Motorcycle Camping


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cjmaverickg

New Member
I've got a 2012 FZ6R that is essentially stock. I've been doing a lot of research lately, and have been lucky to been given an opportunity to have some time off of work so I'd like to take a week or 2 long trip through California and motorcycle camp along the way riding 2-up with my girlfriend. Now I know it's a mission and I'm very familiar with camping itself, just never done it while traveling on a bike. Biggest issue on the trip I think is going to be comfort and storage for the supplies necessary. Does anyone have any suggestions for storage they have used, or possibly if someone has gone camping using their bike how they have done? I love the bike and it will be more than comfortable enough for the trip, I'm just concerned about having the necessary equipment and transporting it safely.
 
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RoadTrip

New Member
I have been able to fit all my camping gear on my bikes, but this usually entails hogging up the rear seat with saddle bags and tail bag, so there is no room for a passenger. It's gonna be tough with a passenger back there. Even without a passenger, it's a tight squeeze to get a tent, bag, and the rest of all the stuff required for camping.

Is it possible for you to make the same trip and just stay at hotels and various lodging, then you would only have to take some light clothing. You could still stop by all the sights, but dine and sleep in comfort, with a lot less hassle of packing and unpacking gear.
 
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dart1963

Super Moderator
Elite Member
This is a good start: http://www.600cc.org/forum/f34/givi-luggage-mounting-hardware-31164/


but yeah, hauling a tent and two sleeping bags.. might be a bit tight on the bike. Now if you were only going to one campground, you could mail stuff there and back, but adding multiple stops is gonna make it tough. I know KOA has some nice cabins, would help with that...
 
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adamo3957

New Member
Your either gonna need a top box or rack, or some backpacker sized gear tbh, 2 up you'll be struggling for space...

Now I've refined my own setup I have a 65l duffel with tent bag and roll mat inside ( I just roll the tent with all it inside...) And soft panniers, 1 has the cook kit, the other will be food, water, and potentially fuel... Leaves a tank bag with camera gear and spare space.
 
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Therzdae

New Member
What if, depending yalls weight already, if you just put a hiking back pack on her back then put your 2 person tent 2 sleep bags, all the gear yall will need in that. and just ride like that...

Personally I am 220, and my girl is 130 which the tail is already scarey close to the tire, I personally would not put any more weight past that, and even this riding as noted is a bit on the sketch side.. so if it was me I would do dart1963 advice, the shipping thing... or having her take a car and every time you get to a neat mountain just have her park and ride around there a bit then move on.

my two cents good luck tho.
 
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JT

Monster Member
Elite Member
yea ive been camping a few time lately and both times ive filled up my full size truck and cant imagine doing so on a bike. if you do the bar minimum tent and sleeping bags then what about extra clothes and food alone will be a pain if you don't have any on you and you get hungry various times a day. also you don't know what weather you may encounter so you should have various types of gear on you. well if you do it please do take pics I need to see this
 
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blkbrd

Elite Member
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LS6TT

Member
I backpack so I've got all of the smallest gear you can get your hands on, only issue I've found, 6rs don't like off roading, lol. That's my issue with camping with the 6r.
 
alaskanflyboy

alaskanflyboy

Premium Member
I'd say your best bet is the largest tankbag you can get, and then a luggage rack like this one. Having backpacked myself, I'd say you could easily do camping with the bike with backpacking gear so long as you're not going down any muddy or long gravel roads. My full kit for just myself comes to just around 60 pounds including pack, but I'm a comfort camper and not an ultralighter. If you've got a lot of money, a full set of luggage (top and side cases) would more than hold your camping gear and then some. Just the side cases alone would be sufficient if you're using all backpacking gear.
 
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BoneJj

Well-Known Member
Like others have said, you are going to want to have a vehicle if you are taking 2 people. You could possibly pull it off but it will be costly in gear and you'll be left wanting a lot of things when you get to your destination.

Better bet with a lot of stops would be to pack the gear into a car, put a small trailer on the car and tow the bike. that way you can ride all around during the day on the bike but still have the car to haul all the stuff.

I normally will pull a weekend trip on the bike by myself or if I'm meeting others who are also on bikes or cars. most normal camping gear is bulky and will weigh you down with a quickness and riding with all that gear hanging off the bike is just nuts at times.

I'm not going to discourage it but I will say that if you like your creature comforts you will likely not be a happy camper. I personally like my comforts when camping and by myself I can load the bike down with enough stuff to make it comfortable for me.

But 2 people on one bike, no.

I'm also on a bigger bike than you, see sig.

I've spent a lot of cash on my gear, so yeah, I've got all my stuff down to about 80lbs for a weekend trip but like I said I like to be comfortable and I have padding for under my sleeping bag and so on. It's also a royal pain to get everything strapped up to the bike so that I can be sure I wont lose anything during the trip.

Also I've hung side bags from the tank in the past to make enough room for all my stuff, it works but I would be sure to put something to protect the tank, that bike's tank got pretty messed up after that trip with little scuff marks that had to be buffed out.
 
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RoadTrip

New Member
BoneJj said:
Like others have said, you are going to want to have a vehicle if you are taking 2 people. You could possibly pull it off but it will be costly in gear and you'll be left wanting a lot of things when you get to your destination.

Better bet with a lot of stops would be to pack the gear into a car, put a small trailer on the car and tow the bike. that way you can ride all around during the day on the bike but still have the car to haul all the stuff.
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I had a similar idea, but with a slight modification since I don't ride 2-up:

I kept trying to figure out a trip to the Dragon at Deals Gap, NC. But, that is just too much riding from Texas. So, my vision is pulling a trailer with all the gear and comforts of a truck when the road is boring, but we pull over and the wife drives each time an interesting section opens up along the way, I would ride the bike for awhile and return it to the trailer when done, meeting her at some point down the road. Then, of course, once at the Dragon I would have to leave her behind at the hotel room while I did more riding, it would be perfect! But, alas, I realized I don't have a Stepford Wife, then I got all sad.... back to drawing board!
 
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Marthy

World Most Bad A$$ 6R
Elite Member
RoadTrip said:
I had a similar idea, but with a slight modification since I don't ride 2-up:

I kept trying to figure out a trip to the Dragon at Deals Gap, NC. But, that is just too much riding from Texas. So, my vision is pulling a trailer with all the gear and comforts of a truck when the road is boring, but we pull over and the wife drives each time an interesting section opens up along the way, I would ride the bike for awhile and return it to the trailer when done, meeting her at some point down the road. Then, of course, once at the Dragon I would have to leave her behind at the hotel room while I did more riding, it would be perfect! But, alas, I realized I don't have a Stepford Wife, then I got all sad.... back to drawing board!
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Here you go...

http://www.amtrak.com/south-train-routes
 
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BoneJj

Well-Known Member
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cjmaverickg

New Member
So after reading some of the responses and doing some research I think I may need to rethink going 2-up. I'm working on getting my girlfriend a new bike anyways so I may just have to wait until then. It's a trip I've been wanting to take for a long time now since I got my bike so I'm determined for it to happen, it'll just take some serious modification and preparation to get the bikes ready. Until then, we stick to riding around San Diego and its backroads.
 
alaskanflyboy

alaskanflyboy

Premium Member
cjmaverickg said:
So after reading some of the responses and doing some research I think I may need to rethink going 2-up. I'm working on getting my girlfriend a new bike anyways so I may just have to wait until then. It's a trip I've been wanting to take for a long time now since I got my bike so I'm determined for it to happen, it'll just take some serious modification and preparation to get the bikes ready. Until then, we stick to riding around San Diego and its backroads.
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I wouldn't necessarily give up on the two-up idea, but you'd have to look into the cost and feasibility of adding to the bike. I could easily see doing it, but the cost is a bit steep for side cases for me. I have the gear and everything for a two week trip camping gear wise, and it'd fit with room to spare in the Givi side cases, but I don't have the grand to get it.
 
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Nastybutler

Cynical Member
Elite Member
I've got all the Givi luggage you'll need as well as the mounting racks & hardware for a great price. See my signature for the link to my classifieds thread.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
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latony007

New Member
i would be hard pressed to fit enough for one day on my cruiser that has bags never mind more than one day on my sport bike, i guess i could try and cut down the jeans and wear them more than one day but still dont think i could do it, that means i can bring any generator or anything :)
 

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BoneJj

Well-Known Member
latony007 said:
i would be hard pressed to fit enough for one day on my cruiser that has bags never mind more than one day on my sport bike, i guess i could try and cut down the jeans and wear them more than one day but still dont think i could do it, that means i can bring any generator or anything :)
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LOL, yeah you are a comfort camper. much worse off than I am. lol.
JT said:
good point in need to buy a generator lol
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Those little honda generators work great for powering smaller stuff and even some bigger stuff and they are crazy quiet.... I got one of them a few years back and damn I like them. I can run that thing for hours on next to no gas.
 
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