Anyone got a coachbuilt motorhome that will fit a MX bike?
Discussion
Morning all,
Sat in the garden, admittedly enjoying the sun and not doing anthing, but wishing we were away in a camper. Been thinking about one for the last year or so, and in that time it has progressed from a poptop Transit Custom or similar, to LWB Boxer/Relay and now to coachbuilt. Snag is whatever I get would need to be able to fit my motocross/enduro bike in as well as function as a family camper. My brother has got a Sprinter that he converted and and at first it seems a good idea, but having also used my inlaws coachbuilt Chausson for a week away, I don't think the converted van size would suit what we want to do. Theres 4 of us, with the kids being a 6yr old boy and 18 month girl, so going forward it would ideally need to be seperate beds for them. I have seen the likes of the Chausson Flash 25 that have rear bunks with over cab double as well as convertable dinette so would be perfect for teh family side of it, just not sure on the feasibility of putting a motorbike in the garage. I know with most of them the lower bunk becomes the garage, so I'd lose the bunk, but for the half dozen or so times a year we're away for the night with my racing we can make do with sleeping arrangements, even if it meant a cab bunk. I just can't seem to find any measurements of the garages, made more difficult with not knowing what models to search for in the first place. Some say they have garages, but are little more than a large locker, others have what could almost be described as a hanger, but then that compromises interior. My inlaws have got a Chausson 767GA which I have measured and think my bike would go in, but FIL won't let me try
! The interior layout on that van is a bit odd though, twin beds in the back that run lengthways down the van, and a drop down bed over the dinette, not so bad for the 2 of them, but a pain for sitting up having a drink after the kids go to bed having to quietly lower the bed, hence attracted to the over cab double.
As much as I'd love to go out and buy a Rollerteam Zafiro, unfortunately I'm just not in the position to go and buy new, looking at £30k after a bit more saving and a bit of finance which would appear to get me around the 07-08 Relay/Ducato based ones. The price of motorhomes is crazy, I work for a boat dealer and we're much the same (although when working on them I tend to think of it as monopoly moiney more than real money!). New ones don't seem to lose much for the first few years, then drop a bit but then stay level for the next 10-15 years. It does mean though that if we subsequently find out motorhomes aren't for us it won't mean losing too much money . Has anyone got any recommendations of vans I can look out for? We're still saving up for a bit longer, so not about to go out and buy until probably Autumn winter, but knowing what to look for would be great.
Thanks guys
Sat in the garden, admittedly enjoying the sun and not doing anthing, but wishing we were away in a camper. Been thinking about one for the last year or so, and in that time it has progressed from a poptop Transit Custom or similar, to LWB Boxer/Relay and now to coachbuilt. Snag is whatever I get would need to be able to fit my motocross/enduro bike in as well as function as a family camper. My brother has got a Sprinter that he converted and and at first it seems a good idea, but having also used my inlaws coachbuilt Chausson for a week away, I don't think the converted van size would suit what we want to do. Theres 4 of us, with the kids being a 6yr old boy and 18 month girl, so going forward it would ideally need to be seperate beds for them. I have seen the likes of the Chausson Flash 25 that have rear bunks with over cab double as well as convertable dinette so would be perfect for teh family side of it, just not sure on the feasibility of putting a motorbike in the garage. I know with most of them the lower bunk becomes the garage, so I'd lose the bunk, but for the half dozen or so times a year we're away for the night with my racing we can make do with sleeping arrangements, even if it meant a cab bunk. I just can't seem to find any measurements of the garages, made more difficult with not knowing what models to search for in the first place. Some say they have garages, but are little more than a large locker, others have what could almost be described as a hanger, but then that compromises interior. My inlaws have got a Chausson 767GA which I have measured and think my bike would go in, but FIL won't let me try
! The interior layout on that van is a bit odd though, twin beds in the back that run lengthways down the van, and a drop down bed over the dinette, not so bad for the 2 of them, but a pain for sitting up having a drink after the kids go to bed having to quietly lower the bed, hence attracted to the over cab double.As much as I'd love to go out and buy a Rollerteam Zafiro, unfortunately I'm just not in the position to go and buy new, looking at £30k after a bit more saving and a bit of finance which would appear to get me around the 07-08 Relay/Ducato based ones. The price of motorhomes is crazy, I work for a boat dealer and we're much the same (although when working on them I tend to think of it as monopoly moiney more than real money!). New ones don't seem to lose much for the first few years, then drop a bit but then stay level for the next 10-15 years. It does mean though that if we subsequently find out motorhomes aren't for us it won't mean losing too much money . Has anyone got any recommendations of vans I can look out for? We're still saving up for a bit longer, so not about to go out and buy until probably Autumn winter, but knowing what to look for would be great.
Thanks guys
We have a Hobby (617 I think - not a tag axle) that has bunk beds at the back and a large access door for the garage.
Beauty of that is that the bottom bunk folds up to get an even bigger garage and there is a fixed over cab bed. I'm not sure if it'd be big enough for a motocross bike though. It looks close, pic below so you can judge.
Beauty of that is that the bottom bunk folds up to get an even bigger garage and there is a fixed over cab bed. I'm not sure if it'd be big enough for a motocross bike though. It looks close, pic below so you can judge.
Can you not fit a towbar mounted bike hitch to take a mountain bike? I'm sure I've seen similar arrangements on the continent which are designed to carry motorbikes too?
This sort of thing: https://www.lnbtowbars.co.uk/product/motorack-towb...
This sort of thing: https://www.lnbtowbars.co.uk/product/motorack-towb...
Thats the sort of thing, nice looking van, but the garage door does look a bit small. A MX bike needs a minimum of about 30" and 7ft of length, and a shade over 4ft of length, but I know some guys do get around the height and some of the length by putting a wheel barrow wheel at the front for loading.
You can get towbar mounts for MX bikes, but it would mean it being out on show, so not be able to load the night before a trip, or staying anywhere that wasnt 100% secure. You do see motorhomes with scooters and small bikes on the back, but I fear a MX bike would go walkies unfortunately.
If you asked the Mrs I should just stop racing and we could pick any van, but wheres the fun in that!
You can get towbar mounts for MX bikes, but it would mean it being out on show, so not be able to load the night before a trip, or staying anywhere that wasnt 100% secure. You do see motorhomes with scooters and small bikes on the back, but I fear a MX bike would go walkies unfortunately.
If you asked the Mrs I should just stop racing and we could pick any van, but wheres the fun in that!
A mate has one which he can get a Tenere or an R1250RS in, in an inside garage. I haven't seen it but there is some sort of ramp and winch arrangement which drags the bike in. I'm 99% sure he said he can get two bikes in. It's not massive, bigger than a transit but not an American RV type. I don't have pics, but it's definitely possible.
Haha, I'd love to go big, and some of the 3.5t+ motorhomes are cheaper on the used market than the lighter ones, presumably because less people can drive them. They are just too big though, and whilst I would do my C1 test, there's no way the Mrs would. Some of them are only just over weight which is annoying!
I have considered trailers, and still would if I was taking my bike more local places that I didn't want to take a camper, but I'd much rather the ease of just putting a bike in the back as well as the extra security of the bike being put of sight, especially for loading the night before.
I have considered trailers, and still would if I was taking my bike more local places that I didn't want to take a camper, but I'd much rather the ease of just putting a bike in the back as well as the extra security of the bike being put of sight, especially for loading the night before.
3500kg with a bike in in a 6 berth coschbuilt realistically isn't going to happen.
But if you don't mind chancing it then the moto x weapons of choice were normally the old Rollerteam 600g or older Rimors on twin rwd chassis but sometimes still plated at 3500kg, sod all actual payload but the chassis will take it if you don't mind chancing getting stopped.
Chausson Flash 09? I think gave the similar layout
Adria Izola 697sl as well which had singles/double over a big rear garage and Adria Coral 660sp though they will be a bit pricier
Laika did a mad Ecovip back before Hymer bought them and made them boring with a full height floor to ceiling rear garage too which was theoretical 3500kg and they date back to around 2001 if you can find one.
All of the above horribly damp Prone especially silly the Rollerteam and Rimor so be careful.
Rimor also badged as Kentucky Camp Estro and Royal too
But if you don't mind chancing it then the moto x weapons of choice were normally the old Rollerteam 600g or older Rimors on twin rwd chassis but sometimes still plated at 3500kg, sod all actual payload but the chassis will take it if you don't mind chancing getting stopped.
Chausson Flash 09? I think gave the similar layout
Adria Izola 697sl as well which had singles/double over a big rear garage and Adria Coral 660sp though they will be a bit pricier
Laika did a mad Ecovip back before Hymer bought them and made them boring with a full height floor to ceiling rear garage too which was theoretical 3500kg and they date back to around 2001 if you can find one.
All of the above horribly damp Prone especially silly the Rollerteam and Rimor so be careful.
Rimor also badged as Kentucky Camp Estro and Royal too
Thank you, the 6 berth thing was more a nice to have rather than essential. Would just have been head room for if kids friends wanted to come. Although the youngest is 1 at the moment so she won't be inviting friends anytime soon!
I've been trying to find ex factory weights for various vans, but can only seem to find max weight. There are a few guys with campers that turn up at races so maybe next race I'll make a note what people, but I think they've either get older Rimor/Kentucky or shiny new Rollerteams.
My bike is around 105kg without fuel, so not as heavy as a road bike so fingers crossed I'll find something with enough payload.
I've been trying to find ex factory weights for various vans, but can only seem to find max weight. There are a few guys with campers that turn up at races so maybe next race I'll make a note what people, but I think they've either get older Rimor/Kentucky or shiny new Rollerteams.
My bike is around 105kg without fuel, so not as heavy as a road bike so fingers crossed I'll find something with enough payload.
As a rough idea, I sold a twin rwd 2.4 transit chausson welcome garage 6 berth 2 years ago, during covid, customer couldn't take his c1 so begged me to do whatever it took to downplate it to 3500kg so he could drive it hone then up plate it once he got his c1.
Same sort of size as a Rimor, Rollerteam 600.
We ran the fuel down , dumped all the water, took out all the cushions, mattresses, gas bottles all to red and get it to 3100kg empty which is the limit they will downpkate it with.
That didn't work
So we took off the towbar, satellite dish, everything and got it to 3120kg, still couldn't downplate it!!!
So we got the customers wife to ring sv tech and plead for mercy and they out it through lol!
A cheap older low profile like a Elnagh Slim, Chausson Odyssey on a Ford fwd should give you 5-600kg tho so if you can find a non rotten one might do a job
Same sort of size as a Rimor, Rollerteam 600.
We ran the fuel down , dumped all the water, took out all the cushions, mattresses, gas bottles all to red and get it to 3100kg empty which is the limit they will downpkate it with.
That didn't work
So we took off the towbar, satellite dish, everything and got it to 3120kg, still couldn't downplate it!!!
So we got the customers wife to ring sv tech and plead for mercy and they out it through lol!
A cheap older low profile like a Elnagh Slim, Chausson Odyssey on a Ford fwd should give you 5-600kg tho so if you can find a non rotten one might do a job
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