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Roughing It
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Bill Stermer
12/01/2003
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Photography by Chris Chomyn
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What do you feel like doing today? Sailing down the Atlantic coast to Daytona
in a luxury motor home with your bike in the back? How about parking at a remote
campground in the Rockies, the Appalachians or the desert, then rolling out the
dirt bikes and heading for the hills, the trails, the dunes?
Welcome to your
new home away from home, the 2005 Vantare H345 S2 by Featherlite Luxury Coaches,
a fully self-contained motor home with bike storage below. Freed from the
hassles of hauling a trailer, motorcycle adventures have never been easier or
more enjoyable. And you always get to choose the view from the front
windows. (Click images to enlarge)
When it’s time to call it quits after a day of off-roading, there’s
no need to drive anywhere. Use the auxiliary air compressor to blow the dust off
the bikes before stowing them underneath with the help of the electric winch.
Electric bay-door locks handle security. Clean up in the glassed-in shower, grab
a cold one from the fridge and relax under the patio awning until dinnertime.
With the antenna package you can enjoy TV, AM/FM radio and cell phone reception
at any time. Meanwhile, activate the four air conditioners so that the Vantare
will be at the ideal temperature when you’re ready to turn in. There’s no worry
about power with the 17.5-kilowatt diesel generator.
 Ready to roll, the
Vantare H345 S2 is 45 feet long and 102 inches wide, but the coaches come with
your choice of two or three slide-out sections, activated by electric
screw-drive technology, so the whole family can spread out. There are five large
storage areas underneath with lift-up doors, two of them large enough to accept
a motorcycle—and more. (Click image to enlarge)
The company describes its top-end luxury coaches as “a
five-star hotel on wheels,” and include such amenities as a 42-inch plasma TV,
Bose Surround Sound and a bathroom and a half. No surprise, then, that many
elite race teams utilize Vantare coaches. A joint venture of Featherlite
Trailers and Vantare, formerly a luxury yacht builder, these plush vehicles use
shells and chassis from Prevo Car of Canada, which are shipped to Featherlite’s
Florida manufacturing facility for outfitting. They utilize a 525-horsepower
Detroit 60-Series Diesel engine hooked to an Allison World six-speed
transmission.
 When it’s time to pull up stakes, simply maneuver out of the
campground with the help of the Vantare’s backup camera. Then whoosh down the
road on cruise control with the comfort of full air-ride suspension. Bikes, full
gear, total luxury and a shower—keep your eyes peeled for your next riding
spot. (Click image to enlarge)
Suggested retail for most coaches is $1,499,000
www.featherliteinc.com |
888.826.8273
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