Motorhome and weight on B license

[mezzer]

Hi all this is my first post, and I apologise if it gets asked often!

 

I have a cat B driving license which limits me to 3500kg.

 

I have been looking at benimar Europe 6000 motorhome, I googled the weight and one site had it as 3850kg :'(

 

What are my options? There are 2 adults and 2 kids plus bikes etc so we need a big-ish m/h

 

Do people take their c1 driving test so they can drive larger/heavier vehicles legally? How much could I expect to pay for this pleasure?

 

Many thanks in advance

[colin]

Your choices are either to get a van under 3.5t or get take a test, here's a sample of what it might cost

http://www.1stopinstruction.com/east-london/lgv/category-c1-licence-van-training.php

[mezzer]

Thanks for the reply, a van with weight of 3500kg or less but when it's loaded up the weight will be over?

 

Is it the vehicle weight alone or the actual weight of vehicle when loaded which needs to be under 3500kg on a cat b license?

[Derek Uzzell]

mezzer - 2016-07-14 1:28 PM

 

...Is it the vehicle weight alone or the actual weight of vehicle when loaded which needs to be under 3500kg on a cat b license?

 

Where driving-licence entitlements are concerned it’s a vehicle’s maximum authorised overall weight that counts. Several terms have been used to describe this, but Maximum Technically Permissable Laden Mass (MTPLM) is most often used nowadays.

 

This link should be helpful:

 

http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/30435-safe-loading-and-payloads

 

Your Category “B” driving-licence entitlement permits you to drive a vehicle with a MTPLM up to 3500kg. You would not be entitled to drive a motorhome with a MTPLM of 3850kg (eg. a Benimar Europe 6000) unless you gained the C1 entitlement or the motorhome was officially ‘down-plated’ so that its MTPLM became 3500kg or lower.

 

‘Down-plating’ can be a practical approach when a motorhome’s original MTPLM does not hugely exceed 3500kg, but reducing from 3850kg to 3500kg loses 350kg of payload and seriously risks the vehicle exceeding 3500kg when normally loaded. It’s most unlikely that, with 2 adults, 2 chidren, bikes, etc. that running a Europe 6000 down-plated to 3500kg could be done legally.

[tonyishuk]

Not sure if this complicates matters, but could a trailer be used to lighten the payload, but remain within train weight of the 3500 kg limit ? Some 3500 kg m/homes seem to have a 5000 kg or so train weight.

 

Rgds

[Derek Uzzell]

A trailer could certainly be used to transfer weight from a 3500kg MTPLM motorhome. It’s a commonplace ploy in France where the percentage of drivers with just a “B” driving-licence entitlement is much greater in the UK and the approach can also be useful when carrying ‘stuff’ within (or on) a motorhome would result in its MTPLM being exceeded.

 

Not sure if it would help in mezzer’s case as the Benimar would need to be down-plated to 3500kg MTPLM so that it could legally be driven on a “B” licence and - to allow a trailer to be towed - a weighty tow-bar would then need to be added. It should be practicable to offload things like luggage and bikes into the trailer, but not the people.

 

It’s perhaps worth mentioning that Benimar Europe 6000s do appear in adverts with a MTPLM of 3500kg (example here)

 

http://www.becksmotorhomes.com/vehicle/2000-benimar-europe-6000st-motorhomes

 

but when a motorhome model is offered with an MTPLM of 3850kg this is usually because the payload at 3500 MTPLM is less than generous.

[david lloyd]

Hello messer

 

Apart from having to stay within the MTPLM of 3500kg you will also have to keep the weight in each axle within their respective axle weight limits whic, to some extent (depending on type of layout) can further restrict your choice.

 

David

[George Collings]

The B driving licence allows you to tow a trailer but only up to 750kg MTPLM and up to that weight the trailer does not have to have brakes. Effectively they can carry just over 500kg. A useful addition for bikes etc.

 

Reversing such a short trailer is near mission impossible don't even think about it even watching it with a rear view camera as it goes to full lock in an instant.

[goldi]

Morning folks,

 

Now that we are rid of the shackles of EU regs I shall be writing to the new transport minister to ask him to lift it up to 4tonnes. This will give a boost to the motorhome industry in UK and help white van man and also take some vehicles off the road.

 

 

norm

[George Collings]

Dont hold your breath. 2020 before serious disentanglement occurs and then there will be huge amounts of work for legislators before road traffic matters get looked at. Just keeping place with technical developments is a nightmare without politically driven change

[mezzer]

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

I still am not sure which way to go here, either go for it and pay for lessons etc for my c1 lgv and go for any motorhome that best suits us and not have to worry about weights

 

Or

 

compromise and go for a smaller, lighter motorhome. Not ideal.....

 

Decisions decisions

[George Collings]

There are many more restrictions once over the 3500kg MTPLM mark. Access to towns or minor roads especially in Europe and lower speed limits are just some of the drawbacks.

 

To some extent you are governed by the age of the children. up to say 6-7 they can share an overcab. Being up in their own castle appeals. After that room starts to be a problem as does payload if you keep feeding them. Just make sure there are recharging facilities for all the gizmos ( or as kids think life support systems)

I know kids have got to have some stuff but the chance of getting on site and meeting new friends should keep them well amused. Only 7 or eight years ago we were taking our sub teenage grand-daughter away to meet friends grandchildren and although only the mini scooters went boredom was rarely a problem if there was a beach nearby or room to run safely unsupervised.

 

 

If they cant do without all the stuff they have at home then that is the best place for them.

 

 

[david lloyd]

mezzer - 2016-07-15 9:32 PM

 

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

I still am not sure which way to go here, either go for it and pay for lessons etc for my c1 lgv and go for any motorhome that best suits us and not have to worry about weights

 

Or

 

compromise and go for a smaller, lighter motorhome. Not ideal.....

 

Decisions decisions

 

Mezzer, it is a fairly recent difficulty as a) until recently the majority of those buying Motorhomes had 'grandfather rights' to the C1 license having passed the driving test before 1 January 1997 and b) there were many persons of a younger age who would not have considered investing such a large sum of money into a Motorhome - especially when there were other high priority calls on their income such as mortgage etc.

 

However, more younger people, with children, do seem to be in a position to go ahead and join this lifestyle but many consider the twin problems of high cost and weight restrictions to be obstacles that are best overcome by choosing perhaps a caravan/car combination. This is not always ideal either but does have some advantages such as having a car available once on site to do some sightseeing without the complication of finding suitable parking and not having to duplicate the family car with a Motorhome that stands on the drive between trips.

 

You may, of course, have consuderd or even tried all this - if so I apologise for trying to teach you something you already know about but if not then it is another option to consider for enjoying the lifestyle without the added complications - although weight limits will still apply to the car/caravan combination!

 

Motorhomes have consistently become heavier as more equipment has been added and they have grown in size. The present trend is to reverse that now that more people without a C1 license come into motorhoming and all the major manufacturers are designing lighter, smaller Motorhomes that can accomodate four people in comfort. This is particularly true of continental models as, I believe, not all European countries enjoy the facility to drive over 3500kg vehicles on a car licence so they have always been more conscious of minimising weight. Unfortunately, there are some models where that means that payload is cut rather than overall weight increased.

 

It is difficult for anyone with a family to enter the hobby but there are Motorhomes out there that can accomodate your needs whether they be different to the one you originally had your eye on or perhaps older than you originally wanted but if you are not pushed into something unsuitable you may well find the perfect van.

 

Good luck,

David

[Derek Uzzell]

mezzer - 2016-07-14 12:19 PM

 

...There are 2 adults and 2 kids plus bikes etc so we need a big-ish m/h...

 

 

You don’t necessarily NEED a biggish motorhome.

 

I recall seeing a VW Transporter-based camper-van (with bikes on the back) turn up at a campsite and disgorge 2 adults and 3 children. The occupants overnighted in the camper and tents and used the campsite’s facilities for showering, washing-up, etc.

 

There are many fair-sized coachbuilt motorhomes that have a MTPLM of 3500kg and should be legally drivable on a “B” licence with 2 adults/2 children on board if a degree of care is taken regarding loading and the vehicle’s specification.

 

You asked about a Benimar Europe 6000 with a MTPLM of 3850kg which could not be legally driven on a “B” licence unless it were down-plated to 3500kg. As I warned, down-plating comes with a loss-of-payload price, but as this model clearly is available with a 3500kg MTPLM it might prove to be practicable for you to operate such a motorhome legally at the lower overall weight if you were careful about loading.

 

If you decide to take the “C1” training approach, you’ll be able to legally drive vehicles up to 7500kg MTPLM (with a trailer up to 750kg). But if you exploit the C1 entitlement you may want to consider whether your partner (who I assume also has a “B” licence) will ever want (or need) to drive the over-3500kg motorhome.

 

If you yearn for a really large motorhome you’ll need the “C1” licence. But even if you feel a need for a ‘biggish’ motorhome you should be able to get away with a “B” licence.

[Robinhood]

Derek Uzzell - 2016-07-16 8:41 AM

 

You asked about a Benimar Europe 6000 with a MTPLM of 3850kg which could not be legally driven on a “B” licence unless it were down-plated to 3500kg. As I warned, down-plating comes with a loss-of-payload price, but as this model clearly is available with a 3500kg MTPLM it might prove to be practicable for you to operate such a motorhome legally at the lower overall weight if you were careful about loading.

 

 

I ran an '02 6000ST for 4 years. They were delivered as standard at 3500kg with a usable, but not excessive, payload, but all being built on the Maxi, they could also be delivered (free upgrade) at 3850kg or subsequently upgraded to that as a paper exercise.

 

My pattern of use was much as the OP envisages, and (having had mine delivered at 3850kg) I would judge that the payload at 3500kg would be very restrictive.

 

 

[Archiesgrandad]

From the age of about 10 our son chose to have a tent by the side of the van rather than sleep in the van. he had an foghorn on a canister for security, and a little walky talky for communication with his mother, usually along the lines of "could you bring me out drink/food/spare battery,,,,

It meant the van only needed to sleep two of us, and was that bit smaller. On the rare occasions we slept on an aire he would sleep on the dinette, or when he got too big for that it was the floor.

AGD