Welcome to NESR! Most features of this site require registration, including replying to threads, sending private messages, starting new threads, and uploading files. Click here to register.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 49

Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

  1. #1
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    5,137

    Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    I have been thinking about camping at night instead of a hotel on my summer multi day rides.

    I'm interested in experience and recommendations on gear.

    I am not a "camper" and would be looking at minimal gear to get me a night's sleep. Carrying space is not a huge concern, as the F6b has ample room. It will be summer weather, but could range from southern Canada to the smokies.

    Also interested in campground vs. find a quiet spot.

    1 person tent, bag, footprint, roll, etc.

    Good idea, bad idea?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  2. #2
    Super Moderator TheIglu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Royalston, MA
    Age
    43
    Posts
    21,762

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    I've camped on the bike and did a 9 day tour hotelling it and crashing on friends couches along the way.

    If you are going to go campground, just find a cheap clean hotel. It's nearly the same cost per night in most places. Campsites are ungodly expensive and have a ton of rules from my experience. Cheap hotel room means you can get a decent night sleep and a shower. Plus a semi-secure place to lock up all your shit if you want to take a walk somewhere to get dinner. That's something I didn't really think much about until I was on the road. Looking out the window of a restaurant and seeing everything you need to get home out there unlocked and easily stolen. Yes, I had hard locking panniers, but still. If I had to be in the place for a while at night where I couldn't keep an eye on my bike, I took stuff in with me. Campgrounds are even harder since it's usually very dark and you have no place to lock anything up if you make a shitter/shower/food run.


    I'll do camping on the bike again, but it's not as glamorous as it would seem in this part of the country. Maybe out west or in Canada, but I haven't found anywhere east of the Mississippi to be good for "finding a quiet spot". I've done a lot of reading on ADV Rider about this very subject. It's almost expected out west. It's frowned upon in the eastern US.


    AirBNB is a good option. Just make sure you look like an educated well off white male in your profile picture or you'll have a hard time finding "openings". Seriously.

    I tried to hit up a few AirBNB's, but my only profile pic was me all unshaven and happy on my trip. Didn't get a single bite. I ended up hitting up cheaper hotels via Priceline while at dinner. Also managed to find a nice bed and breakfast which was much nicer than I expected it to be for the money.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by TheIglu; 05-14-16 at 06:09 PM.
    2021 KTM Duke 890 R
    2016 BMW S1000XR
    1982 Honda CB750F Super Sport

  3. #3
    Super Moderator TheIglu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Royalston, MA
    Age
    43
    Posts
    21,762

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    As far as camping goes, the smaller the tent, the better. You aren't going to be sitting in it hosting a social event. It should be tall enough to sit up in and get dressed. A "2-man" is barely big enough for you and some of your gear. If you want to have a bit more space, a 3 person is nice, but heavier. With your stripped Wing, I'd go with a 3 person. I did and it's just fine on my Wee. Eureka Sunriver 3 or something like that.

    A small folding camp chair is really nice. I picked up one of a fellow NESR'er.

    Ground pad = similar sized as the tent Wal Mart blue tarp, $4. Don't bother spending big $$ on a "footprint". It's useless as anything but that, while the blue tarp can be used to cover yourself or the bike in a pinch.

    Pillow = small pillow case with your clean clothes for the next day stuffed inside. Or inflatable pillow.

    LED headlamp is WAY more useful than any flashlight. Frees up both hands. Lighter. Smaller.

    I went with a $9 butane backpacking stove and a nice little 2 person cook kit. I can dig it all out and show you if you'd like. Works really well and doesn't take up much space. But I use it in a pinch, going out to eat while traveling is just so much better. Remember, using a bathroom is free in a restaurant while camping. And those bathrooms are heated!

    Bring quarters and a lot of them if camping. We managed to hit a 40 degree weekend in mid September up in Maine last year. Hot showers were never so appreciated in the morning. There was no change machine. We managed to rummage through all our luggage/gear and found enough for two 5 minute showers.

    2 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    2021 KTM Duke 890 R
    2016 BMW S1000XR
    1982 Honda CB750F Super Sport

  4. #4
    Member Speed serpent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Dennis, ma
    Age
    36
    Posts
    85

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    The REI quarter dome tent is a great small tent meant for backpacking. Enough room to get changed and the rain fly has double vestibules. I have the 2 man version and I sleep comfortably with my 80lb dog with all our gear. It folds up real small and fits under the rear seat in my truck and on the Handlebars of my mountain bike when I hit the beach or a weekend of trail riding. I then use the tents bag as a pillow stuffed with my clothes- keeps them dry and me comfy.

    I agree with the headlamp. I use a Coast found at Home Depot for work and I liked it so much I bought another for home and rec use.

    Whenever we go on vacation we take a mini m&ms container and fill it with quarters. Keeps them in line and quite.

    I treat camping as an experience. If I'm on vacation in Florida, or New Orleans I'm staying at a hotel. But if I'm just poking around the area on my bicycle I'm happy in a tent.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  5. #5
    Lifer Chippertheripper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    the fairest of havens
    Age
    44
    Posts
    13,897

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    You absolutely should.
    A decent 2 man tent with a vestibule, a sleeping pad, and a bag, maybe even a pillow.
    DEFINITELY A STOOL OR A CHAIR.

    Cooking is its own experience, you decide how deep down that rabbit hole you wanna go.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Cliff's Cycles KTM
    NETRA enduro B-vet
    Close your eyes, look deep in your soul, step outside yourself and let your mind go.

  6. #6
    Lifer Garandman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Dorchester, MA / Mt Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    13,097

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    I mostly go to rallies. Some are at private areas, cost is for food.

    USGI Patrol sleeping bag.
    Self inflating sleeping pad
    MSR Hubba Hubba tent
    Coleman Peak 1 stove
    Thermos 37 ox SS French press
    SS Cook kit
    Helinox chair
    Princeton Tek headlamp
    Spring or fall, USGI Green Girl

    I roll up my jacket as a pillow

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  7. #7
    Lifer Tekime's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Falmouth, ME
    Age
    44
    Posts
    1,323

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    I love motorcycle camping. Definitely not at a campsite though. Depends on where you want to stay, but there's public land alll over New England, once you find some good spots and get your gear together you'll have a free, super-cozy place to sleep anytime you want. Granted, I like to sleep on mountains in the dead of winter, but with the right gear you can be comfortable even if roughing it isn't really your thing.

    Costwise, LL Bean makes a nice 1-person or 2-person lightweight, compact tent: the Microlight FS-1 (or FS-2). It's very compact so you don't have much room, but it's rugged and packs up small. I took one of these on several trips and only replaced it as I was ready for a super-ultralight with some more head room. The MSR Hubba Hubba is also a nice one ^

    I cannot stress enough how useful a battery backup, lighting, base layers for cool nights & good food prep can be.

    Just a few standard items on my gear list:

    • Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2: Super ultralight tent, packs tiny, tons of space for one person + gear or two people in a pinch.
    • Sea To Summit Ultralight Sleeping Mat: Super ultralight pad (<1lb), packs tiny, love to double this up with a foam pad for extreme comfort but works fine on its own
    • Mountain Hardwear Ultralamina 15: Lightweight 3-season sleeping bag; really good at moisture resistance, synthetic insulation is less work than down but small weight sacrifice
    • Sea to Summit Reactor Extreme Thermolite Sleeping Bag Liner: I actually put my sleeping mat inside this and it's super comfortable; for colder weather helps a lot
    • MSR PocketRocket: Extremely compact canister stove, heats food/water up fast.
    • SnowPeak Trek 900 Titanium Cookset: Heats up insanely fast, also super ultralight
    • Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System: Compact, lightweight & cheap (like $25 at Walmart), filters water like a champ
    • Petzl Tikka Rxp Headlamp: Insanely bright & rechargeable, probably more than is necessary. Cheap walmart headlamp works great w/ some extra batteries
    • Tetra Uco Rechargeable lantern: BEST mini-lantern I've found. Works as a battery backup AND light source. Rechargeable and you can charge your other stuff in a pinch
    • Pny T10400 Battery: Charge any USB device, affordable 10,400mAh can charge a smartphone several times over. I use this thing daily, absolute champ for camping
    • Walmart travel pillow: Like $3 in the travel/luggage section. Small/compact/cozy


    Throw in rain gear & a tarp, stuff sacks, bathroom kit, all your cooking/food stuff (dehydrated meals are the easiest, I could make another post just on my kitchen kit alone though lol).. and you will always have somewhere comfy to eat & sleep. A down jacket is also great to have along for camptime at night.

    All the gear above is barely ten pounds, I pack my entire kit (the above plus food, clothes, cameras, etc.) in a 50 liter bag and have done many 3-4 hour trips and overnights on my bike. If you have saddlebags you will have no problem transporting stuff around.

    As far as chairs go, I just use a mini self-inflating Therma-Rest pad and use a log or something.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  8. #8
    Lifer Garandman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Dorchester, MA / Mt Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    13,097

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    FWIW I used to have a single person tent with vestibule. I found a two person tent to be much more useful for MC camping as you can store all your gear in it. Also a vestibule is great for cooking gear and the like. They're not a lot larger or heavier. It is helpful if the poles fold up short enough to fit in your panniers.

    Used to ride the V-Strom to track days, unpack, ride, then put it all back and go home. Used the Jesse bags as chairs.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by Garandman; 05-15-16 at 01:28 AM.

  9. #9
    Lifer Stromper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Eastern Ct
    Posts
    3,214

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    This sounds funny but I recommend my grizzly cot
    Its stretch fabric on Aluminumn and it keeps you off the ground (rocks, roots, cold, wet)
    The 8 inches under it provide storage
    I have a coleman tent I like but cant remember the name right now

    I have a large black duffle bag and everything fits in it clothes etc in a garbage bag

    I would recommend that evey 3rd day be a motel day

    I have good luck with state camp grounds about $30 a night

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    The calculus of hate

    It is not that I should win it is that you should lose
    It is not that I succeed it is that you fail
    It is not that I should live it is that you should die

  10. #10
    Lifer Imbeek's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Southwick,MA
    Posts
    2,441

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    I take a slightly different approach with the the equipment. I already own and use all that small lightweight stuff for hiking, but I buy larger, heavier, cheaper stuff for moto. Cheap crap from Walmart; 4 person tent and cheap sleeping bag, foam rolled mat, clothes for pillow, no cookware (get food on road). I do it this way because it's usually warmer at night when I'm touring on the bike, size and weight is negligible, and I don't have to worry about my expensive hiking gear being stolen when I'm in the greasy spoon or watching some music. The biggest reason I like having the gear with me at all is because I like to wing it on trips, with virtually no plan or itinerary, so the gear alleviates any worry about not being able to stumble across a reasonable room with vacancy. I agree with avoiding campgrounds for all the reasons stated above. The last places I set up my camp from the bike were at a bluegrass fest I stumbled across, and a ways up some trail I saw from the road.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  11. #11
    Angry Gumball RandyO's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Farmington, NH
    Age
    71
    Posts
    18,024

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    Quote Originally Posted by Imbeek View Post
    Cheap crap from Walmart; 4 person tent and cheap sleeping bag, foam rolled mat, clothes for pillow, no cookware (get food on road).
    I agree for the most part, I have a cheap Ozark Trail 7'x9' dome that is now 15 years old and used on average 10x nites/yr that I paid $14.95 for, same tent now is $45, I use a Thermarest mattress that cost 6x what my tent cost but only a blanket, no sleeping bag, and for comfort, I bring at least 3 pillows. for cooking I bring a roll of HD aluminum foil for the few times I cook in a campfire, mostly I get meals at restaurants, everything fits in my Vermont Rounder U-bag, I also bring a couple of 10'x10' tarps, one as a ground cloth under the tent, the other as a fly over the tent or sometimes picnic table depending on weather and campsite or not use at all. I also have a collapsable soft cooler that will fit 12 16oz cans without ice or fewer beverage cans + food & ice

    key to keeping a cheap tent in good shape for years is the ground cloth (it has never been set up directly on the ground) and always set up indoors after I get home to get cleaned and completely dry before stored, my 15 year old tent is as good as the day it was new

    even though I have the camping gear, sometimes I still choose a motel for the night

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    RandyO
    IBA#9560
    A man with a gun is a citizen
    A man without a gun is a subject LETS GO BRANDON

  12. #12
    Member Kawi Ken's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Bridgewater Ma.
    Age
    65
    Posts
    128

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    Quote Originally Posted by Stromper View Post
    This sounds funny but I recommend my grizzly cot
    Its stretch fabric on Aluminumn and it keeps you off the ground (rocks, roots, cold, wet)
    The 8 inches under it provide storage
    I have a coleman tent I like but cant remember the name right now

    I have a large black duffle bag and everything fits in it clothes etc in a garbage bag

    I would recommend that evey 3rd day be a motel day

    I have good luck with state camp grounds about $30 a night
    Luv using my bear cot with pad and fleece blanket. Bought a mummy sleeping bag and hated it. Too restrictive.Use a Kelty tarp with poles for shade and rain. Also carry a coleman small fan/light for those warm nights.
    Amazon.com: Big Bear Roll Up Cot: Sports & OutdoorsMotorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?-012-jpgMotorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?-002-jpgMotorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?-112-jpg

    Amazon.com : Coleman CPX(R) 6 Lighted Tent Fan with Stand : Camping And Hiking Equipment : Sports & Outdoors

    2 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by Kawi Ken; 05-17-16 at 08:39 PM.

  13. #13
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Bristol County
    Age
    37
    Posts
    3,470

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    I wonder if you'll still use the word 'ample' after you've tried it? In case you haven't figured it out, the number of people per tent is usually absolute maximum, without gear. And those kind of tents might even be challenging to sit up in. A classic 8x8 2-pole dome is cheap, simple, and roomy. It packs way too big to hike with, but it'll go fine on the back of a bike. These type of tents can be found with tarp bottoms too so you don't have to worry about a ground cloth.

    I've got a twin size blow-up air mattress, a pool-sized one, and a roll-up foam core self-inflator. The largest when packed is the foam core roll up. Examples. The pool sized one folds up to about the size of a school book. I think it's the winner on comfort-to-pack size ratio. But it will require you carry a pump of some sort, unless you want to spend 20 minutes blowing it up. Battery pumps are the size of 2 coke cans. If you carry a tire inflator, you can probably use that.

    State campgrounds will probably have a more outdoors experience feel, and the opposite end of the spectrum is a KOA with a pool, big RV's, and cars full of beach chairs.

    Bug spray. 100% Deet, small bottle. Don't spray it on the tent or sleeping bag.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by aldend123; 05-17-16 at 09:06 PM.
    nedirtriders.com

  14. #14
    no can kneedown feralchimp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Somerville MA
    Age
    46
    Posts
    917

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    ++Bug spray.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    -Jared
    ZX-4RR, Hyperstrada 821, ZX-6R (FS!), 701 E/SM (FS!)

  15. #15
    Angry Gumball RandyO's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Farmington, NH
    Age
    71
    Posts
    18,024

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    Quote Originally Posted by aldend123 View Post

    Bug spray. 100% Deet, small bottle. Don't spray it on the tent or sleeping bag.
    or let is contact a painted surface you care about or anything plastic

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    RandyO
    IBA#9560
    A man with a gun is a citizen
    A man without a gun is a subject LETS GO BRANDON

  16. #16
    Lifer PhilB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Pittsfield, NH
    Age
    61
    Posts
    3,137

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    Are you talking about riding into the wilderness and really camping, or are you talking about riding in relatively civilized areas, and using camping as a cheaper/more adventurous alternative to motels? If you're talking doing a week in the wilderness, the above posts are on track. If you're talking about just regular traveling around the country, it's simpler than that. When I travel, I bring a good sleeping bag, and that's the only thing extra. If the weather is nice, I'll eat at a diner or restaurant, then find an open space (or a campground if I have to) and roll out the bag and sleep in the open. If it's precipitating, I'll get a motel room.

    PhilB

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    "A free man must be able to endure it when his fellow men act and live otherwise than he considers proper." -- Ludwig von Mises
    1993 Ducati Monster M900; 265,000 miles -- killed by minivan 30Oct17

  17. #17
    Lifer markbvt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Georgia, VT
    Posts
    3,716

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    For me, camping is part of the fun of a motorcycle trip. It should also be noted that my trips tend to avoid cities/large towns as much as possible.

    I tend to stay in campgrounds in national/state parks or national forests. When splitting the cost with the friends I'm riding with, this is inexpensive. If riding in a remote area, I'll often just find a spot to camp for free -- this is easy to do in, for example, Labrador and Newfoundland, but not so easy along the more heavily-populated East Coast. The advantage of a campground, of course, is that they usually have decent facilities including showers.

    If the weather sucks, though, we'll often find a cheap motel.

    Regarding gear, I use a Eureka Inntorest 2 tent (a 2-person tent is useful so there's room inside for stuff like tank bag, helmet, etc.), Snugpak Kestrel sleeping bag, Big Agnes sleeping pad and inflatable pillow, and I also bring along an Alite Monarch collapsible chair.

    --mark

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    '20 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro / '19 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE / '11 Triumph Tiger 800 XC / '01 Triumph Bonneville cafe
    My ride reports: Missile silos, Labrador, twisties, and more
    Bennington Triumph Bash, Oct 1-3, 2021

  18. #18

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    done it...hated it

    rains too damn much out east

    only rains on days of your trip

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by breakdirt916; 05-18-16 at 03:07 PM.
    FREE $10 UBER CREDIT W' PROMO CODE --> PON41
    1994 Yamaha YZ250 CA Street Legal 2-smoke :smoke:

  19. #19
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Central MA
    Posts
    2,106

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    My wife and I had my V-Strom 650 loaded up like a pack mule last summer. We headed down to Burlingame campground in RI. They were booked solid, so we just started riding around looking for a place to set up the tent. I could not find a single location that was "out of sight, out of mind". Heading north would have probably worked much better.
    We ended up just going home. I was relieved to be home, but she was upset that I didn't "try hard enough"...
    Maybe she was right.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  20. #20
    Member Speed serpent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Dennis, ma
    Age
    36
    Posts
    85

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    Quote Originally Posted by breakdirt916 View Post
    done it...hated it

    rains too damn much out east

    only rains on days of your trip
    Ain't that always the way

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  21. #21
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    5,137

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    Not looking for backwoods adventure, just a cheaper way to grab some z's. I have a basic 3p backpacking tent, roll and bag. Enough to try it without investing$

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  22. #22
    Lifer Garandman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Dorchester, MA / Mt Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    13,097

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    They say an Aeropress is the thing for coffee.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  23. #23
    Lifer Stromper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Eastern Ct
    Posts
    3,214

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    If its connecticut look up Yale Forest its actual woods with dirt roads and unorganized camping

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    The calculus of hate

    It is not that I should win it is that you should lose
    It is not that I succeed it is that you fail
    It is not that I should live it is that you should die

  24. #24
    Lifer Stromper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Eastern Ct
    Posts
    3,214

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    If its connecticut look up Yale Forest its actual woods with dirt roads and unorganized camping I think in Eastford

    If you a coffee guy there are pump that take keureg cups

    dont know how double post

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    The calculus of hate

    It is not that I should win it is that you should lose
    It is not that I succeed it is that you fail
    It is not that I should live it is that you should die

  25. #25
    Super Moderator TheIglu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Royalston, MA
    Age
    43
    Posts
    21,762

    Re: Motorcycle camping - should I or shouldn't I?

    Quote Originally Posted by Stromper View Post
    If you a coffee guy there are pump that take keureg cups
    That's like saying if you are a beer guy, then you can take along plenty of Bud Light.

    2 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    2021 KTM Duke 890 R
    2016 BMW S1000XR
    1982 Honda CB750F Super Sport

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. motorcycle camping in the blizzard
    By RandyO in forum General Bike Related
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: 02-14-13, 05:18 PM
  2. i shouldn't have done that...
    By Daytona440 in forum Dirty Bastards
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 02-21-08, 04:59 PM
  3. Oh I shouldn't.....
    By R7 in forum Dirty Bastards
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 06-19-07, 10:01 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •