ClassB Forum gets a little bigger - Welcome Rialta Owners

Janet H · 03-09-2016, 08:19 PM

You may have noticed some expansion today as we make the ClassB Board a little bigger.

We have noticed that there is growing interest in B+ motorhomes in the past few years and so have recently expanded the Class B+ section of the site.

Today we welcome members of the Rialta Owners Club whos old home on the web was running on outdated software. Since we have many Rialta owners here already this seemed like a good fit. You will see a new forum in the Class B+ section of the board for this imported content. Rialta Club member accounts have also been moved and we are delighted to have them join us.

Please make them feel welcome

markopolo · 03-10-2016, 02:25 PM

I say Welcome! We all share similar use and travels I expect. Make it a sub-forum of it's own, not under the B+ section, if members prefer that.

Rialta's and LeSharo's are unique. The hold their resale value well just like Class B vans.

Davydd · 03-11-2016, 04:33 AM

It's a dead RV type and hard to tell if they are a Class B or a Class C by definition. I long ago had gotten tired of the small Class C (B+) thinking they were Bs when the definition expands to 32 foot long. If the board expands that way it will be goodbye for me. Facebook gives more definitive choices as to where to expend online energy. Just my 2 cents.

bigdan · 03-14-2016, 11:52 AM

The Rialta`s are class B + to me
and seriously who really care , as long as we enjoy !

be happy Davydd ! Life is too short to worry about that !
.................................................. .......
I admit , I was a little shoked by this move ,,,,,But life`s too short to loose time in complaining !If this move is benific ,...why not ?

Hope that if someone does a search on Google for Rialta forum , he`ll be link here

Dan ,

wincrasher · 03-14-2016, 05:53 PM

Just adds more to the confusion of what's a B. I usually come on and check the Recent Threads for new topics. If it ends up totally polluted with Rialta stuff, then I'll probably check in less and less.

bigdan · 03-14-2016, 06:13 PM

I just gave you a B- for this

markopolo · 03-14-2016, 06:35 PM

Hymer would really blur the lines between B & C if they introduce models like this:

small hymer.JPG

It's a C but owners would have way more in common with B owners in the way it used.

If you look at it from a lifestyle and use point of view then we have more in common than not.

wincrasher · 03-14-2016, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markopolo

Hymer would really blur the lines between B & C if they introduce models like this:

Attachment 3252

It's a C but owners would have way more in common with B owners in the way it used.

If you look at it from a lifestyle and use point of view then we have more in common than not.

They'd be really smart to come out with something of that size. It would be a big hit I think.

rockymtnb · 03-14-2016, 11:08 PM

RVIA industry association muddied those old Class B distinctions a few years ago when it replaced the traditional Class B van chassis definition with the more generic RV Type B definition of 'Drives like a family van' and sleeps up to four people. Whereas the RVIA Type C definition is now: Sleeps up to eight people with Optional sleeping over the cab.

In Europe they have separate categories for Semi-Integrated which are low-profile units without over-cab sleeping, and Alcove units with the more bulbous tops familiar on American Class C's. The Semi-Integrated units have a lot in common with modern Class B's - compact bathroom and kitchen facilities, integrated boiler/heating systems like the Truma Combi, Alde, or Espar/Rixen systems, smaller displacement engines, lower roof heights, and overall lengths of 25 ft or less.

If Hymer or similar companies are able to grow the Semi-Integrated market in America they would seem very compatible with Class B Forum interests.

Rok · 03-19-2016, 06:27 PM

Wow, Marko, that Hymer unit does indeed blur the lines of class B/B+/C. It looks actually smaller than most modern Class B's, but by traditional definitions, it is definitely something else.

The think I am looking for when visiting this site is others with interest in small self-contained RV's. The Hymer unit depicted certainly fits that niche. (As do the old Rialtas.) I have to admit that we looked at at least one and probably more like two Rialtas before finally making our choice to buy our Great West Legend SE.

We could have bought one for $20K, but it really needed a lot of work. We even test drove one and it really felt a little rickety, at least compared with some of the Sprinter conversions we test drove.

With the demise of Great West, we are now considering other options, including the B+ models like those produced by Leisure Travel Vans. Other options might also include actually going smaller to a 19' Sprinter Class B with the addition of a Towable, like an Airstream travel trailer.

Unfortunately, that would probably require a 3500 chassis based 19 footer, and I don't know if those really exist.

The bottom line is that as our possibilities and interests broaden we are glad to see people commenting on other combinations other than a strict Class B.

Personally I think this site has done a good job of maintaining itself as an authoritative source of everything Class B, while still having discussions about ancillary products that interest me.

...Rok

Davydd · 03-19-2016, 09:04 PM

I went to the LaMesa RV Super B show this week. They had Bs and small Cs. The largest RV was a Winnebago Via Class A. If I didn't own what I have the only other RV that had any appeal was the LTV Unity twin bed without slides. Then I realized that RV nor any Promaster could have followed me through our trip schedule we maintained and kept pace these past 7 weeks in the southwest. I base the Promasters as having similar capability as our old 2005 Pleasure-way Plateau and I know it couldn't have kept pace in any pleasurable way. It is all about being able to make a move and keeping your sanity on a long trip. The larger RVs simply couldn't have gone to many places we went or stayed as long. They are all designed for campground to campground plugging in. They couldn't park boondocked in a Sun City driveway for three days as we did. First of all they wouldn't fit.

bigdan · 03-19-2016, 09:41 PM

sprinters are diesel , promaster are gas engine.....

Is that the reason you think they woulndt keep the pace ?

to me anything bigger then 24 feet is useless....lots of roads in US are limited to 24 feet RV`s ......

personnally I like 21 feet best ! BUt as I say I dont care having my wife pass over me at nightime , instead of having 4 feet more to have a walkaround bedroom .....

Dan

booster · 03-19-2016, 09:46 PM

Lots of 20 footers also have front to rear sleeping so don't even have the crawl over factor. 24' is longer than we would want.

gregmchugh · 03-20-2016, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davydd

I went to the LaMesa RV Super B show this week. They had Bs and small Cs. The largest RV was a Winnebago Via Class A. If I didn't own what I have the only other RV that had any appeal was the LTV Unity twin bed without slides. Then I realized that RV nor any Promaster could have followed me through our trip schedule we maintained and kept pace these past 7 weeks in the southwest. I base the Promasters as having similar capability as our old 2005 Pleasure-way Plateau and I know it couldn't have kept pace in any pleasurable way. It is all about being able to make a move and keeping your sanity on a long trip. The larger RVs simply couldn't have gone to many places we went or stayed as long. They are all designed for campground to campground plugging in. They couldn't park boondocked in a Sun City driveway for three days as we did. First of all they wouldn't fit.

Davydd, interested in details on Promaster Class Bs not being able to keep pace with your ARV for your current trip?

Clearly you would have less storage space and living area in a smaller Promaster relative to your Sprinter XL and likely less creature comforts than in your ARV.

Any other factors you are referring to?

Davydd · 03-20-2016, 04:09 AM

Mostly electrical and all tank sizes. You would be hard pressed to hangout in Joshua Tree NP for a. Week as we did coming from a BLM boondocking period. We can easily go 10 days without dumping and never have to plug in. Our 2005 Pleasure-way Plateau had more boondocking sustainability than the Promasters.

Creature comforts are important too for two people staying out on the road for any length of time. I've gone progressively through three Bs to work out those idiosyncrasies and I realize there are limits in a B. That is probably the biggest reason small Cs are so much more popular but then you give up so much mobility.

gregmchugh · 03-20-2016, 04:27 AM

Davydd, very good, thanks for the details...

wincrasher · 03-20-2016, 05:06 AM

Hmmm....going 10 days between servicing your tanks, or doing it every 4 or 5 days and saving $150K.....decisions, decisions....

tropicallie · 03-20-2016, 06:20 AM

[QUOTE=bigdan;42803]sprinters are diesel , promaster are gas engine.....

Not all Promasters are gas. Ours is diesel. That said, kuddos to Davydd for being able to spend 7 weeks in a van, no matter the size. I always felt the walls starting to close in after 3-4 weeks even in our 35ft fifth wheel.

Davydd · 03-20-2016, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Hmmm....going 10 days between servicing your tanks, or doing it every 4 or 5 days and saving $150K.....decisions, decisions....

Sez the man who buys a tugboat and has bought and sold what some 4 or 5 RVs this past year or so.

wincrasher · 03-20-2016, 03:15 PM

LOL. It hasn't been THAT many. So far, the numbers have worked pretty well.

But I have land and sea covered. Need to work on air.

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