Motor homes and payloads

I did not say it does not exist, but I would think that most who buy caravans, will look at what can be carried

I suspect that most first time purchasers will not realise the significance of 120 kg payload when 50 kg is taken by nover and battery etc

Agree. When we had a motorhome and were looking at replacing it, payload was important.  Looking round, both at the NEC and individual dealers, questioning payloads was like asking for the impossible.  When asked, most dealers didn't even know the first thing about the payload for any given MH we were interested in.  OK, don't expect them to know everything about every single MH, but the reaction was always that "it will be fine".  Really?

I do think that payload, whether for caravan or MH, is not as important to dealers as it should be, but then, being cynical, why should it be?  It's not in their interest.

Many caravans suffer from very low payloads but at least you can load the car up. As has been said many times on this forum, motorhome payloads can be a joke and certain manufacturers imply that you can get away with quite low payload such as 350kg. One “trick” is to give you a massive fresh water tank then tell you to only fill it to 20% for travelling. 120 litres is 120 kg which can slightly eat into your allowance!

We travel very light - no bikes, no picnic table, tiny groundsheet etc. - and with a full water tank (but on a diet) we have 460kg.

It is why a lot of folk are buying pickups, their payload is over 1.1tonnes.

Further to what David says, there is one Continental make that fits habitation doors on the UK kerbside. They are Benimar ( personally I think they all should. Having seen folk with children trying to get out of a motorhome in a layby in Scotland, with inches between them and a passing log lorry !) Another subject.

Benimar look to be making good coachbuilt vans for the UK.

When asked, most dealers didn't even know the first thing about the payload for any given MH we were interested in. OK, don't expect them to know everything about every single MH...

It's hardly difficult for any given MH to have the base axle weights available in its promotional brochures, from which prospective purchasers may do a bit of quick arithmetic to decide if there is sufficient payload for their requirements. As a rough guide I would think that any MH that quotes a payload below 500Kg should be viewed with suspicion.

l have the Autotrail 625 Tribute high line, l had mine weighed on a weighbridge cost ten quid with all l need for a site pitch plus wind out awning and bike rack full tank of fuel 1/2 tank of water plus myself, less clothes and food it weighed 3.200 KG, l also had each axle weighed front and rear, the certificate is carried in the van. We have two electric bikes each weighing 25 KG each Golf clubs  2 sets 15 kg and two push trolleys 7 KG leaving 228 KG spare, more than enough left for food and other essentials. My Motorhome is 6.2 meters in length, my advice is to get the dealer to get it weighed empty, l think you will be surprised how much you will have. We had a caravan before we struggled to get the weight with having just 150kg to use, no chance with the bikes on board, hence changing to a motor home

so, if i read this post right, the above MH was weighed with no passenger (75kg), half a tank of water (50kg), no clothes or bedding (30kg....these are surprisingly heavy) or food 10kg incl tins.... or mention of pots pans, cutlery/crockers or electrical items (kettles, toaster, ipad, pc) perhaps another 20kg..185kg of the 'spare' 228kg.

add in tools and other sundries and the van is now pretty close to fully loaded.

take into account that the bikes are slung out on a bike rack well behind the rear axle (no rear storage so where do the golf clubs and trolleys go...?) and this might be closer to its limit than might seem possible when putting aginst the earlier weighed (partially empty) figures...

i would be tempted to fill the water tank, get the OH onboard with the bikes golf gear and everything else like bedding, pots pans etc and get another 'real life' weighing....

Isnt the most important thing to think about is the age thing ? 70 

There are many things to think about in order to remain legal. Not exceeding the stipulated weights for the vehicle and having the correct driving licence entitlement being only two of them. Infringing these, as well as committing other breaches of the law, could land you in court and invalidate insurance so I’m not sure there is a 'most' important thing.