Hi everyone. At the very beginning here… possibly on the cusp of saying farewell to canvas after 40 years, and a hi to an Eriba. Input from those more experienced welcome.

Our V5 on our VW Passat Petrol Estate states the following: Revenue Weight 2050kg gross. ( 1395 cc) Max net power 110. Max permissible mass 2050. Mass in service 1451. Technical re towable mass of trailer braked 1600kg unbraked 750kg.

Veering towards self imposed max of 1220kg …( 85%). Looking at Eriba Familia and Triton models.

3 questions please:
A) We are very light packers and used to light travel. How much weight do others usually end up putting into their vans?
B) Two electric bikes weight 50kg between them. ( Not Brompton / ones which fold) … how best to carry? Rear of van or on tow bar?
C) Re carrying bikes if we carried them on a tow bar attachment would be better to search for say a Triton 430 where the front seating of the Eriba is going to be less heavy than say a kitchen area at the front. Would this help with stability bearing in mind the weight of bikes? Or do people think it wouldn’t matter?

In my view and in our case we are also light packers, personal goods wise. With a 23kg suitcase limit we are usually only about 15 kg each even on a long haul flight. Packing the caravan the main weight is accessories and gadgets. Awning and poles, hitchlock and wheel clamp. Electrical items like kettle, toaster,hotplate, convection heater, extension leads. All quite heavy.
On top of this weight your payload will be hit if you have a motor mover at 35kg and leisure battery at 20kg.
Haven't even got round to wine and beer yet!

I wouldn't want to hang 50kg of electric bike on the rear of the van, a real danger of the tail wagging the dog. If you put the bikes on the towing hitch you will struggle to get a reasonable weight on the tow ball between 60 & 70kg. Might have to take your gas cylinders out of the gas locker and carry them somewhere else.
Can you reduce the weight of the bikes by removing a few bits?
The maximum weight on the towing hitch is the smaller of either the tow bar maximum or caravan tow hitch maximum.
My 2007 Triton 430 tows very well at about 65kg.

Thank you both… all a matter of getting head round everything in order to make sensible decision with as much information and understanding as possible. So appreciative of your time and good will.

Don't get too hung up on weights, except the max towing weight of the tow vehicle and the MTPLM of the van the rest are just finicky.