Motorcycle Camping

[Rotten_Ronnie]

Put everything in a giant garbage bag before u pack it in the saddle bag

Garbage bags are for landfill sites. :P

My personal favourite is a 35 litre canoe bag and a my topbox. Garbage bags are for dirty clothes.

[RockerGuy]

Garbage bags are for landfill sites. :P

My personal favourite is a 35 litre canoe bag and a my topbox. Garbage bags are for dirty clothes.

Garbage bags will not burn a hole in your pocket

[irenictiger]

wow some great tidbits of info from a lot of people! just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's posted thus far and hoping that people will continue to post their words of wisdom and stories of their camping trips!

[irenictiger]

oh a question about saddlebags: how's nelson rigg as a brand? i've noticed that they have a very large selection of saddlebags/tankbags/tailbags/etc.

[Rotten_Ronnie]

Garbage bags will not burn a hole in your pocket

I spent 12 years in the reserves, garbage bags were mandatory if you wanted dry kit.

Check out the cost of a 35 litre canoe bag, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

If you're camping on a budget, google "pepsi can stove" and then "methyl hydrate" sold at canadian tire and home depot. Ebay sells them for ten bucks shipped.

Do a search on "instructables" for tyvek bivouac bag. Waterproof and breathable for under 25 bucks.

If you get a KLR, the money you save on insurance and rubber, you can spend on suspension and luggage.

[RockerGuy]

I spent 12 years in the reserves, garbage bags were mandatory if you wanted dry kit.

Check out the cost of a 35 litre canoe bag, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

If you're camping on a budget, google "pepsi can stove" and then "methyl hydrate" sold at canadian tire and home depot. Ebay sells them for ten bucks shipped.

Do a search on "instructables" for tyvek bivouac bag. Waterproof and breathable for under 25 bucks.

If you get a KLR, the money you save on insurance and rubber, you can spend on suspension and luggage.

I will look into that then. Its just I am a creature of habbit, once something works for me, I dont tend to find a better solution

[wonderings]

I used to use a garbage bag for my tent, sleeping bag and air mat, but its just not durable and after a few days of use, it would usually end up with a hole or 2. I decided to buy a large dry bag. 55 litres if memory serves me. I stuff my tent, sleeping bags, small camping pillow, air mat, plus a light blanket and still have room for rain gear if I wanted. I find I pack less and less the more I go out, in time you realize what you don't really need or use at all and is just taking up space. I love the dry bag for its durability and size, I never worry about downpours and if my gear is dry.

[Rotten_Ronnie]

Where do you put your tent when it gets wet? Back in the dry bag or out on top?

[Rotten_Ronnie]

oh a question about saddlebags: how's nelson rigg as a brand? i've noticed that they have a very large selection of saddlebags/tankbags/tailbags/etc.

The best I've used were Oxford, strong seams and tie downs, as well as tie down points. All the plastic hardware and zippers look like they'd support some extra weight when you're trying to get those four litres of synthetic oil that you bought in Buffalo along with the duty free bottle back across the border and into your driveway.

Joe Rocket were the next best, an older model.

Gears were inexpensive, but the least quality and when I dropped my bike in Virginia doing something offroad and stupid, they broke easily and needed a field repair to get me home. Seams are an issue, as well as plastic hardware that failed. They had large buckles for the "Cross seat" support that invariably had to be protected from rubbing on my fairing. That said, they are still in my closet and fit for another trip or two should I need them.

The Nelson Rigg looks like they're a step better than gears, but not as good as the Rocket or Oxford.

Hope that helps. Skip the tailbag, use the saddle bags, then strap one canoe/dry bag perpendicular across the top of the two saddlebags and you're in business.

Think this way, any bag that needs the rider to stop and put a waterproof cover on top of, is one more piece of junk to slip off, hit a hot exhaust and melt or be torn to shreds while you whisk down the interstate hoping to avoid LEO's parked in the median.

The oxford bags have rain covers that remain flexible in cold as well as hot weather. Some inferior covers will not want to cover the bag after being scrunched up inside, and may need additional bungee cords or string to secure on the bag.


Notice how I keep circling back to canoe bags?

[irenictiger]

i think i'll probably invest in a canoe bag. also, i haven't seen too many sites carrying oxford brand and the ones that do have little to no selection. can you post a link?

[omnivore]

Bluestreak can get you anything that Oxford sells.

[gpz1100]

111

[dirtbag]

This past summer I rode up the James Bay Road with two buddies and we camped rough almost the entire time. Just headed off the road into a clearing, abandoned gravel pit or whatever and set up camp. No problems.
I was a bit concerned about bears especially since my companions wern't too worried about food storage or spillage. Eventually our bear defense was to drink enough beer that we didn't worry about it - worked for us.

That said in past trips I've never come across a non MC friendly camp ground.

I was riding a Yammie FZ6 with soft Tecnic saddle bags, a mag tank bag and a hockey bag strapped over the pillion/saddlebags. The H bag made it easy to throw my big stuff (tent, sleep pad and camp chair) in and secure it to the bike w/o bungees. (I've dodged too much crap following guys with the "everything under a bungee net" mentality) I used two tie down straps the same as I use to hold an MC on a trailer. Everything I want to keep dry goes in a garbage bag before it goes in the saddlebags. Super cheap, super light, and it's easy to carry a few spares.

Although it takes alot of space we all brought folding camp chairs (and always do). After riding all day it's worth the space, especially when camping rough.

Yes the bike handles a bit different with 40 pounds of gear strapped across the back, but not significantly.

I have coleman naptha one burner but I have been reviewing the penny stove (pop can)web sites.

[Gummiente]

Up until I bought a trailer (so that Her Majesty could bring everything including the kitchen sink on our camping trips) I just used my military issue duffel bag, lined with one large heavy duty garbage bag inside that had all my stuff crammed into it. The tent was placed inside on top of the garbage bag. All my bikes have had saddlebags, they were used to carry a rainsuit, maps, one burner stove and other small assorted essentials. If you can't fit all your gear into a duffel bag and two medium sized saddlebags, you don't need to take it with you. Well... at least that was my way of thinking before I got married, anyway.

[djez]

I got the oxford sport pannier, its really well made and roomy, and will hold more when you unzip the expansion. One thing is be careful when using the waterproof cover, mine went bye bye after it flew off and got melted on the pipes and eaten by my tires(newbie mistake).Also learned no bag is waterproof, using garbage bag is a must.
Now I have full Givi hard bags set up now and used it 2 up to Newfoundland camping10 days with my wife with only the ground mat bungeed on top of the top box.

Updating my camping/motorcycle stuff, have anybody used any of their product?
http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php...activity_id=11

Also to update my caffeine machine, anybody has handson experience with this?
http://www.handpresso.fr/products/wild-domepod-EN.html

[rafiki911]

I noticed the net in one of the pics. Would that hold a pack back, tent and sleeping back with out sliding off? Wondering if I even need a tail bag.

[twostroke]

the bungee net is not strong enough to hold all that. i just used a bungee net and a few bungee cords. I would practice loading up the bike with everything you want to bring before you plan on going. you dont want to worry about things falling off while on a trip.

[rafiki911]

the bungee net is not strong enough to hold all that. i just used a bungee net and a few bungee cords. I would practice loading up the bike with everything you want to bring before you plan on going. you dont want to worry about things falling off while on a trip.

Sounds good thanks.

[dirtbag]

Don't trust bungee nets for anything more than light stuff - The people behind you will appreciate it

[rafiki911]

K so bungee nets wont work. What will then?