Dear RV Shrink:
My husband and I recently bought a Class B motorhome van – we like small and maneuverable. Our friends all told us it was too small for spending several months a year on the road. What I didn’t plan on was my husband changing his mind about alternative transportation.
Now he has decided to haul his motorcycle on a rack. This is where we access storage from the rear doors. He spent a week rewiring and re-plumbing to gain extra storage space. Yesterday I found his helmet in my already-small clothes closet. I told him where he could put it.
I can’t seem to make him listen to my reasoning about leaving the motorcycle home. We discussed the downside of not having a second vehicle while traveling and agreed we would work around it. Now with a very space-limited rig we are already fighting over storage turf and we haven’t even pulled out of the driveway yet. I am to the point of telling him to take his bike and take a hike. Am I being closed minded? I need some advice fast. —Harley Husband in Hillsboro
Dear Harley:
Now is not the time to mutiny over your bounty. You haven’t even set sail yet. You are going to discover a lot more adjustments that have to be debated before this process is over. Yes, it should be a debate. Don’t roll over on every issue, but be open minded. You may find that motorcycle a blessing when you need a gallon of milk and don’t have to pull up stakes and take your living space to the store with you.
Something as simple as going on a ranger walk in a national park or to a movie in town is going to entail moving your living space each time if you do not have an alternative form of transportation. Many people find this not to be a problem, but you need to take a maiden voyage and see if you are one of those people.
Class B RVs are great for those who want to stay small and deal with the inconveniences that accompany them. You are finding that space is already a concern. You will also find that many are designed with electrical systems that constantly require power, small refrigeration space, no gas hot water and the need to turn eating space into sleeping space each evening. You may find some of your fuel savings eaten up with frequent trips to resupply. You will not know your reaction to any of these considerations until you get out and experience a few months on the road.
Many people start small and eventually find the living space that fits them like a glove. That journey is still ahead of you. I am confident that you two will work out all your disagreements and that your true needs will become much clearer after you get a few miles under your belt. —Keep Smilin’, Richard Mallery a.k.a. Dr. R.V. Shrink
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##RVT904
If he has a heavy motorcycle, on a heavy rack, on a small RV, his likely exceeding weight limits, braking capability, and chassis design, endangering everyone sharing the roadways.
“His helmet: – does this mean he is the only one who would ride the bike? Or did you find a place for your helmet? If he’s the only one using the bike, he’d have to run all the errands. But, the trade-off there is some “me time” for you. It’s gotta work for both of you, some way, some how.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Plus the small pull behind trailer would give extra storage for a few bins if needed.