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Topic: RK vs RB - feedback sought on living in the RK (Read 23 times) previous topic - next topic
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RK vs RB - feedback sought on living in the RK
Yahoo Message Number: 141872
We love our new (to us) '99 RB. There is one issue that has come that will need a solution when we buy our next RV which is likely to be a LD.
 I sleep in the bed over cab whereas my partner sleeps on the "Twin bed" down below (we convert the longer couch into a Twin Bed at night).
 I frequently get up in the middle of the night and have no where to go without feeling like I am disturbing him.
 With the rear kitchen, I'd have a separate area where I could work at the table and make tea in the kitchen plus access to the bathroom -all while the "sleeping area" is closed off by the door.
 Am interested in feedback from those living in the RK. My understanding is that the MB is the most popular option but we like having the sofas behind the driver's cab for use on the road. We use them for naps while on the road and the dogs lounge there too, so the MB doesn't work for us. Or at least we think it doesn't :)

Todd '99 RB and "02 Honda CRV
Todd (and Steve)
'17 Winnebago Minnie Winnie and '13 Honda CRV
(Former '99 RB owners from 2012-2016)
Re: RK vs RB - feedback sought on living in the RK
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 141878
We had an RK for about ten years, and found the separate rooms were a godsend. I get up earlier than my husband, and I could go into the kitchen/bath area and make coffee, read a book, and enjoy the views while he snoozed for an extra hour or so. That area also provides a lovely "dressing room" when showering, etc. (as long as you have the closet that is inside the rear area). Lots of privacy in this model, if desired!

Sonsie
Re: RK vs RB - feedback sought on living in the RK
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 141888
I don't follow the concern about a MB.  I have a MB.  When I have guests they use the dinette or the overhead to sleep.  I sleep in back on the couch folded to a bed.  I draw the folding curtain between the couch and the bathroom, and open the bathroom door.  That divides the coach into three areas - the front bedroom, the rear bedroom, and the bathroom.  All have privacy.  The couch area is accessible during the day if you want a quick nap.
 There is one down side.  If the person in the back rises earlier than the others, the kitchen is not accessible until the folks in front wake up.
 I have learned that we all have different needs and priorities.  That means there is no one "best" floor plan.  If I ever have to buy another RV, it will be a MB LD.

Ken F in CO
'08 MB
Re: RK vs RB - feedback sought on living in the RK
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 141890
"I sleep in the bed over cab whereas my partner sleeps on the 'Twin bed' down below (we convert the longer couch into a Twin Bed at night). I frequently get up in the middle of the night and have no where to go without feeling like I am disturbing him."
 Todd, I must be missing something here. One of the midbath's big advantages is that it offers two completely separate rooms. Either the bathroom door or the folding accordion room divider can be used to separate the kitchen/cab area from the rear bedroom/lounge.
 "With the rear kitchen, I'd have a separate area where I could work at the table and make tea in the kitchen plus access to the bathroom -all while the 'sleeping area' is closed off by the door."
 Which is exactly what the midbath is good at: you can work at the dinette table and make tea in the kitchen while your partner snoozes in the rear sleeping area.
 Is it possible that your coach was missing the accordion room divider when you bought it? Or maybe you just haven't discovered this feature yet? It's just aft of the bathroom, on the street side of the coach. It collapses into a pretty compact bundle, fastened by a strap, so it's possible that you may not have noticed it.
 Even if the accordion room divider is missing, you could still use the bathroom door as a divider--when latched all the way open, it partitions off the kitchen and cab from the rear part of the coach. And I'm sure you could get another accordion divider, if yours is missing.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
RK vs RB
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 141892
As Andy and others have noted, the MB rocks because it has 3 separate "zones": the rear lounge/bed, the middle dinette & the overhead cab. All can be cordoned off via the accordion door & curtains.
 However, the midbath is 26.5', so if you want a shorter 22/23.5', you'd have to go with SOB that still uses this type of layout. (Minnie Winnie and others turn the rear lounge into a permanent bed.)
 LD used to make this kind of floor plan called the Multi-Plan, but, according to Larry, it was discontinued due to poor sales. This is puzzling, since almost all new 20-24' Class Cs still use some variation of the Minnie Winnie floorplan.
 The MP is awesome because the rear area is nothing more than 2/3 of a RK, but with the advantage of a full dinette behind the driver. So,
Re: RK vs RB
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 141896
We have the RB - so no accordion doors. In fact our unit is the one pictured on the home page of this group at Yosemite! (We bought it in Oct '12)
 Thanks for the feedback. The info regarding the position of the door and how it relates to living in the MH is very good. For now, we plan to enjoy our RB despite the disadvantage experienced in the middle of some nights.

Todd
Todd (and Steve)
'17 Winnebago Minnie Winnie and '13 Honda CRV
(Former '99 RB owners from 2012-2016)
Re: RK vs RB - feedback sought on living in the RK
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 141897
Everyone's feedback is so much appreciated. The more I work through this, the more I like the RB (which is what we have). :) You simply can't beat the open floor plan. There is a great sense of space from front to back. We spend less than 5 minutes in the morning organizing bedding and have no actual "furniture" to move since we keep the longest couch pulled out and fitted with a Twin Size mattress topper. I I am going to try staying up later and not getting up in the middle of the night - problem solved! Thanks again to all!!
 The "zones" as folks call them are nice but take away from the openness and spacious feel of the RB.

Todd '99 RB and '02 Honda CRV
 (The walk around bed with a full private bedroom is what RV'ers often obsess about and fall for in my opinion. How much use does that space get during the day? And all that closet space? Who needs it? We comfortably fit everything we need into a 27' LD)
Todd (and Steve)
'17 Winnebago Minnie Winnie and '13 Honda CRV
(Former '99 RB owners from 2012-2016)
 
Re: RK vs RB
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 141898
"We have the RB - so no accordion doors."
 Sorry, Todd--I misread your message. Now I understand your problem. The Rear Bath (RB) "open plan" doesn't lend itself to partitioning in the way that the midbath (MB) does.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"