How many Campers are out there?

Joined
May 25, 2011
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202
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Boynton Beach, Fl.
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2010 ST1300
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8403
Well, you piqued my interest with the talk of hammock camping - Holy ****! The Hennesy is as expensive as a nice tent! Looks nice, and here in WI, I'm sure even stealth camping I could find trees, but as you head out west...
I do like more an more the idea of an inflatable twin, has anybody tried the Ozark Trails brand from Wally World?

@BigMak96 - I'm hoping to go to WISTOC, maybe see you then? If not, when I get the Bee back you can bet the pictures will be up here!
I have only recently in the past year started to get into motorcycle camping. I have a two man tent for a quick over nighter or two but I have a 16 x 12 with a front porch and two Queen sized Ozark Trail's self inflating mattresses for longer trips. I had an ATV rack put on my trailer hitch for the one trip i did like this but it proved pretty heavy and out of balance so I am rehabbing a two wheeled pull behind trailer for future trip's. I went through four air mattresses to get two good one's that held air all night long and they work great but the product seem's to be hit and miss. I have a power inverter on the bike to plug into for the built in pump. On Sale at Wally World for $54 each is kind of hard to beat. I am not sure if they will fit inside of the two man tent yet. The wife was mad I spent the money on the mattresses until she went camping for a weekend with me and then loved them. :D
 
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
2
Location
Hanford, CA
Bike
Kawasaki Versys
I am a camper- I use an Eureka Apex 2XT tent and have a REI 3.5" self-inflatable mattress with a 20 degree mummy bag. I'm 48 with back and neck issues- the mattress works great, but it is a little bulky to pack on the bike. But I must have it unless I want to stay at a hotel. I love to motorcycle camp. There is just something about it.
 

Jammaman

R.I.P. - 2022/02/02
Rest In Peace
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
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338
Location
Flintstone GA
Make it 15 "campers"...I started camping agn after a 40+ yr abstinence, with much anguish I may add, and it proved to be fun, comfortable and offered many fun filled nights amidst my fellow St'ers at the numerous events I attended my first yr. Now in my second yr, I am on my 3rd tent, similar number of sleeping pads; now using the Exped synmat that Mellow suggested, second sleeping bag and this yr will expand my cooking efforts..in short I am hooked, and just as StGolfer and others offered, only use a motel occasionally due to extreme weather conditions or feel the need to do so.

As for ear plugs, they seem a useful inclusion if you are not musically inclined....hope you give it a try, and furthermore enjoy it enough to make "camping" your method of choice.

Doug / JammaMan
 

VFR

"Uncle Larry"
Joined
Jun 23, 2006
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Idaho for good, no mo Cal
I might be counted as a camper--done it a few times. I sleep on a narrow mattress, on the ground & in a tent. But then I'm an old guy, does that still count as camping???? :confused::D
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2011
Messages
49
Location
CO
I have a Quechua 2 second tent, no poles, no stakes. Up in seconds, packed in a few more seconds. I sleep on a Luxury Lite cot, suspended off the ground, with a half inch Cabelas foam mat on top with a cotton fitted sheet. All goes up or down in 10 minutes. If your camp is a half hour set up, you'll end up in hotels. I sleep very well and camp most nights. Never wet from rain or snow. A modest hotel costs 1000 miles in gas.
 

Attachments

Joined
Jan 28, 2011
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289
Location
Phoenix, AZ
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07 Yamaha FJR1300AE
That Quechua tent looks great! Where did you find it? I've been looking online and can't find them in the U.S.A.
 

DAS

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Feb 20, 2007
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527
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Newberg OR
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you can't beat waking up to this. West of Page AZ. Only problem is was a 45 minutes to breakfast. Marble Canyon Lodge.
 

jfheath

John Heath
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I've counted... there's only 14 campers on the site... but, they all go to all the events and they keep buying different tents so it looks like different people all the time.
Is there a field for this that I could have filled in, or is this just from the 'Interests' field ?

Thought I'd add my own little bit to this post. Rather late, but its snowing outside.

We camp and tour regularly, two up. Photos attached showing the tent and equipment, fully loaded on the bike and spread out so that you can see what goes where. I think I took this for 2-up campers a while ago. I've not been back there recently.

Picture 029.jpg Picture 030.jpg Rosemarkie 10.JPG Scourie 01.JPG[

I had the 'spread out' photo as an interactive page on my own website - mouseover comments and links to each of the products. It seems I forgot to include it in my re-vamped site a couple of months ago. If anyone would like to see it, post here and I'll dig it out again.
 

perk263

perkSTer
Joined
Oct 20, 2010
Messages
226
Location
NE Ohio
Bike
2004 ST 1300
I have camped a few times on/with the ST so I'll call myself a camper. But my camping experience comes from being a Boy Scout (Eagle Scout). I have back packed on the Applalacian Trail for weeks at a time. I have done alot of bicycle camping. I still use a lot of my old gear. My sleeping bag was purchased in 1983 from R.E.I. for $120 back then it looks a wreck but still works so I'll stay with. My tent is not the greatest for bike camping or but I like it. It is a Eureka 6 person. When on the bicycle or back packing we would split it up. But I like having it on the ST as I can stand up in it, sit in a chair if the weather is bad and I have plenty of room. The wife is willing to camp with me but haven't figured out how to pack everything with her on the bike too.
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2007
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Simsbury, Connecticut
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2007 ST1300abs
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6958
Eureka! back country 2 tent. Poles break down short so it fits in a sidecase. Wish it had a vestibule. But it's pretty dry.
Target air mattress and 12VDC air pump. I plug it into the battery tender lead.
Cheap cheap sleeping bag. This must change. It's too small and not warm enough for nights in the 30'sF. LOL.
Got one of those cheap stuff sack pillows. It's actually pretty nice.
I sprang for a Kermit chair. These chairs are great. I use it without the extension legs. It works fine.
I put the Kermit and the air mattress in a dry bag on the pillion.
Wet stuff in the right sidecase. Tent, raingear etc.
Dry stuff and tools in the left sidecase.
Sleeping bag in the topbox.
I just started moto-camping last year so I'm no expert!
 

Tor

Making Life A Ride
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That's all we do when touring. MH Hammerhead 3, Exped 9dlx's, North Face bags along with all the other paraphernalia, and we're all set.
 
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cv66seabear

cv66seabear

Kent Barnard
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Sep 1, 2010
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242
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Wild Rose, Wisconsin
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93 ST1100
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8481
Well, I got a good buy on a 2-person tent from the Sportsman's Guide, then swapped it for a 4-man same purveyor and gave upgraded my$15 sleeping bag to a nice flannel lined one from Campmor (I buy most everything on sale). I have added some folding plates, a big honkin' camp knife, a Jetboil (after seeing how nice Kevin's worked at WISTOC), and I sleep on a huge inflatable bed (when the inflator works! The first night, in the dark it failed and I slept in a chair by the fire - not recommended, by the way!)
If I get a campmate, I'll figure out how to rearrange the stuff to fit her on the bike! Mark's trailer is a nice size, and expandable. If only he would draw up those plans...
So, obviously, after my one camping adventure with the great folks on this site, I have the camping bug again! It really is a great way to have fun on the bike!
Thanks, and see you all soon!
 
Joined
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Nashville
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99 ST1100
I think a cot might be overkill. I use a regular twin size air mattress and it's very comfortable.

Last year before the BRG someone - Seawalker? - was saying he needed to pick up a new heater for his tent:confused::D:bow1:

I'd never even thought about bringing a heater before. Now I do. What a good idea! The extension cord takes up more space than the heater does - but it's cozy.
 
Joined
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Kingman, Arizona
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I've used a cot (still got it somewhere) but I like my XPed 9 mattress. Cot was too narrow, XPed is wide enuff. Could carry both but takes up too much room that way.

I'm about out'a the trailer bidness, found my "load" when traveling alone is less than the tongue weight on the trailer after factoring in the dead weight of the hitch.

Still wishing for a single wheeler with the wheel in the mid-point of the trailer 'stead'a hanging out the rear. I don't have the skills to build it but it's gotta be do-able. Have to consider the tilt-ability (no dragging) when in a nice, tight conrner. :D

And, no 2-wheelers, don't want a "three-track".
 
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cv66seabear

cv66seabear

Kent Barnard
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
242
Location
Wild Rose, Wisconsin
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93 ST1100
STOC #
8481
Hey George!
Maybe Mark (Bigmak76) could draw you up a quick plan for his trailer. I think you saw it at WISTOC last year? I think it had one mid wheel. Pretty simple design for any decent blacksmith to weld together, I think he got the u joint from an old car. The I Beams were leftover scrap. If I remember right, it was about 4 foot long, with a single wheel in between the two waterproof carriers.
I know I'd like to get one because sometime I might get a passenger, then where would the camping gear go!

By the way, Sportsman's Guide is having a sale on some nice tents right now - use catalog #234672
 
Joined
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Mark's is not a mid-wheeler but a tail dragger like mine. Weight is split pretty equal between wheel and toungue. A wheel in the middle would carry most of the weight of the trailer depending on how ya load it, so the tongue weight could be adjusted.
 

rickj

Former ST1300 Rider. FJR now.
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Jun 10, 2005
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Temecula, CA
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2012 BMW R1200 GSA
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5871
Timely thread for me as I'm looking to get back in to moto-camping! I used to moto-camp quite a bit and am re-evaluating my equipment. With the ailing economy I'm guessing more riders will start moto-camping. But in addition to saving money on multi-day trips it FUN.

TENT - I use a 15 year old 3-man tent (Coleman or Eureka) that is easy to set up and roomy enough to keep all my stuff dry and off the bike. Less than ideal in heavy winds though.

MATTRESS - I'm going to upgrade my old 2.5" thin Thermarest mattress to a new Exped Synmat 9 DLX. (Based on MANY recommendations, including Joe.) Most mattresses are not thick or wide enough for me, so I'm really looking forward to the Synmat.

SLEEPING BAG - I have and old Therm-A-Nest good to 20 degrees, which I probably bought with the Thermarest. I'm looking at a really nice bag at Costco though. A bit bulkier and maybe not rated at 20 dgrees, but way comfortable! There's plenty of room on the bike though, as my wife doesn't moto-camp with me.

CHAIR - I have a contraption that converts my Thermarest mattress to a chair that sits on the ground. Compact and simple, but since I'm replacing the Thermarest with a Synmat 9, I'm also going to look at getting a new chair that will get me off the ground. So far, the GCI outdoor Quik-E-Seat look good.

MISC- I have a Camping GAZ lantern and single burner stove. The lantern is great and puts out a ton of light! I also have a couple of dry sacks that I can throw everything in and tie down on the back seat of the bike.

As I re-outfit with some new products, I'm now in to comfort! In particular, I can't sleep on a narrow and thin Thermarest anymore! I'm planning a 3 or 4 day camping trip up the California coast in May, and I'm also going to be camping at DV STOC this year instead of staying at the motel.

Rick
 
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cv66seabear

cv66seabear

Kent Barnard
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
242
Location
Wild Rose, Wisconsin
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93 ST1100
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8481
I like the idea of a synmat - but they are a bit pricey! I totally recommend the JetBoil - no waiting for coffee, and this year I'm going to try dehydrated food. I remember it being decent, when I was a Boy Scout, but then again, I was a lot younger and could eat anything!
I do travel with a 8" frying pan, and have added some foldable bowls, a camp cook knife, and small flexible cutting boards to my kitchen, might just bring some full size ones as the lay flat under everything in the top box.
I got a great deal o a hammock from REI, so I have somewhere to nap...er..lounge after riding, and possibly sleep on nice nights. I got a 4 man tent from Sportsman's Guide to replace my 3 man last year, as I like a lot of room, and keeps me and the gear inside, with room to move around if it stays rainy for a day!
It is a lot of fun! Sure brings back memories!
 
Joined
Jun 13, 2009
Messages
167
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USA
I use a four person 9x8 "backpacking" dome tent (Pacific Crest Rock Creek) that you can buy online all day long for under $60. Works great, good deal $$ vs. quality, quick and easy for one person to put up/take down, lightweight, packs into a tube case only 24" long, and tons of room inside for gear, changing clothes, whatever. I'm a slide sleeper, so my hips and shoulders demand an air mattress. I carry a Coleman twin from Walmart that folds up into its own case, and a 12 VDC air pump (DC outlet on the bike). In some ways it's more comfortable than my real bed (I've considered using it at home). The only camping items I carry are the tent, sleeping bag, air mattress, and a tarp/ground cloth.

On extended moto-camping trips, I mix up camping with a night in a basic, Motel 6-type place now and then to have some of the "luxuries" of modern life, such as a hot shower, electricity, a solid roof over my head, and a door that locks. It's amazing how luxurious an M6 can seem after several nights of moto-camping, although some commercial campgrounds I've stayed in for a few bucks a night had some pretty nice shower and sanitary facilities.
 
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