Minivanmotoman said:
We have the same modus operandi, mine just gets slightly better mpg in slightly smaller pkg. Lol.
My Basecamp is my minivan. My Moto is my land speeder explorer. We both do exactly the same thing, just different budgets.
Makes sense when you get up there in towing weight and length, need a bigger and heavier rig. The laws of physics can't be too kind with huge 5th wheels behind even the biggest pickups. And the way some speed down the hwy, with those things makes me shudder.
Hard to settle on only one motorcycle?
Whats have you?
Could you give us an idea on maintenance costs and frequency?
Oil change? Brake job? Do they use DEF?
Other typical costs?
Q2 to Q7 but see you been allowed specials privileges. Lol.
Howdy Mini.........,
I suffer from a rather common sickness, I am addicted to motorcycles and consider myself not only an owner but a rider, a craftsman if you will and like any good craftsman you need more tools then a hammer if your going to do a proper job. I have a motorcycle that is good for long distance touring in comfort a Harley Road King Classic, I have one that is worthless for anything other then doing stupid stuff on incredibly difficult terrain a Rokon, I have one that gives me all the adrenaline rush I can handle and then some a Yamaha R1, then there is what has probably become my favorite bike the Ural equipped with a sidecar that has a driven sidecar wheel and reverse. That being the case, like "Lays Potato Chips" I cant eat or in the case of bikes ride just one.
I'll use the repairs to my Dodge one ton dually as a comparison to the HDT. I replaced the front brakes on the Dodge at 65,000 miles at a cost of over 900 dollars, I did a complete brake job on the Freightliner when I bought it to include two new drums and ALL other needed parts cost me including labor around 750 dollars and pulling the load it does now those brakes will last for at least 250,000 miles probably much more. I changed oil on the Dodge every 5,000 miles 3 gallons per change, changed the oil filter at the same time; I change oil and filters on the HDT every 15,000 miles 11 gallons per change so that cost is pretty much the same. Tires on the Dodge lasted about 50,000 miles they last in my use 2-3 times that long on the HDT, the tires on the HDT at my use will age out before they wear out. And the one thing everybody wants to know, how much fuel do I burn. The Dodge diesel 5.9L working its arse off towing a 14,000 pound trailer in the type of terrain I drive in MOUNTAINS would get anywhere from 4-10mpg but its over all average was around 6.5; the Freightliner towing a 22,000 trailer in the same terrain climbs and descends those same mountains easily and in the 65,000 miles I have driven that truck its over all average fuel mileage is 7.7mpg As my truck is a Pre EGR, I don't use DEF. Most trucks build before 2006-2007 did not use DEF and had WAY LESS emission control then the trucks built since 2007, the more complicated the emission controls became the more breakdowns and troublesome the engines became. Another thing to keep in mind, a Pre EGR truck is a LEGAL RV in california you can't use one commercially there but if its an RV they can't hassle you.
I bought the Dodge brand new, paid over 40K for it and put another 20K into it in an effort to build a truck that would do what I wanted to do before a good friend who had been towing with an HDT for years finally convinced me that I needed a REAL truck. When I bought the Freightliner I bought it as a turn key ready to run-tow RV Hauler for 28,000 dollars, in the 4 years I have owned and driven the Freightliner I have repaired or replaced darn near anything that could go wrong other then a catastrophic failure of some sort, I will sell that truck ready to go with two 140 gallons FULL tanks of diesel fuel for 30,000 dollars that includes the micro wave, refrigerator TV-DVD player and port-a-potty that I have installed since I had the truck .
If you tow a large RV trailer, are not intimidated by the size of the truck and can responsibly handle such a rig it is simply the most cost effective and SAFEST way to tow a large RV trailer. Oh I might add, it costs LESS to insure the "motor home" then it did to insure the Dodge. I hope that has given you some perspective on how CHEAP it really is to own and drive a REAL truck.
One other thing, some folks have mentioned stopping at weight stations. I and most others who own and drive a LEGAL converted truck that is now a RV do NOT stop at weight stations even if the sign says that "All Trucks Must Enter". We are NOT driving trucks, we are driving an RV that is NOT covered under the DOT rules and regulations, we do NOT carry or fill out a log book, it is NOT required. The ONLY time I have had a problem with this was in california, I drove by the weight station as usual a mile or two down the road the Trooper pulled me over after a short discussion during which I showed him all my proper paper work he wished me safe travels and we went our separate ways.
Dave
