Thank you Mr Ditton for your Exquisite review.... I’m sure that van will make lots of adventurers very happy !! Huge hug to Mr. Dougal ( He is so sweet )
So we bought the hi top Leisure Autocampers van last year and just complete our first tour. I have to say for us this van drives really well and so adaptable. 2 sliding doors and access to outdoor space is great. Quality is top notch. As for money this is 8k lower than the equiv VW and is larger inside and has a fine autobox. In our opinion a great adventure van .... it’s not a motor home ( thank god )
Great to see your positive experiences. Indeed, it's not a motorhome, it's not a van with a mattress chucked in the back, just as it's not a caravan or a Glamping Lodge! Happy travels, and see you on the road...
Hi Andrew, Van review video, yes the ability to transport motorized vehicles with extra maneuvering room in 100% safety is optimal! The minivan has evolved over the decades to what today has become a technically on par with high-end luxury sedans, combine with a larger wheel base the ride quality is outstanding, it's a van so it's easy to transport fare more than a sedan! Oh boy Andrew is doing a cooking segment, he sure eats healthy!! Ford, VW, GM, Nissan all make great reliable vehicles, with a huge dealer network & fabulous warranty coverage! What a charming involvement after dark, very romantic 😍! All & all you Sir have produced yet again another solid video, thank you old chum!! 😘😍😘😘
Hi im just completing a similar van but on a boxer swb. Benefit of boxer is the width so mine has a perm fit sofa which becomes a double, double in roof, and removable transit custom seats - tested. All the nearside is free for a bike, planair heater, loo. Etc. Half the cost of this one too 😀
This van is perfect for you. The advantage over your truck is the van would probably give better wind towing efficiency when towing as it would cut a bigger hole in the air for the airstream. You also get a covered garage for your bike 👌🏻 Then it's a day van when you're setup on site and use the van for touring the local area. As well as the usual campervan seating and rock and roll bed that'd be great if you wanted to getaway without the bike & airstream. I can see your savings pot getting raided soon 😃
Exactly GJ! This is what I was thinking, and I'm surprised at how many folks have not 'seen' this. However, my savings pot is looking distinctly empty so it remains a dream for now, but it was a fun exercise!
this is a great rig, with the need to have a bike I would tow and not use the interior......very well done Andrew, always enjoy your ruminations, and the look that Dougal gave was Priceless!
Great review buddy . I do find your review style extremely easy to listen to . You would be great as a radio presenter . We are torn between a camper and caravan now so just watching all your videos .
A great review because you address the pros and cons. No longer biking due to health, you would have convinced me to trailer the bike and, as others have noted, there are probably a greater variety of camper vans then available if you still want to keep to a smaller base vehicle. Many cost more than this, but it’s what you get for that cost that would swing it for me. Two things in particular I just didn’t like, the faff of stick on screens at night, and that curtain near the stove - that’s a risk too far.
Thanks Andrew. Great in depth review. Seems like a good idea. But after a few trips with the bike, especially if there is any fluid or oil leak, or wet must conditions, the inside of that van is going to smell like a working garage. Very unpleasant if wanting to just campervan it. 🤔
annette fournier modern bikes dont drop fluids of any kind! Putting it in wet yes. Also putting away hot they smell but it doesn’t linger. Great way to take a bike in a car size van!
I'm absolutely positive that nobody will notice that little bit of fabric I left sticking out when I lowered the roof. You just can't get a decent reviewer these days... :-/
Always have the door open when lowering the roof this stops the material getting in the mechanical hinge which can act a a scissor! I do not like sinks with drop in tops in the case of an accident I think it could give you a parting in the back of your head. A sink / cooker with glass lid splash backs will keep the area cleaner when cooking. We use army mess tin to cook in as the stack and fit the cupboards better. We run 130w solar panel on our van but I would fit a 160 w now as we have run out of power a few time. The van layout is great I do like the track system.
Andrew great review, however I have to agree with Harry Key. I don’t see this being much of a seller, I kept hearing the word “optional” too. For 50k-60k you can get a luxury Motorhome with liveable space, storage and load capacity to mount a parallel mc carrier. I appreciate that Andrew has an unusual mix of requirements, but this van is too compromised for most, for me I’d feel claustrophobic even when solo. I’ll stick with my 7.5m Motorhome and E Rider Roma combo, thanks.
Great detailed review. Initially was excited about this but too expensive especially with "options" that should be standard. Also, maybe it's my nursing background but I can't get over that the portable toilet is stored next to food prep area & equipment- this is horribly unsanitary. Dougle is truly adorable!
Thanks Susan! Always great to get diverse views from different people - it makes the comments section as useful to people as the video itself. All the best, Andrew PS - Dougal says 'I know I am!' ;@)
Unfortunately way to expensive especially as you started to show things they were extras 40-55k lot of empty space Good in depth video I still prefer Mercedes or vw 🙂
Andrew great review covering every aspect of the van. But value for money - no way! And they add insult to buyers - £400 extra for arm rests. I can think of a hundred better ways to spend £50K.😥
Dont know if anyone gives a damn but if you're bored like me during the covid times then you can watch all of the latest movies and series on InstaFlixxer. I've been streaming with my gf for the last few months :)
Thank heavens the riding season is finally upon us, is all I'll say. I'm not personally feeling the idea of having a bike inside the "home". Bikes smell. But for you, if you could haul the Airstream behind that, you'd probably have a great combo, instead of having the bike out in the weather, wedged onto your pickup. Also, as for storing the bike in there, you could just install a tiny solar powered vent in the roof of it and have that spinning whenever the vehicle is parked with a bike inside. That should constantly vent the space enough to keep any fumes to a minimum. Probably.
I know people are going to hate my comment but for years I raced various motorcycles using a dodge van conversion without any special tie down equipment....I literally set my lightweight ramp on thebumper (had 2 screws that hooked on the edge of the bumper so the ramp couldnot slip) I simply rolled my 500cc race bike or sometimes my 360cc vintage race bike up into the van and with the most minimal ties secured the bike enough it could not launch through the front in an accident ....It was zero fuss worry free literally took 3 minutes to load or unload...I can't really remember exactly how that all worked but dang it was easy....I realize a much heavier shiny street bike is another story but since people would be checking this out from the standpoint of various types of bikes it is important to know that his setup would be ridiculous overkill for a motocross bike....totally not necessary to be that anal with 250lb bike.
I think all these types of vehicles are self defeating overkill if it is one person with their bike doing events etc....my thinking is more modular and much less "RV." with all the effort to make it similar to an RV which it just can't be without being ridiculously cramped. ...In other words anything that is needed needs to be as compact as possible...pieces that can be moved around or left at home depending on the adventure ....I'm thinking the bike could slip between structures and then mattress pieces could support the motorcycle from banging around....when you camp wheel the bike out and those same mattress pieces become part of seating or bed and the structures would include all your storage....actually in my camper van I often slept in the reclining "captain seats" Not sure how I want to do it now....currently I have a pick up truck but I do miss my old campervan so much!
I don’t like it Andrew...but then I am a girl. I really love the the set up you already have, it’s nice and homely. Dougle won’t like the smelly motor bike travelling with him. 🐾
That looks really cool ,its rare to find a vehicle that really dose tick all the boxes, I do gather from your review that it would be something that you actually would buy.An excellent review, and did I see a guitar amp stashed in there? what minimal survival kit you have packed brill.....
Been having the same dilemma to transport my motorbike while camping, thinking Knaus Sport and Fun caravan or converting a LWB sprinter into a single motorbike garage campervan... 🤔
Looks like an Interesting and flexible concept, making it adaptable for those with specific needs. But on the expensive side for a camper. Still not quite the solution you're seeking. Not sure how you can solve it. Dougal was definitely fed up with all the trains. What's wrong with a field, a ball and someone to throw it?
Keep in mind that in Andrew's case, he'd be living in the Airstream, but this would just increase his options for quick getaways. Instead of hauling the whole trailer and everything else, he could just zoom off in this van and spend the night just fine. It's semi-useless as an option for me personally, but for anyone who hauls a trailer and likes motorcycles or other toys that fit in it, it would probably be the bees knees.
However, it would also be his main tow vehicle, so every time he moves his rig, Dougal is relegated to a small box while the bike and its fumes get the entire van. I think the cute doggo deserves better than that big bike.
@@namespacetoosmall What? Why would Dougal be relegated to a small box? I mean, granted, the dog needs to be well secured while in transit just like you secure humans with a belt, but that could be in the form of a crate next to the bike, or even on the seat next to Andrew. Hauling a bike around with a mobile unit or set of units isn't easy to achieve in a neat fashion and this is very neat by comparison to most.
Tom De Mulder there’s American conversion (m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NmalslYVYqI.html Chevy Express van) full stealth, Murphy bed, and he has a “bike bag” which seals the bike completely, look it up.
Hi Andrew lov the van it would be ideal for u and the bike it would make sense a little bit on the expense side couldn't u buy a camper van and convert it yourself would save a lot of money aswell nice van though Cheers kev
Cheers Kev! I think the jury is still out... I don't have the £ anyway and the current rig suits my needs. Always nice to try new ideas and dream though!
Not sure I understand the purpose of this layout. When using it to transport a Bike the Campervan facilities seem to have all but disappeared. You don't have any rear seats any more. No rock and roll bed. Am I missing something ?
Normally you would have the cushions travelling to the side alongside the frame for the sofa/downstairs bed. But because there is 'only me' I chose not to bring them, as the front seats and upstairs bed were accommodation enough for me. You can configure this van in many, many ways!
Honestly......for the money.......rather buy a caravan & car. For those with special hobbies I can see the attraction to a degree. Not for me though. Good honest review though. 👍
Hi , where on earth do you store sensible ( often very bulky ) motorbike clothing , helmets , boots etc . We have a 7m van that takes a small motorbike , 2 cycles , all the necessary clothing , walking gear , rucksacks etc etc . Garage is sealed from van , seats and sleeps 4 , shower , loo etc etc ...............................Don't understand these vans with so many limitations and such a hefty pricetag .
Horses for courses. This is a good van for folks wanting something small for bike meets. But you're right about the separate garage, it makes sense in many cases. Thanks for your comment as I'm sure they are helping people who are weighing up the pros and cons of each.
I transport motorcycles and would never use the lightweight rail construction that is the method used in that van as a means of securing a 200 Kilo motorcycle, the kinetic energy developing during a frontal accident will see that bike taking the driver and passenger out, are you willing to gamble with your life?
Well, the floor system is crash-tested and good enough for seats and wheelchair mountings. I guess it depends a lot on the integrity of the securing. But yours is a very valid point for people to consider, so thanks for taking the time to leave comment. Cheers!
Andrew first, I admire all your work irrespective of my personal views on motorcycle transit within this vlog. Seats will be bolted through the floor into double skinned reinforced monocoque chassis, this will of achieved the required safety crash standards worldwide, but see if you can find a crash standard whilst a motorcycle is in transit? My maths is not totaly reliable but 200kilo in a slight 30mph frontal accident means the motorcycle will become 2 tons of forward thrust at time of impact, would you happily put your faith in the flimsy looking floor rail and thin strap securing loops, personally, I would not! Carry the machine outside and tow the motorcycle for your own safety?
You clearly love this van and your bike but i don’t like it, crazy money for a dayvan, better spending £20K or less on a Transit custom panel van with towbar for pulling the Airstream and transporting the motorcycle, that’s my plan for a couple of years time.
Yeah, purchasing cost aside, there are some really compelling electric bikes already and more coming. If I were a vandweller or otherwise constantly mobile I might just go with that, just for the convenience of no gasoline and no oil changes. One might even conceivably arrange for a way to charge it - a second dedicated high-amp alternator just for that, perhaps.
Sorry Andrew but I am not at all impressed. As a long time keen Motorcyclist (50 + yrs) I would rather ride the bike to wherever I wanted to go and keep the money in the bank. I have less than good memories of driving around with my mate in a Transit carrying his bike to race meetings. We would sleep overnight in the van which was comfortable enough but not great.We would be constantly loading and unloading the bike so as to be able to cook our food and make hot drinks. It is certainly not advisable to try to have a cooking stove going with the bike on board due to the very real risk of explosion. On top of that the van after a weekend or so became smelly and manky. Your bike always looks perfectly clean but in my experience after a long ride in inclement weather a bike can get very mucky. I can certainly think of many better ways of spending more than fifty grand than a glorified bike transporter. I can well believe that the van configured as a camper with seats in place would be good although still ridiculously expensive compared to other van conversions on the market.(£400 for a pair of armrests...are they gold plated ?)
You are correct that it can do both jobs but neither particularly well. As a bike transport it is OK until you want to make a cup of tea or a meal. Then you have to unload the bike. I have done it and it gets to be a real pain after a short while. In anything other than high summer I would be loathe to load a wet, dirty and smelly bike into such a van. On top of that where would you dry all your wet bike gear not to mention all the rest of your outdoor gear.As a campervan it lacks space, storage, toilet, shower and overall comfort compared to conversions of the same price.If you can arrange for one to be made available to me for free I would gladly accept it but I would not spend my money on such a vehicle.
You know what Ford stands for in the States don’t you? Fix Or Repair Daily. It’s poor reliability is legendary. Trusting your vacation to one is lunacy. 🥶. Edit: It also stands for Found On Road Dead. 😁
It's all down to what the manufacturers will let me borrow. I won't go into it, but there are a couple of manufacturers you never see loan out vans for live-in reviews. One of them, and I quote, '...doesn't see the value in video content.' Seriously.
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