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Me and my lass are planning on hiring a VW camper in late summer and touring around Scotland. Planning a mix of outdoorsy, cultural, sightseeing stuff. Oh and whisky tasting/drinking. Anyway, knowing some folks on here have VW campers and bikes, I was wondering how people combine them. As we're overseas at the moment, I'll bring my bike (a midrange mtb but I don't want it nicked), and we'll either borrow one for L for the duration, or hire as and when. Interested in options for transport, security, etc i.e. can you fit 2 bikes inside the van all the time (driving and when setup for sleeping), or have to use an external carrier, and what do you do about security when not with the van. Leaving 2 bikes outside or even inside seems rather conspicuous, and I have no idea what the security of an old VW camper is like. Having to put them outside for sleeping also seems to increase the risk. Thoughts, suggestions, random ramblings all welcome!
lock them to the rack.
they won't go inside with the bed out. and might not when it is not out.
If your hiring the van, hire a rack aswell to go on the back! We have one of those racks that bolts to the rear door on ours.
Big lock around bikes then another through the rear bumper or towing eye, take off any saddles if QR......
Job done! 😀
Depending on what camping conversion the interior you might get them inside but I think it'll be tight especially if you have much kit etc.
Mine is a devon and you can just about get a hardatil in between the benches or a DH bike with a wheel off but either is awkward.
Additionally if your bikes are muddy then you'll get mud over where you will be sleeping.
Realistically its not practical.
I can say 100% without complete disassembly you will not get two people and two bikes in over night...
To be honest a camper is [b]a lot[/b] smaller inside than you realise and is really only suited to one person or a small couple.
The best bet is a T2 type Fiamma bike rack specifically for the T2 van.
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Security wise well you could pop a look off a T2 van by locking at it hard. And I'd be checking that what ever you lock your bike to is held on by more than a veneer of rust...
Fiammia do a good range of racks locked mine with a bog standard lock!
[url= http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1236/528510120_5773583304.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/528510120/ ]Sligachan Camp1 on Skye[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1055/530206573_4cfee9b683.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/530206573/ ]Heading out of Glenbrittle[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
Are those D90's on that?! I have D90 envy.
Hopefully when my new engine is (finally built) and I can send some money back from oz I'll (finally) get the respray, lowering, suspension and alloys it deserves!
I once had 6 people and 6 BMXs [u]inside[/u] mine. Not comfy, but it can be done! 🙂
the respray, lowering, suspension and alloys it deserves!
Lowering, done wrongly (Or too much) absolutely RUINS campers. I wouldn't, and didn't, personally
postierich, I love that camper! In deep red with old school chrome wheels it would be perfect 😀
the respray, lowering, suspension and alloys it deserves!
Lowering, done wrongly (Or too much) absolutely RUINS campers. I wouldn't, and didn't, personally
I've dropped a 2.2L subaru engine in mine which is considerably heavier and consequently it sits nose up. It needs the suspension sorting, its only going to drop approx 50mm over all and be levelled effectively on coil overs.
It needs something its a bit high and wobbly to ton up in at the moment!
You won't get 2 bikes in & sleep in it.
High rack on the back and locks + cheap bike cover / tarp to hide the bling is what I'd do.
I've dropped a 2.2L subaru engine in mine
What? WATER cooled??????? BURN HIM!!!!!!
**spits**
😉
I've dropped a 2.2L subaru engine in mine
What? WATER cooled??????? BURN HIM!!!!!!**spits**
0-60 in sub 12sec compared to book value of 23.6seconds. Will give boy racers a scare! Plus it sounds awesome!
Top speed of I don't know as speedo only goes to 90mph and I got scared at the P in MPH at the bottom of the dial. Mate following clocked it at 105mph.
And you can accelerate up hills AND wait for it OVERTAKE other cars.
You ought to see the look on peoples faces who are towing a caravan when you over take them in a 30 odd year odd camper.
Plus I had to 1600 aircooled engines both new recon lumps go pop on my in the space of very few 000's miles so I thought.
Scooby power. In retrospect a 1.9 VW TDi lump would have been a better bet.
And you can accelerate up hills AND wait for it OVERTAKE other cars
See, that never bothered me. I just cruised, and if I was late, I'd park up and sleep overnight, then continue the next day.
Each to their own, but I'd never put a water pumper in a Bus..... It's just wrong. Like the Mona Lisa wearing a fleece.... 😉 🙂
See, that never bothered me. I just cruised, and if I was late, I'd park up and sleep overnight, then continue the next day
Work never accepted the 'im late because its aircooled' excuse! 😆
You wouldn't need an excuse if you were driving this bus
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My brother helped on some of the paintwork, stunning in the flesh.
I take wheels off and put mine in the front, locked to steering wheel. doubles as a mean steering lock.
we keep our bikes on the rack all the time when we're away in ours, not had any issues but i lock them up with big kryptonite locks and use a bike cover also
as for security we locked the keys in ours a few weekends ago in ambleside, the local recovery bloke popped the lock in a few mins with a bit of wire... 😯
Forget the bikes, sell them and buy IDAs 😉
There's beds in there, if you don't want the bikes to get nicked then treat them like you should, put them in the bed in the van overnight and sleep outside in a tent yourselves.
Won't somebody think of the bikes??????
I've looked at camper vans myself and it always comes up as a big issue having to leave them outside overnight. Think I'd want them on the roof overnight so I'd hear anyone getting to them and in the van when driving. Not really helpful for your situation - sorry!!
If you're up in the North of Scotland, say Wester Ross or further afield, you could probably leave your wallet outside and it wouldn't get nicked.
Thanks for all the replies!
epic - I'm probably being too paranoid, problem is we're planning a tour from Newcastle-up the east coast-Orkney-down the west coast-Newcastle, obviously some places will be busier/sketchier than others. I'd thought most places we will be should be pretty quiet/safe, but then some might not.
Steve - we did wonder about doing that!
All - so if we get a bike rack with the camper, there should be somewhere to lock the bikes to on the van, or just to the rack itself? A few decent locks, some cable some D, and a tarp or cover seem like the right idea. And from the sounds of it, that might work better than having them inside if we leave them and the van for the day...
>Thoughts, suggestions<
I'd just hire something modern tbh stash them inside and get on with the biking.You'd have to be very unlucky to have someone break in and take them out
In Scotland...