Before selling the Octavia and buying a transit van, I wondered whether anyone had ever managed to carry a motorbike inside a Roomster as it is affordable and it looks a far nicer vehicle and probably a whole lot cheaper to run?

I would be happy to take out passenger seats as necessary if it would fit, but I have no idea how big the tailgate opening is, or the true inside dimensions after everything removable has been pulled out. I suspect my local Skoda dealer is not going to let me strip out his showroom model to find out.

I've got a smallish motorbike - Suzuki GS 500f. At 180kg it weighs the equivalent of 2 - 3 passengers so that should not be an issue, and there are specialist lashing kits available so it can be firmly anchored inside using standard seatbelt anchorages. But it measures 2.080 (l) x 800 (w) x 1,000 (h) - effectively a supersize flatpack from IKEA. Motorbikes are great for journeys of a few hours but I often take the bike on longer trips - eg down to the Alps and I am currently stuck pulling it on a trailer which means heaps of extra fuel, extra tolls and the trailer maximum speed of 100KPH. If a Roomster could carry it inside then it will be bye bye Octavia hello Roomster.

You may get that in diagonally. Ill measure tomorrow.

It would make the car a bit top heavy though and would need some serious strapping.

Octy estate ?

i.e. drain fuel tank, unlock handlebars ?

Or is there too much involved with brake fluid etc as well.

Definately won't fit

Roomster also doesn't have a flat loading bed which would hamper you.

Decron

Thanks for checking. I already know it won't fit an Octavia estate - that is what I have been using to tow the bike trailer.

Oh well I guess there may be a transit owners forum out there somewhere, but I doubt they will be half as helpful as you folks.

Cheers Skimad

Decron

Thanks for checking. I already know it won't fit an Octavia estate - that is what I have been using to tow the bike trailer.

Oh well I guess there may be a transit owners forum out there somewhere, but I doubt they will be half as helpful as you folks.

Cheers Skimad

NP

It should fit in a SWB Tranny no problems.

Also, much as I hate to suggest it have you looked at the bigger Kangoos/Berlingos or even Transit connects?

Transit Connect;

Interior dimensions

Interior (mm) Short wheelbase Long wheelbase

Load length (to rear of front seat) 1739 1986

Maximum load length (passenger's seat folded) 2467 2714

Maximum loadspace width 1490 1492

Loadspace between wheel arches 1226 1226

Load floor to roof 1193 1364

Looks like you could do it in a LWB It's a bit more economical than a full on tranny.

OK going off on a slightly different tack, why not get a fold away motorcycle trailer that will fit in a Roomster or Estate car.

Tow the bike where you want to go, unload it, put the trailer in the car and ride off into the sunset.

The traier I currently have is a Titan foldaway motorcycle trailer.

Welcome to Titan Products UK Ltd

I also found this one on eBay.

FOLDAWAY MOTORCYCLE TRAILER NEW DESIGN FROM BIKEHAUL - eBay Accessories, Motorcycle Parts Accessories, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 15-Oct-07 21:30:00 BST)

And this one

Motorcycle Tralier / Motorbike Trailer/Collapsable - eBay Accessories, Motorcycle Parts Accessories, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 11-Oct-07 13:04:04 BST)

Hope this might help.

PAArsko (mostly at the moment I be thinkin outside the box)

quote:

It should fit in a SWB Tranny no problems.

Also, much as I hate to suggest it have you looked at the bigger Kangoos/Berlingos or even Transit connects?

Or even a Doblo? It has a heck of a boot with seats folded (although you can't take them out).

L

A mate of mine used to put his SuperMoto race bike in his Galaxy. He made up a small set of plywood wheels which he fitted to lower the KTM and get it in the back, then arrive at the meetings, get it up on the stand and stick the proper wheels in

Thanks folks for all the suggestions. Will definitely try and track down a local Fiat dealer to see whether the Doblo would work as I would certainly prefer something nearer MPV size, if only to make parking easier. Whatever else it seems the end of my Skoda ownership draws nigh.

..... Whatever else it seems the end of my Skoda ownership draws nigh.

Why don't you get one of these?

Watliing Engineers - Towbar mounted motorbike carriers, motor bike rack, scooter rack, scooter covers and motorbike cover

Whatever else it seems the end of my Skoda ownership draws nigh.

:thumbdwn:

What about PAArsko's suggestions. That way you can have your cake and eat it too ?

I carry my MX bike via a towbar rack

Shaun

I like the "Go Large" idea sadly nowadays Artic lorries are speed limited and driving hours strictly limited so not any quicker than towing my trailer.

Unfortunately a folding trailer poses the same problems as my current trailer - although it would be a bit easier to store when not required. Sadly it would still incur higher tolls/fuel and time due to the restricted max speed.

I have ruled out carriers mounted only on the tow bar - at 180KG the Suzuki is more than three times the max vertical load of 50KG stipulated on my Skoda towbar.

Which is why I was trying to find out whether it would fit inside a Roomster.

I know Decron kindly checked this out but the post by Fluffmeister got me thinking about ways to minimise the height as I assume this was the most limited dimension.

On its side stand with the mirrors stowed the highest bit - the screen is about 1 metre. I could possibly lower this to 0.95 simply by deflating the tyres whilst substituting some sort of transit wheels could drop the height to 0.88 but then the belly fairing and exhaust system would be on the floor.

Any chance you kept those inside space measurements Decron?

Skimad

I like the "Go Large" idea sadly nowadays Artic lorries are speed limited and driving hours strictly limited so not any quicker than towing my trailer.

Unfortunately a folding trailer poses the same problems as my current trailer - although it would be a bit easier to store when not required. Sadly it would still incur higher tolls/fuel and time due to the restricted max speed.

I have ruled out carriers mounted only on the tow bar - at 180KG the Suzuki is more than three times the max vertical load of 50KG stipulated on my Skoda towbar.

Which is why I was trying to find out whether it would fit inside a Roomster.

I know Decron kindly checked this out but the post by Fluffmeister got me thinking about ways to minimise the height as I assume this was the most limited dimension.

On its side stand with the mirrors stowed the highest bit - the screen is about 1 metre. I could possibly lower this to 0.95 simply by deflating the tyres whilst substituting some sort of transit wheels could drop the height to 0.88 but then the belly fairing and exhaust system would be on the floor.

Any chance you kept those inside space measurements Decron?

Skimad

Don't think it's the height thats the issue, more the length. ill do some measuring tomorrow and put a cube up to show you exactly what you get.

Just for info if you are planning on the bike in a van idea.

Vans usually pay higher tolls than cars and non-car derived vans by law are subject to 50mph speed limit on A roads.

PAArsko - you've got it in one - hence I am focusing on some sort of Private/Light Goods vehicle eg a car derived van/ MPV capable of carrying the bike inside. That way I will save on tolls and fuel and not be restricted to the lower speed limits applying to goods vehicles. My Octavia has been brilliant in cost and reliability - hugely better than previous Sierra's and Vectra's - hence my preference would be another Skoda/VAG vehicle but the motorbike needs to fit!

I really like the look of the Roomster - its definitely a car first and foremost but with the loadspace close to that of many small vans. I have just seen pictures of a new Skoda small van currently being tested. This appears to be based directly on the Roomster possibly with bits borrowed from the VW Caddy. Depending on the available loadspace it may prove another solution. In the meantime I am off to a VW dealer with my tape measure as it seems the VW Caddy rear door opening at 1.1 x 1.1 is wide enough to roll the bike through without any real dismantling. The big questions is will it fit the length diagonally across the vehicle if I pull out the front passenger seat.

Here is another idea, have you looked at the VW Caravelle or the Ford Tourneo? They are the same body as the T4, T5 VW vans and the Transit, although they are van based because they have seats (removeable) and windows down the side they only pay car rates on the Second Severn Crossing. I am pretty sure they are classed as people carriers and not vans so they might not need to conform the the van speed limits.

Worth checking out anyway.