You know you’ve been around motorhomes for a while when they begin to take on personalities. Think what you will, but it’s true. Try spending over 2,000 hours a year with RVs on the brain and pretty soon they feel like old friends. That said, allow me to introduce you to the social butterfly: the 2005 Monarch SE. We go back a long time.

This is a coach that fits in well with any crowd. It is one well-rounded, flexible and multi-talented individual — I mean, motorhome. Need a beach buddy to pack a lot of gear for the next surfing trip? The Monarch’s your coach. How about a refined companion for an upscale luncheon? The Monarch’s your coach. The list goes on.

And the 2005 model has added increased payload as another dimension. This year, Monaco upgraded the Monarch SE chassis to the SmartStructure II. This is a chassis that uses intelligent engineering and strain hardened steel to create a stronger coach platform with less metal and 40 percent fewer welds. The result is a reduction in overall chassis weight and increased carrying capacity.

In addition, the 2005 Monarch comes with the thickest sidewall in the industry at 2.5 inches, and uses the same nine-layer roof and five-layer sidewalls as the highest priced Monaco diesels.

Perhaps the biggest news when it comes to the coach exterior is the 32 percent increase in storage capacity. Not only are the pass-through compartments bigger, but they’re easier to access as well, thanks to new side-swing baggage doors. With the new optional exterior entertainment center you can sit outside and enjoy all that extra stuff you brought to the tailgate party.

For 2005, Monaco has refined the Monarch SE floorplans down to seven, from the special run of the go-anywhere 30-foot PDD to the 37-foot PCT with three slideouts, and room enough for a large computer desk and swivel chair in the spacious master suite behind a residential-style French door.

The booth dinette is one new standard feature that seems destined to impress, especially for those families who like to travel with the whole clan. All right, so the booth dinette came standard on some of last year’s floorplans, but it now converts into a comfy bed for smaller passengers. Add that to the fold-out sofa and you’ve got plenty of sleeping quarters for overnight guests.

There will be plenty of high-quality entertainment for slumber parties as well, with the standard 24-inch flatscreen and optional DVD player or VCR. The Monarch SE also comes prepped for cable and a digital satellite system, and a 19-inch TV can be optioned in the bedroom.

Several new features grace the cockpit, including a redesigned fiberglass dash, an optional three-camera rear vision system with audio and adjustable center camera, optional fully automatic leveling system, and a redesigned wooden center console. The Monarch does come with upgraded power heated exterior mirrors that are taller for better visibility, but it never hurts to have a better view of all sides of the coach, which is where the three-camera option might be nice.

The kitchen bears a large new pantry with adjustable shelves and three drawers, although that is not available if you opt for the large double door refrigerator with icemaker. There’s also a silverware drawer with dividers in the kitchen base cabinets. It’s worth noting that all drawer guides have been upgraded to with heavy-duty ball bearings for longer life.

In my opinion, the bedroom is one of the best features in the 2005 Monarch SE, especially in the floorplans with a rear bathroom (36DBD) or a rear sitting area (37PCT). The designers and decorators have done a wonderful job of giving this room a very solid residential feel. There’s also a good deal of storage spaces, including a redesigned wardrobe closet with deluxe, mirrored doors (36WDD).

There are so many flashes of functional brilliance in the Monarch SE that I haven’t mentioned much about the aesthetics, but as usual they are very solid. This year’s model comes in five tasteful color schemes and three wood options, and the fabric choices, the decorative wallboard and the upgraded carpeting create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

Go spend some time at a dealership with this good-natured coach and I think you’ll agree with my personality assessment. Or you might think it’s a fine home on wheels, but I’ve been inhaling fumes at the paint department. Who knows, maybe it’s just time for a vacation. But if so, the Monarch’s my coach.