More likely than not, if you have found yourself enjoying the thrills that an ATV can offer, you are likely hooked on the hobby (or sport, for some). However, this hobby can become a bit expensive. Hauling your ATV in a truck you already own can help cut down the cost- but what if you own a short bed? You might be wondering if your truck will have space.
While long bed trucks will fit almost any ATV, a short bed truck will typically only hold ATVs that are 400cc and under. If your ATV is larger than this, you can invest in an alternative option should your short bed be too small. Consider using a trailer hitch, or finding an attachment made to resolve this issue.
If you already own a short bed and are hoping to be able to use it to haul your ATV around, it is best to take a look at the measurements and dimensions of both your truck bed and the ATV you desire to purchase. To keep costs to a minimum, you can measure both to ensure that the fit will work for both parts.
Otherwise, you might be looking at a more expensive option to haul your new ATVs. Either way, you are in for a thrill with your family and friends. Continue reading to learn more about which ATVs will fit in your F150 short bed.
What Size ATV Will Fit in an F150 Short Bed?
Since short beds are, in fact, short as their name describes, they might not be large enough to house the ATV you desire to purchase (or the one you already own). However, there are several options for both trucks and ATVs that can make the match work.
Generally speaking, ATVs that measure under 400cc will be able to fit in your short bed truck. Larger options might not fit, but there are ways around this. Before purchasing either- in hopes that the truck will be large enough- it is important to measure the specific ATV and truck that you have (or plan to have).
Here’s a quick video showing an ATV being loaded into an F150 short bed (5.5 foot) to show you want can be possible.
To help you out a bit, we have gathered some information on common ATV measurements to describe how these will fit and in which F150 trucks they are likely to fit. However, keep in mind that these are general measurements and might not meet the specifications of the truck or ATV that you own.
As truck beds (as well as ATVs) vary in dimensions, it’s important to measure your own before your purchase as an online guide might not be able to provide the most accurate measurements to meet your needs. Here are a few of the most common sized ATVs that will have the best chance at fitting in your F150 short bed.
Youth Size ATVs (50cc, 70cc, 90cc)
The smallest range of ATVs on the market includes the youth 50cc ATVs that range between 29in-35in wide and 48-61in long. These include a wide range of brands and models but are generally geared towards younger riders.
If you are hoping to take your son or daughter’s ATV with you (or the youth ATV of another child in your life), then you will have a good shot at fitting these in your F150.
Here are a few of the most popular 50cc ATVs:
- Kawasaki KFX 50
- Polaris Outlaw 50
- Polaris Predator 50
- Suzuki Quadsport Z50
- Yamaha Raptor 50
- Yamaha YFZ 50
All of these will fit in an F150 short bed.
Next up after the 50cc are a less popular youth ATV that comes in at 70cc. These are a far less popular option and are not as readily available- especially in the United States market. However, they are still common enough to include, and they should fit in the back of your short bed truck.
A few of the most popular 70cc ATVs include:
- Can-Am DS 70
- Kymco Mongoose 70S
- Polaris Outlaw 70 EFI
All of these will fit in an F150 short bed.
Then, one of the most popular sized youth ATV models that will fit in the back of your F150 short bed includes the 90cc ATV options. These ATV models have a bit more power for them and are designed for riders that are aged 10 and up.
Many of these will be some of the larger youth ATV models, but this does not mean that you will not be able to fit them in your short bed. Contrarily, you should find that many of the 90cc ATV models will fit just fine in your F150.
A few of the most popular 90cc ATV models include:
- Arctic Cat Alterra 90
- Can-Am DS 90
- Can-Am DS 90x (Racer)
- Honda TRX 90X
- Kawasaki KFX 90
- Polaris Sportsman 90
- Sport DVX 90
- Suzuki Quadsport Z90
- Yamaha Grizzly 90
- Yamaha Raptor 90
All of these will fit in an F150 short bed.
Small to Midsize ATVs (200cc, 250cc, 300cc, 350cc, 400cc)
Once you move beyond the youth size and into sizes that are more typically used by adult ATV riders, then you will find that those under 400cc are more likely to fit in an F150 short bed than those of larger sizes.
Again, it is important to compare the dimensions of the ATV and truck that you intend to use together. This will give you the best picture ahead of time so that you can have appropriate expectations altogether.
Rather than breaking these down by size as done above for the youth-sized models, we will include the dimensions as well as a few top recommendations in each category. By providing these to you in a more organized format, you will be able to gauge which might be the right size ATV to fit in your F150 short bed.
Regarding dimensions, consider the following averages:
| Engine | Average Width | Average Length |
|---|---|---|
| 200cc | 40-42 in. | 65-71 in. |
| 250cc | 40-42 in. | 66-76in. |
| 300cc | 40-42 in. | 70-76 in. |
| 350cc | 40-45 in. | 70-79 in. |
| 400cc | 41-48 in. | 72-80 in. |
So you can see how these are relatively comparable in size with a larger incline beginning once you hit the 400cc ATV model. You will find, also, that going up even more in the amount of power on your ATV will result in respectively larger dimensions that cause your ATV to be too large for your F150 short bed.
You can fit many larger ATVs in an F150 short bed by leaving the tailgate down as you transport. Although that may be prohibited in some areas.
Though some 450cc ATVs can fit in an F150 short bed, this is far less common and could become a tight squeeze. Check out our ATV Size and Dimensions article for more info on ATV size to determine where they could fit.
A few of the top recommended ATVs in each of the above power ranges include:
- Polaris Phoenix 200
- Polaris Sawtooth 200
- Yamaha Blaster 200
- Can-Am DS 250
- Honda TRX 250EX
- Kawasaki Bayou 250
- Polaris Hawkeye 300
- Arctic Cat 300
- Arctic Cat 350
- Yamaha Raptor 350
- Yamaha Wolverine 350
- Arctic Cat 400
- Arctic Cat DVX400
- Bombardier Outlander 400 HO
Here’s a quick video showing some of the options you can have with an F150 that make hauling a quad so much easier.
What Size Short Bed Will Haul an ATV?
Now that we have looked at some of the ATV models that will fit in the back of your F150, you might want to know what some of the standard dimensions that come with comparable short beds are to compare with your ATV. Then, using these dimensions, you can make an accurate assessment of whether or not your ATV will fit in the short bed.
To haul an ATV, an F150 short bed needs to have room for an ATV that is between 35-42 inches (for youth and small to midsize ATVs under 400cc). Additionally, the length of the short bed should be between 48-80in long for youth and small to midsize ATVs.
Generally, short beds range from 5.5ft to 7ft in length depending on the make and model.
Providing you with some perspective, here are a few short bed options that you might be able to haul your ATV in:
- Chevy Silverado F150 short bed averages 5.8 foot
- Ford Light Duty F150 average 6.5 feet beds (some shorter at 5.5 foot)
- GMC Sierra F150 short bed averages 5.8 foot
- Nissan Titan has varying bed ranges including 8 foot (long bed), 7foot, 6.5 foot, and 5.5 foot
- Toyota Tacoma short bed 5.5 foot
- Toyota Tundra short bed 5.5 foot
With some of these models coming in at 5.5 foot beds, you are really going to have to measure the dimensions of your ATV. Many of these might not even fit an ATV beyond youth sizes into the bed. However, some of the other short beds offer a slightly lengthier bed, so you may find that your ATV will fit.
If you don’t think your ATV will fit in your short bed, check out our Best Ways To Haul an ATV Guide to get some other ideas of what may work for you.
Again, the most important thing to remember- if you are curious about whether your ATV will fit in your short bed- is to measure the dimensions of both. And, if you find that the dimensions will not work, then you can either buy a trailer hitch to attach to the back of your vehicle, or you can find a covering that will allow your ATVs to attach on top of the rim of the truck bed (though this is a riskier option if the device is faulty).