ceezee Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 I am looking for an under 6m motorhome with large garage for 2 bikes and bed that doesn't need made up each day? Am I hoping for the impossible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 They probably do exist but I would imagine the dining/kitchen area would be cramped. My nuevo is 5.7 m long and we use two single beds (i am 6foot 2inches tall) and the bed is longer than me. they take about 10 minutes to make up both beds, not what you want I know. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceezee Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 Thank you, will have a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 On 05/06/2024 at 11:39, ceezee said: I am looking for an under 6m motorhome with large garage for 2 bikes and bed that doesn't need made up each day? Am I hoping for the impossible? New or secondhand? Type? Cost? A 'permanently-available' bed on a motorhome that short could be obtained by the bed being over the cab, or over a rear garage, or mounted at ceiling-height and lowered when needed. Currently, the Chausson S514 and Dethleffs Globebus Go T15 (both 5.99m long) are possibilities,. https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/reviews/chausson-s514 https://www.dethleffs.co.uk/motorhomes/globebus-go/ The permanently-available bed isn't the real problem but the "large garage for 2 bikes" is if the bikes are to be full-size. I vaguely recall Knaus marketing very short A-class models in the early 2000s that would have had a drop-down bed over the cab and MIGHT have had a really large rear garage and other Continental European converters may have produced similar designs. As the saying goes "You can't put a quart into a pint pot". My 2015 Rapido 640F motorhome was 6.5m long and had a large always-available rear island bed. The rear garage could have accommodated two small-wheel folding bikes, but definitely not a full-size bike, let alone two. I believe you'll need to prioritise. Assuming that a sub-6m length is an absolute maximum, if the permanently-available bed is a must-have, you'd be best to carry the bikes externally. But if carrying 2 full-size bikes inside the motorhome is a must-have, you probably need to ditch the permanently-available bed plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 We have a 6 meters Carado T135 with for the size of the van a large garage. Have 2 full size electric bikes that go on rack on the back without any problems. Use the van a lot currently in Czech Republic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceezee Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 Thank you all so much. Lots to check out and ponder.The reason for the 6m max is because we go to the Hebrides a lot and the difference between 6m (161.90 return) and 8m (403.90 return) soon adds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Knaus are still producing short coachbuilt motorhomes. This link is to an advert for a new RHD "Tourer Van 500 MQ Vansation" that has a length of 5.98m and a rear garage that extends right across the vehicle with a large door on each side. https://www.harbourcreek.co.uk/listings/new-model-2023-knaus-tourer-van-500-mq-vansation-motorhome-rhd-2x-berth-4x-travelling-seats-rear-transverse-double-bed-150hp-automatic-gearbox-ref-dqth/ It's not cheap though (£84K) and the unique 'expanding' bathroom/shower compartment might need getting used to. Going back 20 years. Knaus built the "Sport Traveller 501L" that was just 5.0m long with a large over-cab bed. No garage, but, even with a couple of bikes on a rear carrier, the overall length should have been sub-6m. (Review here) https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/userfiles/file/MMM historic road tests/Knaus Sport Traveller 501L on SWB Fiat Ducato 2.0JTD .pdf This link is to a 2024 article about sub-6m motorhomes https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/best-motorhomes-under-6m There will be plenty of current and past sub-6m designs that have a 'permanently available' bed and some of these (like Zydeco Joes's 2018 Carado T135) will have a good-sized rear storage locker. But (as I said above) few, if any, would meet your length/bed/2-bike-garage combined requirement. (In fact, motorhome models with a garage large enough to carry 2 full-size bikes are probably quite rare irrespective of the vehicle's length and, when a garage can do this, the motorhome will probably not be compact.) Couldn't you obtain a sub-6m motorhome with a rear quickly-removable bike-carrier and bring the bikes inside the vehicle prior to the ferry crossings? That way you'd save on the cost of the ferry crossings and maximise the motorhome's interior space when you are on terra firma and the bikes are back on the rear carrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 On 14/06/2024 at 08:18, Derek Uzzell said: Couldn't you obtain a sub-6m motorhome with a rear quickly-removable bike-carrier and bring the bikes inside the vehicle prior to the ferry crossings? That way you'd save on the cost of the ferry crossings and maximise the motorhome's interior space when you are on terra firma and the bikes are back on the rear carrier. As per Derek's suggestion, there are several 5.99m vans such as Adria Twin, or WildAx, which offer a transverse bed (if you are happy with one) that can be 'folded' out the way to put bikes in. It might mean you need to compromise on storage for the time bikes are in the van, but it is doable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Hi, Hymer van 314 is 5.45m and has all this .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 16 Share Posted June 16 The Hymer Exsis-t 414 and Exsis-i 414 are also (just) sub-6m long with a fixed-bed and a large rear garage. But I remain doubtful that the garage would accept two full-size bikes. I'm guessing that the asking-price of a Hymer 314 or 414 built in (say) 2017 would have a £40K-£50K asking-pice nowadays, but I've no idea if this would be within ceezee's budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceezee Posted June 17 Author Share Posted June 17 Thank you all so much. Lots to check out and ponder.The reason for the 6m max is because we go to the Hebrides a lot and the difference between 6m (161.90 return) and 8m (403.90 return) soon adds up. Going to check out all of these. You are amazing with your incredible store of knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceezee Posted June 17 Author Share Posted June 17 Meant to say our budget would be around 50k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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