More track-bike modifications on the way to prepare the bike for the 2024 trackday season. Replaced the stock fuel cap with a lock-less one the other day. Less faffing required at the track when refuelling now. Looks nice too? 
Neat. Now you are committed.
May I ask where you hire your van from for the track days?
Cheers.
The vans have come from Enterprise, though we’re about to move to a box trailer (Debon 1300). Just sorting out all the dependencies (towing vehicle, driveway modifications, etc).
Moving out of the house with your lovely garage to live in a box trailer. Sorry to hear about your financial problems Jay.
. We did consider vans we could use for both carrying bikes and sleeping in at circuits, but it’d have to have been a huuuge van for our requirements. Wouldn’t fit on the drive. Box trailer it is.
@Jay I’m sure you have considered these things.
The times you stay in a hotel or similar for trackdays, which is easier to park and secure overnight, a van or car with trailer on the back?
In case there is an injury are you both comfortable towing a trailer as opposed to driving a van?
Which is more useful at the track once the bikes are unloaded? (Changing etc.)
Whats a more relaxing drive, van or car with trailer?
All salient questions we have gone through, yes.
Hotel’s are a given, not all circuits allow camping. I’d prefer to camp as it helps ensure a good pit garage choice and it’s more secure, sleeping near the bikes. Plus, a bit more sleep. But we’ll have to stick with hotels for now. The downside to hotels is worrying about the bikes/gear in the van. A van does not guarantee security. They do get broken into.
A car is far more comfortable to drive, than a van. This is a big part of our trailer decision. Jury’s out on using our Tesla as it has a major downside: you have to unhitch to charge. We don’t know if this is going to be a hassle or not. We are expecting 50% range reduction, so will almost certainly have to unhitch at least once, maybe twice for all but Brands Hatch. If we can charge at the circuit it might massively improve matters, we don’t know. The upside to the Tesla is that Autopilot works in Trailer Mode, which massively reduces fatigue, which would be amazing at the end of the day when we’re both tired.
Some circuits are clear about charging a small surcharge for such situations. That’s totally fine of course.
We will give it a go though. If it’s a terrible experience, we are prepared to buy a second hand, 7-10 year old towing vehicle, ie a diesel SUV. This would have been sacrilege before, but one has to be pragmatic if one wishes to enjoy the finer things in life 
Injuries… a car and trailer is better as invariably only one of us gets added to the hire van insurance at the mo, so this would be an improvement. Hitching a trailer? I’m sure both of us can, but if not, there will be someone to help. People are helpful at Trackdays, mostly.
On balance, I think a van with sleeping capacity would be ideal, especially if it was an automatic with adaptive cruise control, etc, but we can’t fit one, so it’s a moot point.
We could use a normal size van and sleep in it after removing the bikes, but I don’t like the idea of keeping the bikes outside. I don’t think I’d sleep very well, worrying about them. Even if they were chained up.
Oh, forgot about utility. The trailer we are looking at is big. You can stand upside it. So it’s fine for getting changed in. Also, it’s super low to the ground and has a massive, full width ramp built in, so you just wheel the bikes on, no engine power needed.
Plus at the mo, only one of us can load the bikes in a van, so this would be a huge boon in case of injuries.
You can fit them out with power and lighting too. Could even sleep in them if it wasn’t for the bikes-outside issue.
Knew you would have been thorough. Re unhitching to charge EV is that to do with Tesla only or a general issue?
I’ll add it to the reasons not to go full electric ( even though i can’t remember them last time i had to tow anything)
Can’t see imagine parking an EV and trailer in a charging bay without blocking the rest of the car park.
Yeah, you have to park in a bay facing out charge. Can’t do that with a trailer hitched.
In the US, where towing is more common and space abundant, they have side-mounted chargers for this purpose.
This transport solution seems unbelievably complicated and expensive. Granted, I’ve never done bike trackdays but have done a lot of car days just a few years back.
Back then I ran Subarus as the family car. I’d drive to the circuit, flog the car all day then drive home. Initially I had circuit insurance then stopped bothering. I always knew there was a chance I’d crash or blow it up…but never did. The car was always ready for the school run the next day.
Have you considered road registering the bikes and riding there with just the kit you need? Stay in a nice hotel with secure parking if a bit further away? Could be liberating! When touring we always look for hotels with proper parking, rarely leave the bike on the street.
Just an idea, that’s all. If I had a suitable bike I’d probably have a go myself.
Have I considered riding to Trackdays?! lol. Mate, I rode to them for the most time. Everyone thought I was mad. No, it’s the done thing just to use a van to transport bikes to and from the circuit.
For casual Trackdays, riding to and from a circuit is fine. We’ve all done it, but of course you’re taking a risk you won’t be able to ride the bike home if do you have an off.
Though once you get into Trackdays properly you end up on tyres that aren’t road legal, needing paddock stands and tyre warmers, tools, fluids, etc. it’s not viable, you need transport. Also, nobody wants to ride a bike home after a long day at the track. You just want to get out your leathers and cruise home in a comfy seat.
Also, there is no secure parking. Leaving bikes out in the open at hotels around tracks is asking for them to be stolen. There are, unfortunately toe-rags out there preying on trackday goers.
and don’t think your fellow track day junkies are all as white as driven snow either…
and reading between the lines in a 2011 post by our very own @PJ there could be more than 1 in 5 stolen motorcycles at a track day
Have you considered a bigger van, but renting a parking space nearby to home? Like at a caravan storage.
Yeah, couldn’t find one.
Otherwise we’d probably have talked ourselves into a nice auto sprinter, xlb.
