These hefty vehicles are designed to cross virtualy any terrain and still they mange to keep all the pots and pans from being thrown around…

They have just launched a new “Safari Expedition” model built on a Unimog U-500 chassis. Twenty-six feet long on a 154 inch wheelbase, with a 31.5 feet turning radius. The Safari model is powered by a Mercedes-Benz 6-cylinder (6.4-liter) diesel engine, water-cooled, turbo-charged and intercooled. However it is the all-wheel drive system that really sets the GXV Unimog apart. It has a fully synchronized transmission, 16 forward, 12 reverse gears, portal axles with inter-axle differential lock at front, rear and center axles, coil springs, telescopic absorbers, and stabilizers front and rear. “It is simply the best expedition vehicle to drive in any terrain or condition” said Mike Van Pelt, CEO of Global EXpedition Vehicles. The extreme expedition vehicle is able to camber over rocks or fallen trees three feet high and yet reach 70mph on the highway.

The expedition cab is enhanced with cab suspension shock absorption and a ceiling console with AM/FM and satellite radio, CD, and iPod connection. The sandwich-panel composite coach is attached to the chassis frame with a 3-Point Kinetic connection to eliminate torque transference to the expedition unit. While the extreme GXV is a rugged 4×4 expedition vehicle, inside of the camper it has all the luxuries and comfort of home.

There is premium solid wood cabinets, a 4-person dining area which converts into a 2^nd bed, stainless steel refrigerator and freezer, 2 burner diesel cooktop,  convection microwave/grill, LED lighting, dry-bath with separate shower and toilet, queen-size bed, 2 flatscreen LCD TVs with full sound system, and plenty of storage areas.

For additional information on Global EXpedition Vehicles, call 417-582-5050 or visit www.globalXvehicles.com

This pedal powered RV is rumoured to have travelled the length of North America and well into Mexico. It’s current location however remains a mystery.

Here are some more images.

The Bedroom

Here are a few other sites that feature this The world’s smallest motorhome.

• Motorhome bike makes Portland appearance
• Beloved motorhome bike “torn to shambles” in NE Portland
• Bicycle Winnebago — Exhibit B

Technorati Tags: buying a motorhome, campers, largest motorhome, luxury motorhome, motorhome, RV, smallest motorhome

This 5 wheel motorcycle RV was originally featured on a family blog but the source is no longer available so there is very little information available. It is however featured on the following websites:

• Motorcycle Motorhome - Well, that’s no longer a problem with this crazy motorcycle motorhome which has the front end of a chopper and the back end of an RV. Of course the RV part has flames on the side so you can maintain your street cred with the biker set. …
• Motorcycle motorhome - Customized motorcycle motorhome. This customized 5-wheeler was posted on the “Johnson Family Blog.” No additional information was provided about the owner or who built this unique “fuel friendly” rig.

The vehicle has two decks with a bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining area, guest berth and bathroom all on the upper deck. The lower deck consists of the driver area, 8 passenger seats, conference area, reception, bar, vehicle garage and storage room.

Floorplan - Upper Deck

Floorplan - Lower Deck

You can check out all the details and many more images at this website

]]> http://www.americanmotorhome.net/motorhome/unusual_motorhomes/worlds-largest-motorhome/feed http://www.americanmotorhome.net/motorhome/unusual_motorhomes/worlds-largest-motorhome http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/americanmotorhome/yOtZ/~3/Vmszzd0TEwc/motorhome-or-garbage-truck http://www.americanmotorhome.net/motorhome/unusual_motorhomes/motorhome-or-garbage-truck#comments Sun, 25 May 2008 15:35:57 +0000 Barry Bushnell http://www.americanmotorhome.net/motorhome/?p=22 Authentic Off-road RV

For the next the ‘‘Unusual Motorhomes‘ series we have this amazing Unicat vehicle. This is not really a garbage truck as it seems but actually a fantastic off-road motorhome designed and built by [tag]Unitcat[/tag].

This company specialise in off-road 4 wheel drive RVs. The owner started out converting a vehicle for his personal use travelling through Africa.

They now make a series of vehicles to choose from all with have individually designed interiors.

As you can see from these photos,  the workmanship in the vehicles is superior.

The living area

The Lounge / Bedroom

Great storage space for those bumpy off-road tracks.

There are a loads more pictures of this model and of several other interesting models too at the Unicat Website Gallery

[tags]motorhome, off-road motorhome, 4wd rv[/tags]

Technorati Tags: 4wd rv, motorhome, off-road motorhome, Unitcat

[tag]Motorhome Racing[/tag] - New Sport.

Be warned, some motorhome owners may find this video disturbing.

Motorhome Racing

The rules are simple:

• Drive to the event in your [tag]motorhome[/tag]
• Preparations to the vehicle must be completed the night before the race
• The driver must spent the night in the rig
• After the race you should drive home in it

[tags]RV racing, RV, motorhome video, RV video[/tags]

Technorati Tags: motorhome, Motorhome Racing, motorhome video, RV, RV racing, RV video

Well after having rented for a while there are those who do their calculations and discover that they might as well keep on renting.

For example, if you are going to go for say 8 weeks in every year then you can easily work out the payments on rental. Depending on the size and quality of [tag]RV[/tag] you need and the time of year then the cost for this could be anywhere between $5,000 and $8,000.

Now this is not cheap by any standards but when you take into consideration the depreciation of price on a new or used RV along with any routine maintenance and repairs combined with any off road storage you might have to pay then you might be better off financially renting on a permanent basis instead of buying.

Consider this - Lets say that a 4 year old [tag]class A motorhome[/tag] costs you $125,000. In 6 years time that same vehicle will probably only be worth around $70,000. So, in this case, on depreciation alone, in 6 years it will have cost you $55,000 as opposed to a possible $48,000 rental fees.

It will be worth your while to do your own calculations according to the size of rig you will be using, how often you will be using it and the depreciation, maintenance and storage fees to find out whether it would be financially beneficial to rent or to buy.

Of course, it is always a luxury to have your own RV to hand for any unplanned trips. You will have your own kitchen and food supplies, your own clothes, music and entertainment all to hand and you will get to know and love the vehicle with all its own peculiarities.

So even if the numbers don’t work out and you find that you will be paying a little bit more by buying as opposed to renting then it may be worth the extra investment just to have the luxury and peace of mind of owning your own rig.

Louise at MomReponds.com addresses this very same question well in her blog post Winnebago Motorhomes For Sale Or Rent

[tags]motorhome for hire, rent motorhome, buying motorhome, used motorhome[/tags]

Technorati Tags: buying motorhome, Class A Motorhome, motorhome for hire, rent motorhome, renting RVs, RV, USED MOTORHOME

Here are a few [tag]RV terms[/tag] that you need to get used if you are buying your first motorhome.
If you come across any that aren’t listed here or you know some that you think should be added then leave them in a comment below and I’ll update the list if it appropriate.

[tag]Arctic Package[/tag]:
Extra insulation for the holding tanks and water lines for winter use.

[tag]Backup Monitor[/tag]:
A closed circuit camera that is mounted in the rear of the larger class A rigs which has a monitor installed in the driving area so the driver can see behind the vehicle when backing up. Many of the monitors come with graduated guide lines on the screen so you can see exactly how many feet away from an object you actually are.

Basement or Basement Storage:
This is the area used for storage beneath the floor and is usually accessible from the outside.This usually refers to Class-A or Class-C motorhomes.

[tag]Black Water[/tag]:
The waste water from the toilet which is stored in a special holding tank under the RV known as the black water tank.

[tag]Boondocking[/tag]:
Camping without using electrical hook-ups nor sewer or water. The house batteries, generators, water and holding tanks are relied upon. Also known as Dry Camping.

[tag]BTU[/tag] - (British Thermal Unit):
The heat rating applied for RV air conditioners and heating units. The higher the number the more effective the unit..

[tag]Caravan[/tag]:
3 or more RV travelling together in convoy.

[tag]Chassis[/tag]:
The metal frame supporting the engine and bodywork.

[tag]Class A Motorhome[/tag]:
See RV CLASSES EXPLAINED.

[tag]Class B Motorhome[/tag]:
Also known as campers or camper vans- See RV CLASSES EXPLAINED.

[tag]Class C MotorHome[/tag]:
See RV CLASSES EXPLAINED.

[tag]Converter[/tag]:
The device that converts 120 Volt AC electricity into 12 volt DC. When using electrical hookups most of the lighting and other accessories are designed to work at 12 Volts.

[tag]Dinghy[/tag]:
The name for a second vehicle that is towed behind the RV - also referred to as the Toad.

[tag]Dry Camping[/tag]:
See Boondocking

[tag]Dump Station[/tag]:
The facility where you can empty your black and gray water holding tanks.

DW ([tag]Dry weight[/tag]):
The weight of an RV when empty, i.e. with no water, fuel, passengers, supplies or belongings.

[tag]Fifth-Wheel[/tag]:
An RV that is designed to be towed from the back of an adapted pick up truck - See RV CLASSES EXPLAINED.

[tag]Fiver[/tag]:
A fifth-wheel RV.

[tag]FMCA[/tag]:
Family Motor Coach Association.

[tag]Fresh Water Tank[/tag]:
The tank in which clean water is stored and is connected to the faucets.

[tag]Full Timers[/tag]:
Refers to those who live permanently in their RVs all year round.

[tag]Gray Water[/tag]:
The waste water from the sinks and shower. This is held in the Gray Water Tank.

[tag]GVWR[/tag] (Gross vehicle Weight Rating):
The maximum permitted weight for a RV including passengers, supplies, fuel and propane.

[tag] Hook-ups[/tag]:
Electricity and fresh water connections that can be found at campsites.

[tag] Newbie[/tag]:
A newcomer to the world of RVing.

[tag] Pull-Through[/tag]:
These are RV campsites where you drive into the allotted space forwards and later when you leave you drive out forwards too. This saves having to back up.

[tag]Puller[/tag]:
Refers to an RV that has its engine mounted in the front of the vehicle.

[tag] Pusher[/tag]:
Refers to an RV that has its engine mounted in the rear of the vehicle (usually diesel).

[tag] RV[/tag]:
Recreational Vehicle.

[tag] Slideout[/tag]:
A portion of the RV unit can expand to create more room inside the rig.

[tag] Snowbirds[/tag]:
Refers to those who live in their RV in the south during the winter months and move north in the summer time.

[tag] Toad[/tag]:
The name for a second vehicle that is towed behind the RV - Also referred to as the Dinghy.

In the News:

RV Education 101 Simplifies RV Ownership by Releasing RV DVD Value Packs

[tags]Motorhome[/tags]

Technorati Tags: Arctic Package, Backup Monitor, Black Water, Boondocking, BTU, Caravan, Chassis, Class A Motorhome, Class B Motorhome, Class C MotorHome, Converter, Dinghy, Dry Camping, Dry weight, Dump Station, fifth wheel, Fiver, FMCA, Fresh Water Tank, Full Timers, Gray Water, GVWR, Hook-ups, motorhome, Motorhome Terminology, Newbie, Pull-Through, Puller, Pusher, RV, RV lingo, RV terms, Slideout, Snowbirds, Toad

[tag]Motor Vehicle Defects[/tag] and Safety Recalls:

What Every Vehicle Owner Should Know.

I forgot to include this useful resource in yesterday’s post on recalls.

The NHTSA have put together a very large FAQ on the whole recall process and what it involves. If you are [tag]buying a motohome[/tag] you should definitely check out to see if it has been recalled before making the purchase final. You can also download the booklet free of charge. To download the booklet follow the link below.
Recall Process and Booklet from the NHTSA. (you will need Acrobat Reader to view the downloaded document)

[tags]rv, rv recalls, motorhome, motorhome recalls[/tags]

Technorati Tags: buying a motohome, Motor Vehicle Defects, motorhome, motorhome recalls, RV, RV recalls

If you are considering buying a motorhome then you should especially check on the model you will be purchasing because in some cases insurance companies will not insure a vehicle that has been recalled until the appropriate work has been undertaken.

There is a list of the most recently recalled models over at the Motorhome Magazine web site. I believe they update this list on a monthly basis.

If you really need to check out if a certain rig has ever been recalled then you need to look up the make and model in the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic & Safety Administration) Recalls, Defects and Complaints Database. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov
[tags]RV, RV recalls, motorhome recalls[/tags]

Technorati Tags: motorhome, motorhome recalls, RV, RV recalls