We took the MH to Crows Metals in Romford on Saturday for it's first (and hopefully last), weigh in at full fighting weight. Everything kitted out for a decent (at least 2 weeks) tour. It's only been on a weighbridge once before, just after we purchased it (I know, rookie mistake, should have had it done before we signed the contract!). Anyway, this one was especially important because we've just had semi-air fitted on the rear and had our Honda SHMode 125cc in the rear garage for the first time. Nervous is not the word I would use as we queued up to be weighed; bricking it would be a better description, especially as I had confidently told my partner that of course we needed to buy a Scooter and of course we needed to spend on semi-air.......because we had purchased a Scooter! Her favourite line at the moment, in reference to the MH is " Have we stopped spending on it yet?" Telling her the truth might just end up in a messy seperation so I just say "Yep" and keep my fingers crossed behind my back! Anyway, for context: Burstner Harmony Line, Lyseo TD680G, 9 speed auto 140hp. When purchased, GVW of 3,850kg. Front axle limit of 1960kg, rear axle of 2000kg. Took it to Crows Metals a couple of weeks after purchase following a viewing of SV Tech's YouTube video on overweight motorhomes, which made me feel slightly concerned! Best find out if we had made a big mistake. For further context; it's just me and my partner, no children or dogs. At that first weigh in, just me in vehicle @77kg (slim as an Otter but not as intelligent), full fuel tank (90ltrs), full ad blue (19lts), 20ltrs fresh water, 10ltrs in Truma heater, 2 full gas bottles (30kg) plus additional 19kg of 'stuff' that was sat in the garage when we collected the MH. Total weight came in at 3,320kg, with 1,690kg on front axle and 1,610kg on rear axle. All good then, with potential 530kg extra payload (prior to semi-air), including 390kg spare over rear axle. Fast forward to yesterday. Full fuel, adblue, water as before but now including my partner (66kg.....Sshhhh, she need never know!), giving 273kg in cab area (includes driver, passenger, fuel etc), 119kg in seating area, 83kg in kitchen area, allowing 6kg for food in cupboards and 6kg fridge food (meagre travelling victuals), 94kg in bathroom/wardrobe area, (includes 38kg clothes and compost..see below) and 168kg in garage (Scooter, top box, helmets, two deckchairs, two camping tables, two garden chairs). To top it off, two bags of compost (incl.in weights above) which almost perfectly replicate the weight of a spare steel wheel and tyre which I plan to fit under the chassis before our first foreign adventure, placed between kitchen and bathroom, exactly behind rear axle when eventually fitted. In theory then, a tad over 736kg added. Following semi-air and uprating, new GVW of 4,000kg and rear axle increased to 2,240kg (front axle remains at 1,960kg). And the winner is........(drum role for suspense), weighbridge weights of 3,810kg for Total (190kg under max. allowable), 1,710kg for front axle (250kg under max allowable), an increase over the front of 20kg on the original weigh in, and finally, the one I was really worried about, given the Scooter was sitting at least a metre away from the rear wheels, the rear axle at 2,070kg (a good 170kg below allowable). Phew! Dry pants all around and saved by the semi-air. I now have a baseline spreadsheet (thanks to various Funsters) which can be used to update the weight going forward. I weigh everything (and I mean everything) that goes into the MH. Whilst I am probably being over zealous, it does at least leave me feeling much more confident about driving not just legally, but safely too (something I suspect is often overlooked when thinking about running overweight). To top it off, I passed my A1 bike license on Friday so can now take the L Plates off the Scooter and put my partner on the back (whether she wants to or not!). Finally, a few pics of the loaded garage and a temporary storage solution for the road when carrying the Scooter. The black box is 175 ltr in volume from Argos for just £23. I added a few discrete tie downs to the bench seat and then fixed some to the box itself, both ends. That keeps is secure whilst on the move. We can still navigate through the hab area and use the table by sitting on the opposing bench. When we get to site, the Scooter comes out and the box and contents go in the rear garage. If there's a will, or wheels, there's a way!
