Understanding Motorhome Classes
Understanding Motorhome Classes is not all that hard to understand. First off just the word motorhome designates that this type of recreational vehicle or RV is self powered. The fact that it is self powered immediately tells you it is a motorhome.
Recreational vehicles cover an extensive range of temporary living and or travel accommodations. Class A Motorhomes is considered to be at the very top and camper trailers of the small folding or popup campers’ class are considered to be the basic bottom. It also goes without saying that price follows right along with the RV classes. The Motorhome Classes are the most expensive and small camper trailers the least expensive. In broad terms these are basically self powered motorhomes or towable camper trailers.
There are Three Basic Motorhome Classes
Class A motorhomes are considered to be the very top of the line in luxury and price. The Class A Motorhomes will generally range in weights from a high of about 35,000 pounds down to around 15, 000 pounds. To see one is to understand how they are called motorhomes and to realize that it is not at all exaggerated to call them a home.
Class A Motorhomes are equipped with almost every convenience you would expect to find in an average home less of course your own yard and even this can be enjoyed in most campgrounds. Most Class A Motorhomes are built on heavy duty undercarriages equivalent to a heavy truck chassis and most are equipped with one or more of what is called a slide-out that extends that particular room size. These slide-outs allow the operators to extend a portion of the exterior walls out to greatly enlarge the interior living space. Class A motorhomes are equipped with refrigerator, cooking facilities, air conditioning, heating, self-contained toilet, water holding tanks for fresh water and waste water, regular water fixtures, sinks, propane gas tanks, separate electrical wiring system, all appliances and entertainment systems. You can have sleeping accommodations for up to about eight people comfortably or more with a little crowding. However as you would expect all those features also come at a handsome price. The top Class A Motorhomes will go for about half a million and even the lower end will range in the $100,000 area.
Class B Motorhomes are also known as and are commonly referred to as van conversions because many of them are and may resemble a van converted into a fully enclosed small motorhome. The van roof is often elevated for more inside height but the width or length is rarely extended. The Class B Motorhomes will weigh from a high of about 8,500 pounds down to about 5,500 pounds and generally limited to 18 feet or less in length. As you would expect your living space is somewhat limited but the Class B motorhomes more than make up for it in good economy in both original cost and operating cost. They are also quite adept at doubling as a second family vehicle when not in use as a motorhome. The Class B Motorhome will often be equipped with cooking facilities, refrigerator, heating and self-contained toilet, fresh water tank, waste water tank, faucets, sink, folding beds, portable gas supply and electrical wiring systems for 120 and 12 volts. Depending on floor plan and interior layout you can usually expect a Class B Motorhomes to have sleeping accommodations for two to four comfortably. Current the prices should be in the range of a high up to about $100,000 down to around $35,000.
Class C Motorhomes may also be referred to as Mini Motorhomes and may be considered more or less a downsized Class A Motorhome. They will generally be in a weight range of about10, 000 to 15,000 pounds and will be from a bout 20 to 30 feet long. A Class C Motorhome will normally be built on a larger van type chassis. The operator’s driving compartment will be very similar to a larger van and include a large box like compartment in the back. Most of the Class C Motorhomes will have one sleeping bunk above the cab and another bedroom in the back of the compartment. Just like the Class A Motorhomes most of the Class C Motorhomes will include a slideout to extend the interior living space in a quick fashion. The Class C Motorhomes will include cooking facilities, refrigerator, heating, air conditioning, self-contained toilet, water tanks, sinks, portable gas supply, separate 125 volt electrical system, full scope of appliances and entertainment systems. A Class C Motorhome will sleep up to ten people with a little crowding depending on your model and floor plan layout. You can expect the prices for the Class C Motorhomes to range from about $50,000 to $150,000.
We hope you enjoyed this article about Motorhome classes and that it gives you a better understanding.