Got A Plan? Need A Van
Got a Plan? Need a van
ROUNDUP
THE BOX-ON-WHEELS HAS BEEN THE DEDIcated motorcycle nut's four-wheel transporter of choice for a very long time. There's now another player in the game, because Nissan has just come out large with its new NV series commercial vans.
Their best quality? The NVs are big without being cumbersome or too huge. Base MSRP range is $24,590 to $28,190.
we tried me low-root anu ifign-roor versions, and both drive well, with direct-feeling steering, strong brakes, great power and a decent, quiet-enough ride, even from the 3500. Much like an elephant, based on sheer size, the NVs aren't expected to move quickly, but the 317-horsepower, 5.6-liter V-Eight allowed us to bat down unsuspecting victims off the line with relative ease.
Recorded fuel economy was 12 mpg for the low-top and 10 mpg for the high top, and we admit to lead-footing a lot
during our burn through the 28-gallon tank on each (they take regular fuel). The 261-hp 4.0-liter V-Six may deliver better mileage, but EPA mpg numbers aren't required for commercial vehicles of this size.
While the Nissan vans do lots of con venient modern-vehicle things (optional cruise control, good stereo, back-up sonar, even 110-volt outlets), what we want them for is to carry our motor cycles and equipment, and that they do really well. Cargo-area dimensions for the highand low-top vans are the same except for roof height. Shared mea surements: The cargo-area is about 112 inches long and 68 in. wide, with 54 in. between inner-fender humps. The rear door opening is 60 in. wide, and rear doors fold flat to the body.
Differences are that the low-roof van door opening is 49 in. high (47 to the
latch), while the distance from the floor to a roof crossmember is 52 in. There is efiough headroom to fit a dirtbike, and sportbikes are easy. Anything with a tall screen (tourers, etc.) is unlikely. -
The high top pretty much eats any motorcycle with its rear door opening of 72 in. (70 to the latch) and 74-in. inte nor roof height. Most full-size gorillas can stand upright in the tall van.
There are 1500, 2500 and 3500 ver sions available to carry up to nearly 4000 pounds of payload (roof is rat ed for 300-500 pounds). A properly equipped V-Eight can tow 9500 pounds while the V-Six is limited to 7000.
Hard to make a box on wheels look sexy, and we're not sure Nissan even tried. But the focus on function is im pressive, and both NVs make particu larly good motorcycle haulers.
Mark Hoyer
