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twyand's avatar
twyand
Explorer
Apr 24, 2015

Class C tour bus???

We are boat owners and wannabe RV'ers - we have a custom van conversion and love it since we make several long trips each year. The Van is an LA West conversion and very comfortable, but has no "hotel accommodations". The wife is not a camping fan (yet) but we wanted something that is less for the campground and more like a celebrity tour bus layout for nonstop travelling.

The Class B layouts fit too much by having everything fold out, not good for use on the road. Class A's are likely the best choice. We travel with our 9 year old daughter, and really want her to have a place of her own, so we like the Class C with cabover bunk. Still, the layout seem too much like an apartment on wheels.

I guess we will have to wait till Aerosmith gets a new tour bus and buy the old one. But is there something a bit smaller?
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Apr 24, 2015
    Occupying the cabover bunk while driving is not a wise idea for a variety of reasons, both in terms of safety and structural soundness. This is something to bear in mind if "nonstop traveling" means having one person drive while others sleep.

    There are both class C and class A motorhomes with bunks, which might work out better for your wants. It will be hard to find anything that doesn't look like some cross between an apartment and a sailboat cabin, though at least now there are a few options besides floral prints and vaguely southwestern patterns.

    If you're handy and ambitious, you might be able to build something more like what you want, perhaps a (smallish) school bus conversion or a step van conversion. It is a lot of work.
  • tatest's avatar
    tatest
    Explorer II
    Apr 24, 2015
    Tour buses are made in all sizes, most as custom builds, but it is a different market from RVs. Those built in class C sizes are usually used by coach services that transport a lot of smaller groups for short tours, mostly with seating and small kitchen and or bar facilities.

    Dynamax used to make some standard model touring coaches in the 22-28 foot range, which were sold through RV dealers but seldom purchased for dealer inventory. I'm not sure what they have in their current model lines, a new owner seems to be taking the brand more into conventional RVs.

    What can be custom built depends on what you might be willing to pay.
  • Matt_Colie's avatar
    Matt_Colie
    Explorer II
    Apr 24, 2015
    Twy,

    First off, traveling in an RV is NOT CAMPING. If where you sleep has heat and indoor plumbing, that is not camping. It is just a small motel that arrives when you do. If it has a usable dinette (many do), then daughter can sit there and entertain herself with books and games.

    I advise you to look at all the RVs you can find. Particularly work Craig's list and other local sales. If you can find used, you can save a lot of money. Just be very cautious of anything with square corners in the roof. Roof leaks can destroy any RV in an amazingly short time.

    You don't say what the boat is, but I can tell you that our antique 23' A has about the interior space of a 30' sloop or a 28' powered boat.

    Do you know the difference between an RV and a Boat??
    Water can leak out of an RV.

    Matt
  • twyand's avatar
    twyand
    Explorer
    Apr 26, 2015
    Thanks for the replies. We don't intend to use a cabover bunk while driving; we felt our daughter would prefer having a "place of her own" with a bit more privacy than converting a dinette.

    Not looking for the décor of a rock band tour bus, just the layout.

    After more discussion with DW, we are going to check out and drive as many smaller class A and C as we can. If there is a significant difference in driving and ride between the two, that would affect our decision.

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