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Business as Usual?Winnebago battles Federal Court decision
Trakka DakarCustom Jabiru 4X4 set to take on the world
iMotorhome .com
.au
because getting there is half the fun...
Issue 7: August 04 2012
NEW HORIZON!NEW HORIZON!Why less is more with Horizon’s new Banksia...Why less is more with Horizon’s new Banksia...
It used to be that blokes retired at 65 and were fondly remembered by 70. This
meant retirement income and planning needs weren’t big and the State pension sufficed for most; topping up meagre life savings not already spent on the one big ‘trip of a lifetime’.
Times changed, however, and these days there’s often far too much life left at the end of our finances!
Increasing awareness of the importance of diet and exercise; the relentless push to prescribe a pill for every condition; remarkable advances in diagnostic medicine plus swift-response emergency services (in our big cities, at least) mean we’re
all living longer and (hopefully) healthier lives. We’re more mobile too, and more and more retirees are taking to the road, in search of the Grey Nomad dream (for want of a better cliché).
This lengthening life span also means we’re able to be more selective about when we hit the road or take that, or those, big holidays. This is just as well because for many, the Global Financial Crisis has really stuffed things up. Falling super returns, share values and property prices have seen many people put expensive plans on hold, modify them to more modest levels or cancel them all together.
Because no van (manufacturer)
is an island, the effects of the GFC have been felt across all business sectors, including the RV industry. Australian manufacturers have come though/are coming through relatively unscathed and either every one of them is A: a hopeless optimist, B: delusional or C: a downright fibber, but I’m yet to come across a campervan or motorhome manufacture prepared to admit they’re doing it particularly tough. Tougher, for sure, but not would-the-last-person-to-leave-the-factory-please-turn-off-the-lights tough.
But America is a different story.
Lights have been switched off in RV factories across the US over the last five years and
On my mind...
View the all new Sunliner Monte Carlo M74 today. Available for immediate delivery!!
5 Melrose Dr, Wodonga 3690 • Ph: 02 6024 4222 • awrvworld.com.au
Continued...
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The iMotorhome Team
Richard RobertsonPublisher & Managing Editor
Malcolm StreetConsulting Editor
Allan WhitingTechnical Editor
©2012 iMotorhome. All rights reserved. Published by iMotorhome. ABN 34 142 547 719. PO Box 1738, Bowral. NSW. 2576. Contact us on 0414 604 368 or Email: [email protected]
those big/lucky enough to survive are considering every option. Even Australia.
Previously too small to bother with, the Land Down Under is suddenly attracting a lot of attention from the Land Up Over, which is why companies like Airstream have appointed local distributors to test the waters. But some US companies want more than a
toe in the water, they’re ready to dive in head first – and one such company is Winnebago.
Winnebago is already here, I hear you say! Well yes. And no.
Australian-made Winnebagos bear no relation to their American name sake and now the giant American wants in. The Federal Court recently ruled Winnebago in Australia has been passing its products
off at the expense of the US brand and that it must cease doing that and change its name very quickly (see NEWS). Expect a big fight and, perhaps, a seismic shift in the Australian motorhome scene. Stay tuned...
Richard
A long-time freelance RV, motoring and travel writer, Richard is a dedicated, long-term motorhome enthusiast.
He has held senior editorial positions with some of the best know recreational vehicle magazines in Australia. Richard also has a passion for lifestyle-enhancing technology, which is why he is the driving force behind the new iMotorhome eMagazine.
Unquestionably Australia and New Zealand’s best known RV journalist, Malcolm is a fixture at CMCA rallies and RV shows and is now in his second decade as a specialist RV writer.
If it’s available on either side of the Tasman, Malcolm has probably driven it, slept in it, reported on it, knows how it’s made and can tell you just how good it really is.
An experienced motoring writer when Japanese cars were a novelty, Allan’s career read’s like Australian motor writing royalty.
Highly experienced in or on everything from motorcycles to B-doubles, Allan also runs www.outbacktravelaustralia.com – an invaluable free resource for anyone into four-wheel driving or touring remote corners of Australia.
...Continued
On my mind... 3
Rethink your lifestyle...
www.ballinacampers.com.au
Horizon Motorhomes allow you to rethink your lifestyle. Boating, fishing, surfing, cycling and more.
Horizon gives you the freedom with a range of tailorable designs in either Fiat, Mercedes Benz or Volkswagen.
Visit our website or showroom to explore your lifestyle options today. p. 02 6681 1555 299 River St, Ballina NSW 2478
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INSIDE
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7
26
11
36
CUSTOM RV
TESTED
TECHNICAL
INSIDE
Trakka Dakar – Heavy metal destined for the world stage...
Out Standing in its Field – Richard Robertson tests Horizon’s Banksia
Ed’s latest musings...
• Winnebago fights for its name
• JAC Trucks arrive in Oz
• Troopie dual-cab arrives
• And more!
ON MY MIND
NEWS
What’s the diff? Allan Whiting explains
CUSTOM RV
NEXT ISSUE
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51New home needed for an old friend...
What’s coming up next and what’s happening on the show circuit
45 MOBILE TECHAn app to help you navigate a different kind of course...
t r a k k a b o u t w o n d e r s o f a u s t r a l i a
visit www.trakka.com or call 1800 TRAKKA (872 552)
Jabiru Remote 4x4
Untitled-2 1 25/05/11 9:51 AM
News...
Iconic Australian motorhome manufacturer Winnebago has lost at least the first round of
a Federal Court battle to keep its name and logo.
According to a report by Leonie Wood in the Sydney Morning Herald on 31 July:
“In a decision that will have ramifications for a swath of dealers that sell Australian-made vehicles bearing the name Winnebago, the court has found that a Sydney businessman, Bruce Binns, "intentionally hijacked" the well-
known US brand "in a bold attempt to pre-empt Winnebago's opening its doors here. Winnebago Industries, of Forest City, Iowa, has been making its distinctive recreational vehicles in the US since 1966.”
The ruling has sent shockwaves through Australia’s RV industry, but in a press release issued the same day Winnebago Industries said:
“As you may well know by now, a finding has been made against us regarding our brand name Winnebago, we are and always have been an Australian owned and operated family business that has been manufacturing Motorhomes in Australia since 1965, we bought the business name in 1978 and we are
completely shocked at this finding. At this point in time our legal team are going through the detail of the findings where they will determine if an appeal will take place.”
“Nothing has changed with either our products or the services we offer, we have a reputable product a reliable dealer network and service centres located throughout Australia and New Zealand.”
No doubt this battle will play out in the weeks and months to come and we’ll keep you posted on developments as they come to hand. Read the SMH’s full story here http://www.smh.com.au/business/court-rules-winnebago-brand-was-hijacked-20120730-23agh.html.
Following our report last issue of the first motorhomes in New
Zealand being built on Chinese-made JAC trucks, the Brand has now launched its cab-chassis trucks into the highly competitive Australian marketplace.
Ranging from 4.5 to 7.5-tonnes GVM and with a starting price of just $36,389 the three-model range has real potential as base vehicles for budget B or C-Class motorhomes.
Power is provided by Euro-5 compliant Cummins ISF turbo-diesels of 2.8 or 3.8-litres capacity,
driving through 5 or 6-speed ZF transmissions. ABS and an exhaust brake, airconditioning, power windows and remote central locking are standard across the range, while the company claims its trucks are backed by the industry’s best warranty, too.
JAC produces more than 400,000 trucks annually and sales and service in Australia is through an initial network of 20 dealers. Visit www.jactrucks.com.au for details.
Winnebago battles to keep its name
YoU Don’t knoW JaC!
7
News...
I n good news for lovers of slide-ons with a penchant for out-of-the-way travel, Toyota has just
announced a double-cab version for its venerable 70-Series LandCruiser range.
Toyota said Australia will be the first market in the world to get the new LC79 double cab, which builds on the vehicle's tough, practical design. On sale in late
September, the Troopie double cab will carry five adults as well as providing a one-tonne payload.
The new variant comes in two grades, Workmate and GXL, both with a 130-litre fuel-tank capacity, 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 engine, five-speed manual transmission and part-time 4WD with two-speed transfer case.
The new double cab also benefits from production upgrades to the range, including anti-skid brakes on all grades, air-inlet snorkel mounted on the A pillar, improved seats, in-dash multi-function clock and audio/CD system with Bluetooth hands-free, audio streaming and voice-recognition phone/audio.
Double-cab Workmate comes with 16-inch steel split rims, aluminium side steps, vinyl seat facings and floor coverings, black bumpers and the extra-cost option of diff locks. The GXL version gains 16-inch alloy wheels, over-fender flares, remote central locking, differential locks, fog lamps, power windows, carpet and cloth seats.
The Euro IV-compliant V8 engine delivers 151 kW of power at 3400 rpm while peak torque of 430 Nm is reached at 1200rpm and held to 3200rpm – the flattest torque curve among all of Toyota's engines.
toYota laUnCHes tRoopie DUal-Cab
stoRmin’ noRman
For more year than he’d care to remember, Norman Roe was the smiling face
of KEA Australia’s new and used vehicle sales. The Company’s
sudden demise in Australia on 15 June and immediate acquisition by former competitor THL (owners of Britz and Maui) shocked everyone – including KEA Australia staff like Norman who believed the business to be travelling well.
The good news is Norman is once again – or should we say ‘still’
– the face of used KEA rental vehicles, only now he’s at Sydney RV Centre’s Penrith branch. Used KEA vehicles are a popular choice and Norman knows them inside-out, so call him on 02 4722 3444 or call out to the dealership, at 13-15 Lemko Place, Castlereagh Rd, Penrith. 2750
Click for Google Maps
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News...
KEA New Zealand says it is proud to introduce its new Origin motorhome – the KEA 3ST – which it says is the perfect vehicle for experiencing the freedom of scenic New Zealand.
“This brand new 6.2- metre motorhome features all the stylish, modern comforts of home, with a
versatile layout that sleeps up to 4 people. The passenger seating is located directly behind the driver’s cabin, so it is ideal for parents that want to keep their child close while they are on the road.”
“The Origin’s compact size means it can be driven on a car licence. Its powerful 6-speed Ford engine (!)
offers a very comfortable driving experience while still being easy to manoeuvre and park. KEA’s trademark huge panoramic tinted windows give an amazing sense of space in the rear living and sleeping area while a very functional kitchen features a new slide-out pantry as well as gas hob, grill, extractor fan, fridge/freezer and filtered water from the tap. The Origin is certified fully self-contained, with environmentally responsible features including solar panels, cabinetry constructed from renewable plantation grown timber and fully insulated walls, ceiling and floor. Meanwhile, a diesel heater keeps everyone warm and cosy – even while on the road.”
state oF oRigin9
Review and images by Richard Robertson and Horizon Motorhomes
OUT STANDING IN ITS FIELD!Horizon’s latest Banksia raises the bar while lowering the price...
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia 11
In an age when more is more it’s refreshing to find a company progressive
enough to consider taking a seemingly backwards step.
Horizon Motorhomes in Ballina has released a new version of its popular Banksia two-berth motorhome, but perhaps a little explanation about the company’s offerings is needed at this point.
Horizon blurs the boundaries between campervans and motorhomes by building all its ‘motorhomes’ as van-conversions, which would otherwise be classified as campervans.
Horizon converts Fiat Ducato, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and VW Crafter vans into motorhomes, but the quirky, non-conformist Fiat makes up about 75% of its business.
The thing is, I can kind of understand the logic; given Horizon does a very good job and the interiors of its ‘campervans’ rival most upmarket motorhomes in terms of design innovation, quality and appearance. So back to the story...
A Tale of Two CCs
Always looking for a sales edge, Horizon is now
offering the Fiat Ducato Banksia with the ‘small’
2.3-litre turbo-diesel as an alternative to the full-fat 3.0-litre engine that’s the norm across Ducato Land. Some might consider this a gamble, but given the ‘little’ Fiat engine pumps out 9 kW and 50 Nm more than VW’s 2.5-litre Crafter engine, Horizon is hardly gambling its future on the move.
What it does do, though, is provide a very attractive $2950 price reduction on the standard Banksia. That would cover the optional reverse-cycle airconditioner or solar power, or even a diesel-fired heater – with change. Makes you think...
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia 12
From memory, when the current-look Ducato first wowed us it came with both engine options, but only a manual transmission. Somewhere along the line the 2.3-litre donk disappeared, a six-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) known as Comfortmatic arrived and we’ve all lived happily ever since.
Well, the 2.3 is available again now (at least to special order) and gives little away to its 120 kW/400 Nm bigger brother. Both engines are Euro-5 emissions compliant, employ variable-geometry
Ducato looks good and the driving environment is a treat, too.
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia 13
turbochargers and common-rail injection systems and both are excellent examples of the latest generation of economical-yet-powerful Euro diesels – something the Japanese have never really mastered.
Engines aside, all Ducatos are front-wheel drive and share the same raft of safety, comfort and convenience features. These include dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), ninth-generation electronic stability control
(ESP), traction control (ASR) and other electronic load-sensing aids to keep you on the straight, level and narrow.
Climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, cruise, electric windows and even
From any angle, Fiat’s Ducato is one good looking unit. Horizon’s uniform window fitment, discreet striping and colour-coded awning simply add to the appeal...
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia 14
a refrigerated 1.5-litre bottle holder are part of the package, too. And what a stylish package it is! Whereas a Sprinter or Crafter will likely elicit a yawn from the unknowing, Ducato’s futuristic front-end and appealing interior are still a breath of fresh air in light commercial vehicle design.
The Ducato is also wider than its German rivals by about an inch, making a transverse bed practical; has about a 500 kg higher gross vehicle mass (GVM) and comes with a 125-litre fuel tank as standard, compared to just 75 litres. It’s also rated for 2.5-tonnes towing, up half a ton on the Germans, and is designed for motorhome use from the ground up. This includes routing the wiring and even the handbrake cable out-of-the-way and supplying tyres specially suited to prolonged periods in one place without developing flat spots.
Less is More. More or Less...
Horizon admits to being uncertain about the
appeal of a smaller engine in a fully laden motorhome, but remains upbeat about initial feedback. I second that feedback. Sure, there’s no substitute for power when
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia 15
Not at all like a delivery van, Fiat’s dash treatment of the Ducato is inviting and involving. Small, leather-wrapped steering wheel is a beauty, as is the stubby gear lever. Dual airbags are standard, too.
you’re climbing the mountains or in an absolute hurry, but in general driving there’s not a lot between them.
You sit tall in the Ducato, looking out through the upper part of the windscreen, while the small, leather-wrapped steering wheel and designer-dash and console imbue a real sporting feel. As ever, the pedals are a little close together and the steering wheel seems a tad offset
to the left, but overall the Ducato’s cab and driving experience is highly enjoyable. It’s also a lot of fun.
The ‘small’ engine mates very well to the six-speed Comfortmatic transmission and the two feel more integrated than the Volkswagen equivalent. There’s little, if any, dithering off-idle or when you suddenly put your foot down and in general driving all shifts are
smooth and reasonably quick. It also has a very tall top gear, turning 2000 rpm at 100 km/h.
Noise and vibration levels are suitably low while the steering has good feel and is nicely weighted, with no noticeable torque-steer during my brief drive despite 320 Nm powering the front wheels. Ride is also good, with well-sorted suspension damping and spring rates, aided in no
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia 16
small part by the Ducato’s box-with-a-wheel-in-each-corner design.
Living Thing
Living with the Banksia is easy but make no
mistake, this is a compact machine. Built for two, the van’s floorplan features swivelling front seats with a single dinette seat behind the driver; a kerb-side kitchen with bathroom opposite and a rear, transverse double bed. It’s nothing revolutionary, but in its simplicity it works quite nicely.
Boxes are great for packing things in and the Ducato’s boxy body is a walk-up start as a motorhome (or campervan!) conversion. Horizon buys all its vans as cargo bodies, allowing the company to position windows
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
Open and bright, the Banksia’s interior is 100 % practical.
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where it wants. The company also has a long-standing and special relationship with Fiat, giving it access to special features like unique colours – such as the Profondo red of the test vehicle and a truly out-there orangey-bronze.
Across all its motorhomes Horizon uses the same finish, componentry and inclusions, which helps keep costs down and the options list short. It’s a clever strategy that appears to work well.
A big advantage of a van-based campervan/motorhome is that for a vehicle that spends its life outdoors, there are precious few body seams susceptible to deterioration and water leakage. Only
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
Dining table slides along wall bracket for individual adjustment.
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where roof hatches and windows are installed is this possible, unlike coach-built motorhome bodies that have ‘miles’ of joining panels.
The Banksia has two main roof hatches for light and ventilation, plus seven Dometic Seitz double-glazed single-hopper windows with integrated insect screens and blinds. They provide masses of light and fresh air, but the kitchen window is in the way of the sliding side door and you only forget it’s open once (sorry guys). I think a sliding window or even fixed glass
panel would be better there, although it would detract from the Banksia’s appearance. A colour-coded wind-out Fiama awning is also part of the standard fit-out.
A disadvantage of a delivery van as a motorhome base-vehicle is the retention of the big, sliding side door – also known as a whizz-bang (for reasons patently obvious if you’ve ever been woken by one during the night at a campsite). They can also be heavy for smaller people to operate (especially on inclines), are difficult to screen
from insects (although Horizon has excellent side and rear-door screens as options) and provide no security when open. Still, it’s a compromise you learn to live with and it certainly wouldn’t deter me from this style of vehicle.
Cooking with Gas
Compact but capable, the Banksia’s kitchen is an
ideal place for those practiced in the black art of one-pot wonders. That’s not to say you can’t cook with more pots, of course, there’s just not all that much room.
The kitchen works well but the swivel-mounted TV is literally in your face while washing-up!
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
Over-sink roof hatch has an exhaust fan that works in place of a dedicated rangehood.
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Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
Bench space is limited, but into the small space Horizon packs a glass-lidded Dometic three-burner gas cooktop with Sharp Carousel microwave below (a gas oven and grill is optional); a matching glass-lidded single-bowl sink and drainer with flick-mixer tap; a Waeco 12-volt 110-litre fridge and enough drawer and cupboard space to satisfy most people. There’s also a sizeable flip-up bench extension, a separate drinking water tap and you could always use the dining table for
extra bench space, if required.
While there’s no dedicated range hood there is the opening window right behind the cooker, plus a smaller over-bench roof hatch with extractor fan. Also above the kitchen bench is the Banksia’s electronic nerve centre, with all electrical switches, battery indicators, tank gauges and hot water controls arranged neatly in a line at eye level. Interestingly, the swivel TV is right above the sink, so you can watch from bed or the
dinette, but if you’re washing up it’s literally in your face!
Speaking of electrics, lighting is LED inside and out, which is fantastic for battery life and longevity but lacks the warm and inviting ambience of good old fashioned globes. Still, give me a charged battery over ambience any day (or night). And speaking of charged batteries, like all Horizon’s the Banksia has a single 200-amp AGM house battery, charged by an Australian-made Redarc system. The advantage of this
Despite its compact dimensions the Banksia’s kitchen is well thought out and equipped.
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Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
is that most car alternators aren’t designed to fully charge house batteries and aren’t really designed for extra batteries at all. The Redarc system takes care of this, however, and is also designed to get the most from solar panels, too, even if they’re fitted later.
Eat in or Take Away
Meal times are strictly for two, unless a third diner
is okay eating on their lap. The driver’s seat swivels 180 degrees aft to form a cafe dinette opposite the fixed, forward-facing single dinette seat, with an adjustable dining table in between. It’s a neat, functional and comfortable set-
up that affords diners plenty of light, visibility and fresh air during the day, plus good relaxing space out of Chef’s hair at night.
The dinette also feature two 240-volt power outlets plus a 12-volt socket, beneath the dining table, to keep your goodies charged.
The fixed dinette seat sits on a raised false-floor section that keeps all three front seats at the same level. Leaving no space unused, Horizon’s designers have cleverly
incorporated three handy drawers in this small space, two of which are within easy reach when standing outside by the sliding side door and would be ideal for thongs, sunscreen, small tools and the like.
Scrub-a-Dub-Dub
You won’t get three men in the Banksia’s bathroom
tub because there isn’t one: As you’d expect the bathroom has a shower only. It’s also not built for three, but for one it’s fine and comes with a corner
Swivelling front seats provide dining and ‘after work’ relaxation space, making the most of the compact van’s interior.
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Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
hand basin and tap, separate flex-hose shower and tap, and a Dometic toilet with SOG fan extraction system to remove toilet cassette smells.
The Banksia also comes with a generous 150-litre fresh water tank and a 14-litre Truma gas hot water system, which is good for free camping, but a smallish 55-litre grey water tank.
Sweet Dreams
The transverse double bed at the rear measures
1.89 x 1.3 metres and is left permanently made up. Great for single travellers it’s cosy for couples and if you’re 1.83 metres tall like me, by the time you factor in a pillow and room for your toes to wiggle it’s a rather tight fit. Of course the good thing about ageing – there has to be one, right? – is that we all shrink, so for most retirees the bed’s a fine size.
A window at both bed-ends and in the barn doors at the rear, plus a roof hatch, makes the Banksia’s bedroom almost into a goldfish bowl. Thank goodness for blinds, but it does mean there’s no shortage of fresh air, while at night four individual LED reading lights provide discreet illumination.
The bathroom is basic but sufficient while there’s good hanging space in the wardrobe and good over-bed storage as well.
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Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
Bedroom storage space is considerable, with three large overheard cupboards, a wardrobe between the bathroom and bed and a sizeable under-bed storage space that can be accessed though both the rear barn
doors and an internal door from the kitchen. Speaking of rear barn doors, an optional insect screen means you can leave them open to take advantage of any passing breeze. They also access the afore-mentioned under-bed
storage area, which houses the hot water system and has a handy small cupboard as well.
The Envelope Please...
The ‘new’ Horizon Motorhomes’ Banksia,
The bed area has loads of windows, providing light and fresh air. Under-bed storage is good and easily accessed.
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Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia
with its smaller engine and considerable price reduction, makes a compelling case in this class of campervan/motorhome.
The ‘little’ Fiat engine matches the ATM gearbox nicely and the power reduction, while noticeable at the margins, is of little concern in day-to-day life. Unfortunately I didn’t
cover enough ground to get any fuel figures but they should be class-leading, while Fiat’s Ducato is a great base vehicle as well as an enjoyable and rewarding drive.
Horizon Motorhomes’ can be justifiably proud of the Banksia: It’s a great little machine that’s well thought out, built and finished. It’s also
well worth putting on your shopping list if you’re in the market for a compact, stylish and fun motorhome for one or two people that won’t break the bank – either at purchase time or at the bowser.
Outstanding, you could say...
On the road or standing still, Horizon’s Fiat Ducato-based Banksia is a good looking machine...
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• Compact• Manoeuvrable• Value• Welldesigned• Wellbuilt• Wellequipped
• Kitchenwindowdesign• Slidingsidedoor• Bedtightfortallpeople
Manufacturer Horizon Motor Homes
Model Banksia
Base Vehicle Fiat Ducato 150 Multijet ELWB
Engine 2.3-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel
Power 109 kW @ 3600 rpm
Torque 350 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Gearbox 6 speed (AMT)
Brakes ABS Discs
Tare Weight 2933 kg
Gross Vehicle Mass 4005 kg
Licence Standard car
Passengers 2
External Length 6.36 m (20 ft 10 in)
External Width 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)
External Height 2.63 m (8 ft 8 in)
External Height 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Rear bed size 1.93 m x 1.33 m
Cooktop Dometic 3 burner
Fridge Waeco 12V 110 litre
Microwave Sharp Carousel
Gas 2 x 4.0 kg
Lighting 12V LED
Batteries 200 amp hour AGM
Solar panels Optional
Air conditioner Optional
Hot water Truma 14 litre
Toilet Dometic SOG cassette
Shower Flexible hose, variable height
Heater Optional
Fresh water tank 150 litre
Grey water tank 55-litre
Price $106,728 (drive away, NSW)
Pros
Cons
Contact
Specifications
299 River StBallina. NSW. 2478.Ph: 02 6681 1555E: [email protected]: www.ballinacampers.com.au
Click for Google Maps
Horizon Motorhomes Ballina Campervan & Motorhome Centre
Tested: Horizon Motorhome Banksia 25
Custom RV...
A heavy metal star built for dirty deeds...TRAKKA*DAKAR
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It takes a special sort of man and machine to compete in the annual
Dakar Rally. Billed as the world’s ultimate off-road race, ‘The Dakar’ is a torturous, high-speed event with classes for motorcycles, cars and trucks that pits entrants from around the world against the environment, each other and the clock.
From humble beginnings in 1979, when the inaugural event ran from the French Capital of Paris to Dakar in Senegal, the race has grown in stature and reputation, but the route switched to South America in 2009 following terrorist threats in Mauritania.
Custom RV...
www.dakar.com
By the time the Jabiru and bike have completed this course they won’t be looking so pristine...
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Far from being the death knell many predicted, the Dakar’s move to South America has re-energised the race. The next event starts in Lima, Peru, on 5 January 2013, crosses though Argentina and finishes in Santiago, Chile, on 20 January.
Lining up for that race on his special KTM 450 Rally Replica motorcycle (one of only 50 made annually) will be Australian businessman and adventurer Mark Davidson. Supporting him will be his wife Jennifer and mechanic Max Sullivan – plus a very special Trakka Jabiru 4x4 Remote.
Custom RV...
Rear-entry bike parking was the only way the designer could get everything into the vehicle.
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The Trakka Connection
Mark met Trakka’s Dave Berry back in the mid
1980s when competing in the anything-goes Australian Safaris. Dave was fielding an early Toyota 4WD camper and the two struck up a friendship that has endured. When Mark needed a highly customised, tough 4WD motorhome for the toughest off-road race of all, he knew just the man and company to turn to.
When approached, Dave listened intently to Mark’s plans and requirements before turning the nuts-and-bolts planning over to Chris Fox, Trakka’s RV Research and Development guru.
“After our initial discussions we did several concepts for
Custom RV...
Spare wheels, fuel and plenty of storage space.
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Mark and talked him though those to decide which was best,” Chris said.
“Once he was happy with the concept it then took me about three weeks of fulltime 3D modelling to make up a working prototype on the computer. Following that it took just over four weeks to turn that prototype into reality.”
“One key design criteria was for the Jabiru to be shipped with the bike inside, as a complete unit, and arranged
3D CAD drawings have revolutionised vehicle design, allowing full visualisation of even the smallest details.
Custom RV... 30
so that nothing could or would come loose or fall. Another was for the van to be 4X4, so we knew the Mercedes Benz Sprinter would work because we’ve proven it in service with other Jabiru models.”
“A real design challenge was the size of the motorbike.
Ideally we wanted it to go in forwards because that’s easier, but in reality the only way we could fit it in was to put in backwards, with the Jabiru’s bed above the seat area. You’ve also got to bear in mind this vehicle has a bathroom, plus a full
kitchen and lounge/dinette, so there were some real design challenges!” Chris explained.
All motorhome designs are a compromise and in this particular design the bed area is where compromise is most evident. Designed to accommodate one person, it
Custom RV...
Not a square centimetre of this vehicle has been wasted, while much thought went into access and storage requirements.
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runs the width of the Jabiru, making it 1.9 metres long by just 1 metre wide. Fortunately there’s a high ceiling and big roof hatch above it, avoiding claustrophobia, although it’s a fair way off the floor and getting in should prove interesting.
“This Jabiru has most of the features of our Remote Package, with diesel-fired hot water, heating and cooktop, plus the optional 170-litre long-range fuel tank. However, it doesn’t have the 160-watt solar panel set-up that is usually a part of the Remote Package, as Mark didn’t require them,” Chris finished.
Custom RV...
Cooktop is diesel-fired, along with hot water and central heating. Swivel seats will be a welcome sight at the end of each race day!
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But wait, there’s more...
If designing a machine to take two people and a
racing motorcycle across some of the most inhospitable terrain on Earth doesn’t sound daunting enough, there was another major design criteria: The Jabiru must be capable of being converted to a normal motorhome when not in racing mode.
Requiring about a day’s work so it’s no “Oh let’s go away for the night, Honey” quick-fix,
the Trakka Dakar is able to be transformed into a more-or-less standard Jabiru 4x4 Remote. This requires the removal of the rear bulkhead and sundry fixtures and the installation of a north/south bed.
For those not contemplating a high-speed dash across arid and inhospitable foreign lands, Trakka’s Jabiru 4x4 Remote is still a specialised off-the-beaten-track machine that’s highly self-contained and capable, even in standard
form. Built on a Mercedes Benz Sprinter and powered by a 140 kW / 400 Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel driving a 5-speed auto-transmission, with selectable low range, it’s a refined and formidable package iMotorhome is looking forward to putting through its paces closer to home. In the mean time, to find out more visit www.trakka.com or call 1800 TRAKKA.
Custom RV... 33
Custom RV...
Boys’ Own AdventureM ark Davidson
is a successful fifty-something
entrepreneur and self-styled adventurer in the great traditions of the British ‘Boys’ Own’ magazines that enthralled generations from the late 19th century until the late 1960s.
Mark has already competed in the 2010 and 2011 Dakar rallies, although he failed to finish, and rates them about the toughest thing a man can do. In 2010 he rode as a member of the GHR Honda
team – “Too impersonal,” Mark quipped – and in 2011 he teamed up with an American friend who used an F450 as the support vehicle.
“Last year I met a wealthy German adventurer – heir to a huge electrical company – who has raced the Dakar, climbed Everest and trekked the Poles. He told me that if you can finish the Dakar on a motorcycle you can climb Mt Everest. ‘I know,’ he said. ‘I’ve done both.’”
Apparently, in the history of the race about 80
Australians have competed on motorcycles. Only 10 have finished.
“The race is run mid-summer because of the altitudes you encounter crossing the Andes. The course traverses mountain passes some 5000 meters high and in a single day you can experience temperatures from -5 to +50 degrees Celsius. On those days the challenge is to know what to wear. Also, the effects of altitude sickness are very real and take their toll. I’ve experienced them first hand.”
Mark in action at Dakar 2011.
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Custom RV...
“I realised that to give myself the best chance of success I need a campervan-type support vehicle that can double as a mobile mechanical workshop – and that’s what I now have!” Mark enthused.
The plan is that Jennifer and Max will follow the rally during the day, providing support as required and (presumably) taking turns to sleep in the single bunk at the back, above the motorcycle storage/workshop area. At night Max will use the Jabiru as a field service facility, working on the machine to prepare it while
Mark sleeps (we’re not sure what Jennifer’s planning to do!).
The Jabiru will be shipped to Peru on a RO-RO (Roll-On Roll-Off) cargo ship and from there the adventure begins. When asked about the likely budget for such an adventure Mark shrugged and said it didn’t really bear thinking about.
“I guess the van is about $200,000 and the bike alone is $60,000, so there’s an easy $300,000 involved in my next attempt. To give you an idea, the entry fee is €20,000
Euro (about $24,000): That’s €4000 for the vehicle and €8000 each for Jenny and Max. The only good thing is I’m not racing a car. They cost four times as much!” Mark laughed.
Mark wouldn’t be drawn on the question of another attempt if 2013 is unsuccessful, but you get the feeling that’s really a no-brainer. Why undertake a Boys’ Own adventure? Because it’s there.
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Technical...
Allan Whiting explains the mysteries of the differential...
In the first place, why do we need differentials at all? In the early days of the
motor vehicle, designers soon tumbled to the fact that a solid rear axle wasn’t the ideal arrangement across the back of a car.
When the machine went around a corner the outside wheel dictated the rotational speed and the inside wheel had no choice but to spin off excess speed. With skinny, solid rubber tyres, narrow-
track axles and dirt surfaces that was tolerable, but when wider vehicles, better-gripping tyres and high-friction tar-macadam surfaces came along things had to change.
The simple solution was to split the rear axle into two halves, with a gear-set in the break. The gears allowed ‘differentiation’ between the speed needed by the outside wheel and the inside wheel during a turn.
That’s pretty much how 99 percent of today’s vehicles are set up, be they front or rear-wheel drive.
The limitations of the conventional differential became obvious firstly in performance cars. If the driver gave the thing a bootful one of the rear wheels would spin and the car wouldn’t move. A similar effect occurred when cornering: wheel-spin on the inside wheel if the driver ‘got on the gas’ when exiting
What's the Diff?
36
a corner. Many sports and racing machines retained solid rear axles to overcome this problem and at least one – Fraser-Nash – had solid-axle chain drive in the 1930s.
The ‘limited slip’ differential (LSD) came into being to control wheel-spin in high-performance machinery.
Before explaining the design of the limited slip diff we’ll have a look at the basic differential that’s been with us for nigh on 100 years.
Normal ‘Open’ Diff
The basic differential is a gear-set inside the crown-
wheel and pinion assembly of a final drive. The bevelled crown-wheel and pinion turn propeller shaft rotation through 90 degrees.
The ‘break’ in the solid axle we discussed earlier is filled with gears. On the end of each axle half-shaft is a gear, known as a side gear. The two side gears are meshed together by pinion gears, so we have an assembly with two axle half shafts that are geared together, but in which one can overspeed the other.
A pinion shaft runs through the centre of the pinion gears and through the casing that’s bolted to the crown-wheel, so that although the two side gears and their half shafts can vary rotational speed
between themselves the whole assembly rotates with the crown-wheel.
Some differentials have four pinion gears, in which case the pinion shaft is replaced by a ‘cross’.
A conventional, ‘open’ differential works fine so long as both wheels on the axle have a good grip on the ground. Its limitation is that when one wheel loses grip all the drive goes to that wheel – wheel spin. As well, the other
Technical...
Courtesy of Audi
37
wheel doesn’t move and the spinning wheel does so at twice the speed of the crown-wheel.
In an off-road situation the vehicle not only can’t move but is likely to dig a hole because of excessive wheel-spin. That’s why most 4x4s have some form of wheel-spin limitation.
Limited Slip Differential
The majority of LSDs on the market are factory-fitted
and nearly all of them are based on the open differential design we’ve discussed. The difference is that LSDs have clutch packs inside their differential cases and these
serve to restrict wheel-spin – hence the name ‘limited-slip’ differential.
The clutch packs fit between the side gears and the differential casing, pressurised or pre-loaded by spring plates. When one wheel starts to spin the clutch packs on that side resist the action. The spring pre-load pressure is enhanced by the ‘separation’ effect that the side gear develops when it starts to spin, but even the most powerful clutch-type LSD needs some wheel grip on both half shafts to function.
With one wheel clear of the ground a clutch-type LSD
is no more effective than an open diff.
Clutch-type LSDs have been fitted as standard equipment to the rear axles of virtually all new 4x4s, except Land Rovers and Range Rovers, since the 1980s.
Enhanced-Clutch LSD
The Thornton and Dominator limited slip
differentials enhance the gear-separation effect that occurs when one side gear starts to spin. In these four-pinion LSDs the pressure rings that transmit gear separation forces to the clutch packs have V-shaped cutouts that bear against the
Technical... 38
pins of the central ‘cross’. As the side gear spins faster than its opposite number the clutches on that side resist the action and the gear-separation forces are magnified by the ramp action of the pressure rings against the cross pins as friction tries to rotate the pressure rings.
This type of LSD still needs some traction on one wheel to be effective, but the action is more powerful than that of a conventional LSD.
Locked Drive Systems markets the Dominator and one standard Thornton installation we know of is in the rear end of the Mitsubishi Canter 4x4 light truck.
A variation on the enhanced LSD theme is the Gearless Locker In this diff there are no side gears and pinions, just two pressure rings with clutch packs inside and a power dividing cross-pin. The makers Tractech Inc. claim that the Gearless Locker is the first non-geared LSD to offer complete diff-locking, so that
in theory it should work when one wheel on an axle has no grip.
Cam and Plunger LSD
The BTR Hydratrak LSD was developed by BTR
Engineering of Australia, but in principle is similar to the diff used for many years in Mack Trucks. BTR diffs are used
Technical...
Canter 4x4 uses Thornton diff as standard.
39
Technical...
in many high-performance cars and also featured in the discontinued Falcon Outback ute. We drove an Outback over Big Red, so we can testify to the grip it provided.
The advantage the BTR unit has over the Mack system is that the cam and plunger assembly is self-contained, with its own fluid supply, independent of the axle oil.
The BTR design uses a conventional side-gear-and-pinion centre, but one of the side gears is far from conventional. It’s a multi-part assembly and on the reverse side of the input bevel gear face is a ‘wave’ machined pattern. The output half of the side gear that’s splined to the axle half-shaft has a similar wave pattern machined on its inner surface. Between the two wave faces is a hub, with plungers that are free to move back and forth inside the hub. At their outer ends these plungers bear on the wave surfaces of the two-part side gear.
Under straight-driving conditions the input and output halves of the side gear have no relative movement and the drive is passed from one wave face to the other via plunger contact. When the vehicle corners the required differential action takes place in the diff centre, but if one wheel starts to spin the wave
faces start to move relative to each other. The plungers won’t tolerate too much relative movement of the faces and lock in position, restricting wheel-spin.
Gear-Type LSD
The Torsen and the Detroit TrueTrac are the best-
known gear-type LSDs in the 4x4 world.
The Torsen was available as
The Torsen and Detroit TrueTrac.
BTR Hydratrak LSD
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Technical...
an option in the rear end of the initial RAV4 and is the central differential some Range Rovers. The TrueTrac is a popular after-market fitment. In gear-type LSDs the side gears are helical-cut cylindrical gears and so are the pinions. Instead of being enclosed within the side-gear diameter the pinions in a gear-type LSD sit outside the side gears and are pinned to the differential casing.
Although there are design differences between the Torsen and the TrueTrac, both have pinions that mesh with each other and with the side gears in a pattern that allows differential action under normal driving circumstances.
When one side gear starts to spin the helical nature of the gearing imparts an angle to the separation forces between the side gears and the pinions, forcing the ends of the pinions into friction contact with the diff casing. The action limits wheel-spin and apportions torque proportionately.
Viscous-Coupled LSD
Viscous coupling units (VCUs) have been with us
for many years, initially in the hubs of engine fans.
The heart of a viscous coupling is a silicon fluid that thickens when it gets hot. Put that stuff inside a housing full of friction plates that are splined alternately to the housing and
the output shaft and you have a coupling that has an output dependent on temperature. In the case of an engine fan, air flowing from the radiator across the fan hub speeds up or slows down fan action.
In a 4x4 diff a viscous coupling has the same potential. Splined between a side gear and its half-shaft a VCU can limit wheel-spin, by restricting relative movement.
At one stage it was thought that VCUs would replace conventional diff centres, with differential action and slip-limiting occurring entirely inside the VCU, but real-world experience has poured cold water on the idea, to date at least.
The problem is that VCUs react to heat, regardless of its source. The unit can’t differentiate between heat generated internally by wheel-spin and heat produced by friction and radiation in the axle of a 4x4 operating at low speed in high ambient temperatures.
Conversely, a VCU doesn’t respond instantly to wheel-spin if it’s in a vehicle that’s been parked all night in a snowdrift, because it can’t heat up quickly enough. That isn’t a problem for the VCU in the engine fan, because it isn’t needed at start-up, but the diff VCU may well be needed to
Mack system
41
Technical...
help extract the vehicle.
The variable-behaviour nature of VCUs is why most 4x4s that have VCUs in their transfer cases have a positive diff lock-up in low range.
Hybrid LSD
The original Mitsubishi Challenger used a hybrid
LSD that combined a gear-type LSD and a VCU.
The gear-type centre section looks very like a Tractech TrueTrac, with four short pinions and four long ones. This type of diff centre lends itself to coupling with a VCU, because the pinions are located outside the side gears, leaving a hole in the middle of the diff centre.
In the case of the Challenger’s hybrid diff the hole in the centre is filled by an extension of the VCU hub, mating it to the right hand side gear. The left hand side gear is integral with the housing of the VCU.
Under normal conditions the VCU plays no part in proceedings and the side gears and pinions do their thing. Even at the onset of wheel-spin on one side of the vehicle the diff functions as a gear-type unit.
When one wheel has no grip the VCU comes into play. The meshing forces in the gears generate little friction with one wheel in the air and so that wheel and side gear start to
spin. The relative movement between the left and right side gears generates heat in the VCU, which then provides the necessary drag for the gear-type LSD to function properly.
Self-Lockers
The best-known self-locking differential is the NoSPIN
that’s been around in much the same form for the past 50 years. Another design is the Lock Right.
Although called self-lockers these diffs would be better described as self-unlockers, because they’re locked unless differential action is required.
In a NoSPIN the differential case and its side and pinion gears are replaced by a spider,
NoSPIN self-locking differential
42
Technical...
clutch and side gear assembly. The central spider has dog-clutch teeth on both faces that match dog-clutch faces on a pair of sliding clutches that are in turn splined to a pair of side gears. Sandwiched between the side gears and the clutches are tapered-spiral coil springs.
Cam faces are machined on the inner diameter sections of the spider and the clutches. These cams push one clutch away from the spider when differential action is required, allowing that half shaft to over-speed the other. In older NoSPIN designs this cam-out phase was accompanied by a ratchetting noise, but later designs have cam ramps that allow a smooth cam-out phase.
When differential action is no longer required the spring pushes the dog clutch back into mesh with the spider.
Unlike LSDs self-lockers don’t rely on any torque transfer across the differential – they deliver 50 percent torque to each wheel, regardless of the grip, and will drive a vehicle that has one wheel with grip and one in the air
Hydraulic Lockers
Jeep’s Grand Cherokee Quadra-Trac II transfer
case and axles used to be fitted with a Vari-Lok patented hydraulic diff-locking system. The principle is simple: wheel-spin energy is used to drive a pump that pressurises oil in a wet clutch pack. The
pack inside the transfer case prevents front or rear axle spin-out and the pack in each axle prevents wheel-spin on one side.
In the Quadra-Trac transfer case the oil pressure comes from a gerotor pump that’s integral to the transfer case shafts and in the axles the pump is in the centre of the diff, where it’s fed oil by slingers.
Interestingly Jeep abandoned the viscous couplings it used in the original Grand Cherokee in favour of the pump system, citing variable response in VCUs as the reason. The latest Jeeps use electronic traction control.
Driver-Controlled Diff Locks
All 4x4s that have full-time 4x4 or selectable full-time,
part-time 4x4 drivelines and low range transfer cases have driver-controlled diff locks. The control is done by a switch, or by engaging low range (The exception was the first traction-control-equipped Land Rover Discovery, but the ‘missing’ diff lock was there – you just couldn’t switch it on or off without mechanical interference in the top of the transfer case. Land Rover re-instated driver control of the central diff lock with the next model).
This type of diff lock is positioned in the transfer case and is there to force the front
Quadra-Trac II
43
Technical...
and rear propeller shafts to rotate at synchronous speed. It does nothing for traction improvement, other than to prevent spin-out at the front end of a vehicle climbing a steep grade. With its centre diff locked a full-time 4x4 has no basic traction advantage over a part-time 4x4.
Diff locks that impart distinct traction advantage are fitted to the axles and lock the half shafts into 50:50 torque proportion, regardless of the grip each wheel has.
The best-known across-axle diff lock brands in the Australian market are ARB, TJM and Toyota. These designs lock out differential action, but do so with different mechanisms.
In its diff-locked rear axle Toyota uses a sliding collar that locks the right-hand half shaft to the differential hemisphere. In the front axle a sliding collar locks the right hand side gear to the differential casing.
When Toyota introduced its optional, factory-fitted diff lock
system to the 60-Series and the 75-Series it was cable actuated, but by the time the 80-Series arrived the actuation method had switched to electric motors.
ARB’s Air Locker has an internally-toothed hemisphere, an externally-toothed side gear and a locking gear that slides between them. The actuation method is compressed air.
The specialist diff lock system for Land Rovers and Range Rovers is the Maxidrive.
What’s the difference between diffs? Plenty, as you’ll now realise...
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A friend once said one of the hardest things she'd ever done was
master Spanish, even though she was skilled with words as an accomplished journalist. Having moved overseas just before this chat, I had to agree with her. Learning another language is very tricky, even when immersed in the culture, with sounds and accents constantly surrounding you.
But learning to speak another language is hugely rewarding and gives you access to insights into other cultures. So I'm still learning, and these days the task is a little easier. Rather than having to pore over a book and answer multiple-guess questions, you can find sophisticated apps to help. These study aids are also easy to take everywhere.
The app I've found most powerful is Babbel. It's a
companion to the bigger Babbel online package and covers 11 languages. The different language apps are similar, and they're free on iOS and Android. You can set up a free account to keep track of your learning, and this will let you try the full fee-carrying online program.
More than meets the eye...Although Babbel apps may seem like mere companions to its online service, they're
Mobile Tech...
Here’s an app to help you navigate your way overseas, or just though some of our more colourful city suburbs....By Kit Eaton, New York Times
BABBLE ON!!
45
potent language-learning tools. Each has 2000 to 3000 words split into topics that start with the basics such as food and drink and then move to complex ones such as society and environment.
Each topic has subcategories. In the relationships topic, for example, categories include family, couples and social life. Tapping on one takes you to the business-end of the app,
where the learning is split into three sections.
The first section runs through a list of words and phrases. It's no simple flashcard "learn this word" experience. The app has tricks to help you memorise words, including great matching images, a speech recogniser that scores you on how well you say the text out loud (you can skip this, but you'd be missing
out) and simple games like matching phrases in English to the ones you're learning.
The second section is all about consolidating your learning with games that offer fewer English-based clues. It helps you understand how the words fit into more complex paragraphs or statements, which are written on-screen and read by a native speaker. Section 3 is a vocabulary reminder that can be used later to remind you about spelling or pronunciation.
The best thing about the app is that it remembers your progress and shares it with your profile online. You can access it from different places (like your iPhone or iPad) and then from your computer, where more complex packages round out the learning process with features like writing exercises.
The app is uncluttered, so there's little to distract you from the business of learning. However, you may find it a bit dry, which, let's face it, may be an issue, particularly if you have bad memories of language class from your school days. A Wi-Fi or mobile data connection is needed to upload your data, by the way.
I've found the app invaluable and inexpensive. Babbel's makers say they will bring the full course content from
Mobile Tech... 46
their online process to their mobile apps next, including beginner's sections, grammar and phrase books.
Alternatives...If Babbel's simplicity doesn't appeal, then you may like apps from Busuu. It has a similar style of teaching words and phrases alongside an image and with recordings of
native speakers, combined with games and exercises to really carve the language into your memory. There's even a bit of gaming as the apps award you "busuu-berries" if you complete an exercise. You can donate them to someone to motivate them. The apps also hands out stars and digital badges for motivation.
It's a bit more sophisticated than the Babbel app because Busuu has writing exercises that you submit to other users. You then comment, correct and mark their effort, and then you can check through the crowdsourced responses to your own. It's a useful trick that offers alternative viewpoints on how words are used in context.
Mobile Tech...
The Babbel app’s pages are simple and logical, if
a little uninspiring.
47
But the Busuu apps are ad-supported and visually more cluttered than Babbel. The iOS version I tried did crash from time to time.
Of course, there are many other apps to help you learn languages, including a powerful one from Rosetta Stone, although this is tied to its not-inexpensive learning
package. So try one out, learn something new and if you spot me on the street feel free to say "Bonjour," or "Bom dia!" or "Ni hao."
Mobile Tech...
You get to listen to, read and speak the words,
with your effort rated by the computer.
48
Custom RV...
Do you have room in your life for a professionally
converted and lovingly cared-for 36-foot (10.97 m) Leyland Viking bus motorhome?
Karen and Derek Grigg need to find it a new home. Karen is disabled and so can’t drive,
while hubby Derek is office-bound these days and the two are living in a rental unit while paying storage for Green ‘N Gold in a local timber yard.
“Our bus has been valued at $90,000 but we have it advertised for $68,000 in the Trading Post, with no
interest after three months of advertising. It is really a lovely bus and professionally fitted out with solid timber cabinetry and motorhome windows, with the old bus windows removed professionally. It has a rear-mounted Leyland 220 motor that’s recently been totally rebuilt and a 6-speed
GO THE GREEN ‘N GOLD!
Custom entry door has impressive stairs!
We don’t do FOR SALE ads normally, but there’s always an exception...
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Custom RV...
gearbox, plus like-new tyres. It’s also dream to drive, so says my office-worker hubby,” Karen explained.
“The bus is set up for two and has eight solar panels and eight Trojan batteries. There’s LED lighting throughout and two wall-mounted LCD TVs. It also has an inverter to power your 240v appliances, plus stainless steel water tanks (300 L), grey water tank and
gas/240v hot water system. There’s a large floor-to-ceiling pantry plus a large bathroom with big shower and built-in cassette toilet. It has a laundry room with floor-to-ceiling shelves, while the kitchen is huge and open with plenty of cupboards. The table drops to become lounge or day bed. The bed had a queen mattress on it (not included). We will also consider a swap.”
“It starts first go every time and runs very well. Our car is for sale too (Suzuki 2000 4x4 Grand Vitara 3 door) VGC, but only after the bus is sold, or with bus at $8,500 with the tow kit (that cost us $3,000).”
Interested? Call Karen & Derek on 0418 880 407 or email [email protected].
Queen bed mattress is not included..
Bathroom has plenty of room.
There’s even a laundry and washing machine!
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SEPTEMBER 7-9
Penrith Caravan, Camping & Holiday Expo
Penrith Panthers, Mulgoa Rd, Penrith, NSW.
• Open 09:00-5:00 daily (4:00 Sunday)
• Free parking• Free admission
• Website: penrith.super-show.com.au/Default.aspx
AUGUST 17-19
Border RV & Camping Expo
Wodonga Racecourse, Wodonga, VIC.
• Open 09:30-5:00 daily (4:00 Sunday)
• Free parking• Adults $10• Pensioners $8
• Website: www.border-expo.com.au
SEPTEMBER 14-16
Covi Motorhome, Caravan & Outdoor Supershow
ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, Auckland. NZ.
• Open 09:00-5:00 daily • Parking $6• Adults $16/ $25 multi-day
pass• Kids free
• Website: www.super-show.co.nz/
Know of a local or regional show coming up that attracts and promotes motorhomes, campervans and the great RV lifestyle in general?
Drop us a line at [email protected] and we’ll happily promote it in this calendar.
Click for Google Maps Click for
Google MapsClick for
Google Maps
Show Calendar...
O ne of the beauties of digital publishing is the flexibility to change
content in response to news, events and even test vehicle
availability. So, next issue we’re planning to bring you a KEA six-berth review from New Zealand and a test of Winnebago’s everything old-is-new Ceduna, but if things change you now know why!
You’ll also find Motorhome 101 again – held over because this issue simply got too big for easy download – plus Allan Whiting’s continuing
Technical articles and maybe even a travel story to entertain and inform. That’s it for now; see you in two weeks on Saturday, August 18th. As always, in the mean time don’t forget to follow all the fun on Facebook (www.facebook.com/iMotorhome) and Twitter (@iMotorhomeMag)
– and drive safely!
KEA & WINNEBAGO...
Next Issue...
14-16SEP
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17-19AUG
14-16SEP
7-9SEP
17-19AUG
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