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Old 03-02-2012, 09:35 PM   #21
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

It certainly is not for everyone. In fact, the market for a vehicle like this is pretty small.

But I like it and wish ER success.

An SMB is great for 2 people. Not for a family of 5 or more.

if you want to explore with a family, this would have limitations, but it would be a lot more capable off road than a typical motorhome.

I am curious about the 4x4 setup and interior layout.

R

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Old 03-02-2012, 09:38 PM   #22
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

Quote:
Originally Posted by LenS
Let me understand. Someone is going to take this traveling bill board that shouts "I have so much money I don't know what to do with it!" into the worlds 'wild areas' traveling and camping. Does it come with gun ports and a gun rack?

I prefer 'low profile' traveling myself.
I know what you mean.

But lots of people say exactly that about a typical SMB.

R
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Old 03-02-2012, 10:21 PM   #23
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

Did anyone notice that the most miles on one of the used Eartroamers for sale on that site only has 32,000 miles on it? The 05 vehicle only has 27,000 miles. I've seen SMB for sale with well over 100,000 miles on them. That ought to tell you something. People don't take these things very far.
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Old 03-02-2012, 11:27 PM   #24
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

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Originally Posted by macmcintire
People don't take these things very far.
I wonder how much that has to do with fuel cost. I can see taking an XV-LT into the back country to some pretty isolated mountain lake, parking, and just fishing for a couple of weeks.

I'll bet that in really rugged terrain that new XV-HD gets only a fraction of the mileage that a semi does, more like the mileage an M1A2 Abrams tank gets: 0.5 mpg. One of its weaknesses is that it has to be chased around by fuel tankers. I'd think the amount of fuel the XV-HD carries is so heavy it eats up a a substantial amount of the GVWR. This is the same problem orbital rockets have, a bigger rocket requires more fuel, which then requires an even bigger rocket. You hit a point of diminishing returns that is undoable. There's something to be said for keeping everything to the minimum size you need: simplicity, lower weight, agility, nimbleness, lower costs.
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Old 03-03-2012, 09:18 AM   #25
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomH
There's something to be said for keeping everything to the minimum size you need: simplicity, lower weight, agility, nimbleness, lower costs.
You mean like tent camping with a motorcycle?

Did that for many years.

Now, I kinda like my SMB for none of the reasons you listed.

- ease of setting up camp
- porta-pottie
- storage capacity
- rain tight
- off the ground
- morning coffee and breakfast
- furnace for cold mornings
- AC for summer travel
- spare tire
- talk to my passenger while driving
- ability to drive through snow and mud
- and much more

Mike
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Old 03-03-2012, 01:19 PM   #26
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350
Quote:
Originally Posted by TomH
There's something to be said for keeping everything to the minimum size you need: simplicity, lower weight, agility, nimbleness, lower costs.
You mean like tent camping with a motorcycle?

Did that for many years.

Now, I kinda like my SMB for none of the reasons you listed.

- ease of setting up camp
- porta-pottie
- storage capacity
- rain tight
- off the ground
- morning coffee and breakfast
- furnace for cold mornings
- AC for summer travel
- spare tire
- talk to my passenger while driving
- ability to drive through snow and mud
- and much more

Mike
Mike, I am actually in complete agreement with your list. In contrast to that ER monster, I think a SMB is all those things I listed: simplicity, lower weight, agility, nimbleness, lower costs, while at the same time having the things on your list.

For most of my life, I would have said that even motorcycle camping is overkill. I can't keep count of how many pair of Vibram soles I have gone through backpacking thousands of miles to places no wheeled vehicle of any kind could ever reach (think technical rock climbing). As I push 60, backpacking is getting pretty hard (no-make that very hard) on my body and we are looking for a vehicle capable of reaching the back country. We once had a WV diesel rabbit pickup with a flush shell on the back. It had an elevated platform with storage beneath and just enough head space to crawl in and sleep on top. The thing got 52 mpg hwy though and was great when we were young. It had a 700 mile range and a fill-up cost an entire $15. We have been debating SMB or Tiger. My wife grew up in a house like one on those Clean House or Hoarders shows. That made her claustrophobic about small or confined spaces, so she likes larger and empty spaces. A couple of weeks ago, Provan announced their new Siberian, which is just smaller than the ER XV-LT. We started looking at it and thinking, yea, that extra space would be nice, then the new ER came out. Just looking at this XV-HD however has made me start thinking, "How much do I really need in a motorhome? What's really necessary and what's not?" How many places am I excluding myself from due to the size of my vehicle? Where is the right balance between the amount of stuff, volume, mass, and luxury vs. cost of vehicle, fuel, insurance, and limitations due to the large size?

We all have to make our own decisions, but rather than draw me towards its size, the new ER has pushed me back in the other direction.
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Old 03-03-2012, 08:20 PM   #27
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

There are plenty of people who like to camp but have no intention to take the difficult more technical trails. Originally I had no idea that light rock climbing would be so fun or crashing through over grown trails would be something I’d be looking for in the future. I am so glad I steered clear of something taller than my PH. Sometimes I even wish I had a RB. I guess I was just lucky and ended up with a vehicle that I hope will suit my needs for several years after I retire from work. If I did go with something large, I’d want to pull a Jeep behind it, but the tow vehicle would still have to be small enough to make it into the backcountry. Now if I were camping in more open country all the time or typical forest service campgrounds, I’d want a much larger RV. Just my view. I always think back to when my boss said, "do you know with the money you're gonna plop down to buy that thing and price to run it just how many hotel and rentals you can get"?
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Old 03-04-2012, 03:42 AM   #28
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb
I always think back to when my boss said, "do you know with the money you're gonna plop down to buy that thing and price to run it just how many hotel and rentals you can get"?
Did you answer him that being able to stop over night without having to book or go to a specific place is priceless?
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Old 03-04-2012, 07:43 AM   #29
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

I don't want one but I sure like looking at them!
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Old 03-04-2012, 08:14 AM   #30
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Re: Monster EarthRoamer Announced

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewST
Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb
I always think back to when my boss said, "do you know with the money you're gonna plop down to buy that thing and price to run it just how many hotel and rentals you can get"?
Did you answer him that being able to stop over night without having to book or go to a specific place is priceless?
Yep, a static "ROI" analysis on an SMB versus pay as you go alternatives will look poor for all but the most frequent users.

But that framework assigns zero value to time and convenience, which we all value differently.

For me, not having to make reservations or pick-up or return a rental vehicle is worth A LOT.

R
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