33 Riders Share Thoughts on Motorcycle Camping

Posted on Posted in Adventure, Rider Stories Tagged with ,

It may be getting dark and colder outside, but we’re already thinking ahead to next season!  Motorcycle camping was the topic of conversation and we asked the readers of Motorcycle Mojo Magazine,  “How much motorcycle camping do you do when you travel?” And, “If you camp, do you cook any meals?”

motorcycle camping33 Riders’ Thoughts on Motorcycle Camping

  1. Catharine SD. Hotels are ok for short trips. But months on the road add up. Plus you never know who you will meet in a camp ground. Just ask Bruce Johnson. He met his wife 12 years ago.
  1. Jeff D. I try to camp as much as possible to wring more miles from my paycheque. I will even find a secluded fence row and just roll up in a tarp.
  1. Kim C.  john I don’t sleep on the ground. .I have an air mattress and a pillow!
  1. Catharine SD. How true Bruce. On our up coming venture we will try many options. We use a Hilleberg tent. It has storage at both ends. Moto gear one end. Cook gear at front. Best tent we have ever had. Easy to put also.
  1. Linda Y.  To keep cost down we try to camp every third night. We cook at the camp site. We try to have a short weekend trip each summer separate from our main vacation.
  1. Catharine SD.  We use MSR stove but carry a slat grill with it. We have two small pots. 1 frying pan. Lots of rice and black beans. Or pasta. We also carry tuna with us. We carry real Mayo. It does not need refrigeration. We use flat bread. It is healthy and packs great.
  1. Mark K. at least 4 weeks a year motorcycle camping. It’s great to get away. Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travel excusion is almost always involved.
  1. Jeff D. I went for the first time to the HU event here in Ontario a few weeks ago. I loved it. And learned so much – including how much I would love to explore beyond North America.
  1. Kim C. I always camp..it is more affordable…you meet more people…I have a little single burner …it comes with me…I can make coffee..and I can make a grilled cheese sandwich !!! yummy !!
  1. Catharine SD Les and I camp as much as possible. We cook on road as well.all the time. It helps with keeping a healthy diet. We have invested in a good cook stove grill.
  1. Shane S. Anne and i camp quite a bit. We pack our bikes on how far we’re going, good size mattress (we’re not spring chickens anymore), we cook our food on an open flame, or B.B.Q.all in all we’re still having a blast.
  1. Liz . For the record – this is the first year that I’ve done any signifiant amount of motorcycle camping. Most of my 6 weeks was in a tent. I’ve done a lot of backcountry canoeing and camping – but not when I’m riding. I was surprised at how much I loved it!  I love sleeping under the stars and staying out in the fresh air. And the people! And a healthy breakfast.
  1. John T. Why camp after 8 hours in the saddle, you can get a great hotel with a nice bed, shower and a complimentary breakfast for $70, or you can pay $40 for a camping spot and sleep on the ground!
  1. Randy B. $18 for camping for a bike/motorcycle site.
  1. Rick W. I pull a Kwik-Kamp tent trailer with my VTX1800. This has increased our camping nights by about 3x. Two years ago we rode 13000 km in 33 days as we travelled from Calgary, Alberta to Deal’s Gap, TN and back. We average 18-20,000 km per year and camp most of those nights. We carry cooking gear for most meals as we travel. Wouldn’t trade it for anything!
  1. Levi D,  Approximately a month every year. East coast, Canada. Private or Provincial parks. Cook most days. Campfire at night and few brews to keep fluid levels up. No life like it.
  1. Brad G.  Glamping here. 3 stars or better. Lol
  1. Gerard E. Tent camping is the way to go if you’re on a long ride and not wanting to break the bank. Most tent sites will take less than $30 a night and if it’s more then you’re probably getting ripped off. I regret not having a tent in PEI to camp (Cabot Provincial Park) and dropped just over $200 at a hotel in Charlottetown.
  1. Joseph B. I often camp and sometimes cook up a meal or boil up a hot drink. Have to say though, in bad weather camping sucks.
  1. Brad S. I camp mostly when riding without my spouse. I have a rapid water boiling stove for making coffee, tea, instant oatmeal, soup and hot chocolate. The rest I buy and eat along the road.
  1. Robert W.  We camp a lot but eat out mostly.
  1. Lindsay T.  Our first trip as a couple was on 2 KLR 650s from Belleville to Yellowknife and back. We were on the road for a month and motelled 4 or 5 nights total, camping the rest. We bought good compact gear and packed well. We even had room for two lawn chairs. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Loved every second except Saskatoon. Got lost there.
  1. Al F,  None anymore…I got old!
  1. Bob E,  We only camp if there are no other options! Pitched a tent for Fri 13th in Port Dover this Sep and froze our butts off!!
  1. Tom M.  Comfort is important to me. Same goes for time. I’d rather spend the bucks than camp.
  1. Dave T.  Wish I could do more, but my wife is not able to.
  1. Noel H .  mostly but I will do the motel thing if it’s late or wet. I often just camp someplace but I do find a KOA or whatever once in a while for laundry and showers. I don’t cook but I do find fresh fruit and stuff to eat in the site. I like diners too though.
  1. Brian B.  Wife and I love it! Amazing how much comfort can be packed into a small trailer. Military ID gets campsites for next to nothing (in the US). Only get a room if its been a long wet day. Eat as little as possible in restaurants. Daily stops at a grocery store, nothing better than a campfire breakfast.
  1. Henri D.  We’re both in our early 50’s, get only 1 week for our road trip, leaving from Edmonton…motels for us after 8-9 hours on the road.
  1. Randy B.  Camping is all I do on the bike, if I am overnighting. A good air mattress keeps the body off the ground, a tent to keep you dry, or just sleep under the picnic table, or out in the open.
  1. Robin W.  I don’t camp when I travel by myself, but when I do, there’s not enough room for cooking gear. I don’t drink coffee and granola bars don’t need cooking.
  1. Tony M. Anyone can be uncomfortable- MOTEL!!!!!
  1. Bruce P. Some motels/hostels can be more uncomfortable than camping. If you take the right gear you can stay anywhere and be comfortable for very long periods (cheaply).

How do you feel about motorcycle camping?

About

Author, writer, and student Liz Jansen combines her artistic mediums to create stories that inspire readers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.

2 Comments on “33 Riders Share Thoughts on Motorcycle Camping”

  1. Compact camping gear worth the investment.Not that we’re vegetarians but go on a raw food diet for few days and then pig out at some local diner.Awesome! Hardly any cooking gear.Bring the attitude of a warrior and a 7 year old boy scout and it’ll be fun!