2010 Hershey RV Show

[RoadWarrior]

Saw the 2011 revamped Born Free today. Oh man, too bad I don't have an extra $120K lying around

I only looked at the 27' RSB:

The passenger seat swivels around to the table and facing chair. The safety regulations now say it's OK. This allows the side door to be moved forward, creating space for a larger fridge, a wider upper and lower closet, AND the wall at the foot of the bed is gone! About 3/4 of the corner bed is open and easily climbed into. Oh, and the wood is Hickory, and the window shades are pull down, with no more strings to break!

[Rob]

Glad you were able to view a 2011 model. However I have wondered for sometime why the factory doesn't post pictures of their new models on Leap'n Lions for all of us to see. As an owner, my wife and I are always asked about our coach whenever we stay at an RV park. Would be nice to up to date.

Rob Beery
2003 24RB

[Mel Wilbur]

Rob, the following are the major updates for the 2011 models.
1. interior wood choices--oak, cherry, and hickory
2. new upholstery materials--4 choices
3. window shades - MCD, www.mcdinnovations.com
4. extra 15" at foot of bed on RSB model (see picture-hickory wood)
(note: the traditional RSB is still available)
5. passenger seat on swivel on selected models
6. SeeLevel ll 709P3W tank monitoring gauge - www.rvgauge.com/rv.htm
7. porcelain toilet standard on all models
8. Progressive Dynamics PD4045 Inteli-Power Converter/Charge Wizard
9. Super-Springs on all models except 20' mini
10. molded base under refrigerator for better water drainage
11. new exterior graphics(see picture)

[Rob]

Mel,
Thanks for the information and the pictures. Many of the changes are items we can or already have installed on our existing coaches.

Look forward to more information when available.

Leap'n Lions is great. When you ask a question someone always comes thru with an answer.

Rob & Joan
2003 24RB

[CHARLOTTE]

Hi Mel....Thanks for the update....Agree that this kind of info should be available on the Born Free website.... Anyhow, owning a rear side bed BF, wondering where they got those 15" that they added to same on the new models...Did they reduce a closet or remove one completely...or did they make the RV longer? Mine measures 26'10" now...so what does the new RSB measure out to be ???? Inquisitive minds need to know BTW...Hope all is well with you & Connie & family of course. Miss our conversations...but haven't had anything interesting to talk to you about. RV is in INDOOR storage, close to home & I'm mourning summer leaving. Here in my area, we really haven't had much of a summer.... and here it is gone...already !!! Take care & don't forget ... if you ever decide to sell that BF of yours....I'm first in line...

[jobrien]

Hi Charlotte'

I think by removing the one dinette seat, they were able to move the entry door forward, and because of that move, they are able to shift the frig and closet forward also. That makes for more room at the end of the bed.

I would like to see the new dinette arrangment, since the front passenger seat can swivel around to become the dinette seat also. Any pictures Mel???

John

[ewagman]

I always thought the wood trim surrounding the windows was classy. In the picture showing the curtains around the window above the bed, the look doesn't appeal to my eye as much as the wood does, but maybe the buyers get a choice.

If you could take an older Born Free RSB, and do a retrofit of the passenger seat to enable it to swivel close to the table, and eliminate the front dinette seat, move the table and rear seat forward, giving more space at the doorway, it sure would leave things a bit less crowded, and more desirable I would think. When we park, we usually shove the passenger seat all the way front, to give more space for the front chair at the table, so we really only use one of the two seats at a time.

[CHARLOTTE]

I agree...it sure is fine looking....however, the price tag is beyond my check book. Besides, my '99 runs like new (with 80K on it....probably cause I maintain diligently & properly) and I have the entertainment center & all that storage that comes with that arrangement and numerous other upgrades I've had done....It's paid for & with all that, there's just no reason to take on $120 K debt....I can add the few things that the new one has that I don't & still come out wayyyyyyyy ahead. Anyhow, just my 2 cents...love my BF & don't need to do anything else with it....accept of course if Mel decides to 'retire' his ....

[dmews001]

In the meantime the Born Free website has been updated to include pics of the new 27RSB.

http://www.bornfreemotorcoach.com/index.php

At first I thought this is nice, some evolution, but after looking closer it seems to me they went backwards.

As Ed "ewgaman" already commented on, the classy window boxes have been replaced by curtains. Who asked for that? Cost cutting measure?

Eliminating one of the captain chairs for the now swivelling passenger seat may seem like a smart idea at first, but what happened to the big panoramic curb-side window? Gone. In its place now is a smallish, tall window just like in the 22RK. Whoever travels in the remaining captain chair looks at the wall instead of the landscape. One captain chair down, smaller window and curtains instead of wooden window casings. Can't make out the rails for the cabin curtains either. I think they've been eliminated also. That adds up.

I'm sure some are willing to accept that for the extra 15" at foot of the bed. Not sure if I would.......

--Detlef

[ewagman]

Born Free may have responded to "market conditions", and reduced the cost of the contents of the motorhome. I notice the carpeting has been replaced in the sitting and dining area by vinyl, not necessarily a bad thing. The false wood dashboard trim that brightened up all that gray area is gone. The smaller window at the dining table and the deleted window trim boxes would have reduce cost, as well as installing one less chair, but if changes like this keep Born Free in business, well, that's better than the alternative. Perhaps a deluxe interior (casual elegance) is still available, and will have those items included.
The changes they made would have provided an opportunity for a longer bed, something us 6 footers would like, my toes hang off the standard size bed, might come with the next revision. Otherwise, I would prefer the door and window to remain where they were, and move the rear chair and table forward to work together with the now swiveling front chair. My opinion, for what it is worth.

[shilohdad]

We went to the RV show in Suffern, NY, last weekend and saw the new 2011 coaches with the new window treatments. First, the curtains were a last minute addition to the coaches that were brought east. I suspect they will see a quick demise, as the factory rep said he had heard nothing but bad comments on them. He also said they could easily be deleted when ordering a new coach. Also, I don't see the point of them when you have shades, too! I don't know if the fabric valances are now standard, or were added with the curtains. I did not have a strong feeling about them one way or the other.

Now for the shades. They are indeed pull-down shades. There are two of them on each window. One is a mesh shade for getting privacy but letting in light. The second is a solid white shade, much as you would see in a home setting. These shades are now on all windows in the coach - living area, kitchen and bathroom. All have velcro tabs on them. In the kitchen and bath, they attach to small velcro tabs at the bottom of the window. In the living area, they simply grab onto the fluffy wall covering that Born Free uses. Thus, even on the slightly non-vertical side walls of the coach, the shades don't hang slightly askew into the living area.

The shades are easy to pull down and then retract, although one of the coaches had a solid shade that had been damaged when someone got a little to rough with it, according to the factory rep. He simply got it all the way back up, and asked us not to pull it down. I don't know if this would be a common issue, or rather that some gorilla at the show did something stupid.

We did not take a real close look at the living area of the 27 RSB, as we are not interested in that model. I will say that it will be a LOT easier for whoever has the wall-side sleeping position on the bed to get out. He/she will not have to clamber out over his/her sleeping partner to go to the potty in the middle of the night. All the other units seem to have gotten only minor changes for 2011.

As for the hickory cabinetry, I suspect that you will either love it or hate it. It is more expensive than the oak, but less than the cherry. It has a lot of grain and knots, and the knots cause there to be more wastage when cutting, as some just pop out, making that board useless. The base color of the hickory is quite light, lighter than the oak. The grain can be looked at as either interesting or too busy (thus leading to the probable love/hate relationship I mentioned).

[charlesbell]

Sam- The 22'RSK is IDEAL for all the reasons you mentioned. I too am a single traveler and this coach is just great. I recently added a FIAMMA brand "box style" awning. I didn't order the Born Free factory awning for my 2010 RSK because I feel the Fiamma awning is much more attractive; it perfectly matches the coach color and doesn't have the unsightly arms hanging down the side of the coach. It's easy to not notice that an awning is attached to the coach with the near perfect paint match and the absence of the arms. I also chose to delete the chair nearest the door as the spot is ideal for my folding bicycle. For me the 22RSK is just about as close to the perfect motorhome as I can imagine. THANKS BORN FREE!