Motorcycle camping

Steve Gowing
617 Princeton Rd (one block north of Stover & Drake)
Ft Collins
970-581-7351

Tell him the guy with the black carbon fiber w/ blue trim seats on a GS sent you.. He is an absolute professional in every way.. A real joy to work with..
 
I've never had anything stolen from a bike or have even been all that worried about it. Off the beaten path, I think you can count on most people being decent. At any rate, who would want some dirty clothes and a smelly sleeping bag?
 
I rode from California to Vermont on my 1980 Honda CX500. I didn't stay in campgrounds or anyplace I had to pay, so I ended up in some unusual places for the night. I camped everywhere from abandoned RV parks, off logging roads, the open desert, college classrooms, and cemeteries. I had a pretty good scare in Nebraska when I thought folks in lifted pick-ups were going to smoke me Easy Rider style, but they were just as surprised to see me as I was them, and we went our ways peaceably. Nobody touched my bike or anything on it. Everyone I met was polite and helpful, and I'd like to take many more trips like it in the future. I definitely recommend the experience to others.
 
tychoseven said:
I rode from California to Vermont on my 1980 Honda CX500. I didn't stay in campgrounds or anyplace I had to pay, so I ended up in some unusual places for the night. I camped everywhere from abandoned RV parks, off logging roads, the open desert, college classrooms, and cemeteries. I had a pretty good scare in Nebraska when I thought folks in lifted pick-ups were going to smoke me Easy Rider style, but they were just as surprised to see me as I was them, and we went our ways peaceably. Nobody touched my bike or anything on it. Everyone I met was polite and helpful, and I'd like to take many more trips like it in the future. I definitely recommend the experience to others.
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That sounds just awesome!!!
 
tychoseven said:
I rode from California to Vermont on my 1980 Honda CX500. I didn't stay in campgrounds or anyplace I had to pay, so I ended up in some unusual places for the night. I camped everywhere from abandoned RV parks, off logging roads, the open desert, college classrooms, and cemeteries. I had a pretty good scare in Nebraska when I thought folks in lifted pick-ups were going to smoke me Easy Rider style, but they were just as surprised to see me as I was them, and we went our ways peaceably. Nobody touched my bike or anything on it. Everyone I met was polite and helpful, and I'd like to take many more trips like it in the future. I definitely recommend the experience to others.
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My first bike was an '82 CX500C. I loved that ugly little thing - I got it as a semi-basket case and my friend and I got it sorted out over a winter, after which I rode it all over, trouble-free, for the next several years. I regret selling it.
 
In the late 60's my Dad road a Honda 305 Dream out to San Diego from Toledo Ohio camping as he went. Called a friend in Ohio to tell him he made it, and the friend told him to get back wright away for a job. He made the 2500 miles back in 3 days.
I've done a fair share of long rides on a Harley. You'd have to have kidneys of iron to do that on a 305.
 
Foilist said:
My first bike was an '82 CX500C. I loved that ugly little thing - I got it as a semi-basket case and my friend and I got it sorted out over a winter, after which I rode it all over, trouble-free, for the next several years. I regret selling it.
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Yeah, I regret selling my CX also. It was stone reliable. My only complaint was that the transmission seemed geared more for city riding, and I spent more time on open roads. I got a ratty "cafe racer" CB750 after I sold the CX, and that was a nice step up in power.:D
 
My dad is tinkering with a CB750.. Brings him back to his youth or some crap.. The guy makes 100K a year and wont spend real $$ on a bike.. Wants to get a $500 CB750 running again that a guy threw in his buddies shop about 8 years ago.. That is the worst motorcycle in the world to me.. One that sits..
 
We used to camp often when motorcycle tripping. I rode Hondas; CB 500, a CB750K and a 750 Custom. Always had a sissy bar on the back with a luggage rack behind it so I'd just lash an internal frame backpack on the back and use my normal backpacking gear. (These photos are 'a few years' old.)

Bike2.jpg


If I was riding alone I'd put the backpack in the pillion seat so I could use it as a backrest. Spent two months riding from the Canadian border in northeastern Maine to Key West,

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never riding roads with more than two lanes, and camping 6 nights out of 7.

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Took a ride around all of the Great Lakes, keeping the water in view as much as possible through the entire ride. It gets pretty cold riding next to Superior even in summer time!

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We rode from Quebec city to Vancouver, staying in Canada for the entire ride. Took us years (at least it felt that way) to cross Alberta, but crossing the Rockies made it all worth while.

There is a lot of 'wilderness' just a few hundred meters off the paved road.... :)


Stitchawl
 
Wow this thread is turning out really well.

I love the new Concourse that is a hell of an engine and just as nice as the big BMW touring bikes at about half the price.

I love the GS1200 but they are really really big and not very easy to muscle around off road . The new GS800 twin looks ideal. It has enough power but a much smaller weight with all the GS capability.

I would like something like the streetlegal KTM dirtbikes for exploring the back roads here in Saskatchewan that are to rough for my 919.

I also have a KFX-450 Kawi sport quad. It is fun and fast and a great toy for exploring the bush. I just wish i could ride it legally on the rode to get from trail to trail like a dual sport. I considered getting a dual sport but the quad is much better in winter.
It is a sport quad but it also has electric start and reverse which makes it a much better trail bike. I am going to add a small winch and a few other things and it will be fantastic.
 
Agreed, great thread.

I've been contemplating of selling my Honda CBR 600F3 and getting a Suzuki DRZ-400SM to go off road and camping. This thread makes me want to even more now. Problem with the DRZ is that it has a small gas tank, I wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle of the wilderness...or would I? :cool:
 
Unsub said:
I love the GS1200 but they are really really big and not very easy to muscle around off road.
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Yep, it's a real pig! :D Way more suited for the road, but capable of handling fire/gravel/dirt roads without thought.
If I were to get a more trail oriented bike, it would be a DRZ400 or smaller.

MRpink said:
Problem with the DRZ is that it has a small gas tank, I wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle of the wilderness...or would I? :cool:
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I know Clarke makes at least a 4 gallon tank for it! :thumbup:
 
The thing with BMW's is, you either get them or you don't.. You'll know as soon as you ride one.. I wont tell you they are any better or worse then any other bike.. It quickly turns in to a Ford/Chevy/Dodge debate.. They all make good vehicles and they all have their problems.. Will the Concourse get you to wherever you want to go and back?? Probably.. Will it match the experience that you'll have on a BMW, IMO prob not.. Ive ridden a lot of bikes and Ive never gotten the amount of enjoyment out of any other brands that I get from my BMW.. No matter where you go everyone wants to ask you about your Beemer.. Again, are there better, cheaper bikes out there?? Sure, but Ill take my Beemer (R1100GS).. And camping off the bike was an experience that I've only matched by hiking large sections of the Appalachian Trail.. Truly enlightening.. If you want to hear some specific things we learned, Ill be more then happy to share, but Ive mumbled on enough for now.. OUT!!
 
Unsub said:
I love the GS1200 but they are really really big and not very easy to muscle around off road.
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You dont muscle a GS, you torque steer it.. The thing that really made me a believer in big bore adv bikes was when we are on our trip and had to run a construction zone for a mile or so that was nothing but loose gravel.. With 2 people and 80lbs of gear, the bike didnt blink...
 
My bike is only a yamaha serow so I can't carry more then a backpack on my back and small bags on my rack, still I can go over rough trails that a BMW can't.
I probly will be getting a BMW when I turn 18 though.

My dad goes camping on his springer softtail all the time.
 
+1 for ADVrider.com. I post there a lot. My handle is Doghouse_Riley over their. ADVrider members do a lot of informal camping trips. Some guys trailer their bikes and some pack all their gear onto their moto and ride it there (it is adventure riding after all).

Here's a few pics from an informal rally last December in death Valley.

Ready to roll on my '98 XR650L. That's a SeaLine dry bag and the panniers are my dog's backpack.
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Campsite at Furnace Creek. The tent is an Early Winters Goretex tent. Normally I'd just use a tarp but it was a rainy weekend.
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A little mishap.:D
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The crew at the geologist cabin.
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I flew off a huge whoop right before the geologist cabin. Didn't stick the landing. Ate sh!t. Damaged the bike a little. Separated my shoulder. Rode it out.
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DaveBro going through Goler Wash near the Manson cabin.
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A beautiful sunset.
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The guys on ADVrider are super cool and really watch each other's back. I would have never made it over Mengel Pass with a separated shoulder if my fellow advriders hadn't been there to help me lift the bike over the worst section (only one of us made through that section without help). If you are at all serious about off road camping on a motorcycle you need to check out advrider.com

I also highly recommend ThumperTalk.com for anybody that has a single cylinder off road bike.:thumbup:
 
MRpink said:
Agreed, great thread.

I've been contemplating of selling my Honda CBR 600F3 and getting a Suzuki DRZ-400SM to go off road and camping. This thread makes me want to even more now. Problem with the DRZ is that it has a small gas tank, I wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle of the wilderness...or would I? :cool:
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I love the DRZ-400 though for off road I prefer the S to the SM. There are a few DRZ riders in our crew. You can get a bigger tank for it. My problem with it is it's not really going to do too much highway with any comfort or speed. At 75mph it's pegged. Okay for short distance but no good for 100s of miles, IMO. But off road it'll shred a 1200GS or even my XR650L.
 
MM said:
Campsite at Furnace Creek. The tent is an Early Winters Goretex tent. Normally I'd just use a tarp but it was a rainy weekend.
camp.jpg
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I noticed in your photo of Furnace Creek that there are now marked camp sites. We camped there in '69, (perhaps in the same notch that you were in?) but then there was nothing to say where or who. You just rode up and found an empty spot in the tamaracks and made camp! My... how things do change!! :)

Stitchawl
 
Unsub said:
Wow this thread is turning out really well.

I love the new Concourse that is a hell of an engine and just as nice as the big BMW touring bikes at about half the price.
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The new Concours is pretty impressive, but I like my bikes to be fairly low-tech. I have the old Concours, and although dated and unstylish, it's highly competent for any paved riding I'd do and has the added advantage of DIY maintenance (carbs, screw/locknut valves, etc.).

My other bike that I picked up last spring is an '05 Ural Tourist sidecar rig - talk about low tech! This rig is great fun and I can take it well off the beaten path onto the fire roads and jeep trails and such. I'm looking forward to trying it in snow! This will make a great moto-camping rig too.

ADV Rider is a cool site, where I am a regular lurker. I ought to actally register one of these days.
 
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