Bike/scooter camping

[john grinsel]

Already Oct. and I haven't been bike camping this year----first time in many years.....but still a few months left in the year.

My gear set up is such that it all fits in waterproof Ortleib rubber bag-----even in motel travel mode I carry sleeping bag and small emergency sack-----returning from Sturgis one year, flat tire, middle of night, spent the night in ditch( stuff with me, so got some rest)   Learned on this trip----#1 trailer bikers do not stop for bike in trouble, period(and there are sure a lot returning from Sturgis!!)#2   Gold Wing Rider stopped and between the 2 of us we got ahold of towing service that would come in the morning.  I rested (lots of bugs), morning towing took me to Goodyear shop, I removed rear wheel (easy BMW  K-75), shop repaired tire properly from inside) and I was on my way soon.


Back to MC camping---in US I most times do not cook, hate to pay $25 to put up tent and sleep next to the fat guy in Motorhome who runs generator all night.   So look for cheap motel or free camping.  When I rode to the North Cap in Norway, carried military MRE's (they worked fine) but ain't cheap.   In Europe in the 50's got free WWII K rations from cook by the case----liked the chicken stuff.   And in Europe....always good bread available.....not the white mush we get in US.   Bike camping requires slower pace but I have enjoyed it over the years.....but the really hot temps in the US south this year have discouraged me.

[Neil955i]

Kudos to you John. Been years since I camped with the bike. Kinda got put off one year in Ireland where we had torrential rain which lasted the whole week. The final straw came the night my tent blew away in a howling gale! Spent the remainder of the night trying to catch 40 in the camp site shower block.

Still, a lot less to pack for the schlepp home [emoji16]


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[Iahawk]

I like reading/hearing about other's motorcycle camping adventures...always sounds like a good time...but have never done it....come to think of it...I have never actually camped.....

[Neil955i]

I like reading/hearing about other's motorcycle camping adventures...always sounds like a good time...but have never done it....come to think of it...I have never actually camped.....

En suite kind of a guy huh? [emoji23]


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[Viper254]

Bike camping's great - it's that intersection of freedom and flexibility that you just can't get with a car.

I have a plan to do Scotland or Ireland with a 50cc Honda Melody that's in bits in my shed. Did a long England trip with a 50cc earlier in the year and it was fine, bar a little nippy.

With regards to free camping - it's usually fairly easy to hide a motorcycle and just camp somewhere nearby if you rock up at dusk.

Wild camping is legal in Scotland as well, which is great.

A tiny tent and the ability to whip up a hot drink and you'll have an awesome time.

[randyo]

Back to MC camping---in US I most times do not cook, hate to pay $25 to put up tent and sleep next to the fat guy in Motorhome who runs generator all night.   So look for cheap motel or free camping. 

I have found (at least the campgrounds I stay at) , that most campgrounds segregate tenters from RVers. On the road, if it's just one night, I'm more likely to stay in a motel. If they don't have treed sites, I won't stay there. I also inspect the facilities before I set up.

 I have pelican 1550 side cases on my V-strom 1000, pelican 1495 as a thin top case with my laptop, 1911, travel documents, and I pack a Vermont Rounder U bag on top of that, (it's not big, it's huge), with plenty of room to cradle my cooler on the back seat, and bungee my backpack on top of that, with plenty of extra bungees (come in handy as tensioners when using a tarp as a fly). Tent, mattress, sleeping roll, pillows, mess, axe, rope, 2 10x10 tarps, bundle of Delorme Atlases, radio, and room for more, all fit in the U bag, cooler is collapsible, but will expand to fit a 12 pack + 20 lbs of ice

I generally don't cook when camping, get breakfast at a local greasy spoon, then late lunch , snack in evening around campfire sometimes the snack is steak tips and something wrapped in tin foil, more I think of it, I never use my mess kit, probably

[john grinsel]

Something to add----nice to have---all your packing on bike should be waterproof!!

Old men need Pee bottle in tent, too.

[scootertherapy]

I used to camp off my yamaha virago back in the 80's after I got out of the army.  Not since though. Did camp other ways. Ah to be young again and live in a world w/o cell towers.

[Viper254]

It's all without cell towers if you switch it off