Our new (to us) Motorhome (1 Viewer)

[barryd]

Howdy folks. As a returning member of old I thought I would show you our new to us van after I re-joined the other day. Those of you that remember me from over a decade ago on here might remember we had a Kontiki 640 (Hank the Tank) for 16 years, first bought in 2008 and great it was too. Sadly at 28 years old it was a bit of a creaking gate. I literally looked for a decade for a replacement on and off with the same rear lounge layout that would also cope with a scooter on the back which with my dodgy knees is my lifeline for getting about.

A few weeks ago we finally got one. A 2015 Swift Esprit 496 which are as rare as hens teeth in this configuration. So far so good apart from some battery and solar woes but I half expected that and its being dealt with. Currently on a CL in west Dorset for a shake down tour of a few months. Will be heading to Salcombe for a month next then Cornwall and north Devon. Next year will be the big one. Possibly a French Visa and six months in Europe.

Couple of pics

 

[funflair]

You have changed the scooter as well if my memory serves me, am I right you were on Facts first though? "happy new van anyway"

 

[Ditcha]

Used to love reading your posts on facts Barry do still have the Gilera scooter or did it finally die.

 

[PP Bear]

Nice one

 

[barryd]

Hank the Tank (The original) outlived two scooters. The original one was actually a Peugeot Speedfight II 100cc two stroke. Just 95 kilos. We loved that bike although it did have a few reliability issues and I probably posted about this on here in 2009 but it broke a belt in the south of France and me thinking its a French bike it would be no problem. Think again! In the end I had to have a drive belt shipped from my dealer in the UK to Honda Albi! We were a week without it and it destroyed me! Actually it didnt really. We had a great time up at Lake Paraloupe. It finally died in Brittany in 2014 I think. We then bought a 2012 (Three year old Honda Vision 110. Did 20000 miles on that and it started playing up about three or four years ago so in 2022 we bought the current one which just over two years later has just had its 12000 mile service in Bridport, Dorset. The bike does more miles than the van now.

The Honda Visions were a game changer though. So much more reliable, comfortable (ish) for longer tours out for the day and the previous one went all over the Alps and the Pyrenees. Quite a few videos on my youtube channel (Thats another story, Im a rock star now by the way. )

Lots of motorhome related and scooter adventure stuff in this playlist.

Aventures

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[barryd]

Chuckle! Can you believe it. I first started looking for a new van on here in 2011. Only taken me 13 years. I never ever want to do it again. Its worse than moving house. We got lucky though. For years I looked for one of these, had one sold from under me two years ago and this one dropped in my lap right on my doorstep a month or so ago. Private sale as well. I ended up for a short while with two "Hanks" on the front of the house. Amazingly I sold Hank the Tank 1 in less than 24 hours on FB market place. Then the fun started. How do you empty a van with 16 years worth of your clobber in just 2 hours?

This was when I started looking

My ideal Motorhome doesnt exist?

At some point I may change my Swift Kontiki 640 which is a 1996 model. I love it to bits and we did well to find a first van that we have loved everything about. So much so that my next van has to be as good if not better with the same layout. I am hearing reports that some of the newer...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[funflair]

Hank the Tank (The original) outlived two scooters. The original one was actually a Peugeot Speedfight II 100cc two stroke. Just 95 kilos. We loved that bike although it did have a few reliability issues and I probably posted about this on here in 2009 but it broke a belt in the south of France and me thinking its a French bike it would be no problem. Think again! In the end I had to have a drive belt shipped from my dealer in the UK to Honda Albi! We were a week without it and it destroyed me! Actually it didnt really. We had a great time up at Lake Paraloupe. It finally died in Brittany in 2014 I think. We then bought a 2012 (Three year old Honda Vision 110. Did 20000 miles on that and it started playing up about three or four years ago so in 2022 we bought the current one which just over two years later has just had its 12000 mile service in Bridport, Dorset. The bike does more miles than the van now.

The Honda Visions were a game changer though. So much more reliable, comfortable (ish) for longer tours out for the day and the previous one went all over the Alps and the Pyrenees. Quite a few videos on my youtube channel (Thats another story, Im a rock star now by the way. )

Lots of motorhome related and scooter adventure stuff in this playlist.

Aventures

Share your videos with friends, family and the world

tinyurl.com

I must be getting old it was Pug I remember we most likley still had the Caravan at the time and I couldn't get enough of your adventures keep em coming.

 

[barryd]

I must be getting old it was Pug I remember we most likley still had the Caravan at the time and I couldn't get enough of your adventures keep em coming.

It was called "Pig" they all have been! After the original C90 plastic Pig i think.

I notice my old signature still has my old blog site. That link no longer works but a messed up version of it still exists. You can see the old van in its glory days and old "Pig" on the front page.

Adventures In Hank The Tank

Hank the Tank is our Swift Kontiki 640 Motorhome. Built in 1996 and aquired by us in April 2008 Hank has taken us all over Europe and on many adventures This is Hank parked on an Aire in the south of France near the Med not far from the Spanish border

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We did have some proper adventures. The hope is we can relive them all again now.

 

[maison]

We had a Swift Esprit a few years ago but can’t remember the model number.

A lovely motorhome, reliable and comfortable. We only changed it to down size to a PCV for a few years before moving back to a coachbuilt compact.

I’m sure you will enjoy it.

 

[cyberyacht]

Is that pic of the scooter at Seatown opposite the Anchor Inn?

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[scotzsue]

Good to see you back on here, remember Hank the tank wondered if it was you.