Road Test

Gulf Stream
Sun Voyager

MOTORHOME CONSTRUCTION HAS ITS OWN EVOLUTION CURVE,
not unlike that of automobiles, but motorhomes have been at a disadvantage because components suppliers often lag behind in technology.  So despite wanting to build double-decker RV's with a helipad - manufacturers find themselves limited by what's available to them (that is to say, available affordably).  That's why the Gulf Stream Sun Voyager 8378 I recently tested is appropriate to start the story with what's underneath.

space. The lockable French entry has day/night shades and chairs that come with built-in footrests-the better with which to watch the 19-inch TV.
  These slide-outs also create great closet space. The theory being, I guess, that the designers didn't have to waste any space on access with the slide-outs closed. Bed and armoire touch in the closed position, and soon learned that if you store items that you want to access during transit , you have to put them in the cupboards that remain clear of the bed. The same is true for the mirrored sideboard in the main salon. 

The new workhorse W22 chassis underpins the Sun Voyager.  It handles up to 22,000 lbs GVWR, tows up to 4000 lbs and can support multiple slide-outs. But most importantly, this chassis offers greater flexibility in the design process.
  Testing the 36-foot Gulf Stream on highways from Indiana to eastern Pennsylvania, I watched for the down-side of many gas-powered motorhomes - performance on hills.  For 2002, the Sun Voyager uses a GM Vortec 8100 engine that pumps out

340 horsepower behind 455 foot pounds of torque. It's the most powerful gas engine currently available. It handled hills and passed well, even accelerating on moderate grades.
  The 8378 offers three slide-outs - a couch-and-dinette slide as well as two in the bedroom ( these slide-outs are opposing, the bed moving one way and the built-in armoire the other ). This, of course, makes for more room, but the designers also allowed for a sitting area within the rear-bay-window configuration that created a second private living

  The Pennsylvania Turnpike was undergoing construction, and it was there that the quality of the steering components would be tested. The Gulf Stream tracked straight, despite buffeting air and poor road conditions, while sandwiched between tractor trailers and temporary concrete construction barriers. Steadying the steering axle on the W22 is Stabil-Ride-an integral stabilizer bar, single-stage parabolic with auxiliary spring and custom-tuned Monroe shocks. The tires are Michelin XRV premium 22.5-inch motorhome tires that fit a setback axle that turns out to a 45-degree angle. This is backed up with a variable-ratio steering gear, which means you won't be going hand over hand when maneuvering.
  Getting the power to the ground is an Allison five-speed automatic transmission. It has a seamless feel when shifting, and also acts as an engine brake. Otherwise stopping the chassis are twin-piston calipers with hydraulic power-assist and four-wheel antilock brakes.
  The coach is beautiful throughout with maple and oak cabinetry, solid-surfaced countertops, a deep designer kitchen sink with a flexible-sprayer faucet, a full complement of overhead cabinets and decent counter space. Particularly handy and elegant are the hutch and slide-out pantry.  Attention to detail is good, with a few exceptions.
  The main salon and bathroom are separated by a sliding pocket door that creates a private space for the front and rear of the coach while allowing access to the bathroom from either side. The toilet, sink and cabinet are in a separate alcove with a locking door.
  Some of the other items you'll find on the '02 Sun Voyager are a solid core fiberglass roof, aluminum-framed furniture, a Corian range cover, Flexsteel furniture, a brass-and-beveled-glass package, heated bus-style mirrors, a 25" TV in an overhead and a wood-grain dash with a leather-wrapped tilting steering wheel.
  My family and I found this motorhome great to travel with and nice to camp in.       - HOWARD J. ELMER