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We take Kea’s 6ST motorhome for a 3500km lifestyle ‘test’ drive Words by Gil Schott Photography by Robb Cox ‘Try Before You Buy’. It’s an approach that lends itself to anything you want to commit money to. A quick look on the internet showed this approach to buying software, joining support groups, testing skis and snowboards and another two million or so other references. When it comes to a major purchase, especially one that involves a lifestyle shift, it’s a wise course to follow. And that’s just what the crew at Kea Campers allow you to do. If you fancy getting into motorhoming and aren’t sure if the lifestyle will suit you, you can hire a motorhome, take it on a trip and then decide whether the touring life is up your alley. On our recent DVD run from Brisbane to Darwin, we took a couple of motorhoming novices along. Allan and Lisa Goldby hadn’t done any RV touring before, but were keen to give it a go. Allan is the National Advertising Manager for Caravan & Motorhome, so he’s familiar with the vehicles available out there, but not the lifestyle. Given that we’re testing the lifestyle here as well as the practicalities of the vehicle, this is not going to be your average motorhome review. The impressions of the vehicle, how it performed and how it opened up the touring lifestyle are largely based on Allan and Lisa’s thoughts on the journey. The Vehicle The Kea 6ST is a six berth motorhome built on a Ford Transit cab chassis. It’s powered by a 2.4L turbo-diesel, and features a five speed manual gearbox and power steering. It’s a neat, comfortable cab with air-conditioning (very necessary on this run) and an AM/FM radio and CD player. Al and Lisa found the seats quite comfy and the driving position just fine. Driver and passenger side airbags are fitted. The fuel tank holds 80L and according to Kea fuel consumption is around 12L per 100km at a speed of 90km/h. Driver and passenger side airbags are installed. Driving For those used to sedans it might seem a bit daunting to jump into a biggish vehicle like the 6ST. At 7m long, 2.2m wide and 3.1m high it ain’t your family Falcon. So, is it a major drama for those jumping into such a rig for the first time? Nope. According to Allan, the Kea was very easy to drive. It took very little time to get used to the RV’s dimensions and then it became second nature. Reversing was easy with big mirrors providing plenty of rear view. Allan did have one problem, however, with Lisa. No, not the marital kind. It was just that Lisa enjoyed driving the RV so much he had trouble getting a drive himself. After every stop en-route it was a race to see who jumped in the driver’s seat first. On the highway the Kea had no trouble sitting on the speed limit. If anything, the motorhome was held back a bit because we were travelling in convoy and had the slowest vehicle up front. Under normal cruising conditions the 6ST handled the highways just fine. If there was one wrinkle in the on-road performance it was in changing a tyre. We scored a flat between Ilfracombe and Longreach; one of the duals at the rear. The mechanism was a bit fiddly at first and took a bit of mucking around. We had another flat on the Barkly Tableland near Avon Downs, but the second time around the change was a lot easier. On The Outside The Kea 6ST is very much like the Winnebago Leisure Seeker in both construction and appearance. It features smooth wall sidings with the distinctive Kea decals on the flanks, rear and up front on the brow. External storage lockers, lights and power inlets are adequate. Good sized screened windows provide plenty of light and air, particularly around the rear master bedroom area. Power supply is 12/240v with two batteries and a dual 12v smart charge system. Underneath is a 220l fresh water tank along with a 110l waste water tank. In The Kitchen The kitchen area is mounted on the passenger side to the right of the door. Bench space is pretty good here. It easily accommodated John Rooth’s expansive cooking style (That’s a nice way of saying messy!) in a major cook-up on the Barkly. The three-ring gas stove with grill beneath is more than adequate and there’s a microwave mounted in the bulkhead above. A stainless steel sink with flickmixer tap is forward of the stove, and the 130l fridge is fitted beneath this area. There is a stack of storage in this area, and the beaut thing about hiring one of these units is that all your cutlery, crockery, pots and pans are all supplied – securely stored away in individual racks in the cupboards so that nothing gets bumped around while you’re travelling. A fluoro light above the kitchen area provides plenty of light, and big windows ventilate the area nicely. There’s also a tea towel rack mounted beneath the overhead lockers, which proved very handy on the trip. The Goldby’s had only one complaint about the kitchen – the sink plug was easily dislodged and let the washing-up water out. (Hardly a trip-destroying issue, Al, go buy another bloody plug!) At The Dinette The dinette is situated opposite the door and is quite comfy. It will seat four reasonably comfortably, but an added option is to utilise the rear lounge/main bed area. There is a folding table that can make this area a very useful dining/entertainment area. The dinette table also serves as a back-up bench area for food preparation, which proved useful during this trip. With Roothy’s secret kebab sauce and associated bits and pieces scattered across the kitchen we needed the dinette table to actually prepare the kebabs. In all, the dinette and the additional dining space at the rear are more than adequate. In The Bedroom There is a stack of sleeping room in the 6ST and all beds were easy to set up. The lounge at the rear folds down into the main double bed area and is quite comfy. Overhead fluoros provide plenty of illumination (in all bedroom areas) and this rear section is blessed with big windows for plenty of light and air. The Goldby’s were particularly impressed. They found the view of the stars at night through these big bedroom windows really amazing. The dinette also folds down into a double bed and an additional double is fitted in the brow over the cab. All the cushioning was declared very comfy by the crew, and judging by the snores echoing through the camps from the Kea we all had to agree. The air conditioning unit is mounted overhead in the main cabin and provides excellent cooling throughout. It is a noisy unit though, as we who camped in vans alongside could testify. Keeping Clean The bathroom is fitted on the driver’s side about midway along the 6ST, opposite the kitchen. The shower is roomy enough and the toilet and hand basin can be very handy. The Goldbys really appreciated this on the Barkly. Worth Trying? In a word, you bet! If you are interested in giving the motorhoming life a go, do yourself a favour and try it out by hiring a vehicle like the 6ST. It will give you a great insight into the lifestyle and you’ll be able to come to terms with any shortcomings you might find in the travelling life BEFORE you spend all your money on an RV. You’ll also be able to determine through actual experience just what features you like or dislike in an RV. You can also buy ex-hire Kea units like the 6ST, so taking one on a trip is a great way to try before you buy. KEA’s International Sales and Marketing Manager, Richard McKisack, says any investment should be approached carefully and a lifestyle investment is no different. “Our unique scheme allows people to hire a camper or motorhome for trial and when they buy any vehicle off us, we take five day’s worth of hire costs off the price,” he says. “Essentially they are trying it for free if they buy.” The final comment I’ll leave to Allan Goldby, since he and Lisa spent all their time in the 6ST on this trip. “If you’re in the market for a well maintained and serviced motorhome, and wanted to both try the vehicle and the lifestyle, before signing your life away, then I reckon hiring the Kea is a brilliant way to go.” SPECIFICATIONS |
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