Born Free should make a Floor Plan like this

[stevek]

A short in length BF with dedicated beds. Note the rear twins.
I really do not like the jack knife bed and having to make it up all the time.
But I do like the Overhead bed.
The next option, BF offers is the side bed, but in a longer in length vehicle. I think 27 feet + or -?
I really do love my 23 foot (actual length) BF and its mobility. I can park it anywhere.

Just my 2 cents..

PS...Overall actual length of above floor plan is 23'2" on a Ford cutaway chassis.
And is a Coach House. All fiberglass, with NO seams like the Born Free.
BUT..... no overhead BED !! Thats a deal killer for me. I love my OH bed.

[bcope01]

Better view of Steve"s image.

Bill

[stevek]

Thanks Bill. Much easier to read.
I have even imagined taking the jack knife couch/ bed out and installing a twin bed with trapezoidal bolster pillows. My wife sleeps in the OH and I sleep on the jack knife. I dislike that bed. Its a pain..

[stevek]

Lazy Daze makes a 24 foot with rear twins.


I have been in this MH at the factory. LOTS of windows which is nice.
But crappy bathroom in my humble opinion.

[stevek]

Hi Sam, I always go to the all the local RV shows and check out the new units.
Mainly to see whats new, like the Revo.
The workmanship on the Born Free is hard to beat.
Most of, if not all of the new MHs I look at, do not have workmanship or quality of materials of the Born Free.

I also look at the sprinters, like the View.
Which makes we wonder why the price of diesel has not come down in price like gas?

I am still OK with my V10 gas engine and 10 mpg.

[jlef123]

All the coaches mentioned except the Platinum have vacuum bonded sidewalls and some may have rubber roofs. None, including the Platinum, have roll bars. Put one of them on its side in an accident and you have kindling wood all over the highway, maybe less so with the Platinum. If you have ever seen an RV that was involved in an accident you know what I mean. Very little protection for the occupants. Think it's not going to happen to you? Well there is one member of the Leap'n Lions club who probably thought that earlier this year. Their coach ended up on its side on I-95 and they were able to walk away from it with minor injuries. The awning tore off and one set of cabinets came off. The shell, I understand, was intact. That, is one of the primary reasons I own a Born Free.

[stevek]

I thought all of Coach House was all One Piece Fiberglass?

So in a Roll Over, this would be no good?

[Vlamgat]

Correct - at least in theory. The effect of the vehicle going over is that the shell will distort and be punctured by the impact with the road surface giving no protection to the interior. Roll over supports resist this effect giving the shell a greater strength. Obviously speed and impact will be major determinants as they any are with any vehicle. There is just not enough research into this subject for anything other than guesswork. I have not heard of anyone attempting a computerized simulation either.

[96rsbowner]

i dont know where or when this happened or whether anyone was seriously hurt but the roll bars make me feel safer.

[Mel Wilbur]

Attached letter of August 2006 explains the above accident.

[Mel Wilbur]

Sam wrote:
Roll bars are a non sequitur unless you're in the house portion when a collision takes place. Even then, not having them doesn't automatically mean you needed them in any collision. The cab is where the occupants in most Born Frees travel.

Based on the picture and the letter from the owner it appears to me that the roll bars play a major role in protecting the occupants in all areas of the motor home.

[stevek]

[quote=In a tree falling on the coach when parked? Yes, that would be helpful having roll bars in place. That's a given.[/quote]

Recently a Born Free Owner lost his rig due to a tree falling on it.
They where camping.
I saw his posting/ pictures on the web, but can not remember where?
One of the various RV Forums, I am sure.
I saved one of the pictures, but can not find.
Maybe someone would chime in regarding this?

Regarding the Murphy bed, I have seen these.
But still would like a dedicated bed.
Thats what I like about the floor plan I originally posted.
3 dedicated beds. One overhead and the twins in the back.
All in a 23 foot rig.

[Vlamgat]

"But still would like a dedicated bed.
Thats what I like about the floor plan I originally posted.
3 dedicated beds. One overhead and the twins in the back.
All in a 23 foot rig."

+1 - However we are not going to see a Diesel with tow capacity (F Series) that short because of the EPA exhaust requirements.

[Dallas Baillio]

Suck it up and get a RSB (rear side bed) The idea that 2 to 4 more feet in length makes some huge difference is a "non sequitur" (see Sam I too can use big words!).

In a RSB you get a real bed, a couch and a table and chairs. If more is needed you should purchase a Class A or a house.

[stevek]

Dallas, I have heard bad stories of the rear side bed.
I have heard you have to ... "stand on your head to make it up"?
The rear twin beds make so much more sense.