so why...

[fmr.capt.evi]

whatev

[Mr.Bill]

This same basic topic has been covered in one or two other threads. I think the consensus of opinion was that trailers are good for people that are going to go somewhere and stay there awhile and MHs are better for people that aren't going to stay in any one place more than a few days. I remember that someone came up with a statistic that said that most full-timers use a motorhome, not a trailer. I handled RV claims for various insurance companies for many years, and the three most common incidents involving motorhomes and trailers are: it burnt to the ground; the roof hit a low hanging object; and the tire blew up and destroyed the bathroom. Trailer or MH, any one of these incidents means that you're going to be living in a motel for awhile.

About 30 years ago my wife and I were shivering in a tent at a cold and damp Big Basin State Park in California, when a (then new) GMC motorhome pulled up next to us. As soon as it was parked the automatic hydraulic levelers went to work, the power TV antenna went up, the generator started and the heater went on. Several hours later someone opened the door, peeked outside briefly, decided it was too cold, and ducked back inside. I remember thinking "now THAT's the way to camp!"

Instead of bicycles, has anyone ever tried using motor scooters? I think the ideal thing would be a large motorhome towing a trailer with a Vespa and sidecar. I can see it now - my classic Airstream MH safely parked at Yosemite, while I zip around the park in my Vespa, wife in the sidecar.

[jcanavera]

I didn't notice a comment regarding the amount of use but a lot of us are still full time job holders and especially with my job, my vacation time and weekend time is limited. Nothing is worse than having a motorized vehicle that just sits and isn't used. I've seen too many times low mileage motor homes or vehicles that have a lot of years on them, fail when put into active use do to seals drying out or contamination of the fluids due to lack of use.

In my situation a trailer can hold up for a lot longer when it is minimally used. You just need to pay attention to the tires, wheel bearings, and keep the leaks out. Your chance of breakdown on the road due to the trailer itself is pretty rare.

Jack

[mack-in-nc]

A fellow mod of a pet site of which I am one of the moderators once commented her ideal 'set up" would be a 25 ft Airstream trailer, pulled by a heavy duty pickup truck with Vespa motor scooter...

[Fly at Night]

Originally Posted by dowpells

Good point? I think not. If you hooked up truck & tt & slammed into each other, it would also be a demolition derby. The OP wanted real life ideas.

"Real life", dowpells?

I tend to think about those essences....not the things themselves. Was thinking about those essences in general terms.

As you will see in the clip, I was not referencing AS motorhomes. What I meant were those SOB motorhomes.

[Fly at Night]

When I wrote Àirstreams endure, I meant all Airstreams including AS motorhomes. I thought that was evident.

Jeesh.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Nothing is worse than having a motorized vehicle that just sits and isn't used. I've seen too many times low mileage motor homes or vehicles that have a lot of years on them, fail when put into active use do to seals drying out or contamination of the fluids due to lack of use.

How true! One reason why my motor home is an itty-bitty Interstate class B and not something that is bigger and roomier. It's small enough that I can use it for any out-of-town trip I make— park it almost anywhere— even if it's just a day trip, and really comfortable to drive. Mine hasn't stayed parked for more than about a week at a time since I got it back in December, but I have only two camping trips in it so far.

[xrvr]

Our 2 Vespa 150s fit nicely in the bed of our Dodge. jim

[mack-in-nc]

The problem with the Vespa solution (or bicycle) for me is the 8 1/2-9 ft fly rod I typically haul into the park or the streams in the area....though I guess some sort of a 'saddle sabbard' would be possible...

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by mack-in-nc

The problem with the Vespa solution (or bicycle) for me is the 8 1/2-9 ft fly rod I typically haul into the park or the streams in the area....though I guess some sort of a 'saddle sabbard' would be possible...

Not such a big problem. Carry the fly rod vertically like it was a whip antenna. A short piece of PVC pipe, bolted in some convenient place near the rear of your Vespa or bike, should make a decent rod holder.

[mack-in-nc]

Vertically? Not so sure about that..some of the those Smoky Mountain National Park trout streams are pretty badly over grown.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by mack-in-nc

Vertically? Not so sure about that..some of the those Smoky Mountain National Park trout streams are pretty badly over grown.

Can't help you with that. Maybe you can carry it tucked under your arm like a knight's lance, ready to skewer anyone who comes up the trail toward you?

[Jammer]

Many problems with the Vespa approach to things. They're great fun but most people who try using them as a toad run into their limitations:
- can't carry more than 1 passenger and even that's dicey
- poor handling on rough roads and loose gravel
- not much cargo capacity and can't carry bulky items at all
- not really suitable for rainy or cold weather
- not practical when wearing dress clothes
- can't run at freeway speeds

The RVers I've seen with them use them to get around the park or campground where they're staying. There are some similar small all-terrain street-legal motorcycles that work a little better in most regards but even those don't really replace a toad.

[xrvr]

My vespa is a 150 and will do 65 mph and can carry 2 if needed. We have ridden on dirt and gravel roads and it is only dicey if you are not experiencd. Cargo cap same as small mc.We ride in all kinds of weather but prefer not to.Who carries dress clothes in an AS? Of course you must realize that I have over 400,000 miles on motorcycles so the Vespa is no big deal. To each his own. jim

[Bruce B]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

My vespa is a 150 and will do 65 mph and can carry 2 if needed. We have ridden on dirt and gravel roads and it is only dicey if you are not experiencd. Cargo cap same as small mc.We ride in all kinds of weather but prefer not to.Who carries dress clothes in an AS? Of course you must realize that I have over 400,000 miles on motorcycles so the Vespa is no big deal. To each his own. jim

I ride 2 up on a Vespa regularly. Most motorcycles have much less "cargo" capacity than your average Vespa. My GT 60 (250 engine) will cruise comfortably at 70 mph. It is fine on dirt roads, ok on gravel and generally a blast. In most of Europe you regularly see people in "nice office attire" commuting on scooters. It is a way of life!
Of course I am biased, I am a Vespa dealer....
Bruce

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

My vespa is a 150 and will do 65 mph and can carry 2 if needed. We have ridden on dirt and gravel roads and it is only dicey if you are not experiencd.

::shrug:: Depends on the road. Around here there are a couple of counties who use gravel which is very loose and unpredictable. Experienced riders go through it and dump their bikes. More experienced riders turn around and stay off it.

The 150cc Vespas are larger than what most people have in mind when thinking of a small scooter to haul in a truck bed, and require a motorcycle license. I think bikes are great and rode a GL1800 wing for several years so it's not like I'm beating up on bikes.

That aside the scooters inherently have a problem with unsprung weight on the swing arm and small wheel size that combine to give them rough rides on rough roads, compared to motorcycles with the engine mounted in the frame.

Cargo cap same as small mc.We ride in all kinds of weather but prefer not to.Who carries dress clothes in an AS? Of course you must realize that I have over 400,000 miles on motorcycles so the Vespa is no big deal. To each his own. jim

Everyone's situation is different. We often use our Airstream while performing at various festivals and special events.

Originally Posted by Bruce B

I ride 2 up on a Vespa regularly. Most motorcycles have much less "cargo" capacity than your average Vespa. My GT 60 (250 engine) will cruise comfortably at 70 mph. It is fine on dirt roads, ok on gravel and generally a blast. In most of Europe you regularly see people in "nice office attire" commuting on scooters. It is a way of life!
Of course I am biased, I am a Vespa dealer....
Bruce

Again the 150/250cc scooters are larger than what people usually have in mind when thinking of a scooter in the bed of a truck. They're great, sure, but are heavy to load, and require lots of bed length.

[Bruce B]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Again the 150/250cc scooters are larger than what people usually have in mind when thinking of a scooter in the bed of a truck. They're great, sure, but are heavy to load, and require lots of bed length.

The only difference in an LX 50 Vespa and an LX 150 Vespa is the displacement of the engine. Same chassis, suspension, tires and about 4 lbs additional weight......
Bruce

[mack-in-nc]

Folks, I ain't asking about Vespas...I am sure they are useful and practical for the right person..I have no qualms about them, a long time ago, I used to ride reguarly, and even raced motos (125 class) for two years...

But my question was is there any clear advantage to 'Motyho's' over trailers...and the answer seems to be no there isn't. It's almost totally personal choice...

But if I choose a Motorhome, a) it will be an Airstream, and b) there will be a toad, not a Vespa..(the Vespa idea was someone elses and she told me that almost two years ago, so even she may have changed her mind by now)but these days I'm a old coot with a back problem and can't walk that far, and can't take much pounding in the lower back area...(off road bikes are a lot of fun, but the suspension leaves much to be desired for the Mack V. 62...)

[masseyfarm]

If you have a back problem then the motorhome is the way to go. Pull into your parking spot, dump air, extend jacks, and you are set up for as long as you want, and you have not even left your seat yet.
There is a good one for sale right now.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f313...ml#post1134162


Dave

Originally Posted by mack-in-nc

But my question was is there any clear advantage to 'Motyho's' over trailers...and the answer seems to be no there isn't. It's almost totally personal choice...

But if I choose a Motorhome, a) it will be an Airstream, and b) there will be a toad, not a Vespa..(the Vespa idea was someone elses and she told me that almost two years ago, so even she may have changed her mind by now)but these days I'm a old coot with a back problem and can't walk that far, and can't take much pounding in the lower back area...(off road bikes are a lot of fun, but the suspension leaves much to be desired for the Mack V. 62...)

[Royce]

"Now do you have an AMERICAN made bike that you would recommend?"

At least some of their bikes are American made.

http://www.rans.com/products/bicycles

I ridden this one and liked it a lot, on the list for purchase.

ENDURO 26 | RANS Designs, Inc.