Just as the title says, looking at doing some adventure camping this yr, wondering if i can get some real reviews from forum members on what they use as a tent and why
thanks
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Motorcycle Camping Tents
- Thread starter ToSlow
- Start date
Tarp. Because small, cheap and awesome.
Lay the tarp on the ground, ride the bike onto left edge of the tarp. Put bike on sidestand. Throw tarp over bike. Stand bike up a bit and tuck tarp under side stand. Now you have a tube with the bike in it. Roll foam mattress out in the tube. Crawl in and lace the ends of the tarp shut with some cord. Done. Keeps you warm while you fall asleep. Bike is protected from miscreants. Bike is dry in the morning. Wake up, reverse the process and be gone in <<five minutes.
Lay the tarp on the ground, ride the bike onto left edge of the tarp. Put bike on sidestand. Throw tarp over bike. Stand bike up a bit and tuck tarp under side stand. Now you have a tube with the bike in it. Roll foam mattress out in the tube. Crawl in and lace the ends of the tarp shut with some cord. Done. Keeps you warm while you fall asleep. Bike is protected from miscreants. Bike is dry in the morning. Wake up, reverse the process and be gone in <<five minutes.
Do you have any pictures of this setup?
I'm having a hard time visualizing it, but it sounds brilliant.
I motocamped once and the tent I took had to fit in the boxes on the GL1500. It worked but wasn't comfortable. Foam mattress sucked, self inflating. The best tent is a plastic card about 2" X3" with numbers on it. Camping, like any endeavour, should be enjoyed not endured. Getting changed in a small tent requires being a contortionist. Barring that take GreyGhost's tip at least in part and get a decent sized tent and use the bike as part of the assembly. The poles take up too much room on the bike.
I think a video would be better.
Many tents today fold up much smaller than they used to even 10 years ago.
I don't know know if its the type of material used for the poles or different technology or what.
Same goes for mattresses and sleeping bags.
I don't know what bike you have. But When I tented on my east coast trip my set up was such.
Soft bags/panniers on the sides. Tent strapped perpendicular, resting on the seat and panniers. Sleeping bag strapped as well. Tank bag up front.
It also depends on your budget.
You can visit stores like MEC and ask the pro there which tent or sleeping bag it good. I would think that anything that will do well in harsh mountain terrain will work well for a motorcycle tenting trip. The pro stuff is usually small/light but good. BUT it can get expensive quickly.
If you plan on doing this for a long trip/many days or into again in future riding seasons than it would be worth spending a little more money on the equipment. If its just for 1 or 2 weekend trips than the stuff at crappy tire will be sufficient.
Also, might be worth your time reading through some of the AVD forums. I'm sure the guys on there have lots of experience and opinions.
advrider.com
Also, nothing wrong with changing outside of your tent.
I don't know know if its the type of material used for the poles or different technology or what.
Same goes for mattresses and sleeping bags.
I don't know what bike you have. But When I tented on my east coast trip my set up was such.
Soft bags/panniers on the sides. Tent strapped perpendicular, resting on the seat and panniers. Sleeping bag strapped as well. Tank bag up front.
It also depends on your budget.
You can visit stores like MEC and ask the pro there which tent or sleeping bag it good. I would think that anything that will do well in harsh mountain terrain will work well for a motorcycle tenting trip. The pro stuff is usually small/light but good. BUT it can get expensive quickly.
If you plan on doing this for a long trip/many days or into again in future riding seasons than it would be worth spending a little more money on the equipment. If its just for 1 or 2 weekend trips than the stuff at crappy tire will be sufficient.
Also, might be worth your time reading through some of the AVD forums. I'm sure the guys on there have lots of experience and opinions.
Adventure Rider
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Also, nothing wrong with changing outside of your tent.
No. It is dark and I am in it.
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Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 person tent. Lots of reviews of it on youtube.
It was one of the smallest I could find and reasonably priced. Stands on its own without pegs.
I fit in it fine but there's no room for any gear so I probably should have got the 2 person version, it's only slightly bigger.
It was one of the smallest I could find and reasonably priced. Stands on its own without pegs.
I fit in it fine but there's no room for any gear so I probably should have got the 2 person version, it's only slightly bigger.
I have a 40+ year old Diamond Brand 3 person tent, that could fit 4 in a pinch.
It's been to Europe and all over Algonquin in a canoe many times.
They don't make them like that anymore.
Now they're lighter and don't need seam sealer.
I'd get something slightly bigger than you think you'll need.
It's been to Europe and all over Algonquin in a canoe many times.
They don't make them like that anymore.
Now they're lighter and don't need seam sealer.
I'd get something slightly bigger than you think you'll need.
this is what i'm looking at
Tarp tents are all fine and dandy until you end up trying to sleep through a windy night. You soon discover that tarps are not quiet in the wind, particularly when you’re inside them.
I have a cheap ass little 3 person that works awesome and folds up into a 18x4x4 pouch. Fits me, my sleeping gear, my luggage off the bike, and some room to spare to step in and out of the tent without walking on top of it all. The only thing I dislike about it is that it uses the slip through style holders for the rods versus clip on - a bit of a pain at times.
I’ve been looking for something new for this season. The “self set” tents look awesome - put them on the ground, bop the top, and poof....tent. Fold up the legs and recompress the spring, slide it into it’s bag, and you’re ready to head out again. Yes, they’re bigger and bulkier, but I’ve got a ton more luggage capacity on the new bike, I’m perfectly ok with that.
I have a cheap ass little 3 person that works awesome and folds up into a 18x4x4 pouch. Fits me, my sleeping gear, my luggage off the bike, and some room to spare to step in and out of the tent without walking on top of it all. The only thing I dislike about it is that it uses the slip through style holders for the rods versus clip on - a bit of a pain at times.
I’ve been looking for something new for this season. The “self set” tents look awesome - put them on the ground, bop the top, and poof....tent. Fold up the legs and recompress the spring, slide it into it’s bag, and you’re ready to head out again. Yes, they’re bigger and bulkier, but I’ve got a ton more luggage capacity on the new bike, I’m perfectly ok with that.
How big is your bike? What kind of storage?
I camped in a Big Agnes ultralight mountain glow tent that packed up to nothing and weighed just a few pounds. It fit my cot in it but had practically no headroom or room for much else. It was fine but when I finished that trip I bought the biggest tent that packed up the smallest and weighed the least I could find. A Big Agnes big house 4 man tent. Spendy but I can stand up in it, plenty of room in it for all my gear, plenty of room to sleep and it has an add on vestibule too that‘s handy. I can fit my big touratech side cases in too with everything That's what I’ll use if I’m going to be camping a few days in one spot and using that as a base for trips. A little bit of luxury goes a long way I find.
I camped in a Big Agnes ultralight mountain glow tent that packed up to nothing and weighed just a few pounds. It fit my cot in it but had practically no headroom or room for much else. It was fine but when I finished that trip I bought the biggest tent that packed up the smallest and weighed the least I could find. A Big Agnes big house 4 man tent. Spendy but I can stand up in it, plenty of room in it for all my gear, plenty of room to sleep and it has an add on vestibule too that‘s handy. I can fit my big touratech side cases in too with everything That's what I’ll use if I’m going to be camping a few days in one spot and using that as a base for trips. A little bit of luxury goes a long way I find.
I got into this moto camping thing ten years ago using the El Capitan3 tent @redger was mentioning and just like he says - it probably packs down a bit large/heavy compared to modern tents, but it's a great tent, always dry and reasonably quick to set up or break down.
That Midori tent looks pretty good for what you seem to be looking for. Some differences I can see are that it seems to use a single pole setup vs the 2-3 poles used in the El Capitan3. The Midori also seems to have 1 vestibule - personally I prefer 2 vestibules for storing things on either entrance to the tent. The EL Capitan3 tent also comfortably fits my wife and I. Not sure if you can find an El Capitan3 tent still for sale, but if you could, you would probably have no regrets with it.
First pic with rain fly
Second pic without fly
Third pic it's packed in the green bag for a long weekend trip with my wife to Lake Placid. The poles collapse down and get stored in a side case.
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