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Old 09-27-2019, 05:42 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 27K
State: Kentucky
Posts: 881
THOR #2817
A Shakedown Run

Another Shakedown Run


Earlier Photo

We purchased our slightly used 2015 Windsport K27 in late 2014. For several years we dealt with several component failures, which were repaired by the dealer, professional truck service people, my brother-in-law who is a machinist, and by me.

We just returned from a sixteen day, 2360 mile round trip from north central Kentucky to central New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The Interstate pavement through all large cities and for miles between cities, was like a battleground (parts of KY, OH, PA, NY, CT, and MA); chunks of missing pavement, misaligned pavement, pot holes, lumps where cold patch had been daubed in holes, pavement to bridge abutments with huge gaps, etc. In short, much of the trip entailed gritting our teeth and hoping for the best as the motor home banged, bounced, swayed, and rumbled over terrible road surfaces. Unbelievably the only damage we experience was about a half dozen broken eggs when I opened the refrigerator door and the egg carton fell out on the floor.

It has taken me nearly five years to develop trust in the Windsport, but this trip through the Northeast certainly proved that the RV is now well put together.

There are two problems that need to be taken care of. The top forward section of the slide out leaks in heavy rain, whether open or closed and the upholstery (seats and dinette cushions), that are coved with cheap leatherette, are deteriorating rapidly.

We pulled a heavy twelve-foot dual axel trailer with a 900 plus pound motorcycle, riding gear, 100 pounds of tools, wooden blocking, wooden leveling ramps, spare tire, and bottle jack. Our normal highway speed when the roads were smooth was 60-65 MPH.

We encountered temperatures in the mid 90s, down to 35 degrees. Our cabin AC worked well when driving and the roof air worked well went stopped. The furnace is quiet and efficient. We hit heavy rain, strong winds, stop and go traffic, huge hills in the Appalachians and along I-80, yet our fuel mileage (calculated, not according to the Scangauge) was acceptable.

Here are a few statistics about our trip.
Total miles driven: 2360
Total gallons of gas used: 272.28
Total cost for fuel: 743.71
Lowest fuel cost per gallon: $2.239 (Concord, NH)
Highest fuel cost per gallon: $2.859 (Brookville, PA)
Average miles per gallon: 8.12
Hours of generator use: 11, which detracts from the trip MPG

We are finally able to say that our Windsport performs well, under absolutely terrible road conditions. But it required a lot of perseverance on our part to correct the myriad of problems that haunted us for a long time.

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Old 09-27-2019, 05:57 PM   #2
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Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
Glad to hear that you've got it beaten into chape!

By the way: BEE-YOO-TEE-FUL GoldWing!

What year is it?
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Old 09-27-2019, 06:04 PM   #3
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 27K
State: Kentucky
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THOR #2817
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
Glad to hear that you've got it beaten into chape!

By the way: BEE-YOO-TEE-FUL GoldWing!

What year is it?
It's a 1998 SE. We bought it in the early 2000s with about 3,000 miles. We also have a 2008, 1800 Gold Wing, but we leave it in FL where we spend winters.
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Old 09-27-2019, 06:52 PM   #4
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Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
It's a beauty!
I rode for almost 45 years, and had to give it up at the end of August last year...
I miss every day of riding...
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Old 09-27-2019, 07:11 PM   #5
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 27K
State: Kentucky
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Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
It's a beauty!
I rode for almost 45 years, and had to give it up at the end of August last year...
I miss every day of riding...
I'm still hanging in after 56 years. I started at age 16 on an Allstate scooter and that lasted a couple of months. It's been motorcycles ever sense. Ever consider going to a trike?
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Old 09-27-2019, 07:20 PM   #6
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Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
I had three of them...
2010 RT A&C
2014 RT-L
2018 RT-L 10th Anniversary SE
It's my vision that is letting me down...

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Old 09-27-2019, 09:37 PM   #7
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 27K
State: Kentucky
Posts: 881
THOR #2817
Those are beautiful machines. I have not ridden one, but a friend, who has only one leg, rides one and likes it. I particularly like the new 3-cylinder version.

Here are a couple of my other current rides. 2006 and 2013 M109R

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Old 09-27-2019, 09:40 PM   #8
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 27K
State: Kentucky
Posts: 881
THOR #2817
[QUOTE=Bob Denman;204358] I had three of them...
2010 RT A&C
2014 RT-L
2018 RT-L 10th Anniversary SE
It's my vision that is letting me down...[QUOTE]
Sorry about your vision problem. That 2018 RT-L is gorgeous. Is that an LED light strip or neon?
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Old 09-27-2019, 10:02 PM   #9
I Think We're Lost!
 
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Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
LED... Every light that I added to all of them (and I always added as many as I could fir); were always LED.
They use a ton less power, and don't create a lot of heat.
The 2014 and 2018 were 1330 triples. The 2010 was the original 998 V-Twein

Metalman...
Absolutely GORGEOUS M109Rs...
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Old 09-28-2019, 08:58 AM   #10
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Model: Four Winds 24F
State: Pennsylvania
Posts: 79
THOR #13098
Nice Wing....I had a 1997 (green is the fastest color).....put well over 100k on her and now have a 2008 Level 3.
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Old 09-28-2019, 12:56 PM   #11
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 27K
State: Kentucky
Posts: 881
THOR #2817
Quote:
Originally Posted by stustoner View Post
Nice Wing....I had a 1997 (green is the fastest color).....put well over 100k on her and now have a 2008 Level 3.
I always liked the green color on the 1500 Wings. I liked the deep red and the black too. I am not partial to white, but it was a good deal with low mileage. I prefer my 1800 Wing, but the cockpit is kind of tight for me and I can't haul a 16 inch pizza in a box in the trunk like I can on the 1998.
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Old 09-28-2019, 01:20 PM   #12
I Think We're Lost!
 
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Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
Isn't that why they invented the "Pizza Delivery Guy"?
My only Wing was a 1983 1100-I; but I still say that they're the best "Horizon Chasers" on the Planet!
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