By Darrin Michael, Dave Arbogast RV Depot
These days, finding the right RV for your next great adventure out on the open road can be quite the challenging task.
With so many important decisions to make, where does one even begin?
Thankfully, in the past few years one particular style of RV is quickly becoming a fan favorite among travel enthusiasts everywhere, while at the same time making life easier from a travel standpoint.
Say “hello” to the Class B motorhome…
How They Began…
The year was 1974 when Roadtrek founder Jac Hanemaayer began thinking about the possibility of creating a RV for personal. While Hanemaayer enjoyed the comfort and space offered by a Class A or C motorhome, he had no desire to become a bus driver on the weekend.
Haanemayer had always been upset he couldn’t find the comforts included with a larger motorhome contained within the compact size of a van. To remedy the problem, Haanemayer designed one himself and had it built by Fledgling Home & Park Vehicles. Impressed by his creation so much, Haanemayer would later purchase the company who built the van for him.
Similar to the look we’re all familiar with today, in 1980 Hannemayer completely redesigned his creation with a lower profile roof, lower floor and an innovative three-section floorplan. The layout is reminiscent of what we see today.
Tons of Brands Available
While most of you can likely pick a Class B motorhome out on the road when you see one, many are still getting to know these “van-esque” RVs, as well as all the luxurious features they come with.
The best part is these days, the number of different types of Class B motorhomes available to RVers has grown significantly in the past five years. It’s not just limited to Haanemayer’s Roadtrek brand anymore. There are also great brands like Pleasure-Way and Leisure Travel Vans. Even more, some of the large manufacturers are starting to dabble in the Class B market. Now brands like the Airstream Interstate and Winnebago Era and Travato have become some of the body style’s top sellers.
But Why Have They Become So Popular?
There are a number of reasons as to why the popularity of Class B motorhomes continues to skyrocket. First and foremost, one of the main reasons is likely their size. Class B’s are small enough take any place a regular car or van can go.
The main attraction with Class B’s however might be that despite their compactness, they are still filled with some of the same luxurious features as their larger counterparts. They can have a bathroom and shower if you want it, a bedroom, a living area and more. Basically, the sky is the limit when it comes to what all a Class B can come with.
The Class B Traveler: A Unique Breed
It’s kind of interesting to be honest.
The Class B enthusiast is a unique breed. Any RV’er I’ve ever spoken with who has decided to make the switch from a Class B from one of its big brother Class A or C models has been pleased with their decision to do so.
Awhile back I interviewed an elderly couple who spends retirement traveling the country in an RV. They had recently sold their huge, Class A diesel motorhome and decided to go with a more modest Class B instead.
While the couple had some great stories from their travels before, their stories now are even more amazing as the smaller Class B now allowed them to visit a variety of new places.
They traded down.
And they never looked back.
Author Bio: Darrin Michael currently serves as the eCommerce/Marketing Director at Dave Arbogast RV Depot in Troy, Ohio. In addition, he also teaches Internet Development at Edison Community College. He’s been featured on a number of other industry related blogs including Woodalls, RV-Pro.com, DealerRefresh.com and more.
