Tent etc... advice

[gorillaonabik...]

I have always fancied jumping on the bike, throwing a tent on the back and disappearing off for a few days to nowhere in particular. I do this occasionally with a B&B but I'm getting the camping urge.

However, when I investigated at Blacks etc..., the element which concerned me most was the size of the kit. I like to travel light and all the gear looks bulky to me. Also, if I wanted to bring the other half, the gear would be even bulkier.

Does anyone have any recommendations for realistically travelling light when camping?
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FZR400 (blown engine), ZXR750 (blown engine), ZX6R (accident), CBR600 which had engine issues after which I learned to change gear..., CBR900, CBR924 (stolen), CB600, CB1300 (everything blew up), BMW K1300GT (written off, hit from rear while stationary), Bandit 1250 for a couple of months, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 (nicked) and somewhere in there, I wrote off a Ducati 748 at Cadwell.

[CaNsA]

I suggest you take a machete and make your own shelter, that way all you need to carry is a big fuck off knife.

[Recluso]

Sleep under a tarp. Job done.

On a vaguely serious note, if you go into a decent equipment shop why not:

a. Ask to see what size the kit is packed up (as it comes in the bags, not like you have to fit an already assembled tent on the back)

b. Whilst you're in there, ask the experts. Compare weights for yourself not to mention they can probably help you find just what you need.

Seriously, was a thread actually necessary for this question? Apologies for seeming somewhat blunt, but surely common sense prevails here.

Oh. When you buy a tent, don't forget to put it up in the garden and treat it with waterproofing spray BEFORE you use it 'in the wild'. Lets you check for any damage/missing parts too.
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'Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.'
Honda PS125i > Yamaha YBR125 > Yamaha XJ6 Diversion > Yamaha Tracer 900

[WannaBeDude]

I,d look at the hundreds of UK locations on Yca .. inc camping barns etc in varied states in remote areas etc.
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Jogging on, destination living.

[Casper]

Thow over soft luggage as far back as poss so pillion can still use the pegs. Two man tent on a rack is not much wider than the bike with luggage. Pillion can have a ruck sack if need be and if going for longer get a tank bag. The wife an me go away for a week and its soft luggage, about 30lt each. Tank bag 20lt. Wife has the ruck sack what will be about 15lt and only the tent is on the back.

No tent in this picture but it sits on top rear of the luggage so out the way. I see some people strap the tent to the riders back pointing up and a tail pack on the back for more luggage. If there is a will there is a way.

https://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp349/notakwak/Holland201185.jpg

[stinkwheel]

I can highly recommend a Vango Banshee 200 as a very lightweight tent for general useage. Not ideal in the depths of winter, my poles took fatal damage when I camped in it in a sub-zero blizzard but other than that they are very good.

They pack down very small, don't weight much and don't take a lot of effort pitching/striking.

They are not very big but just big enough for one person.

I lived in one for three months a couple of years back.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/rbr/DSCN0902.png
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Joncrete Cungle]

Avoid single skin tents.

[yen_powell]

[TheDonUK]

The vango's are quite good, as well as stinkwheel's banshee, i had the tempest 200. Which did the job

Here pictured in Kazakhstan and then in the Russian Altai region (i rushed to put it up before dark so it was my worst setup)

It also dealt with a fairly menacing thunderstorm in the Mongolian moonscape

https://i.minus.com/j2ei2dUBetSG8.jpg

https://i.minus.com/jD9Z2XIVKMubP.jpg
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[Casper]

[doggone]

Just try it, you really can't go wrong with a tent since you only need use it a couple of weekends in really nice weather and you've saved more by not using B&Bs.
Have a play round with various options, you don't have to pack poles inside the tent bag so the tent can be packed more flat or bent, with the poles along the length of the bike.

For a couple of nights you can get by packing little more than tent, sleeping bag(s) and waterproofs.
First time I went camping I took so much stuff it was ridiculous, last time I managed two weeks in Europe with tent, sleeping bag and waterproofs (plus camera)
I didn't even take spare tshirts - just bought one when needed.

[Serendipity]

I’m also a fan of the Vango Expedition series of tents.

I bought the Mirage 300 to give a bit of extra living space. It’s still snug compared to my four man dome, but there’s plenty of room for all your gear or even another human or two. The pack size is a little bigger than the weeny 200s and it weighs over a kilo more at about 3.6kg.

It’s a semi-geodesic design which means it should stand up to wind pretty well. I got a chance to test that out this Tuesday when I “sensibly” decided to camp on an exposed spit of land poking out into a sea loch in Scotland during gale force winds. I got woken up a few times in the night by some very violent movement of the tent, but it held together and kept me dry and sheltered.

I’ve had fairly epic rain every time I’ve pitched the tent and it’s not let a single drop in. The porch design isn’t perfect for entering the tent during heavy rain, but it’s ok if you manage to pitch the tent with the door facing away from the wind. It comes with a little triangle of groundsheet for the porch, but if you’re not careful it can extend beyond the edge of the porch and fill up with water like a cute little pond.

The tent roof has a fairly flat bit that allows a few big water droplets to form, but it’s quite taut so there’s no pooling and they run off with a bit of wind. That could be more of a problem in snowy conditions, but only insane types like Stinkwheel actually camp in the snow .

The tent pitched at Ardmair Point:

https://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd227/serendipity_uk/Scotland%202012/IMGP7850.jpg

The tent packed on the pillion seat:
https://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd227/serendipity_uk/Scotland%202012/IMGP7874.jpg
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2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[EazyDuz]

^^^If you went camping 2 up where would you put all the stuff on the pillion seat?
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[Serendipity]

Errrr, in the loft because we'd be staying in B&Bs.

If camping was involved I'd be packing a couple of kids too and we'd be in the car.

Many years ago I did drag the missus around Scotland for a few weeks on a CBR600. Used throwover panniers and a Renntec luggage rack.

https://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd227/serendipity_uk/CBR600FR/CBR6_Scotland1a.jpg
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2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[Casper]

[CaNsA]

On my own.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/548245_10151918789330790_1072513844_n.jpg

[doggone]

[CaNsA]

[yen_powell]

[jetski]

if you find a tent bulky try a hammock. obviously you need a couple of nicely spaced trees but they are so lightweight and compact. I have one that's double skinned and you can get in between the layers and totally cocoon yourself in there. it's supposed to be waterproof but I haven't tested it. I always carry a small tarp that I suspend just above giving me an apex roof. I carry a couple of mess tins, a metal mug and a meths stove made from a cut down can of coke. it's very small. the thing that takes up a lot of room is my sleeping bag. it's huge. it's rated for winter use and I do still use it when it get cold so I can't shed any bulk there

[gorillaonabik...]