You’ve packed your motorcycle camping kit. You have loaded your luggage. You zip up your motorcycle jacket and step out into…your backyard? When it comes to motorcycle camping tips, this is probably the best place to start.
Whether you’re an experienced motorcyclist or a skilful camper, there’s always something about combining the two to enhance the adventure – and the challenges. Your backyard may seem like an odd place to camp, but if you’re new to motorcycle camping or trying out equipment for the first time, there’s no better place to practice than at home.
Motorcycle camping tip 101: Check your kit
Unlike car camping, you can’t throw everything in the back of the car when traveling by bike. Motorcycle camping requires more attention to efficient organization and packing. Not only do you have limited space, but you often have to unpack and set up camp when you’re too tired after a long day of riding. Then you have to repack everything the next morning – and that tent never wants to go back in its sack, right?
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It can take time to learn how the new device works. After upgrading to a larger tent, I began my motorcycle camping trip before trying it out first. When I arrived at my campsite in West Virginia, exhausted from riding since dawn, I realized that the new tent lines were different from my usual setup. Without internet access, I have to guess how to force them. I made it through the night, but the morning light showed that I had tied them up incorrectly. If I try to bet those lines at home, I can quickly determine the correct strategy by opening a video on my phone.
Related: Camping Challenge: Roughing It ‘Rider’ Style
Backyard benefits
Test your camping gear and learn the right approach to set up and break in your backyard that saves headaches in remote areas. Practice makes perfect. Can’t find a piece of equipment? Read the user manual or find a tutorial on YouTube. Is something broken or missing? Find a replacement before you need it most and get your packing list dialed in from the comfort of home.
Lucky are those who can sleep through anything. For the rest of us, a hammock or an over-inflated pillow can leave you with a bad night’s sleep, tired and sore the next day, affecting your cycling.
One night while camping in early spring, I discovered that my idea of a comfortable sleeping temperature was significantly different from the sleeping bag manufacturer’s assessment. After shivering for an hour at 35 degrees inside my 30-degree bag, I put on all the clothes I had, including three pairs of socks and motorcycle gloves, before falling asleep. If I try the sleeping bag at home at that temperature, I can simply go inside – and open a browser tab to order a thermal sleeping bag.
waiting to wander
After checking the gear, packing method, and camping setup, you’re ready to start that long-distance motorcycle ride. While you’ll be better equipped than you were before your backyard practice, another motorcycle camping tip I can give is that you should still do a test run with your used motorcycle. Load your load and maybe spend a night at the campsite near home. , especially when trying on new equipment or baggage.
I bought a set of regular Sedici saddlebags for my Kawasaki Ninja 400 and after loading them up I hit the road. When I arrived at a campsite a few hours later, I smelled something strange. After inspecting my bike, I discovered that the hot exhaust from the muffler ignited a hole in the corner of the saddlebag.
Related: Take it with you: A guide to buying motorbike luggage
Melted sunscreen and soap dripped off the scorched tarp, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to cycle home like that – if my stuff hadn’t fallen out of the pit or melted or burned on the floor. way. I called my husband and asked him to drive to the campsite so we could load our stuff in the truck. If I had tried those saddlebags around town before heading out, I could have saved us both time and trouble.
Don’t think of setting up camp in your backyard as a chore or a waste of time. Have fun and use it as an opportunity to get excited about the adventures to come. Play with your device, enjoy the outdoors, and if something goes wrong, you can always sleep in your bed.
