I'm buying my first ATV shortly and I've narrowed my choices to three:

Yamaha Big Bear 400 4x4
Honda Rancher 4x4 S
Kawasaki Bayou 300 4x4

My final decision unfortunately will be based
on whether the ATV will fit in my minivan. The width and height are OK. It's the height I'm worried about. The minivan rear opening has only a 39.5 inch height. Most of the ATVs have a 41 - 44" height.

Will I be able to lower the handlebars and get the ATV in the back of the van?

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Dave

 

put a hitch on the van and buy a trailer

 

Wow, I'd have to say thats going to be a tight fit. My Kaw. Mojave will fit in the back of a full size C20 Chevy van, but it would be a real sqeeze to get it in a mini van. Might try letting the air out of the atv tires to lower it a bit ... might make it fit.

Smerk
2000 425 Xpedition, Kaw. Mojave

 

Frank's got the right idea.. forget trying to fit it Inside the darn thing... get a hitch and a trailer.. use the van to carry your stuff and friends to the trail head.
By the way, I have a Chrysler Town & Country Mini van and that's the first thing i did..had a hitch installed.

but.. if you still want to put you quad inside... get a tiny quad... Eton would do just fine...lol

 

I agree, FrankD has the right idea.

Spent a while rolling an '87 Honda 4-Trax in and out of the back of a Chevy Astro van. Believe me it was no fun. Nearly took my head off a few times.

A hitch for $50 and a used snowmobile or utility trailer for a couple of hundred will go a long way.

If you base your machine decision on what will fit in the van you may be sorry. Trust us on the trailer issue!

DJ

 

Question: Why not use a trailer?

Answer: I already own a 10' covered trialer that I use to haul my CR250 to the Motocross tracks. It's already full. I can't even squeeze another mini cycle in it. I'm using the ATV as pit transportation as well as to transport food and beverage to the flaggers at the track which I run. My only choice is to put the ATV in the back of my mini van.

Dave

 

Smerk's suggestion, airing down the tires, sounds like a brilliant and simple solution for reducing the height of a quad for transport inside a soccer-mom van.

Maybe only the front tires need deflating; air 'em up again when you get to the track with a 12-volt compressor.

Given a choice, I'd rather not have a quad and its oil/gas/mud share the vehicle interior with me, but--all sacrifices are worthy, and all things are possible in ATVdom!

Tree Farmer

 

I like the idea of letting the air out of the tires. I have a generator and an air compressor in the trailer as well as a power washer and a 55 gallon drum of water I use to hose off my bike. I'll just save a little of the water to wash the ATV before putting it back into the minivan.

I'm hoping a dealer will let me try to fit the ATV in the van before buying it.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Dave

 

Another thought; you might lower the ATV's overall height by loosening the handlebar mounting bolts and rotating the bars; or even temporarily removing the handlebars from the fork (leave the cables connected).

A dealer should let you try a quad on for size before you buy, in my opinion--he, or his shop staff, may have ideas for helping the quad fit inside your mini-van.

Tree Farmer

 

Put it on top of the enclosed ten footer! Or on top of the minivan!

Or is it time to fess up and buy a truck! Seems that your lifestyle is demanding a change someplace.

Just like the races that you run. Almost don't cut it now does it?

[This message has been edited by TopCat (edited 01-25-2000).]