INTERESTING
- Thread starter LIVEABOARD
- Start date
LIVEABOARD
Adventurer
NeverEnough
Adventurer
Amen. To quote Eleanor Roosevelt- "Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people."
Bran Ferren is definitely an ideas guy, and both MaxiMog and Kiravan are full of interesting ideas that can be leveraged in all sorts of ways. But perhaps the most interesting idea is something that I can definitely relate to: the process and the project are "fun" for him, and not in a superficial, selfish way.
The Kiravan has got me thinking about a hybridized "pusher" 5th wheel concept, albeit much smaller, lighter and less complicated. The newer in-wheel electric motors present options that didn't exist just a few years ago.
MrSandman818
INaVANdownBYtheRIVER
I like that they photoshopped in a Eva T-800 diesel dual sport.
Cole
Expedition Leader
Watch the video. He explains the need/choice of the diesel motorcycle as a "lifeboat" that can use the same fuel.
It may have been photoshopped in the obviously artist stylized pictures, but it is a real part of the build.
I bet the guy was really thinking of designing something for a movie about circumnavigating, his Enterprise to go where no one had gone before and claimed to build it for his daughters just so the wifey would go for it.
It's probably going to exhibitions to camp in and driven in the local parade.
It's probably going to exhibitions to camp in and driven in the local parade.
The Swiss
Expedition Leader
Very cool video.
Couple random thoughts from my side:
- It does not appear to be much taller than a stock Unimog, less tall than many other Unimog campers I have seen
- With the fifth wheel design, it probably is more maneuverable than some of the 6x6 MAN based Unicats roaming through the world
- Watching the video, Bran Ferren obviously knows what he is talking about and he and his team put a lot of thoughts into it.
.
BTW Royal Enfield makes diesel motorcycle based on the Bullet ...
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If i might add my opinion, because none of the previous posts sees it quite like I do.
I will not comment on the man, his wealth, or any of that, but keep it to the vehicle.
What I see is something that tries to be too many things at once, and things start to work against, rather than supplement each other.
It's like trying to build a top drag racer with a nice leather interior, full infotainment capable of winning a Db drag race, while jumping like a mexican low rider through Moab on it's way to win Concours de Elegance at Pebble Beach (please close your eyes and envision that!)
I'm not going to make a list, but just look at the photos, the polished steel, the control panels, antennas etc.etc. etc. ad nauseaum!
The thing is that the "all terrain" thing just clashes with hauling tons of useless electronics, while the polished stainless will not only be scratched, but pretty annoying just because of the reflections.
I'm all for showing what is possible, but keep to one theme, please!
(btw his next project is an amoured flying boat/submarine which will include a cemetary, anti gravity room and a personal McD....)
I will not comment on the man, his wealth, or any of that, but keep it to the vehicle.
What I see is something that tries to be too many things at once, and things start to work against, rather than supplement each other.
It's like trying to build a top drag racer with a nice leather interior, full infotainment capable of winning a Db drag race, while jumping like a mexican low rider through Moab on it's way to win Concours de Elegance at Pebble Beach (please close your eyes and envision that!)
I'm not going to make a list, but just look at the photos, the polished steel, the control panels, antennas etc.etc. etc. ad nauseaum!
The thing is that the "all terrain" thing just clashes with hauling tons of useless electronics, while the polished stainless will not only be scratched, but pretty annoying just because of the reflections.
I'm all for showing what is possible, but keep to one theme, please!
(btw his next project is an amoured flying boat/submarine which will include a cemetary, anti gravity room and a personal McD....)
| Watched the video. Great ideas many way over the top. I like that someone is thinking WAY outside the box. Anyone building or has built an expedition vehicle could take away something useful. The downside? He plans to actually use this thing and agree with others about the limitations. |
| I found it almost humorous that he made a big deal about having a vehicle with global support then customizes it almost beyond recognition and adds all the ‘special and unique' stuff. |
| Complexity and Failure rates. If an item fails at a rate of 1:1000 over 50,000 miles and you have 100 items then you have a practical failure rate of 1:10 (bad math but close enough) if you have 1000 items with the same failure rate - that is guaranteed failure. He has a lot of very complex systems including many custom mechanical items that will fail. Optimistically his shake down trips will find most of them. |
| Hopefully he is a good mechanic as well as engineer. When stuff fails he'll need to know how to tear it apart - unlike some other RTW multi-millionaires who didn't even carry a drill. Of course he is rich enough fly in a mechanic. Then have the new item milled to spec and reinstalled perhaps a 4 week process if he is in a remote place. And like other multi-millionaires he'll probably just go home until the job is done. |
| Humm… Maybe I've convinced myself there isn't much to learn from the project. |
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wreckdiver1321
Overlander
Is anyone else reminded of the camper in The Lost World?
wreckdiver1321
Overlander
Nope, guess I was the only one...