Touring, 2-up.

Derivative · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Karma :

Hi guys,

Looking at getting a bike in the near future, I'm pretty much settled on getting one of the 500 commuters like a GPZ, CB or ER-5 now, unless I can't find one for a decent price, then it'll probably be an SV or similar.

I need to convince my girlfriend (and myself) that going camping on a bike is actually viable. Likelihood is we'll be staying in the UK, going out to one place and staying there for a week (looking at the Highlands atm, but that may change).

So I have a few questions really:

How do you get everything on the bike with a pillion? Is strapping dry bags to a rear rack actually viable, or will that put too much stress on the subframe, be too unstable, or is there some other caveat I've overlooked?

How much do you actually have to spend on a tent to get one that's small enough to fit on a bike - assuming summer weather but the possibility of rain? I've been seeing suggestions of £150+, I can stomach paying that much but it'd need to come with a hefty warranty or be virtually indestructible, considering an accident with a sharp object or bike exhaust would see your investment going up in flames.

Tent would need to suit 2-man and hopefully have a porch for gear etc.

How friendly are campsites generally towards motorcyclists? Will they be happy with you parking next to the tent?

If anyone has any pictures of bikes loaded up with pillion and camping gear I'd be happy to see them, by the way.

Cheers Cool

John933 · Crazy Courier Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Karma :

I've done a bit. You will see a couple of picture's of my bike loaded up. I can never understand how people go camping two up.

On my load is an air bed a sleeping bag in the top box and a tent strapped on the back seat. A small back pack for the day thing's. Soft side pod's for a few more clothes. Then you will need a few spares and map's.

Or you can go the other way. the last picture is the best I have at the moment. If you can't see it. It's a bike on a trailer with the kit in the back of the car.
John933

https://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/John933/Grecce/Part%201/PHTO0008.jpg

https://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/John933/Grecce/Part%201/PHTO0024.jpg

https://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/John933/Faro/DSCF0177.jpg
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shereen · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Karma :

Maruchino · Spanner Monkey Joined: 02 Jul 2009 Karma :

willis1337 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 06 May 2009 Karma :

Blimey I bet that honda wheelies easily.

Wink

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Serendipity · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Karma :

Touring with a pillion can be a bit snug, but entirely feasible.

This is an ancient picture of my CBR600F taken in 1998 on the way to the Highlands with the missus. Excuse the crop, but this is a scan from a negative which Boots the Chemist never printed due to the fact that they glued a bit of paper over half my bike to enable easier handling of the negative. Rolling Eyes

https://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd227/serendipity_uk/CBR600FR/CBR6_Scotland1a.jpg

We had a pair of Oxford panniers containing clothes, cooking gear and sleeping bags. The bike had a Renntec Sports Rack holding a four man tent and a pair of sleeping mats. The tank bag had books, maps and cooking fuel. My girlfriend wore a medium sized rucksack containing mostly waterproofs and food.

All things considered we took too much, but I was dragging her off to Scotland for two weeks when she hadn’t done much camping before. She still ended up marrying me, so can’t have been that bad.

The CBR6 was just about up to the job. Power and the weight of the luggage isn’t really an issue. You just take it a bit easier. However space was limited despite the steely CBR6 being a relatively roomy bike. The panniers forced my missus to place her feet further forward on the pegs so our feet touched if I rode on the balls of my feet like normal. Also having a tankbag in front and pillion behind plays weird games with the aerodynamics and creates tiring buffeting at motorway speeds.

I still use the tent pictured above. Geodesic design four man dome. Survived some seriously inclement weather when other tents were blowing\washing away. Cost about £90, but that was about 15 years ago. I reckon it weighs about 8kg, maybe a bit less. I wouldn’t trust much more than that to a tubular luggage rack, but the bike’s subframe should take anything you can throw at it, unless it’s already twisted Wink

Never had a problem with campsites. We’re their bread and butter. The only place that ever turned me away was a caravan site. No loss.

This was my Blade packed for the BCF BBQ in 2010. Same panniers, but a useless popup tent instead of a proper one. Very convenient to pitch, but cold and damp. Obviously this is for solo riding. I’d like to see someone get a popup tent onto a bike for two-up.

https://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd227/serendipity_uk/CBR954RR/IMGP7008.jpg
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2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

Derivative · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Karma :

Cheers Serendipity - the CBR600F photo in particular is very useful.
If I can get a tent, sleeping bags and roll mat clear of the pillion seat on the rear rack, seems that's job done.

moppy · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Apr 2011 Karma :

I'm going away to Europe for a month with a friend on the back of the ZZR6. All we have is a pair of roomy panniers and a very small tank bag which can take my chain & lock (and thats it).

Best advice I've heard from here (considering I don't have a rack) is to get everything else that doesn't fit in the panniers, wrap it up in a spring roll type fashion in a groundsheet/several ground sheets and bungee it/tie it/ get the fucker on somehow to the back of the bike, probably attached to the grab rail.

LordShaftesbu... · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Sep 2008 Karma :

Derivative · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Karma :

harscot · Crazy Courier Joined: 19 Apr 2011 Karma :

Hi bud, if your not looking at BIG bikes, have a look at the Honda 650 Deauville, It may suite your needs, built on panniers ( down side ) comfy for a pillion, good mpg, good low torque, shaft drive, relatively inexpensive, ( to run and insure ) like every other bike it's got good and bad points, I own and have toured two up on one, if you like the look of it, I would suggest putting the 56lt panniers on, they are much bigger and more capable than the standard one's, anyway just a suggestion for you to think about... Thumbs Up

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c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Here is an old shot of my second tour 2-up on a 1991 ZXR750 that i bought on these forums for £380.

It's actually the only bike that hasn't had an issue on tour. My battery died on my GPZ (poor maintenance), and my front tyre blew out on the ZX9R.

Panniers one for him one for here. Roll bag with a 2 man tent, two sleeping bags, pillows, towels and two self inflating mats. Then a back pack with extra girly stuff in like a hair dryer etc..

https://eastcoastlacrosse.co.uk/carl/eurotour2009/P6100252.JPG

The pillion had loads of room. I loaded up the ZX9R with a taller pillion the same way, again plenty of room.

On a bike like a SV650, or even a GPZ you'll be fine, but you will need a rack.
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