KRATZMC

For me, enjoyment of the outdoors is one reason I like to ride. Being able to set up house amongst some of the most scenic locations in our country can’t be beat. Sitting around the fire after an evening meal and reflecting on the day, or an early morning cup of coffee with a spectacular view, is something you just can’t recreate even in the finest of Hotels.

Motorcycle camping can be an enjoyable experience if you are well prepared and you don’t necessarily have to “Rough It”. The only limits are your pocket book and if you enjoy the purest experience, the gear you need can be very minimal, affordable and will provide you with a new dimension in motorcycle riding.

I’m going to focus on camping gear with particular attention to what I like and use. The size of your packed load is a consideration, so back pack equipment and know how are important. The more room you have left over from your basic gear, allows more room for your luxury items.

Sleep: The key to being comfortable is having the proper, high quality gear. The most important being a good nights sleep, so don’t skimp on a sleeping pad or the sleeping bag. A good nights rest can cure many ills. If you get bad night of sleep, your day and trip will suffer accordingly. I would recommend a bag rated at 30-40 degrees, which would cover most situations in the western U.S.

I recommend a down bag if you are going to purchase a sleeping bag specifically for motorcycle camping. The reason is size and warmth. Down bags can be stuffed into a compression sack, down to 4″ in diameter to about 10″ long. The “Cons” are cost and if down bag gets wet it loses its ability to retain heat. If you don’t plan on getting a tent and you don’t mind a bulkier load, I would go with a synthetic filled bag. A good quality stuffing, such as Hollofil II, has twice the bulk of down but maintains its insulation qualities when wet.

If using a down bag, then a Gore Tex Bivvy Sack may be the answer. It not only keeps your sleeping bag dry, it can take the place of the tent and it increases the temperature rating of your bag by 10 degrees.

Tents: There are many tents to choose from. I think a 3 season tent is pretty versatile and I would treat the seams with a seam sealer. Weight and packing size are considerations. I never leave on a motorcycle trip while it’s raining but somehow I end up in it eventually. There a tent can be extremely valuable. A good tent will shield you from the wind and can be up to 20 degrees warmer than the outside air. I have a Sierra Designs Super Clip Flashlight. Although no longer made it is one of the lightest and strongest four season tents on the market. I weighs-in at just over 3 lbs and is easy to set up.

The 3 season version, Clip Flashlight 2 is still available and is adequate for even extreme weather. Retails for about $169.00.

Eureka Apex 2

I recently purchased a Eureka Apex 2 tent. The advantage I see is the side entry. It makes it easier to enter and exit in bad weather, especially when you are shedding or donning your motorcycle gear. This tent has a little more room and the same ratings as the Sierra Designs but is higher profile, thus has less stability in high winds. Retails, $119 at www.Campmor.com

Sleeping pads: Opt for a closed cell foam sleeping pad like a Ridge-rest, or Therma-rest, self inflating pad. Open cell foams will absorb water and act as a sponge. Air mattresses hold you up off the ground, so you lose the insulating effects the ground provides. With cold air underneath you, you will be noticeably cooler. The same goes for cots, unless you put a sleeping pad underneath you. For a pillow I use a flannel covered gear bag. Fill it with your spare clothes and it makes for an adequate pillow.

Kitchen: I usually have at least a stove and a pot to boil water. I mostly use it for soup or coffee in the evening or early morning. I can have me a bowl of oatmeal or Cup of soup after I awake. Then I can ride down the road a while and enjoy a heartier meal at a roadside eatery, if I’m not satisfied.

Having a stove has saved me a few times, when unexpected bad weather rolled in. I remember pulling over at a rest stop along the Snake river in Idaho, as sleet fell with 20 degree temperatures. I pulled my bike under the picnic table awning and made me a can of tomato rice soup. It was one of the best soups I ever had and it took the edge off the chill and got me revitalized and back on the road.

I have several Stoves, my favorite is the Svea 123R. This stove is bullet proof and used by expedition climbers. The drawbacks are the noise, which sounds like a V-1 Buzz Bomb and you must carry liquid fuel. With liquid fuel, there is the chance of spillage, but it boils 2 quarts of water at sea level in about 3 minutes.

The lid acts as a cooking pot and cup and you prime the stove by lighting a small fire on top of the fuel tank. Talk about going against common sense but it is a time proven machine.

I also have a Sierra Zip Stove. No fuel is required, as you burn Popsicle stick sized pieces of wood you find anywhere on the ground. Many campgrounds do not have fire wood but you can always find pine needles, small branches or twigs. It requires one single AA battery to power a small fan and will boil 2 quarts of water in 4 - 5 minutes. Sierra Zip Stove, retails $80.00.

I recently purchased a Turbo Bluet 270 stove. It uses a small fuel bottle as a stand and the bottle will last for about 3 hours of continuous cooking. The main advantage is the size. Stoves powered by fuel bottles may be affected by cold temperatures and high altitude but for most situations, no worries. It is about 3 inches tall and the same in width. Retails about $75.00.

Another good thing to have is a “Sierra Cup”. It is usually stainless steel or titanium with a metal wire handle. They don’t retain heat well but in a pinch you can boil water in it, use it as a bowl, dig a hole, or beg for money on a street corner. I carry two. One is used as a bowl for oatmeal, etc the other for drinking. I took measuring cups and poured water into mine and made marks at the different fluid levels with a metal engraver and it now doubles as a measuring cup.

If I could only have one eating utensil, it would be a spoon as it is more universal and a good pocket knife is handy for cutting up your dinner, cheese or salami. Now you can get “Sporks” a combo spoon/fork and saves room.

For a neat plate/bowl, I use a Orikaso Fold Flat Kitchenware Plate. It packs flat as a piece of paper and when deployed makes a great bowl or plate and is easy to wash.

For coffee, I use a single cup brewer. Put your favorite ground coffee in it, pour in the water and you have fresh drip coffee. Instant coffee just doesn’t work for me.

For clean up I use “Camp Soap”, which is safe for cleaning hands, body, hair, clothing, dishes, and more! Fragrance-free it works in fresh or salt water, and in hot or cold temperatures. Concentrated formula is biodegradable.

For a towel, I use a travel towel. If it is wet when I break camp, I leave it tied to my rear seat bag and it is dry in no time. If I wash clothes, I do it in the morning and secure it to the bike and it is all dry by my next stop.

Other useful items: For a fire starter, I use cotton balls impregnated with Vaseline. I store them in an old 35mm film container and they work every time. Aluminum foil is a helpful item too and has many uses. I unroll the foil into two foot strips and fold them into 6″ x 6′ flat squares for easy packing.

Anyway, I can go on forever about gear. Each so called expert will have their favorites, as I do. There is a plethora of gear out there. I usually buy stuff at Campmor or R.E.I. or REI’s outlet: http://www.rei.com/outlet to assure I am getting the best prices and above all, quality gear. J.C. Whitney has a ready made camping kit which has a tent, two folding chairs and two sleeping bags, in one easy carry duffle if you want a no brainer setup.

There is a lot of information on the web about motorcycle camping and what gear to bring. If you would like to read a book about it, try “Motorcycle Camping” by Bob Woofter, available at Whitehorse Press or Amazon books.

Maybe I should write my own book but for now, I thought I would just scratch the surface to plant the proverbial seed of curiosity.

Before I go, there is at least one piece of equipment that I should mention, a roll of compressed wood pulp fiber sheets for maintenance of your six o’clock. You might find a privvy but it may not be equipped with TP. I remove the cardboard inner roll, press it flat and put it in a zip loc baggie. I also carry some diaper wipes to tidy things up a bit, especially if I’m going to be sitting in the saddle for a while.

Well thats it for now. I hope you find this article helpful and if you have any questions, let me know. See ya on the road!