I think I'll check in over here...

[Harrysait]

If your chase vehicle is under 3500 lbs you could flat tow 4 wheels down.
When you get old and need to go 3 times a night you will wish you had a bathroom instead of motorcycles!
I just ram across this hybrid mini slit that will run off of 850 watts of solar, but where to put the compressor? I think you do have room for 3 large panels. Different thinking, more possibilities.


LEZETi Hybrid Solar PV Powered Mini-Split Ductless Air Conditioner —

[Grand Tour]

Got it.

[cowboy70]

Wow, that sounds like a LOT of work to do. Why not just buy a Sprinter based class b and take out what you don't want, and modify a little.

I own a Winnie Era70x,(3500 Dually) and NO way I would try to live in it. The Sprinter based RV is tight inside. I don't know how you will fit two motorcycles and still have a bed.

Why is "being stealthy" so important? So you don't plan on connecting to shore power much?? Not too stealthy to have a generator running. Also, you don't plan on staying in RV parks or campgrounds???? I guess I just don't understand the project or reasoning.

I think you have a massive & expensive project ahead of you.

Good luck.

[grindstone01]

How about a Class C pulling a trailer for your bikes. It might be less expensive $$ and time wise, plus the added benefit of a higher resale value. A mounted generator may result in annoying vibrations, better to have a removable option of which a Honda 3000 is too heavy (wish I had 2 Honda 2000's). Another option - I put a swivel trailer behind our fifth wheel to haul a motorcycle w/o trailer sway/backup hassles.

[Luv2go]

We're also planning a cargo van conversion, surprisingly enough very similar to your description except based on a gas-powered van. The reasons are much like yours, we just can't find a pre-built unit with exactly what we want, even with modifications.

Regarding the generator, we're planning on using a second alternator instead. The existing lithium house battery we have in the Roadtrek powers the A/C for two hours, in the new conversion we'll set up a remote start system to automatically run the engine when the house battery voltage gets too low. Both these are similar to the systems Roadtrek uses.

[Railfence]

Gran Tour: You've probably run across all of the YouTube videos under the category of "Stealth rv van" or "Van living." But if you haven't, there are many good ideas from experienced "stealth van folks" who have YouTube channels. They also give good tips on safe places to park for free (apartment parking lots, car dealerships, 24 hour grocery stores and more). I started thinking about the stealth options as a weekend trip taker in Florida during the winter months. The motel rates and availability make it difficult to explore all the sights we want to see (not to mention the $200 pet fees for a 10 pound little dog); plus state and national parks accommodate a van (better looking sites, etc) than a 42' motorhome. Good luck with your plans.

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by Harrysait

If your chase vehicle is under 3500 lbs you could flat tow 4 wheels down.

Not happening. It's a late-model BMW with an 8-speed paddle-shift transmission.

When you get old and need to go 3 times a night you will wish you had a bathroom instead of motorcycles!

Old is a relative term, and being a man, I don't need a bathroom to pee- I just need to go outside or have a pee tube or something.

I just ram across this hybrid mini slit that will run off of 850 watts of solar, but where to put the compressor? I think you do have room for 3 large panels. Different thinking, more possibilities.


LEZETi Hybrid Solar PV Powered Mini-Split Ductless Air Conditioner —

Hey, I really appreciate that. Any idea where I can buy one or how much it costs?

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by Luv2go

We're also planning a cargo van conversion, surprisingly enough very similar to your description except based on a gas-powered van. The reasons are much like yours, we just can't find a pre-built unit with exactly what we want, even with modifications.

Regarding the generator, we're planning on using a second alternator instead. The existing lithium house battery we have in the Roadtrek powers the A/C for two hours, in the new conversion we'll set up a remote start system to automatically run the engine when the house battery voltage gets too low. Both these are similar to the systems Roadtrek uses.

Looking at that too- a long/tall Transit 350 HD (the diesel Sprinter reportedly does not take well to extended idling). I'm concerned about the expense of lithium at this point. What lithium house battery are you using?

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by cowboy70

Wow, that sounds like a LOT of work to do. Why not just buy a Sprinter based class b and take out what you don't want, and modify a little.

Because that would be just about everything.

I own a Winnie Era70x,(3500 Dually) and NO way I would try to live in it. The Sprinter based RV is tight inside. I don't know how you will fit two motorcycles and still have a bed.

Our current loft bed design still gives us over 30" of head room in the loft bed over the garage.

Why is "being stealthy" so important?

Because we prefer to.

So you don't plan on connecting to shore power much??

No.

Not too stealthy to have a generator running.

At night we'd be running off our house battery bank, and during the day, you'd almost have to be standing next to a vehicle concealing a Honda generator inside a sound-insulated box to hear it at all.

Also, you don't plan on staying in RV parks or campgrounds????

No.

I guess I just don't understand the project or reasoning.

That's okay. From your avatar I'm guessing you are HSLD or at least on the job, so you probably already know Murphy's Law of Combat: "If it's stupid, but it works, it's not stupid."

I think you have a massive & expensive project ahead of you.

Yes.

Good luck.

Thanks.

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by Railfence

Gran Tour: You've probably run across all of the YouTube videos under the category of "Stealth rv van" or "Van living." But if you haven't, there are many good ideas from experienced "stealth van folks" who have YouTube channels. They also give good tips on safe places to park for free (apartment parking lots, car dealerships, 24 hour grocery stores and more). I started thinking about the stealth options as a weekend trip taker in Florida during the winter months. The motel rates and availability make it difficult to explore all the sights we want to see (not to mention the $200 pet fees for a 10 pound little dog); plus state and national parks accommodate a van (better looking sites, etc) than a 42' motorhome. Good luck with your plans.

Thanks.

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

How about a Class C pulling a trailer for your bikes. It might be less expensive $$ and time wise, plus the added benefit of a higher resale value.

We're not looking for a Class-C, we're not looking for a trailer, and we're not buying something for the purpose of selling it.

We may push the front of the garage forward another few inches and/or or make room for the rear tire to extend inside one of the rear doors a few inches, to make room for motorcycles of up to about 58.5" wheelbase with 17" wheels. And our bed design makes it very easy to alter the height.

We have a particular motorcycle that we plan to keep inside the vehicle, and as long as that one is going to be in there, the other one will fit right beside it.

A mounted generator may result in annoying vibrations, better to have a removable option of which a Honda 3000 is too heavy (wish I had 2 Honda 2000's).

We'll figure something out- we're not gonna have our generator(s) go walking away every time we turn our back on the rig.

Another option - I put a swivel trailer behind our fifth wheel to haul a motorcycle w/o trailer sway/backup hassles.

This particular motorcycle is going to be inside.

[okcnewbie]

Originally Posted by Grand Tour

....At night we'd be running off our house battery bank, and during the day, you'd almost have to be standing next to a vehicle concealing a Honda generator inside a sound-insulated box to hear it at all.

I love your ambition and the fact that you've already put so much thought into this.
I have a little experience with the inverter generators. After 2 Onan 4ky's bit the dust I decided to save and bought the Harbor Freight 3500 inverter gen. It's very quiet and reliable. You may find that you have a heat issue even without trying to surround it with sound deadening material. I fabricated a mount for a fan that helps with the heat but it runs best if I pull it out and set it on the ground.
You may find you have to pay the extra for a built in genset.

[Grand Tour]

I discovered another option-

Cummins-Onan makes a 2,500-watt generator with electric remote start, that is only 12.8" tall. That would fit completely under the floor behind the rear axle. Cummins-Onan even makes a set of brackets to mount it under the floor of a vehicle. If I choose the propane version, then I don't need access to the top of it to refuel, nor do I need a remote gasoline tank (and all of the attending headaches associated with that). And the electric remote start solves any issues with a pair of pull-start Honda EU2200i generators inside a box.

That would also eliminate an awful lot of the cutting, welding, building, sealing, insulating, and ventilating issues, not to mention greatly diminishing the CO risk.

The downside is that even though it's advertised as a "quiet" generator, I expect it to be louder than a Honda. Might not be the end of the world, as we would not be running it at night, and during the day, the noise may not matter, depending on where we are.

For the cost of carrying a couple of extra 20-pound propane tanks in the garage, this might work best.

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by Grand Tour

I discovered another option-

Cummins-Onan makes a 2,500-watt generator with electric remote start, that is only 12.8" tall. That would fit completely under the floor behind the rear axle. Cummins-Onan even makes a set of brackets to mount it under the floor of a vehicle. If I choose the propane version, then I don't need access to the top of it to refuel, nor do I need a remote gasoline tank (and all of the attending headaches associated with that). And the electric remote start solves any issues with a pair of pull-start Honda EU2200i generators inside a box.

That would also eliminate an awful lot of the cutting, welding, building, sealing, insulating, and ventilating issues, not to mention greatly diminishing the CO risk.

The downside is that even though it's advertised as a "quiet" generator, I expect it to be louder than a Honda. Might not be the end of the world, as we would not be running it at night, and during the day, the noise may not matter, depending on where we are.

For the cost of carrying a couple of extra 20-pound propane tanks in the garage, this might work best.

Been following your thread and it's apparent you are new to the RV world. What you're proposing is far from a new concept. Pleasureway is one I can think of that mounts the Onan behind the rear axle. All is well until you want to do a little Mild Off Roading. Forward of the rear axle, the clearance does not change a lot. Rear of the axle, different story.