Franklin Caravans

“Franklin Caravans” are a long-standing part of the Australian RV industry. In fact, many multi-generational families have grown up with fond memories of their beloved Franklins. In fact, I have fond memories of Franklin caravans being one of the predominant brands when camping on Victoria's Rosebud foreshore in the 1960s. Franklin Caravans had already been in production for some 20 years!

With time comes inevitable change, but with it, Franklin has introduced improved technology to produce a wide range of sizes and layouts, featuring a multitude of sensible options and accessories. Yet there’s none as popular as the Razor 220 Club, family caravan; the flagship in a range that boasts six basic models from 17.5 feet to this 22-footer.

The Razor 220 is a lovely, fully equipped touring caravan that boasts plenty of aesthetic appeal, complemented by premium construction. It offers an inviting internal layout that accommodates a family of up to three children in the bunks, creating the base for wonderful touring memories. Franklin combines elements that have been trialled and proven by their many years of experience to make your journey ultimately comfortable and trouble-free.

 

The Razor 220 features a most practical layout with thoughtful design features and sturdy construction.

The Franklin Razor range is built on a strong Duragal chassis, with A-frame drawbar and standard towing equipment, with the 220 featuring dual axle roller rocker leaf spring suspension with Al-Ko electric brakes and 15” highway tyres with attractive mags. The 220 has reasonably high wheel clearance for a touring van, which will help you navigate in and out of some of the best campsites.

With a body length of 6.810 metres (22’4”), the Razor 220 provides spacious living space for extended family holidays. It is especially appealing to tall individuals with its 6’8” internal headroom, which also enhances the internal feeling of grandeur and maximises climate control.

Externally, the visual appeal is a bit of RV eye candy with just a hint of that rugged Australian demeanour.  Our demonstration unit had a very black and white demeanour that I personally liked; however, Franklin offers a wide range of colours and internal decor/layouts to please all individual tastes. There are strong, black checkerplate armour skirts all around, featuring some tasteful branding and decals, and a terrific array of double-insulated tinted windows with blinds and flyscreens. There’s plenty of LED lighting, integrated 240v power inlets, a reversing camera, Breaksafe breakaway, fold-down picnic table, outdoor speakers, a Camec three-way door, an external tap, a roll-out awning, a pull-out step, an illuminated entry handle and cavernous external storage facilities, including a pull-out drawer in the tunnel boot.

Franklin produce a diverse range of extremely versatile caravans with loads of key features.

Our Razor 220 was plated with a tare mass of 2467kg, an ATM of 3007kg, and a 184kg ball weight, allowing for a reasonable payload, even considering the dual 9kg gas bottles, twin 95 litre water tanks, storage capacity, 100 Ah AGM battery, and full-size fridge freezer.

As a family van, you will find the rear-mounted bike racks almost essential, along with a solid bumper featuring a spare wheel, a reversing camera, rear handles, and an attractive composite rear panel. Overhead, we find three roof hatches with awnings and flyscreens, as well as extraction hatches for the toilet and shower. There is also a Wineguard TV antenna, a 170-watt solar panel, and an Ibis 3 air conditioner.

Inviting Interior

The CNC cabinetry provides three layout options with added accessories provided from extensive research.

The practical layout of the Razor 220 is ideal for a travelling family with its rear entry leading to a fully equipped kitchen and a most inviting club lounge opposite. There’s a very generous bedroom with a Queen bed and plenty of room to navigate either side, making life simple. There are tonnes of lighting, ventilation, and storage opportunities, as well as plenty of refrigeration. The accommodating ensuite features a full-size moulded shower and a top-load washing machine, all of which incorporate some beautiful cabinetry, finishes, and surfaces, resulting in an overall presentation that is truly impressive. For added comfort, the club lounge features sturdy seat extensions and footrests rated to 130kg.

The bedroom is a tranquil retreat, boasting large windows on either side and another at the head of the bed, flooding the space with natural light. Ample storage is provided by wardrobes, a chest of drawers, and overhead cupboards, while bedside knick-knack nooks offer a place for personal treasures. The bed is equipped with individual reading lamps, a variety of mood lighting options, and a TV bracket for entertainment. An overhead sunroof with flyscreens and block-out blinds allows for natural ventilation, adding to a peaceful night's sleep. Beneath the mattress, a cavernous storage area provides easy access to your belongings.

Many standard inclusions are often a result of customer feedback.

The kitchen features a 4-burner stove (three gas, one electric) with a grill and oven below, as well as a range hood. You will find extensive overhead cabinetry, including high internal clearance, a stainless sink with a distinctive tap, a freshwater filter, and a draining board. The kitchen also features a microwave, a good array of drawers and pot cabinets, and a fan-cooled 180-litre fridge freezer. I loved the lighting options that suit every activity and mood. There are overhead downlights, bench lighting over the sink and strip mood lighting in the overhead cupboards on both sides.

The luxury layout of the Franklin 220 features the option of three bunks on a twin axle trailer.

The triple bunks are actually quite generous with both head clearance and 6’6” length, with twin berths available as an option. When the kids aren't with you, they make for terrific storage space. Opposite is the relatively large ensuite featuring a fully enclosed moulded shower with full headroom. I love the large, touch-sensitive backlit vanity mirror, as well as the vanity cabinet with a ceramic bowl and a front-load washing machine. Thankfully, there’s enough room on the toilet even for those of us with larger proportions.

To keep the vital electric power optimised, there’s charging available from the Anderson plug connector, as well as through the 170W solar panels and power regulator. It is all controlled with a BMPro battery management system with an RV View battery monitor. There’s a 24” TV with twin mounting points, Bluetooth integrated sound system and plenty of 12/240V and USB outlets throughout.

Franklin offers an extensive range of options to customise your van, including an external shower and more solar panels. However, I believe that in this day and age, some optional stability control is essential for a caravan of this size, so my recommendation would be to select this option.

Franklin Razor 200

Short travels or long, Franklin provide premium quality caravans for Australia.

For comparison, Franklin also provided a Razor 200 for our scrutiny, which I found most impressive. The size, layout and facilities are more suited to my lifestyle as a travelling couple with only the deluxe Queen bed as the main sleeping amenity, so obviously no family bunks.

The recessed stove and sleek design extend the bench space in the inclusive kitchen.

This one featured a café-style dinette with a rear ensuite and was only missing a few optional items, such as the bike rack at the rear, and slightly less storage. It has a 6.140 m body length, making it around 2 feet shorter than the 220, and with an easy tow weight of 2,150 kg tare, it makes it most attractive to a large percentage of touring couples.

The cafe style dinette works well in the Razor 220.

The Razor 200 is also available with single beds and an L-shaped lounge amongst its long list of options; however, it’s a very complete package in the format as displayed.

With a range of different sizes and layout options all boasting the traditional Franklin premium manufacture and comfort, there’s a Razor touring caravan for every family, no matter its size – or height!

Specifications

Ball Weight: 184Kg

Tare Weight: 2467Kg

ATM: 3007Kg

Exterior Dimensions: 8700mm overall length x 2450mm width and 2985mm height

Body: Smooth, pearl-finished, insulated cladding and black checkerplate body skirting over a meranti frame.

Chassis: 100x50x3mm SupaGal steel tube chassis and drawbar with 50 x 50 riser

Suspension: AL-KO roller rocker tandem suspension

Tyres: 15” road radial tyres on alloy mag wheels

Sleeps: 5 plus convertible lounge

Water Capacity: 2 x 95 litres with an electric water pump

Battery & Charger: 100Ah AGM, BMPro Plus 35 BMS and RV View control panel

Fridge: Dometic RU6408 - 180 litre fridge/freezer

Cooktop:

Stove with four elements (3 x gas, 1 x electric) and hinged lid, with oven, range hood and grill.

Hits

  • Good selection of accessories

  • Club Lounge

  • Aesthetics, fittings and finish

  • Head room

  • Solid timber internal construction

Misses

  • No sway control as standard. ESC is available as an option

 

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