Motorcycle camping

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fixxervi6
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Motorcycle camping

Post by fixxervi6 » Sun Mar 18, 2018 12:02 pm

So I've been slowly putting together gear to go motorcycle camping.

Ok so my thought is I'd like to average like a trip every other month - not like multi-state level trips every other month but still. I get 5 weeks of vacation if you include what I get for Christmas and I end up losing at least 50% of it every year because I just don't do enough, so even if I'm just taking a Friday and a Monday more often to go do something goal accomplished.

Well then there is the cost issue, I can't afford to run around all of the time especially when some of the locations I go, the hotels are like $200 a night, a $free - $30 camp site for the same night looks a lot more attractive.

So I'm slowly accumulating the gear, when I have it all together I'll do a few local test runs before hitting the open road. Some of the stuff I have already due to pretending to be poor and sleeping on the ground, other things I need to acquire, here is my list of stuff so far:

Ok going try try this again

Motion Pro bead breaker - for those of you that have changed tires and dealt with a stuck bead you may appreciate this - yes I've seen all kinds of "how to" videos on how to use things like the kick stand and center stand to break beads, while that appears to work great in videos (and I'm sure people have done it in the field) there some risk to the bike and wheel, and if you get a good stuck bead your going to be hating life trying to use a kick stand to get it off (I've had some stuck beads on a TIRE CHANGER that was hell) so I picked this up, it doubles as a spoon too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dNIm0arkPc

Chairs, nothing is worse than not having a chair when you need one but getting a good chair on a bike could be a pita so Helinox is where it's at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aeZ_pIpgEY

Went with the hybrid mattress (self inflating). I've used them before I've just never had anything sized right for a bike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG8SCfJbU9U

I didn't get this particular one, but a vale stem fish - not needed but changing tubes can be a serious pain, anything that makes ti easier for cheap and light is a plus, this doubles as a valve stem tool.

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Last edited by fixxervi6 on Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:05 am, edited 4 times in total.
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JeffStrom
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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by JeffStrom » Sun Mar 18, 2018 2:18 pm

Not sure what happened but I'm seeing your Amazon links as just generic shop at Amazon images.

In any case, I used to do quite a bit of hike in type camping. Some random thoughts...

The sleeping pad is really an individual thing. Some folks like the self inflating therm-a-rest type pads which are kind of pricy, others can live with the regular foam. I used the regular foam type for many years in the snow and hot without an issue. I've probably become a wimp since then. If you are on an MC you can really get whatever you want, none of them are really that heavy (just kinda awkward) until you get to the full up air mattresses. Along with that goes a sleeping bag tailored to the temperature range. If you have an actual tent you can get away with a bag targeted to one step warmer temperatures (some would say two, just depends). I used to just use a ground tarp and add a fly tarp (tied to trees or propped with a stick) only if it looked like it could rain. I think there are more insects and fewer trees around here so that may not be the best option, but will do if you are on a tight budget. Around here I don't know how one would handle the days when it only gets down to 90 deg. in the middle of the night. Anyone have suggestions for sleeping in hot weather?

Probably obvious to everyone but I'll say it anyway. Anytime you bring tire tools you need air and tubes or patching stuff.

I also have a WhisperLite stove, mine is probably 25+ years old and it remains probably the best stove I ever had for hike-in camping. It is compact, burns hot, and you don't refuel in the field, you just switch bottles. For bike camping the multi-fuel version is probably a better choice than the regular one like I have. Don't forget cookware, dishes and eating implements.

For rustic camping I think water filtration is a must. Even if you think you have enough water with you, even if you think there will be clean water sources. This may just be me being paranoid, but there are many bad things that can occur from consuming unclean water. Some people rely on iodine for emergency use on questionable water, it is cheap and easy to carry, but you'll still want to filter particulate matter from the water first. I prefer to just use a filter from the start. Personal straw type filters take up almost no space and are not that expensive and work fine in an emergency. If you are actually planning to rely on water from streams or lakes you'll want something a little better.

It sort of depends on where you are going, how many are going with you, how many people you expect to encounter along the way, and how long you are planning to be gone, but emergency communications is something to consider. Back when I was doing this sort of thing a lot a cell phone wasn't even a possibility. Not just because I couldn't afford it, but coverage in those areas didn't exist. I ended up getting an amateur radio license. Today, something like a SPOT or other SatCom type device might be useful if you are by yourself or in a small group or are going way outside of coverage. Unfortunately they come with a subscription fee. In addition to the emergency call, some have really great features like allowing those back home to track your progress in areas without cell coverage and some even have the ability to pass through text messages.

Lastly, there should also be a first aid kit in the group.
Jeff - Street Triple 675R / GSX-R600 / F850GSA

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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by fixxervi6 » Sun Mar 18, 2018 3:34 pm

JeffStrom wrote:I think there are more insects and fewer trees around here so that may not be the best option, but will do if you are on a tight budget. Around here I don't know how one would handle the days when it only gets down to 90 deg. in the middle of the night. Anyone have suggestions for sleeping in hot weather?
I've tired so many ideas for camping in the heat, a few worked better than expected some not at all, every option inadequate. This is literally the best solution I was able to come up with:
test.jpg
I tired ice, massive battery banks to run AC, very large pelteir powered systems (home made) Dry ice systems, all of which sucked.

So I primarily only go camping in the winter now, and of course the camper has an AC on it if I ever do go when it's hot, my last camping trip was a week in Big Bend this past December.


Well shit, not sure why it did that - unless it's because I linked from my account, which is probably what I did.

Most of the stuff I'll have already from regular camping but some of my stuff won't work well on a bike, sleeping pad I have is too bulky. My stove is the multi-fuel version, I may consider switching it to gasoline so in a pinch, I can move fuel either direction.

I already have a SPOT tracker, I've used it on all of the road trips I've taken.

My biggest challenges on the bike vs traditional are:

CPAP - takes up room and requires power but I think I have something figured out for that now. Regular camping I used Solar and that worked fine for the most part but if I'm mobile during the day solar isn't going to work.
Tent - my tents are not small or light
Sleeping pad - mine is too bulky
Chairs - mine are too big
Tools - GS isn't too bad but the KLR has tubes, that's way more work.
Sleeping bag - mine is too bulky
Air - I have electric air pump and compressed gas, I've never had to fix a flat in "the wild" I've always managed to limp to a gas station, but I don't expect that to always be the case

For water I have a life straw that I keep fresh and a bad ass MSR filter, I've had the filter as long as I've had my stove.
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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by SputnikSam » Wed Mar 21, 2018 9:38 am

This was my bike all loaded up for the Caddo Lake trip last June. I could have benefited from a better sleeping pad, a smaller camping pillow, and a smaller stove, but everything fit pretty nicely. I didn't bring a chair, but I could have stacked a full size foldable on top I think... I didn't bring any extra except for what I had under the seat and tailpack, (smaller compressor, multitool, basic screw driver set). It wasn't too hot to sleep, and we had water and showers/bathroom at the site. I will probably use the same stuff for the next trip, with exception of getting a better sleeping mat.

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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by fixxervi6 » Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:01 pm

How "robust" was the gear mounting and would you run that same setup in the rain?
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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by SputnikSam » Wed Mar 21, 2018 9:33 pm

fixxervi6 wrote:How "robust" was the gear mounting and would you run that same setup in the rain?
Everything was pretty sturdy, I even leaned back on it as a backrest a few times. Good point about rain. I think I could have wrapped everything in the tarp if it started raining, and all the bags had rain covers I could throw on them if needed.
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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by JeffStrom » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:16 am

Jeff - Street Triple 675R / GSX-R600 / F850GSA

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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by dufremle » Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:39 am

Hahaha. Long fall to the ground of you roll over too far to one side.
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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by fixxervi6 » Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:01 pm

JeffStrom wrote:This is what you need Rick
Image
https://silodrome.com/mobed-motorcycle-mounted-tent/
Saw it, considered it, don't like it - at first I was like nah that can't be on top, holy crap that's on top, hmm that's neat... no way not doing that.
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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by dufremle » Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:45 pm

They only make it for the 2009 thru 2013 GSA anyway. You could probably modify it to work, though.
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Re: Motorcycle camping

Post by fixxervi6 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:55 am

ok trying this again, slowly editing the first post
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