Verdict
It’s a very likeable van, the Rimini. Single fixed beds may be something of a niche layout, but it’s a style of tourer which is finding more and more fans and the Bailey is a well executed example of the breed. The lounge is a highlight. Some will miss the front chest and see the extra seating space as unnecessary, but we think it makes a cosy, sociable space. Besides, Bailey offers a front chest as an option if you’d prefer additional storage instead. The kitchen may not have an abundance of work surface, but in other respects it’s roomy and practical. An electric hotplate would make it better still.
In terms of specification, the Pegasus II is rather behind the times with its Truma heating when most rivals now offer Alde heating. However, even with the new model about to stretch its wings, the Pegasus II Rimini remains a practical, comfortable tourer. 3/5
Pros
Comfortable lounge, roomy washroom and plentiful storage
Cons
Fixed beds are short, lacks Alde heating of most rivals, and limited kitchen work surface
Pitching & Setting-up
There are few surprises here, just a well thought out van with a good level of specification. The Rimini is built on an Al-Ko chassis complete with shock absorbers and Al-Ko Trailer Control (ATC) for stable and stress-free towing. As you’d expect, the hitch is fitted with an Al-Ko 3004 stabiliser. The jockey wheel is mounted within the A-frame rather than at the side, trading ease of replacement for a neater, more integrated look.
The front locker isn’t especially large, but this isn’t really a problem as it’s supplemented by additional lockers accessed from the side of the van. It means whatever you pack is easy to get to rather than tucked in a distant corner of one large locker.
Move inside the Rimini, and the master controls for the electrics are conveniently located on the left as you step in, although the water heater and room heater controls are on opposite sides of the van.
Living
The Rimini does without a front chest (although you can specify one as an option), which leaves space for a comfortable U-shaped lounge. Four will have more than enough room, while five or six should fit without any knocking elbows. What’s more, there’s plenty of headroom (6ft 5in) so only exceptionally tall people will need to stoop.
A Heki rooflight stops the lounge feeling gloomy, although there isn’t the open feel you get from newer designs with vertical rooflights. That’s something the new GT65 will put right. Even with shallow front windows the light soft furnishings give the lounge a warm and welcoming feel.
The free-standing dining room table is stored in the kitchen between the fridge and the oven. It’s 0.85m long and 0.54m wide – big enough for four to eat off, but any more diners would be a squeeze.
Kitchen
There’s plenty of room to move around in the Bailey’s kitchen. Thanks to the van’s generous width there’s space to kneel down and reach in and out of the oven. It’s a well equipped kitchen as well as a roomy one. The Thetford Midi Prima MkIII offers a combined grill and oven, and the Thetford hob has four burners. All four run on gas, though – some might prefer to have at least one electric ring in case the gas runs out.
There’s a hinged cover for the hob, and keen cooks will need to make use of it to avoid running out of work surface. There is some space between the rectangular sink and the hob but it’s certainly worth preparing all the ingredients before you start to cook. For quick and easy meals, there’s a microwave on the opposite side of the kitchen.
Washroom
The washroom is one of the highlights of the Rimini II, and exploits the Bailey’s width to good effect. A proper domestic style door leads into a large, carpeted space, with two overhead lights and a small window. The shower cubicle is wide and tall, although somewhere to store shampoo and shower gels would make it better still – the small soap dish isn’t really up to the job.
However, just under the washbasin there’s plenty of space for lotions and potions. Above the basin you’ll find a half-height mirror, much better than the small mirrors you find in some washrooms.
The toilet is beside the washbasin, with the cassette accessed from the back of the van – an unusual feature made possible by the Bailey’s Alu-tech construction method. There’s a large wardrobe and hooks on the wall for hanging towels or dressing gowns.
Beds
The fixed beds are either side of the caravan between the kitchen and the washroom. The deep, well padded mattresses promise a good night’s rest, provided you’re not too tall. The longest of the two beds measures 1.78m (5ft 10in), while the other is 1.71cm (5ft 7in).
Considering the Pegasus II is a mid-spec van, there’s a distinctly upmarket feel to the sleeping area, with padded headboards, overhead bedside shelves, and LED lighting which can be angled for the perfect position when reading in bed. A sliding partition separates the bedroom from the front of the van. If space for two more sleepers is needed, the lounge can be converted into a generously proportioned double. Again, there are LED lights above, and the wide shelf at the front of the van give somewhere to put your bedtime cocoa.
Storage
You’ll need to work hard to run out of storage space in the Rimini. The lounge may lack a front chest, but there are deep overhead lockers all the way around, some divided in two by an internal shelf. There’s more storage under the sofas, although the Truma water tank takes up a lot of the space on the right hand side, and the fusebox steals a little bit of room on the left.
The kitchen has plenty of space for pots, pans, utensils and food. Overhead lockers with frosted fronts have racks for plates, bowls and glasses. There’s storage for pots under the oven, a cutlery draw, and a pull-out wire baskets for essentials. Even tall cereal boxes will fit underneath. There are yet more overhead lockers in the bedroom, and lots of space under the beds, including a wet locker on the left-hand side.
Technical Specifications
| Berth | 4 |
| MiRO | 1330 kg |
| Payload | 169 kg |
| MTPLM | 1499 kg |
| Shipping Length | 7.25 m |
| Width | 2.28 m |
