Wondering if you can buy a double decker or two storey motorhome? You may have searched a lot but found very less. Continue reading here and you will find some best double Decker RVs on the market.
You have seen them in Britain those double decker buses that London made famous have inspired many different people to create the same or almost same look in RVs, travel trailers and 5th wheel trailers.
The problem is that adding a second storey to those recreational vehicles can cost a lot of money, upwards of $500,000. That cost has not stopped different manufacturers and individuals from building a second storey and some find ways to make it more economical.
Are there any two storey RVs that are made by RV manufacturers? or travel trailer or fifth wheels on the market? Well, yes! There are, but not many.
First, we will see the list and then check out various reasons why you wont find many of these and also your options to make a custom conversion double Decker motorhome.
Here are the best 2 storey RV’s or travel trailers.
1. Airstream Skydeck
Airstream has made what they call a skydeck model and it is basically a rooftop patio and not a true double decker vehicle.
The skydeck is a solid built motorhome that has a rooftop patio on the upper deck. Its space that you can unfold in a couple of minutes. It can operated with a switch that only need a press and you are all ready for the setup.
There have been many experiment in RV industry but this one by the mother of all trailer company is an awesome one.
Read : What makes Airstream Trailers so Special and Popular?
The upper deck patio can accommodate 15 people on sofas, seats and couches that are also waterproof. The patio is pretty safe and is guarded by railing. The way to access this patio is via a wooden staircase that is from within the first floor. This setup really make it homey and you can enjoy the RV with your friends in a much better way.
Airstream is well known for producing quality trailers and this one too is a masterpiece that is properly engineered to withstand the loads.
Talking about the space you get with this upper deck patio, guess what? there are 2 slide outs that provide further expansion of space.
The motorhome is provided a fiberglass insulation making it very suitable for winter use. It is equipped with all the standard features, a spacious bedroom and bathroom with all you need.
Not sure if motorhome is in current production but you can acquire one of those as a used one. Airstream are indeed luxurious but acquiring one could be difficult as well. Also, the costs aren’t that low. This one can be bought in at more than $200,000 but mostly you may have to try luck on a used one.
2. Kabe Royal Tower
It is a scandinavian RV, travel trailer manufacturer that makes a two storey travel trailer. The company has built its reputation on innovation and this partial two storey model is built to perfection.
This swedish caravan manufacturers introduced this double storey caravan in 2007 that has a good space at the top deck along with a balcony.
The top floor area is also air conditioned. When you cannot have wider or longer RV’s the other way to get around is to built it at the top. But, at top too there are limitations but with a good usage of space and ceiling height this RV is made into a two storey that significantly improves the living area.
Kabe has been around since a very long. They started the operations in 1960’s and ever then have been making caravans that are suited for all seasons.
The design of this RV is unique and is given better heating capability that makes them perfect for winter. One of the unique thing about kabe is they only build a handful of RVs and therefore maintain a good quality.
Owning one of these RVs can therefore be hard but you can try your luck for used one.
Owning a two storey luxurious RV means you would be spending a whole lot and that could be in millions. This motorhome however isn’t that high in price and one can get it in less than $150,000.
Talking about amenities inside this RV, you are in a treat and get all the standard feature plus those that really make it a luxury RV. Its really spacious and has an interior furniture that does make a point.
Custom conversion RVs
Keystone also has a pop up version that is convenient and handy. It is called the Keystone loft and it makes sure you have enough room for the whole family when it comes time to sleep the night away
MCI used to offer a 2 storey bus frame to help you convert your coach into a two storey RV but it seems that they do not offer this option in America any more
Neoplan Dabus : Have also seen neaoplan motorhome conversion with 2 storey. People do own this and they are truly luxurious. The cost of such a conversion will also be huge.
The best way to get a two storey RV or 5th wheel trailer seems to be to have it custom made. That way you can get all the extras you want in the places you want. But customizing costs and you need to have the extra money in the bank in order to pay for it.
Because there are limitations with height you want find normal RV manufacturer get into this. But, a in lot of countries including united states people try custom conversions. In Europe, Australia too custom RVs with double floor are made.
Destination travel trailer that mostly remain at a single for years are custom made to be Double Decker.
Why Double Decker RVs are few
The cost – as already explained the cost of adding more features, a second roof and making the first floor roof strong enough to handle the weight is quite high
Highway restrictions- there is no real direct law prohibiting double decker RVs but there are a lot of indirect laws. For example, clearance laws make it mandatory for road vehicles to remain at a certain height or lower. If you have ever seen a semi trailer rig go underneath a bridge that has low clearance levels you will understand why this is so
Weight restrictions – some bridges and roads have maximum weight tolerances. This means the double decker may be over those limits when the extra floor is added
Practicality – fuel consumption as well as other key fluid consumption would be high and you would be spending a lot of time at the pumps and not on the road. These behemoths are just not practical when it comes to the amount of expenses they produce.
Custom Build Options
When you are going the custom way its upto you and the maker to decide. The options are limited because most of the ones built are not true double Deckers and only fill-part of the roof space. But here goes with what can be found on manufacturer made.
- Rooftop patio
- Bedroom with rooftop balcony
- Hot tub
- Shower
- Pop up option
- Wrap around couch
- Garage to carry your toys
- Small television set
- Tinted windows
That is what the different manufacturers offer. Each two storey version is different and you will not find the same features on all models. If you want to customize, then you can place just about anything o the second floor that will fit as long as you are reasonable.
Of course, customizing your rig will take a lot o money as many single storey custom packages run into the millions of dollars.
Cost of a double decker RV
This will depend a lot on the model you buy, who built it and how many features are included. For example, the nice partial two storey travel trailer built by Kabe runs for about $144,000. That is a good price considering the beautiful interior that is included.
The airstream skydeck, depending on the model and features can run you almost $200,000 or more. But these prices pale in comparison to the two storey RV being or has been built in Australia by SLRV Expedition Vehicles. It is a custom job with a lot of extras.
Its second storey slides up on a lift to create the second floor and the driver’s cab is a standard model you would see on most big rigs. The cab is separate from the rest of the RV.
If you want to go all out, then expect to pay more for your RV than your last house. These are not cheap nor will they be as cheap as the few models offered by any traditional RV manufacturer.
Custom double Decker motorhome making project cost will depend on many factors, like the manufacturer and features.
The height of a Double Decker RV
For the one made by Kabe, the total height is 15 feet. That should still be low enough for the trailer to pass under the average overpass or bridge you will encounter in your travels.
The Airstream will be the same height as its regular trailer height as they are adding no new walls or a roof to their models. They are just building a reinforced roof to handle the extra weight.
For the Keystone loft, height is not that important as the remain approx. 6 feet doesn’t come into play until you stop and camp for the night. Its single storey will be at normal travel trailer height between 7 and 10 feet.
Weight and related parameters
This can only be estimated as each vehicle is made from a different design with different features. The Australian model has double freezers, double stoves, beds for 6 people and more weight inducing extras. This makes it very heavy which will put the pressure on mpg.
In fact, no one is talking about how much these two storey RVs and trailers weigh. You would have to contact the dealers to get a specific numbers if you really want to know. As for related parameters, the tanks on each are built to match the amount of people are allowed to sleep inside.
That means the tanks may be a bit bigger than normal as would be the water heater, fridge, stove and shower. Each one is unique as there is not a great demand for these two storey options. A lot of the customized RVs reach 30 tons and those do not include a second floor.
Then when you order a customized model, which most are anyways, the design of the RV or trailer will be unique to your specifications. Vin diesel’s two storey $1.1 million trailer is not going to be the same as Will Smith’s $2 million version, whose 2nd floor holds 30 people and television sets for viewing his work.
Both of those and many single storey models that cost over a million dollars are basically mansions on wheels and no two mansions are the same. Each RV is tailored made to the hobbies, preferences and toys each person likes to do or use.
Customizing your RV
If you are a mechanical handyman and not just a general fixer upper, you can turn your RV into a 2 storey rig with a little effort and a large bank account. You will need friends to help you but it is a lot of work and you may no be able to get all the dimensions just right to fit all the features you want.
The company that specializes in customizing RVs for the stars is Anderson Mobile Estates and they have the talent plus the experience to do the job right. Save yourself a lot of frustration and hire the pros to get the job done right.
In addition to that, the pros have a list of features you can choose from to make sure your renovation meets your preferences and needs. Turning a single storey trailer or RV into a second storey model must meet road regulations, weight restrictions and other regulations so be careful when you do this.
In Conclusion
Having the extra living space when you are out in nature is a great idea. It helps you and your family to avoid that cramped no space issue that lights a few tempers and starts a few fights.
Plus, you can bring more people along for the ride and make your vacation a real party. The options are endless if you can actually find a two storey RV or trailer for sale in the country. That will be your biggest task to fill.
