Posted: Apr 16 2007 at 2:17am | IP Logged

Anybody here haul dirtbikes or a sportbike in a quad cab short bed? I am researching a future purchase and it seems like that is the most popular used model out there. Also for hauling light loads, is the 4 cyl engine enough? What about tranny's: Stick or auto? Thanks guys.....

Posted: Apr 16 2007 at 7:51am | IP Logged

For starters, if you go with the "crew cab", you have to start with the SE and go up from there, either way, the only 4 banger you can get is on the XE King Cab.

As for the bikes, you're bed length will be 59.5 inches for the short bed, 73.3 inches for the long bed.  I plan on carrying a road bike and will not be using my gate as a support, I'd suggest you don't either.  While there is no specific load I can find anywhere, it seems understood by some that 250 pounds on the gate would be max. 

Hope this helps.

Oops, just reread your post:

What year are you looking into, I gave you specs for the 2007.

Posted: Apr 23 2007 at 1:07pm | IP Logged

If you go with something between the years of 02-04 you might as well go with the V6 with the 3.3L engine and 170 horsepower. that would be your best bet. It does well with gas though it could be better. But the specs are about the same as the newer 05's and beyond four banger. With 13k in cash you could easily get a 02 to 04 fronty.

I have got an 02 Desert Runner ( 2 wheel drive), King Cab, V6. I bought it with 20k miles on it last year. If you are looking for something without four wheel drive I would say to look into something like that. Also in my opinion i would look for a truck that has 60k or less miles on it.

Posted: Jul 15 2007 at 10:53pm | IP Logged

My experience with bikes...

My old '03 King Cab with my old '97 Ninja... In order to shut the gate I had to put the bike at a slight angle.  This is the same bed as the '02-'04 LONG bed crew cab.

My new '07 CC LB with a '01 SV650S... same drill, I just leave the gate down.

Both bikes are just short of 400 lbs, no prob for either V6.  Also loaded both trucks with mulch to the top of the bed, about 1.5 cu yd's each.  A slight squat from both trucks but not too bad.

My take on the old and new Frontier- go with the new model... bigger, more powerful and more utilitarian truck that gets better gas mileage... no contest.

Nate