Last minute solo motocamping

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shanekingsley said:
My very first bike ride longer than a day trip, was a 10 day, solo motocamping trip down to Alabama/Mississippi to stay at the Barber Museum for the Vintage bike fest. Asides from booking my tent spot at Barber Museum, almost the entire trip was sorted out in the 2 weeks before I left.
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I love it.


I'm still prowling bike dealer websites and Marketplace now. If I trailer out there I figure that buys me an extra day to find get sorted. LOL.
 
NuggyBuggy said:
The constraint I had here was money. I had a fixed budget to buy a bike. With the bike I had my eye on no longer viable, I'm out of options, unless I can find something at a dealer like today. I wanted something light that had at least a rear rack (didn't want to source one), could go on the road, looked plausibly maintained and fit my budget.

I have a dirt bike I was originally planning on trailering, but when I considered going solo I wanted to be able to hit the road if I needed to get supplies or if I was running behind and at risk of missing my return ferry.

If I was a richer man the bike problem would have gone away, like so many other problems.
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CB500X may be a good bike for this trip.
 
NuggyBuggy said:
I decided just now that if I win the lottery or happen to find a bike I can afford in the next day, I'm trailering, damn the extra gas cost. That will take out at least one big set of unknowns.
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Budget?
 
CB500x will do the distance with cheap fuel cost but lousy luggage capacity, Vstrom 650 certainly best of the choices....usually cheap, often well equipped, bullet proof . long range per tank.....no fun off pavement unless you are tall and even then not much clearance.
Anything smaller than 650/500 nah.
KLR 650 maybe but your hands may fall off from the vibration. 🤪
 
Mad Mike said:
Budget?
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I was hoping to find something for about $4000 or less that had a rear rack for something in the 230-300 class, that looks like it's in decent condition. I've seen a few that fit the bill but I was too slow, and one developed a CEL just as I was on my way. Seller says its a common problem that often clears itself, and searches of the forums indicate that is true sometimes, but that feels sketchy.

Has to have a rear rack since places like Fortnine and dealers won't be able to get me one until next week. No ABS. For new I think I've seen 300s for $6000 from a dealer, but I don't want to break a bike in on a trail.

I'm stuck looking at dealer bikes now because I won't have time to get a bike safetied. I've pretty much exhausted every dealer within a 200km radius. LOL.
 
Alright, I think I've scoured enough places to know I'm not going to be able to find a bike that suits my budget and needs and be able to get it sorted in time. I'm surprised that those little bikes hold so much value; I guess there's a big market of new riders.

I think my new plan is going to be to take my Vespa out there, maybe try to do the Iron Butt that's been on my bucket list on the way out there, and motocamp at municipal campgrounds or crown land.

Doing this would give me some time to maybe visit friends on the way and possibly do the Cabot trail.
 
NuggyBuggy said:
Alright, I think I've scoured enough places to know I'm not going to be able to find a bike that suits my budget and needs and be able to get it sorted in time. I'm surprised that those little bikes hold so much value; I guess there's a big market of new riders.

I think my new plan is going to be to take my Vespa out there, maybe try to do the Iron Butt that's been on my bucket list on the way out there, and motocamp at municipal campgrounds or crown land.

Doing this would give me some time to maybe visit friends on the way and possibly do the Cabot trail.
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Scout trip is a great alternative. Mark those POIs you’d want to venture off with a different machine next time.
 
NuggyBuggy said:
I was hoping to find something for about $4000 or less that had a rear rack for something in the 230-300 class, that looks like it's in decent condition. I've seen a few that fit the bill but I was too slow, and one developed a CEL just as I was on my way. Seller says its a common problem that often clears itself, and searches of the forums indicate that is true sometimes, but that feels sketchy.

Has to have a rear rack since places like Fortnine and dealers won't be able to get me one until next week. No ABS. For new I think I've seen 300s for $6000 from a dealer, but I don't want to break a bike in on a trail.

I'm stuck looking at dealer bikes now because I won't have time to get a bike safetied. I've pretty much exhausted every dealer within a 200km radius. LOL.
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Go for it. The hassles are what make it memorable. And as you said, the bikes that you're looking at hold their value well so you should be able to sell it off after the trip without much loss (other than the tax).

GP Bikes has a KLX 230 for $4000 https://www.kijiji.ca/v-street-crui...urham-region/2020-kawasaki-klx-230/1741390981

Here are a few other suitable bikes in your price range including a couple of tasty looking oddball bikes:

DR650 - https://www.kijiji.ca/v-street-cruisers-choppers/mississauga-peel-region/suzuki-dr650/1742152492
KLX250 - https://www.kijiji.ca/v-dirt-bikes-motocross/brantford/kawasaki-klx-250-s/1739330944
DR350 - https://www.kijiji.ca/v-dirt-bikes-motocross/london/1993-suzuki-dr350s/1742101628
CRF250 Rally - https://www.kijiji.ca/v-sport-touring/muskoka/honda-crf250-rally/1742086488
KLX650 - https://www.kijiji.ca/v-motorcycle-...egion/cheap-for-insurance-and-fuel/1739765203

A rear rack may not be required. Amazon has a bunch of rackless luggage with 1-day shipping. I've had good success with the WildHeart brand of bags.

Until this spring I had a CRF300L (about the same torque/hp as a CRF or KLX 250) and it would cruise at 110km/h all day long with my 6'4", 210lb carcass acting as a sail. I would recommend a cushion of some sort if you're doing the 2000km to North Sydney in 2 and a bit days...

If you decide to trailer your bike make sure you modify your ferry reservation to include the trailer if you haven't already done so.
 
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