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ShagNasty

ShagNasty

Active Member
A few of my friends are talking about a two/three week ride sometime this summer, me included. My question for some of you long distance riders / campers. I have a Heritage Classic with bags and a T-Bag. what can you recomend as for a compact tent to be able to pack for the trip. with the 3 back surgries under my belt, I am a Hotel / Motel, Holiday Inn guy now, but would still camp with no issues. I am open for suggestions and a firm beleiver in you get what you pay for. I am looking for a good product , do not want to get wet, and compac, easy to pack not taking up alot of room.
Thanks
SHAG...
 
Thanks Hobbit
Mainly looking for a tent suggestion. sleeping gear only. I have a good sleeping bag and air mattress. we will eat on the road.
 
if you are looking for something really compact then the little dome tents mentioned above will work. I like a little more confort since i don't bend or crawl as good as i used to :D... the link will take you to the tent I use and I love it used it on my trip up the CA, OR, and WA coast last summer. Has a place for me and the old lady, my stuff and MY BIKE.. so if it is raining or foggy you wake up to a dry ride hehe. It is pretty compact for what it is and fits on my bike with my other gear np.

Biker Tent | Motorcycle Tent | Tent for Bikes | Tent for Motorcycles | Outdoor Camping
 
Man...I have been keep in the closet to long. I did not know this stuff was out there. First Hobbit turns me onto one that is self erecting and know you give me one that has a place for the bike...I need to get out more....Many Thanks
 
well like they say, Times Change, and they have changed from my camping days. Sounds like you do this or have done it a good bit Hobbit. I appreciate your replys. you know of any pros and cons that I need to be aware of. Now keep in mind, I have camped a good bit in my past and now the outdoors. it has been a long time and have never Bike / camped.
 
ShagNasty said:
I am looking for a good product , do not want to get wet, and compac, easy to pack not taking up alot of room.
Thanks
SHAG...
Click to expand...



Eureka and REI offer a great selection of nice quality tents at reasonable prices. FWIW here's what *I've* found important when selecting tents for motorcycle camping:

Unlike back-packing and bicycling, weight is not an issue but bulk is still somewhat of an issue. I only consider tents with aluminum poles, not fiberglass ones.

For most of my purposes a 2-3 person tent is preferred. It allows extra room for riding jacket, helmet, clothes bag, boots, etc, along with my sleeping bag. When packing space is really at a premium, like when dual sporting, I take my small, light, 1 person tent and make due.

I prefer a taller free standing tent. The lower profile tents, some even require tethering to hold them up, will withstand gale force winds better but are less comfortable and some places it's difficult to pound stakes in. Speaking of which, if your tent comes with those dinky pot metal stakes just pitch them and buy some tempered aluminum ones, or steel ones.

The tent should be at least 1' longer than you are tall, due to the sloping sides.

Needless to say, a good rain fly will be important. A fly that extends out beyond the door and becomes a vestibule is really handy. Many tents now come with their seams already sealed. If not seal them when you set it up at home the first time.

Buy, pack, and always use a ground tarp with your tent. I use a 6'x7' shower curtain for my 3 man tent. It protects you tent bottom and keeps water & moisture from wicking up. It must slightly *smaller* than the tent floor. If it sticks out even a little, rain and dew will roll down your tent walls and seep between it and the tent floor.

On my Dyna with Boss Bags I packed my tent on top of them, secured under the straps.

ColoradoAugust2006001.jpg
 
I didn't read through all the replys so this might have been suggested already, but if you go to any sporting goods store and head to the "Hikers" area you can find all kinds of stuff that's good for "Biker Camping" The stuff designed for hikers is light weight and compact, and that's just what you need for gear on the bike.
 
First of all sleeping on the hard ground is way better for your back than any bed. An air matress is a back killer. I've done that and found I had more problems with my back and kidney pain than sleeping on the ground. If you use an air matress, you better be able to inflate it to the point that it's hard as the ground.

Second, find a partner that you plan to tent camp with and split the supplies needed for one tent. I.E. one person takes the tent fabric, the other takes the poles and so forth.

That's how they do it in the army, you only get half a tent, and another guy has the other half to make a whole tent.

If, you want a tent for yourself, you should be able to go to any bass pro shop, cabelas, or outdoor store and get a mountain climbing tent which folds up really small.
Good luck.
 
It's probably no use me recommending a specific tent from this part of the world. If you do like I did though and look for a tent made for people doing cycle tours i.e. bicycle tours. They are small, light, a bit more expensive but work well. Two man tents mean you and your gear can get out of the weather.

Not a bad article here:
Bicycle Touring 101: Choosing a tent

My current tent packs smaller than the tarp I used to carry to sleep in.
 
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