My number 1 rule, I learned from a friend of mine. Never park your motorcycle with the side stand facing your tent, next to your tent. My friend almost got crushed by his bike at night, because it started raining and the side stand sank into the "before solid and now soft" ground.
While away on a campingtrip i expetienced that two times. Although i warned them not to do that. That the bike needed to lean away from the tent or to put more space between the tent and the bike. One guy got the bike on his face in the middle of the night. He was not serious injured but imagine what could have happenend ? Loosing an eye ? My stomach turns thinking about that. He had a headdache for a full day. Just from the sudden scare while sleeping. It was plain stupid, nothing more then that. So your advise is spot on.
Just use compress a beer or soft drink can and put it under the sidestand....avoids the problem easy or go buy a plate to put under your sidestand.....
Good point. But WHY anyone would set up a tent so near to their bike is beyond me. That is camping done wrong, in my mind. Park your bike a good few feet away. You are camping-- not biking. The bike brought you there, but it is not a focal point of your trip. I would easily keep mine ten or twenty feet away. You need to be able to see in every direction around your camp, too.
In 2019, I hit 34 states and 4 Canadian provinces, tent camping everywhere I went. I carried all camping gear in a Navy seabag, which I strapped across the seat behind me. Besides being large enough to hold tent, sleeping bag, tarp, cooking gear, food, sandals, and clothes, I also believe the seabag helped me avoid speeding tickets. Many people in law enforcement are ex-military. I deserved a buttload of speeding tickets, but never got pulled over. Over 22,000 miles in 2 1/2 months.
My bike is a 2003 Kawasaki Concours, a 1000cc sport-tourer. I did not keep a record of how much I spent on my best summer ever, but it was in the thousands.
My first advice? Just DO it! You'll learn from it (and have fun) Started doing it at 17. Canvas pup tent, cheapo sleeping bag, flashlight, and matches... that was about it. And loved it!
By far my biggest mistake was leaving for a campsite in Acadia National Park, 450 miles from home, hoping the weather would change. I spent eight hours in the rain riding to the site. Which was almost flooded when I arrived. Sometimes it's better to change your plans when the weather is uncooperative. - Frank
@@d4nial I should have sought the advice of someone from Miane! I have been previously, with the Campervan to hike and those trips were sunny and or / foggy, but mostly dry. Poor planning on my part! - Frank
sometimes when you plan a trip you are going come hell or high water... no pun intended... my first cross country run from Chicago to PA (Stroudsburg) was 2 days riding in the rain on the interstate.... 2 days there 'having fun'... and then 2 days back where on the last morning the sun came out so I could ride home and get dry.... good times
The #1 biggest mistake is to not motocamp, after years of long rides and nights at hotels I finally decided to pack my camping gear, needless to say we've not missed the expensive hotel rooms!
My thoughts exactly when people say they don't camp, but stay in hotels.. Those people do not know what they are missing, waking up in nature is awesome. Besides, I always find hotel rooms to be way too warm during the night and some don't even let you open a window.
As a retired Army veteran I thoroughly enjoy moto-camping by myself after many, many years of Army "camping" with 50+ others sleeping under the stars with just my sleeping bag setup. It's calming and relaxing for me, but I tend to be a loner as well, love making new friends though.
I'm currently 60 years old and don't camp much anymore. However, some years back, my wife and I camped often in a 1978 VW Camper Bus we owned, just for camping. We did this for many years and had a lot of fun. Then, we decided to give motorcycle camping a try. Our first two attempts were at very active biker rallies. No sleep for two nights, too much activity, loud bands, party activities. Then we tried a more low-key adventure and stayed awake all night due to bad weather and froze. Looking back, both styles were really fun. You are right about packing as light as possible.
I came at motorcycle camping from an ultralight camping perspective from hiking, mountain biking and kayaking. I've been a fan of ultralight camping since reading Colin Fletcher's book The Man Who Walked Through Time in the mid 1970s. I view motorcycle camping as high speed bicycle camping. It's also great for old folks who aren't going to pedal a bicycle anymore. Everything I carry fits in a 66L waterproof roll top duffle bag on the pillion and rack, and a lot of that is the ample 7 pound tool roll, riding rain jacket (good waterproof wind breaker in camp too), and a few other motorcycle related items. It's better to carry the weight lower, but 35 pounds on the pillion seat carries just fine with no panniers causing aerodynamic drag or catching on trees or rocks off road. Pannier racks and panniers add a LOT of weight, even before any items are placed inside. I don't think I'm carrying too little. My goal is safe and comfortable camping with the least weight and complexity. Good shelter, sleeping bag and sleeping pad (for tent campers) are very important and are no place to cut corners. I prefer my Hennessy hammock if there are trees. It's much more comfortable than a tent, lighter and more compact, and not needing a thick mattress is a huge additional size/weight savings. Tip: I don't carry spare batteries for the LED headlamp because the Surefire headlamp I bought recharges from the bike with the same cable that I use to recharge my phone. Less is more. I hate needless clutter and complexity. Fewer items makes life simpler and more enjoyable. More items means more to stumble over when looking for something.
Funny that you mention not needing a thick mattress, my nemo pad is by far the smallest and lightest item of the shelter 4 (tent, pad, sleeping bag, pillow) and its even smaller and lighter than my warbonnet hammock. In fact, I've done some research on the topic and it seems that most experts agree that in the end, tent-camping is (weight and size wise) more minimalist than hammock camping. But preferences are quite personal and some like a hammock more and some like a tent more, and all is good in the end.
@@athaphian - I'd love to have a hammock tent that I could sleep in as a hammock whenever there are trees but also pitch as a tent when there are no trees. I'm looking into the Haven tent hammock as a possibility for motorcycle camping. I have an idea for an integrated tent hammock specifically optimized for motorcycle camping but there's no chance that will be anything but a pipe dream unless someone else makes it. I love the idea of a hammock tent with a perfectly fitted inflatable sleeping pad with some convective and radiative insulation and sleeping bag that is easy to set up and tear down, with everything rolling up into a single storage bag.
@@jammcguire1276 - One of my favorite places to camp is the Red River Gorge in southeastern Kentucky. Once every year or two, someone would go camping in The Gorge, get drunk, wake up in the middle of the night to pee, stumble out of the tent, and fall off a cliff and die. Please drink responsibly when camping. I spent a decade of weekends rock climbing in The Gorge, back in the 80s. There were a few times we'd see someone carrying in a styrofoam cooler when camping near the road. They'd drink the beer and then it seemed like a fun idea to smash the styrofoam cooler and toss it around their campsite for future campers to enjoy. We'd clean up their mess after they left. None of them "accidentally" fell off a cliff, but it could have very easily happened. Maybe if we had a little to drink and our inhibitions had been lowered....
@@Liberty4Ever Being a lifelong surfer taking trips all over the world, that is a problem in a ton of scenarios especially going South into Mexico (I live in San Diego). Moderation is the key but the 'bottle' was meant as much as fun, portability and acts as an 'extra' blanket. Drunks are drunks and no amount of intervention with them seems to do any good except, in your case, when they hit the bottom of the Gorge.
Fun one! One mistake was mentioned by other commenters, but it bears multiple mentions. That is, arriving at a camp well before dark. It’s easy to push too long into the evening and then regret it later. A second mistake I’ve made is underestimating the amount of water needed for my ride AND supper AND an overnight stay AND breakfast in the morning. Water is critical and after messing that one up, I now pack along more than enough to make sure I get to enjoy the morning in camp before getting back out on the trail/road.
@@jochenschrey2909 that’s a good question and it varies a little bit with heat. I generally keep between 5 and 7L per 24hr period. The upper end in summer heat and the lower end in the shoulder seasons when daily highs are net above something like 25 Celsius. This is an estimate of course, and may be adjusted if you’re planning to eat at restaurants or stay close to civilization. I ride solo in mostly remote areas of Colorado and Wyoming, so the options limited and taking care of yourself alone is imperative. I find that a Sawyer water filter can save the day if running low and you can find a stream suitable to filter. Cheers!
Suffering DEFINITELY enhances the experience. When everything goes right you rarely remember, it’s when things go wrong and there is suffering that you never forget. Those times you will never forget. Anyone can have easy/cheap fun. It’s when we face adversity that we REALLY have fun. Fun that we don’t forget.
I'd argue that suffering enhances the memory (and the storytelling potential), but not the actual experience itself. Small distinction, but an important one.
Regarding planning, I find useful to separate it in two parts: planning the ride and planning the camping. My biggest mistake in my first trip was overthinking the road part so much that when I arrived I had no plans on what to do so I kinda just hanged around. In the ride plan we account for tools, maintenance, spare parts and where to get them, weather, road conditions, traffic, local laws, navigation, emergency plans, communication, etc. Basically sit dow and think of every bad thing that could happen and what to do about it. In the camping plan it's basically what you said in this video. I might add hygiene items and procedures, food preservation, water storage/filtration... All depending on where you're planning to go but the same principle applies: imagine the worst an plan accordingly. Then don't forget as I did to check out what activities you can do in your destination to have fun. Every place has something unique, find it to make the trip memorable.
Your’s is one of the more thoughtful posts. Back in the 80s I probably got lucky first up by taking just enough of the right equipment for a comfortable stay over nights in Australia’s national parks (just off main roads). I camped using 1/ a big fat comfortable 750 cc 2/ a smallish 4 stroke 250 cc that was nowhere near as comfy but did the job. I always carried a small tent; sleeping bag; and two old ex-hessian army bag used as saddle bags. Took the usual fry pan, boy scout tin cookware, even a small spirit lamp, plus tiny gas stove. I had a back pack that rested on the folded up tent and the sleeping bag at the back of the bike, and a small carry bag that rested on the petrol tank. Some canned food and a water bottle, and some small tools, bits and pieces and it was all I needed. Not enough attention gets paid to solo entertainments. In my carry bag, I had a radio 📻, a couple of handheld computer games, my wordmaster dictionary, a small portable chess set, a thin book of chess problems, a couple of novels, a mouth organ, and a deck of cards, etc. Never got bored, and people were generally friendly enough along the way to provide additional entertainment (of the sort you can talk about on YT). I don’t think I could have squeezed much more on the motorbike but what I took covered the journeys quite well.
I think how much you take and what is to much really depends on the ride and what you are riding. Taking a 1200GS on mostly paved roads with some easy gravel to a campground, you can carry a lot of stuff without the weight doing much. Riding a WR250 on tough trails, the weight really matters. You really have to evaluate it for what ride you are doing and packing what is appropriate.
I gave this comment a thumbs up, but I followed that logic in the other direction. I didn't want a big bike. I'm in my 60s and I wanted a light maneuverable bike. Actually, I've ridden nothing but small dual sport bikes since the mid 70s, so that was always my preference, but now I NEED a lightweight bike. I bought a G310GS for my 60th birthday and it's awesome. It's all I need for the ultralight camping that I prefer to do. Less is more.
Sage advice from Wanders of ... With my motorbike in Australia, usually about an hour to half-hour before dusk I start looking for a suitable site. Sometimes I’d double back just before dark and set up my campsite. The beauty of the bike was that I could wheel it about 100 metres into a state forest, over anti-car ditches etc, and no one knew I was there. Never was bothered by anyone. Careful not to make a mess or leave rubbish behind.
I can attest to this. Especially if you’re alone in the woods and hearing strange noises, can be quite ominous. Having someone there will help mitigate those fearful thoughts 😅
I have experience back packing and bicycle touring/camping, and that is extremely helpful. I’m 66 now and have congestive heart failure, so motorcycles work better for me these days. I would say the single most important thing to be aware of is the difference between camping as you are traveling, as apposed to traveling to a camping area and staying a few days while you explore, fish, or otherwise enjoy the area. When you camp as you are traveling, you want to approach camping like someone, for instance, hiking the Appalachian trail. Moving every day and eating on the trail, or on the road in our case, greatly changes your gear selection. You will often find that cooking equipment, coffee making equipment, fire building equipment, and possibly even a chair to sit on, are all unnecessary. The last thing you do at the end of the day might be stopping for dinner and fuel, and the first thing you do in the morning is to pack up and head for the nearest cafe or coffee shop. When I was traveling by bicycle I was always on the road at first light, because the, cool temps, quiet roads, and that first cup of coffee, after 10 or 20 miles of riding, were so enjoyable :)
Sir you sound right but I dare to disagree. On a first long trip with my girlfriend I spent more on roadside coffee than on gasoline. If I have the space and payload to make myself independent from tourism's vampires, why shouldn't I use them? I happily stop and brew instant coffee on my gas stove or carry my trusty steel thermos to get me through most of the day. Going out and eating out are fine, when they feel right, but shouldn't be necessarry, when you aren't in that mood.
@@jochenschrey2909 when I say I pick up food along the way, I often eat from grocery stores, but I never feel bad about leaving a little money in the small towns I pass through. Often times the folks running the little cafe need the money a lot more than I do. I do also enjoy the opportunity to interact with the local people, and other travelers. In addition, we all have different financial situations. To one person, stopping at a motel and dropping $150 for the night is no big deal. To another person, that would break the budget. We all have to be responsible, and make the financial part of this equation fit our personal situation.
@@jochenschrey2909 I guess I should mention, in case it’s not obvious, that you don’t need a stove to eat from grocery stores. Often times, people hiking the Appalachian trail carry no cooking equipment at all.
@@clarson2916 Replenishing groceries on the way makes sense. No stove on a bike? Sure, I can spend days or weeks on bread and caffeine pills but coffee and warm meals seem very desirable, at least during the vacation part of a trip.
Another good video. I think everyone should have a check list. keeps you from forgetting something. I started using one when I went on one of my first group rides with camping overnight. I somehow forgot my sleeping bag. I was wondering why I had extra room. Once we got to camp it started raining and it rained hard all night. Seriously living in AZ it was the most rain I had ever seen for that long of period. The good part was it wasn't too cold. So I slept in my riding gear. I used my giant loop bag to keep my feet warm and made it through better than expected. Since that trip I have a checklist I use to avoid mistakes like that.
A background in backpacking helps keep gear in check. However, I find it relates closer to canoe camping -especially on canoe trips involving a portage. You can pack more gear than backpacking but you don't want to take a whole lot more.
My first time moto camping I had no plan, my gear was untested, I packed too much, and I was far away from home. I had an absolute great time. I had good weather, my bag only got slightly burned from my exhaust, and i cooked myself some canned chicken soup. It was certainly a learning experience and I'm still rethinking how to pack everything and what is necessary to bring along. I will say that I don't know if I would have enjoyed camping with others, I suppose it would be nice to have someone to talk with, but I also just really liked being alone and meeting a few strangers along the way.
When you travel alone, you interact more with the people you meet, and the places you go. When you travel with others, strangers are less likely to interact with you because they don’t want to intrude. The trip becomes about the people you are traveling with. One is not necessarily better than the other, just a lot different.
I agree with camping alone. Nobody to have to upkeep a synergy with. Just time that I can completely zone out. As for the canned soup, you'll figure out that items like that take up too much weight and space. Anytime you can omit water from what you haul, the better off you'll be. A Sawyer water filter is awesome, and just boiling water for use, is the next best thing.
@@ElementofKindness I don’t carry food at all. I prefer to buy it as I need it along the way. That being said, I don’t destination camp, I’m always travel camping, so I’m back on the road moving to a new location almost every day, and picking up supplies, or buy food at cafes is easy. It’s warmed up enough for me to get out of my northern US town, and I’m heading to Mexico this week, and I will most likely stay 2 - 3 days at a few of the costal towns on this trip. Being retired is great 🤣😎
@@clarson2916 That makes a lot of sense for long trips in populated areas. However, I always try to disconnect from society, going deep into the woods, where nothing but the sounds of nature to keep me company, so that option wouldn't be available to me. It's cool how many ways "camping" can be done. As long as one doesn't end up injured or dead, pretty safe to say that there is no wrong way to do it!
@@ElementofKindness I’m with you on this. Café meals along the way are okay but even in populated areas I took one or two cans of my favourite food (ravioli or sausages & veg for supper, small packs of instant porridge etc for breakfast, etc) plus the obligatory coffee, and water. This stuff if packed properly doesn’t take up a ton of space. Even a small 250 cc commuter bike or scooter will allow you to take an inordinate amount of equipment. The secret is not to take what you don’t need (i.e. a chair; TV set; bar fridge etc). I do recommend some thought to entertainment and always took my portable chessboard set and a slender volume of puzzles, plus a paperback and a windup transistor radio.
A hot meal or at least a hot drink is essential for your energy, mood and spirits in my opinion. Particularly in northern England where I'm from as it is very often cold and wet (take The Lake District for example)
Actually as an older retired person my thoughts is at this point in life with my health is to revert back to using my AWD mini van as the camping machine and picking up a mini moto such as a grom or monkey, maybe even a modded ct70 or possibly something even up to a tw200 or xt250 type of bike for exploring on while in the area I am at. My general location offers multiple state and National parks and campgrounds close to National Forest with service roads and parks which offer fishing opportunities as well as biking opportunities all within basically a few hours driving distance from home and some even much closer . Not to mention these parks with the national park senior pass also offer 1/2 price rates to seniors on the campgrounds and also as being disabled I do not have to pay the entry fees for day entry of any of the parks or facilities. Also nice being retired you can plan your trips away from holidays or weekends and take advantage of the Monday - Thursday slots when the facilities at many times during the year are basically almost deserted. One time a few years back in the spring I stayed at one major state park with a lakeside camping spot on a major reservoir and from Monday until late Thursday afternoon I was the only occupant of the entire campground! which has 70 camping opportunities within the park. Using my mini van I can just do an air mattress/sleeping in the back eliminating needing to set up a tent or really worrying about rain, I can bring a cooler for the ice and beverages, I have an easy up canopy and can just bring my regular camping bag chairs, camping stove and lanterns for comfort while in the campsite. I already have a ceiling mounted fishing rod holder that holds 4 rods and the van was originally a conversion van which has the rear side windows which will slide open with a screen to offer a little air flow. The bike I can transport on the rear of the van on a hitch carrier as I plan to definitely stay under about a maximum 300lb weight limit for the bike. Although older and not quite at the point physically where I want to or am able to log in a lot of miles on a bike traveling anymore does not mean that camping, nature and motorcycles still do not hold importance, you just have to adjust exactly how you pull it off or keep your expectations to what you still can or cannot do realistic as you age. Just like I know in my current state of health gnarley single tracks are definitely in my rear view mirror but a nice wooded 2 track fairly well maintained fire service road can still be immensely enjoyed at a much reduced pace from my younger years. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, enjoy what you can while you can.
Liked your post 😃. My motorbike camping days are gone, but YT videos like this are useful for people with small cars, as in what to take. I’m 5ft 9ins but I have slept quite comfortably in a small 4 door hatchback. It takes a bit of arranging, trial and error, and finding the smallest pump up airbed you can find, as in narrow. Cheap pump up cushions and pump up pillows take up little space when deflated but come in handy when needed. If you’re into stealth camping, curtains and an indoor sun reflector for the front windscreen, should just about make one invisible in a quiet side street late at night.
I've camped with a super-weirdo!! ;-) He drank all the beer and ate all of the sausages then complained about the abundance of firewood! hahaha j/k love ya man! My first motocamping mistake was bringing way too many tools. We were going thousands of miles on the bikes through Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. Yeah. I had waaaayyy too many tools. Great video man!
I did a long ride some years back where we all rode the trusty KLR's. I owned a Motorcycle Repair & Mod Shop so somehow all the maintenance and tools we took somehow became my burden. I was ok with most of it, but the one guy who rode a smoking clapped out 650, that should have been left at home, became my challege to keep running. (For Free too!)
Tips 1 and 2, and at least partly 3 boil down to: don’t take what you might need, take what you can’t do without. But a little ingenuity goes a long way. All those little things I need like prescription meds, pain killers, sewing kits etc, I pack into a mess tin, in slightly larger quantities than I think I’ll need for the trip. That’s better than taking whole boxes of things. I take a torch to hang up in the tent, another one to carry around; they back up each other. 4 Yep. 5, 6, and 7 don’t apply to the camping I do, because it’s either with 100 to 1,000 other bikers at a rally, or I’m on an organised camp site. One good tip is not to park your bike too close to your tent. If it goes over in the night you don’t want a wrecked tent as well, or to wake up with the bike on top of you.
Great rundown. I’ve been moto camping for 15 years around PNW. One of my early mistakes was not realizing how you’ll lose sunlight sooner in the mountain. More than once I timed out my campsite waypoint thinking I’ll have sunlight to setup camp but ended up setting up in the dark.
I never went to a campground to camp from a motorcycle. I've always gone full primitive on public lands. I might have to try a campground one day. I'm currently searching for an island on a seldom used lake or river, to do a canoe camping trip. I guess that's to say, I prefer getting far away from others as possible.
Excellent video! The freedom one can experience on a long moto-camping trip is truly amazing! Along with the essentials I usually bring along a collapsible fishing rod, small tackle box, and a gold pan! For me, weight is more important if I'm doing more back-country riding, but less important if I'm sticking to paved or gravel roads. Like most things, the more you do it, the better you'll become, and you'll develop your own little tricks. Keep making great videos!
Planning ahead is a big one for me. A while ago I had a short overnighter not too far from my house - a midweek getaway. I got up really early the next morning to get to work and found the campsite was locked and I was locked in. I had to do some serious off-road bushwhacking through North Carolina’s forests to get out and get home in time for work. 🤣
Reminds me of a truck blockade of the City of Melbourne back in the late 70s. They wouldn’t let any vehicles in or out. So I slipped my 750 cc motorbike through a state forest (a car would never have got through). Had to get of a walk the bike a few times but still got through. Several times I did a commute between Melbourne and Brisbane (about 1,800 kms) took a leisurely 2 days and camped in a state forest at the halfway point. You weren’t supposed to, but with the motorcycle, manoeuvred it over the anti-car ditch and walked it about 100 metres out of sight. Never had any problems and careful not to leave any traces or rubbish behind. Sometimes there are things you can do on a motorbike you simply can’t do in a car (and I never got bogged on a bike, either).
Especially when coming from car-camping first make yourself familiar with backpacking stuff! This will be inspiring enough to know what’s essential, what’s possible and then to decide for those additional „luxury“ items you are able to bring along on your bike. After all carrying less weight (and not the maximum possible) will result in having much more fun on your bike when handling wouldn’t be that demanding 😉
I would say 2-3 person tent. Or it become to much, to heavy and big. Mountain tents are mostly 3 person tents. And camping or house tents are way to heavy. If you need more space, bring an extra tarp. Set it up like a roof with some sticks and/or cords/rope. Then you have a bigger space under a roof outside the tent. Even a place to park your bike under.
Solo camping at least get a 2 person tent so you have room for your gear when the weather is bad, if camping with your partner, get at least a 3 person tent.
I have been doing long motorcycle trips for more then 35 years. Sometimes 20000 km'ters. You need stuff with you. But you really have to overthink every item several times if you really need it. Most of the times you will not. In the beginning the few things i wanted to be as good as possible was my sleeping. So whatever i did i always took two sleepingbags. One was very light and one for more cold. And i could combine them. But somewhere around 10 years ago i changed all of that completely. And i am still so happy that i did that. I went the electrical way. On a long trip through several countries you will experience all kind of weather. But i needed to dump the extra stuff for that really cold weather. I take a light but high quality motorcycle air vent jacket. Then a very light water and windproof but thin jacket. And a Gerbing jacket that can be electric heated. With those three you can tackle everything. And what is very important. You do not have to wear a very heavy jacket when riding in hot weather. Also i bought several 12 volt heat pads. I combined two of them on a thin piece of cloth. So it has a heated area of 20 by 40 cm. Made two of those and did put them inside a light sleepingbag. One at the feet and one in the middle. Got a little container for 18650 lithion batteries that gives an output of 12 volts. Since then i can leave a lot of bulky stuff at home. Cause when it is really getting cold at night i have the possebility the electrical heat the sleepingbag. It is really so great. It works flawlessly cause as soon as you swith the 12 on you will be warm within 60 seconds. I use the Gerbing tempcontroller to adjust the tempereture. On the lowest setting you will easily have more then 8 hours of heat. I also can swith between only heating my feet. Most of the time this is more then ok. To leave the electricity on for 2 minutes on full and then to turn it off again. Now i have a sleepingbag that is packed the size of two liters of milk. But you still have to take a decent insulated sleepingpad with you. Like Exped has. An insulated air-matras. The 12 volt powerbank has also a usb out. So i can charge all the five volt stuff with it also. And the 18650 batteries i charge during the day while riding. And it can also use it for the Gerbing jacket and gloves when away from the bike. Multipurpose all your gear. Those heating pads you can find on Amazon and Wish. The 18650 battery holder i got from a Dutch store. But probably it can be found in your country also. Will put a link beneath ; www.prolech.nl/webshop/stroom/batterijen/batterijpack-accu-batterijen/detail/4705/12v-batterij-pack---powerbank---6x-18650---usb-en-dc-plug.html I would recommend taking 12 18650 batteries. And always have 6 fully charged ready. With going that way i can not only leave a lot of bulky and heavy gear at home but i also gives me a much broader tempeture range and comfort. F.e. when riding in Turkey with a temp of 40 degrees Celsius you treasure all the wind that you can get on your body. And not have to wear a heavier goretex layered jacket. What even can become dangerous at times. Remember to drink as much water as you can. Plumb your stomach full with water before starting to ride and then take drinks at good intervals when riding in high temps. You do not want to have bloodclots.
Don't know where to start really. Ok, finished high school in B.C. and bought a 10 speed bike from Sears and cycled from Mission to Calgary and never, never seen anyone on the road. A lot of camping inbetween too. Fast forward twenty years and again, Cycled from Calgary to Alaska and back. Outside of bears, moose, eagles, etc., someone stole my air pump off my bike and that was all, I have front and back panners and six water botttles too. Now fast forward thirty years and this summer going on my Shadow 750 up and down the Rockies with no time limit and better equipment. Yes, gopro and will be doing shots as well. Hoping to do route 66 on my 66th birthday this year, will see how it goes up and down the Mountains.... Love the video and your thoughts too. ty
My mistake was after the trip. Clean and prep your gear, mildew sucks. Also take notes while it's all still fresh. Camping is awesome spur of the moment, be ready to ride.
Solid vid. One thing of note, weight is even more crucial on a bike than when hiking. The physics of motorcycle riding is more impacted by weight. Rotational inertia, distance from axis of rotation, etc will negatively impact a bike's handling. This is even more important when off pavement or offroad.
Unless you're racing around like a tool.. and highly incapable or poorly trained to ride with a passenger.. it's not as huge an issue.... Just follow the rule of keeping heavy weight low and forward
@@donnydaniels5191 Weight will always have a negative impact upon handling. While weight placement makes a difference, it's the weight itself that needs to be under control. A passenger has less impact upon handling than a static load like camping gear. There are some solid vids out there regarding the physics of why this is the case. 🍻
Just bought a like new 2020 Moto Guzzi V85tt adventure , has the three panniers on it and it can haul a decent amount of stuff. I’m stupid excited to get into motorcycle camping and ( after watching countless reviews ) really the reason I bought this motorcycle . Now to learn all the great tips before hand . Thanks for a great video!
A poncho or bivvy is an ideal device in case your tent fails. With 2 / 3 bungees you can make a tent with it and it also can be used to cover your bike quickly if the heavens open and it is half unpacked
I am about to do my first shake down in WMA about 18mi away. I did a car camping trip at a national regular park as part of a shore scuba dive. The dive ended up a bust due to viz but camping was fine. I had all my gear on my bike yesterday and went a local park to play amateur radio. I went to the WMA today planning to camp in an unimproved site I viewed last week. I couldn't make a reservation online and the ranger wasn't on site, so I came home. I had been looking at rackless panniers to go with my top box and tank bag, so I pulled the trigger on some Rinowalk 14Lx2 panniers. I also got a pair of 1.5L bicycle frame bags that should fit my front Tusk crash bars. I recently setup a 3"x24" PVC tool tube in front of the engine of my 2018 KLR 650. The panniers will let me travel with an empty backpack which will make life nicer. I'm starting with my 2-3 man tent, but I bought hammock to try out and I have a canvas tarp I might try. I haven't done minimalist camping since basic training at Ft. Jackson in 1984. Gather up lots of pine needles to get above the mud and provide a soft bed. Cover with rain poncho. Put tent with buddy, each providing a shelter half. Smell your buddies stinky feet all night. Lol About 1/4 my setup is for amateur radio: radio, antenna, tune, battery, and solar panel. RF noise in town is horrendous. Once you get a few miles away from the nearest powerline its a new world. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nShDYlZGKlc.html
I’ve got cancer, Multiple Myeloma, and was recovering from a stem cell transplant. I went solo motocamping and took too much stuff. Had a small one man tent, but had to pack everything in it with me since there were so many people around and I didn’t trust the situation enough to leave cameras and other gear out. Anyway, I was pretty beat and sore and didn’t sleep well in my cramped quarters and painful medical condition. I was determined tho, and the weather was perfect. Learned my lesson!
I agree, bringing too much stuff is a biggie, but very hard to perfect. No matter how much I agonize over my list of what to bring, I can't find anything on that list that I want to be without when Im out there, and it ends up being... too much stuff. I have always "over planned" and this year I fully intend to do the opposite and "not plan ahead".
Use a GI Military duffel bags. You can stuff everything into it. Maybe a smaller tank bag etc. etc.. for the finer toiletries, medicine, first aid. Personal items even if by yourself. But a Army Duffel Bag "holds everything and a lot more" bungeed to the back seat area. Makes it so much easier.
Nice video, but I prefer a hotel. After 400 miles of riding in a day, last thing I want to do is set up a tent ,and look for fire wood. I guess I'm just not a camping person. Ride safe , Mr. Dork.
I used to be the same way. Have done loads of moto travels every year, but with Covid. I started to camp. It adds to the trip! Big fan! But if there’s heavy rain, air bnb or hotel it is!
Whenever camping I also bring a firearm, usually just a handgun, in my essentials list. Especially if solo camping eases a lot of anxiety at night from animal noises. That and you’re in the middle of nowhere (or at least where I go) where 4 and 2 legged creatures that come up to your campsite may not have great intentions
The two legged creatures worry me more than the four legged ones. I’m usually out where I generally shouldn’t see other people (at least not close), so if they get near my camp it’s probably not to be neighborly.
My add on to this is, regardless what you pack. Keep the weight low! I made the mistake of filling my panniers with clothes and all the heavy stuff+extra fuel was on my rear rack. Once you hit a soft surface it feels like your bike is ice skating as you have no control
I live in Colorado so this might not apply to others. Twice, I've had bears walk thru camp! Black bears are generally not aggressive, but we did lose a lady here in the Durango area a year or so ago to a black bear. Very rare. So... #1 Have GOOD bear spray. I also works for lions (I've had two lion encounters, but not while camping). Frontier Sabre, large can is recommended by many expert - that's what I have. #2 I always have a side arm, usually a .357 Magnum revolver... simple, reliable. I've NEVER had to shoot a predator - so far. But I did have a lion at 8 feet (measured the next day, my boot prints to his paw prints, under some brush). He left AFTER I carefully backed up, keeping my eyes on him. I've also never had to deploy bear spray, but better safe than sorry. Love your vids!
My first time out. I took way to much stuff. My friend that was gonna go with me didn’t cause it was gonna get in the 30’s at night. So I went by myself. Learned you use more water than you expect too.
I’m going on my first bike camping trip tomorrow after work. I have a Honda ADV 150. I can fit everything under the seat and all my comfort extras in a slim backpack. I have alway been a minimalist camper so this is going to be a breeze. Can’t wait to just get some me time looking up at the stars.
When riding with a buddy, set up camp and then go buy a 12 pack of beer and a bag of ice. Take 6 cans out and fill the remainder of the box with half bag of ice. Put the 6 beers taken out into the remaining half bag of ice. I've got mine for the night, He's got his.
A good trick is to use a T-shirt, towel and get it wet. Just rap it around the beer. It will take out all the heat from the beer, when it dry up. And the beer gets cold. The same with only water, in a bucket or other things that hold water, or a stream/river/lake. The last 3, you have to moor them in a way. They really want to go swimming. A net bag is a nice easy thing to use. Fishing stores should have them.
I learned to keep it all simple in the army .food ,water,shelter,something to keep you warm ,something to keep you dry ,1set of spare clothes as many sets of underwear and socks as your willing to carry. Water is the heaviest thing so if you can be certain of getting it along the way or even near your camping area then thats better , but at least carry a small bottle for the journey .have your shelter either already rigged with ropes /lines ready to just erect simply or i prefer a sleeping bag in a goretex ex army bivi bag with just a poncho or ground sheet strung out above me ,better on a small roll mat but thats all .
I finally did my first moto camp the other day after procrastinating all summer, threw together a kit with food and water and took off without a plan, found out just a tarp doesn't work and don't trust the weather the temp fell to 43 and it started raining at 2:am, soaking wet all morning and freezing with only a hoodie 🤦🏻♀️ learned my lesson but had a great time.
Tanks for good inof and all valuable. Some thoughts that might help... your tent - if it requires staking out to stand it is not good for many locales like desert and shale areas. Find one that is free standing. If you have a camp knife do you need a fancy food prep chef's knife? Basically everything that can serve multiple purposes is good for keeping weight down. Tupper Ware bowl for food and spices storage or whatever, the lid is your cutting board and where you can set cooked items to rest while you finish cooking no need for a separate board etc. Don't go cheap on warmth items. Cheap means less performance per pound and cubic inch and possibly can fail in worst cases. Choose food items by calorie density except for the comfort items. BTW whiskey is pretty calorie dense! Clothes is another area where folks over pack. Same for string lights, battery powered fans and lanterns etc. Nice to have but add to weight fast.
Found you through another motorcycle camper, who's channel name evades me at the moment. I am looking to try this out this year. My wife doesn't like actual "camping," she likes spending $100 or more a night for some dinky little cabin that has everything our house does, and costs a lot more. So, I figure if I am the only one that will actually go camping, may as well get the bike out and enjoy it. I ride through the whole year, no matter the weather. But, I have done minimal camping. Our friend group does campground camping, not exactly my scene. Too many drunks. For years I have been watching bushcrafters, that's more my type of outdoorsy fun. So this year, I am just going to do it. Quit my job in May, to travel from CT to OR and live in the camper with the wife and 5 cats for a nursing job. I would never live in a camper again, but would love to get out and explore more. This country is so vast, and the bike is a good way to slow it down and take it all in. So, getting videos like this is greatly appreciated
I've fallen short on water and had to ration water on a multi-day trip. Luckily there were 4 other guys. Also, only recently did I learn how to change a tire tube and update my kit with the proper tools.
I went for a lake side camp with another biker friend. I only had summer gear. The sleeping bag I had was for 20C/68F comfort temperature. and in the night temp went to 4C/39F degrees. I covered myself with whatever I could find in the tent and shivered whole night :D was a nightmare.
First aid kit obvious and accessible to passers by is a must (nobody plans to knock themselves out but planning for it is essential). Likewise advising family or friends at home your routes and schedule is essential for similar reasons. Stay safe and right wrist down campers.
Whan all the people you know and have camped with have camped with at least one weirdo except you, um, never mind. Kidding, great advice all round. Looking forward to more videos and btw, yours was one of the videos that pushed me over the edge and "made" me pull the trigger on the 890R.
I usually ate before I arrived at my camp site. Whether it be at a restaurant or a can of beans and weenies or whatever. The biggest improvement midway last yr. through my travels was getting an air mattress. I was using an army sleeping pad then bought an air mattress. What a differance that made.
I would like to add one thing. Select a tent based on the travel agenda. Are you attending an event or rally where you will post your tent once, stay for 3 days, then pack your tent up for travel home? Or are you on a destination ride and you are posting your tent every night. Point to make, you can pack a heavier tent, if staying several days. Use a light 2-man tent if posting it every night. Makes life better.
Like # 6 the best and is usually the only reason i will go motorcycle camping. Gotta have that fire and something to cook on it. And some beer. My Firebox stove is the best. A smaller equivilent if i dont have a real campfire pit.
My first ever trip was 2017 and I rode across Canada with a reckless 80, 30L duffel bag, big tank bag, AND a 30L backpack STUFFED. The only thing I used out of all that 100lbs of crap was the food, water, chain lube, and jetboil stove lol. No idea why I thought I'd have time or energy to scope out a spot and set up camp after riding 1000+ km a day in the baking freakin sun or driving wind and rain. My back was screaming and I could hardly count to 5 by the time the sun went down every day, so I just be-lined to the nearest hotel, scarfed down as much food as I could and took 6 advil with my beer, passed out on the bed and did it all again at 5am every day. Pretty much lost all interest in long distance moto travel after that trip lol. I do go motocamping in the backcountry once in a blue-moon but I can't sustain it for long, never can get any sleep at night. Insomniac at best in the comfort of my own home.
Excellent advices ! Big mistake i made for my first camping; not planning my time arrival on the site and an alternative plan I arrived at 9:30pm, almost no sunlinght, cold dehydrated diner with 5° c temp But it was first time, and very on of the best
Another great video. Appreciate your candor and experience :-) must take items (in addition to your shown/discussed) for me include trail mix, a good knife, nylon rope, and a tarp. I go cheap on sleeping pad...a dollar store pool floatie/raft is great under sleeping bag.
I have spent over 40 years motorcycle camping, in the US and in more country`s that I can`t even remember anymore. My last trip out of the US was in 2003 to 2005 traveling all over Aisa and the middle East. 99% of the time I`m by myself. I actually don`t like to travel with other people other than having a nice chat with other people. Most of the times I have traveled with other people I have ended up saving their ass because of their stupidity and at that point the fun is gone. I probably travel with more then I need but who cares, and I want to be comfortable. I take food but lots of time I fish or trap my dinner hear in the US. About planning well, I don`t except the destination, say I want to check out Az. back country I kind of look at the area I want to see, and I just head out, I also live in Portland, Oregon and every year I typically do a 2 -to 4-thousand -mile ride ...alone. this year 2022 I`m heading to South Dacota bad lands, Yellowstone then bounce around the Canada border on my way back. I have no reservations except for Yellowstone and that`s only for two nights, I wing it and that works for me. I will not go into Canada because I carry a handgun for bear protection and? I camp, ride in any weather I don`t care. I`m prepared for all climates. I actually like seeing new riders/ campers who bring the lattice junk out on the road and watch them fail miserably its entertaining... happy trails.
Hi. I agree with everything you said - cooking doubly so. I still want to get dehydrator just so I can eat ‘nice-ish’ meals but not carry the weight and bulk of 2 or 3 days food supplies. But ‘everyone should think ahead’ is probably key! Personally, my gear and kit is still in a state of constant flux: I like to try new things and new approaches. If it works, it stays, if not…. Try something else. My tip: always have 2 light sources (one solar, Luci lights are cheap and awesome).
Bushcraft skills will produce superb camping results when linking those skills with backpacking experience. At that point the bike just serves as a unique mode of transportation adding to the overall trip.
I do need more than a wool blanket and a stick. I am a compulsive planner. Achieving the necessary balance of gear vs available space is proving to be a challenge. The shake down run does need to happen for me. I will be going by myself since parallel campers do not meet. Thanks for the video. More information is surely better and you are helping with my planning.
Know and practice basic first aid and have a kit , also a good idea to leave a basic itinerary and check in with someone family, friend ect ... If your in remote areas by yourself a SAT phone would be a good idea.
Actually doing the pre-camping test in my own garden is great! I usually pack my bike as I want it for the longer trip, then ride to the back of the house and do an over-nighter. In this case, I can easily throw the stuff that I don't need or figure is unnecessary, directly through the back door. :)
I dunno? some of the newer dehydrated meals are prettttttty good! i wont mention any here to sound like I'm promoting but.......feel like some are restaurant quality, but the prices are way more then a hot dog! great vid!
us old campers are pretty good at messing up as well, nice movie, bring things that allow you to adapt your camp set up, pack light, got a lot of valuable new things? put numbered stickers on it
Pirsing said in Zen And the Art of MM that comfort is not that important on a motorcycle trip and I agree but...Some take this to be saying one must be uncomfortable but it does not say or mean that. It is simply not that important but should not in any way be avoided.
One mistake I made was to trust a self inflating sleeping pad to actually work when I hit the road. It wasn't the priciest pad on the market and I had no experience with it prior to the trip but when I got to my first camping spot I found the valves didn't work and I spent a most uncomfortable night sleeping on the ground. No fun for an old guy with arthritis in my hip.
It definitely takes some trips to determine what is to much stuff and what is to little.. trial and error right 😂 I know I don't have it all figured out yet but I'll keep practicing.
Always wanted to go motorcycle camping but I figured it would be one night only, just to try it. After considering all I need to buy (everything including a tent) thought it be cheaper to get a hotel room. As I pondered it I got excited. Maybe go for a swim at thier pool, later a nice dinner than a nice shower into a warm comfy bed turn on the t.v watch an old Western and fall asleep. Morning..go for my continental breakfast maybe another quick swim than hit the road. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO MOTORCYCLE CAMPING.
Double check when camp offices and stores close when camping in late fall. I was planning on buying some food at a camp store only to find the store had closed at 6 pm. Luckily I had a granola bar and a Guinness so I managed until morning.
Great video ... take the Goldilocks amount of stuff ... use your gear locally first ... and have fun! Your camping, not going to the range, to keep weight down, only take an extra magazine or two. You will seep better with a safety tool when tent camping.
being a Montana boy and 45 year road rider... I find it amusing that bike riders need to learn how to camp.... I guess newbies need some direction though.....
