New Tacoma Capacity

Does anyone know if the newer style Tacoma can fit two sportbikes in the bed?

[ND4SPD]

If the dimensions are at least as big as the bed of an 01+ Ranger it can.

Here's the measurements fwiw...

link

Careful you don't bow the tailgate

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

If the dimensions are at least as big as the bed of an 01+ Ranger it can.

Or an s10....

[ND4SPD]

Yeah, but who would buy an S10?

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Yeah, but who would buy an S10?

Not me....it was my buddies. I had a Ranger, then a Sierra, now a F150.

they definitely fit....i just dont know the best way of strapping them down.
im gonna have to do it again from NY to GA, i might just get a trailer and bring a few more bikes.

also, i have heard of people bending the tailgate on these trucks w. quads so im a little worried about that.

Ive about lost hope here.... They fit for "short trips" but i am having a problem getting them set in there real good. Also, i can see the garbage ass composite tailgate flexing where one of the bikes is (i guess it is heavier, or the tailgate is weaker at that point)

The straps are being difficult to route without putting uneven pressure on the bars, so they kinda want to twist/ cause the bike to lean (and this is with canyon dancers.)

After a little more work, its all good. I leave for GA in the morning.

I tried some "creative" method in the beginning, worried about the width. After getting pissed off, and taking a break, i did it just like you would expect to (in a full size) and it worked out.

I went creative due to failure with typical method in older toyota...clearly the little bit of girth made all the difference.

Also, as much as i love to defend toyota, watching my composite tailgate (on the composite side) flexing under weight is pretty hard to defend.

I was seriously going to get the new tacoma seeing that it is more of a mid-size truck compared to the older model. I was shocked to discover that in spite of the truck being 4 inches wider than the older model, the bed width was actually smaller. So I got a used Sierra.

[CBR929RE]

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Yeah, but who would buy an S10?

you trying to say that a Ranger is better than an S10?

I drive newer model rangers at work (both 4 and 6 cylinder ones) the 6s have caps and suck because of them weighing so much, the 4s just suck. Both has god awful trannies. I've never put tranny fluid in any vehicle but these things seem to eat it (slowly but still uses it).

Not saying the S10 is very good but my father's 2 previous trucks before his 05 Tacoma were S10s and they were "ok".

The Tacoma is better than both the S10 and Ranger by leaps and bounds.

Loading two sportbikes into an '05 Tacoma is not a problem. I do it on a routine basis when we go to the track. My wifes F4 and my 954 fit side by side, no problem.

I use Sportchocks, one pushed to the front of the bed and one about six inches back to so the clip-ons don't hit each other. I cut a slot into a tennis ball and push that over the clutch lever on the F4 as it sits only about an inch away from the 954's fairing. Usually this is just a precautionary measure as I've never had any problems. Two tie-downs, one for each bike, pull the bike forward, once again, just a precautionary measure.

I've never had any problems with the tailgate, and that's with using two ramps, one for me and one for the bike, as I walk it up into the bed. So, that equals one wet 954 plus my 200lbs. A five gallon gas can fits in the front corner of the bed by my bikes front wheel. Ramps slide in between the bikes, and my toolbox sits just inside the tailgate extender in the back corner, plus a crate with a bunch of extra junk.

The truck has a 2.7 liter 4-cylinder with a 5-speed manual tranny. It works, but if I had to do it over again, I'd get a six-cylinder. I just wish they'd make a six with a manual trans.

Originally Posted by monkey

... I just wish they'd make a six with a manual trans.

They do. I've driven a V6 6-speed.

I have the 4.0L V6 6-Speed manual in a double cab 4x4 w/ trd off road. Great truck, and i never regret getting the short bed, except when i am carrying **** that requires i leave the tailgate down (like 2 bikes).

The weight wasnt a problem, but NYC to Savannah GA and back, my clutch lever (929) tried to eat a whole in my buddies GSXR 600, i wish i would have read the tennis ball trick mentioned above.

I need to get another set of those d-rings and put them in the front of the bed, but until then i just put those sliding things like 6 inches from each corner and ran it off canyon dancers just like normal, straps straight down on outsides, and through the wheel of the opposite bike to the tie downs on the inside.

and as for bowing the tail gate....even with rear tire of 929, gsxr6, and me hoppin around from time to time to check tie downs or take em in and out, i dont think it bowed at all (it still closes fine, and i cant notice anything with "visual" inspection).

Get a Dodge Ram and don't worry about it.

Oh yea, you should be fine with the Toy as well, but it doesn't have a Hemi.

The Toyota engine is as much or more of a hemi than the Hemi(tm) is.

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

The Toyota engine is as much or more of a hemi than the Hemi(tm) is.

The Honda Civic is more of a Hemi.

I looked at the Tacoma and ended up getting the Frontier. The tailgate issue bugged me; I could see it flexing under my weight. I know it's a good truck...

The more I see those Fronty's the more I like them. A lot more 'butch" looking than the Taco. Nice rig.