moose]

What am I missing Unless you are over 30 (17 to pass your test, +17 years since 1997) then this applies:

"Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997
Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards.2


EDIT:
Look at the back of your plastic (credit size) driving licence - that clearly shows your entitlement ..... In the categories section, look to see what is below the car pictogram - it should be A (motorcycle) on top, then B (car) next, then if you are entitled to tow a trailer the next one will be "B E" with a picture of a car and trailer, and dates in the "to" and "from" columns. If you don't have that, you are not entitled to tow

[Sixth Gear]

And the trailer has to be unbraked aswell. and max load not over 750kgs, thats what ive been told

If you check you handbook, the label on the drivers door pillar (there for the Police incase they think you look overloaded and want to put you on a weighbridge), or AutoTrader.co.uk you will see that the maximum towing weight (of the vehicle not the driver, see TLS Mouses's post for that) is relative to the Kerb Weight (I think that means a full tank of fuel, no driver) of your vehicle. My Astra Diesel Estate weighs 1245kg, can tow 1100kg (88%) braked, 700kg (56%) unbraked, an Omega could tow 1600kg braked, 750kg unbraked, while a Corsa 800kg braked, 450kg unbraked.

[jason]

Or ....... get a pick-up

if you have to use it as your daily driver a pick up is the answer as they are about a trillion times nicer to drive than any van.

the problem is though they are also much more expensive to buy (and run) you need to be looking at £5K plus for even an old rough around the edges one. Im a convert I have used a trailor, a van (renault traffic) and a pickup (L200 animal) and the best option by a country mile is the pick up.

[Sixth Gear]

I'd have thought the main downside of a pickup is it's high up, meaning a long ramp and a bit scary loading and unloading.

[TLS-Moose]

I'd have thought the main downside of a pickup is it's high up, meaning a long ramp and a bit scary loading and unloading.

it doesn't have to be a 4x4, does it? I meant a normal 2wd Mazda/Toyota/Ford/VW - the bed on that wouldn't be significantly different to a van

[jason]

I'd have thought the main downside of a pickup is it's high up, meaning a long ramp and a bit scary loading and unloading.

its not really a problem, i can load bikes on and off on my own no problem - takes no more time than puttting them in a van, its really not difficult. You do need a decent ramp and something to step up onto as the bike goes up the ramp. and probably best to have someone else around for your first couple attempts just in case your are clumsy.

the main downside is that the bike(s) are in plain view, so its obvious when your parked overnight at a hotelbefore a trackday that not only do you have bikes on the back but the cab is full of expensive bike gear and Kit. So you need to be more carefull where you leave it than you do with a van.

[Funky]

I always thought you just wheelied your bikes onto the back...