Motorcycle Camping

[wonderings]

Went to Barber in Alabama then to the dragon. First time for a long trip with the bike and first time camping.
Here's the bike loaded up.

Heres all the gear I took along

Beautiful bike, looks like a police bike, was it bought from auction?

I have the same tent, though have not used it yet, hoping to this weekend. How do you like it? How was it in hot weather?

 

[djez]

atss2006 could you post pic of the tent folded up, I like to know how long the tubes fold down to. Can you set it up without the rainfly?. Thanks

 

[wonderings]

atss2006 could you post pic of the tent folded up, I like to know how long the tubes fold down to. Can you set it up without the rainfly?. Thanks

There is no rainfly, its one piece the tent. There is an inner net for bugs that you can remove, but its all part of the tent, so if you just leave it, its one piece.

The tent packs up pretty small, I will try and takes some pictures at lunch. I have it packed away ready for the weekend. The bulk is not in the poles, thats for sure.

 

[atss2006]

I separate the poles from the tent in the bag, then use the compression bag to squeeze the life out of it. Packs up pretty small. If you look at the picture of the bike with everything loaded. The backpack on top has the tent, poles, stove (and stove fuel), food, lights, hatchet, rain suit (FYI. the BMW one piece rain suit is worth every penny and then some), and some of my clothes.

 

[homme de fer]

On my recently completed trip to WV I was able to pack everything into two saddlebags and a waterproof bag strapped to the pillion. Helping greatly was my MSR Hubba 1 man tent that packs extremely small, a 1 pound sleeping bag that packs into the size of an Tim's Extra Large coffee cup size, and a blowup Big Agnes that packs just slightly larger than the sleeping bag. All my camping gear fit into one sidebag with room to spare, leaving the other sidebag for clothes and food with more room to spare. The waterproof bag was for stuff I thought I would need quick access to.

In all, I was able to cut down the size of my packed luggage by almost half from last year even though I was on the road longer. I packed only the bare essentials to see how much room it would take then figured, if I needed something on the road, I could easily find it in any one of the thousands of Wal-Mart and Targets I'll pass. The key is to only bring what you REALLY need and leave all the "nice to have's" at home. Hell, I even had room to carry a case of beer on the back of the Ducati across the border.

 

[wonderings]

On my recently completed trip to WV I was able to pack everything into two saddlebags and a waterproof bag strapped to the pillion. Helping greatly was my MSR Hubba 1 man tent that packs extremely small, a 1 pound sleeping bag that packs into the size of an Tim's Extra Large coffee cup size, and a blowup Big Agnes that packs just slightly larger than the sleeping bag. All my camping gear fit into one sidebag with room to spare, leaving the other sidebag for clothes and food with more room to spare. The waterproof bag was for stuff I thought I would need quick access to.

In all, I was able to cut down the size of my packed luggage by almost half from last year even though I was on the road longer. I packed only the bare essentials to see how much room it would take then figured, if I needed something on the road, I could easily find it in any one of the thousands of Wal-Mart and Targets I'll pass. The key is to only bring what you REALLY need and leave all the "nice to have's" at home. Hell, I even had room to carry a case of beer on the back of the Ducati across the border.

The more you do it, the more you know what you really need and what you really dont need. I over packed when I started doing it, not I have room to spare if I chose to, though I have plenty of storage space, I am never hurting.

 

[homme de fer]

The more you do it, the more you know what you really need and what you really dont need. I over packed when I started doing it, not I have room to spare if I chose to, though I have plenty of storage space, I am never hurting.

That's exactly right. It's almost like you have to practise travelling in order to perfect it. My wife couldn't believe what little I brought this time and yet I still had stuff I didn't need in the end.

I find the first few trips you you tend to suffer from "scope creep" where you add more and more stuff to the pile "just in case". With a few trips under the belt you tend not to think about the potential problems as much and keep the packing simple. Plus, it's hard to maneuver an overpacked bike (this I found out last year).

 

[guym]

Here's some pictures of my last camping trip - http://imgur.com/a/oDnn0
- First to my parents trailer(not really camping and no pics of it) then off to Kirkland lake to a friends place, then to Killbear provincial park, next stop was one nights rest at my parents house, then to Red horse lake to camp on an island with my brother and sister and soon to be brother in law.
2,700km total on my bike for the trip. It was a ton of fun, and hope to have a longer trip next summer!!

 

[wonderings]

Here's some pictures of my last camping trip - http://imgur.com/a/oDnn0
- First to my parents trailer(not really camping and no pics of it) then off to Kirkland lake to a friends place, then to Killbear provincial park, next stop was one nights rest at my parents house, then to Red horse lake to camp on an island with my brother and sister and soon to be brother in law.
2,700km total on my bike for the trip. It was a ton of fun, and hope to have a longer trip next summer!!

Yikes! You wear that backpack while riding? I don't think I could ride with something like that strapped to my back. Nice pics though deffinetely not helping while sitting at work and dreaming of camping.

 

[V-Tom]

Here is a link to pictures I took of my East Coast Ride. I left Sunday, July 23rd and was back Saturday July 30th. I stayed in my tent most fo the time (second night at a friend's in Bar Harbour Maine, the last night in a motel in Querbec.)

Near the beginning is a picture of my bike ready to go. The dry bag on the back seat has my tent, two sleeping bags, my Airmatress (Exped Synmat 9 Delux which ontains a pump built into it) and a little camp chair. I didn't cook so had no cooking gear. When the tent was wet I strapped it on top of the drybag.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150730900120165.713424.701900164&l=bc704bc0f1&type=1

I have side cases if I wanted to use them but have decided I don't really like them on the bike.


I should be doing the same setup for my ride to Grand Canyon which I am starting on the labour day weekend.

..Tom

 

[Koval_68]

Here is a link to pictures I took of my East Coast Ride. I left Sunday, July 23rd and was back Saturday July 30th. I stayed in my tent most fo the time (second night at a friend's in Bar Harbour Maine, the last night in a motel in Querbec.)

Near the beginning is a picture of my bike ready to go. The dry bag on the back seat has my tent, two sleeping bags, my Airmatress (Exped Synmat 9 Delux which ontains a pump built into it) and a little camp chair. I didn't cook so had no cooking gear. When the tent was wet I strapped it on top of the drybag.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150730900120165.713424.701900164&l=bc704bc0f1&type=1

I have side cases if I wanted to use them but have decided I don't really like them on the bike.


I should be doing the same setup for my ride to Grand Canyon which I am starting on the labour day weekend.

..Tom

*** OFF TOPIC ***
Chances are that we'll be leaving Friday am.now for Ohio. What time are you leaving and would you like some company (2 riders).?

 

[V-Tom]

*** OFF TOPIC ***
Chances are that we'll be leaving Friday am.now for Ohio. What time are you leaving and would you like some company (2 riders).?

I haven't set the exact time, but fairly early. It is a good haul there and I like to take backroads as much as possible. I think last year we left before 7am.

..Tom

 

[Koval_68]

I haven't set the exact time, but fairly early. It is a good haul there and I like to take backroads as much as possible. I think last year we left before 7am.

..Tom

It works for me! I will confirm (via email) with you next week!

 

[guym]

Yikes! You wear that backpack while riding? I don't think I could ride with something like that strapped to my back. Nice pics though deffinetely not helping while sitting at work and dreaming of camping.

Yea, it was heavy, and hard on my neck but well worth it. I would love to get a tail bag one day, but money is tight.
I had lots of gear in there, even had my brothers mini camp stove with me. - I think I over packed but it was my first time going camping on a bike so I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed just in case something happens.

 

[atss2006]

Learning what you don't need to pack is a great lesson. Went to summerfest and decided to camp it. Packed as little as I could. Good thing! I ended up bringing a ton of extra stuff home! If I didn't have the extra space, I would've been wearing a lot of layers! Good thing I don't need to bring back the empty rye and rum bottles too! Make space as you camp!

 

[wonderings]

Learning what you don't need to pack is a great lesson. Went to summerfest and decided to camp it. Packed as little as I could. Good thing! I ended up bringing a ton of extra stuff home! If I didn't have the extra space, I would've been wearing a lot of layers! Good thing I don't need to bring back the empty rye and rum bottles too! Make space as you camp!

I wanted to go to summerfest, never been before, but ended up camping with some friends.

I am really happy with how much my adv panniers give me, compared to the GS vario panniers. I had my tent, sleeping roll attached to my rear seat. Left pannier had my rain gear, 2 sleeping bags and a pillow. That left the right pannier virtually empty save for one change of cloths, meds, and beer with room to spare.

 

[oomis]

I dragged my camping gear with me on my 2 week trip to CO and UT, and while I was a camping advocate before, I don't think I would do it again like this. I wouldn't bring cooking gear with me again - not worth it. We ended up cheap motelling it most of the time anyway.

At the very least, I'd seriously simplify my setup.

Edit: post 1000!!

 

[V-Tom]

I dragged my camping gear with me on my 2 week trip to CO and UT, and while I was a camping advocate before, I don't think I would do it again like this. I wouldn't bring cooking gear with me again - not worth it. We ended up cheap motelling it most of the time anyway.

At the very least, I'd seriously simplify my setup.

Edit: post 1000!!

Congrats on the 1000th!

If you are riding with a friend in the USA then it gets pretty hard to Justify camping.. Hotels like Comfort Inn and Holiday Inn Express can often be found for around $60. for two (with a bit of dickering!) and that includes a decent breakfast.

I'm heading out to the Grand Canyon starting the Labour Day weekend. My riding partner hurt himself in a Go-Kart crash so I'll be riding solo and tenting most of the time.

..Tom

 

[Ramtin]

correct me if i'm wrong... but can't we just choose any provincial park's campsite and take our motorcycles there instead of a car? please don't tell me that they don't allow motorcycles cause i was looking into BON ECHO's campsites for this summer!

 

[unL33T]

correct me if i'm wrong... but can't we just choose any provincial park's campsite and take our motorcycles there instead of a car? please don't tell me that they don't allow motorcycles cause i was looking into BON ECHO's campsites for this summer!

I think I've seen a few that have "no motorcycles" signs but I believe most are fine. I think the issue with provincial parks is the price. If you're on a long tour and want to save a couple bucks a provincial park might not help with the cause since I have spent weekends at some parks that cost the same or more than a cheap motel.