The Unconventional Guide to Motorcycle Camping

With spring in full swing, what’s better than a fun camping trip with your beloved bike?

Take the relationship with your motorcycle a step ahead with this unconventional motorcycle camping guide.

What's the Pitch?

It’s one thing to go out for a ride on your motorcycle; it’s entirely another when you’re camping. By design, motorcycle’s and camping go hand-in-hand. You connect with nature, enjoy the freedom with the wind flowing through your hair while you’re riding on your bike.

So, why limit this connection by staying at a motel?

Disconnect from the daily routine and wander off somewhere off the beaten track and explore the world on two wheels. Pitch a tent where you can enjoy nature in its highest glory.

Get, Set, Camp!

Every rider has basic needs that are different than others; what unites them is their passion for riding. While planning the trip, tactfully organize your belongings in your motorcycle pull behind camper trailer and don’t forget to save room for your basic comforts.

Coffee, chilled beer, midnight snacks; anything apart from the core essentials of camping that you can’t go without, qualify as basic comforts.

The core essentials for motorcycle camping are mentioned below:

• First Aid / Survival Kit
• Tool Kit (for Bike and Trailer)
• Camping Kit (Tent, tarpaulin, stakes, sleeping bag)
• Cooking Equipment
• Headlamps and LED Flashlights
• Power Bank (to charge your cell phone)
• Riding Gear and Equipment
• License and all documents you'll need

These are all important things you’ll need for every camping trip, but there are many aspects you need to foresee before setting off on your motorcycle with your motorcycle pull behind camper trailer.

Aspects to Consider Before Packing for the Journey

Several factors can substantially affect the amount of equipment you’ll need for your motorcycle camping trip. From duration to the destination, let’s see how.

What's the duration you'll be gone?

An important point to consider is for how long you will be gone. It’s natural for a few days you’ll need less gear and equipment and vice versa. It is the biggest aspect that determines the size of your luggage.

If you’re going for a few days, pack a couple of sets of clothes, without worrying about laundry. You can do that when you come back in a few days, but this changes if you’re going for a couple of weeks. You can’t carry equipment and so many clothes, even if you have a large motorcycle camper trailer. Camping, after all, is all about being with nature and being ready at any point for what nature throws your way.

The next point to consider is where will you set the base for your camping expedition.

Where will you set camp?

Many motels attract customers with their hi-tech premises. But that’s against the laws of camping, staying away from the world is the whole point.

Ditch the luxurious motels, experience, and enjoy nature in its purest form. Sleep under the stars, feel the freshness of nature, and appreciate the serenity of the whole setting.  Although some campsites offer campers with the basic necessities of camping, like tents/cabins and warm food.

Are they a good option?

These types of options may be good if you’re fine with sharing the experience with others, and you’re camping for a couple of weeks.

For pitching a tent, it is important to find a site secluded from the chaos and allows you to spend some time alone with your thoughts, or your partner, or both.

Note: It is not legal to set a camp at anyplace you want, make sure the place you choose actually allows campers.

So, if you’re spending time outdoors, it is advised to invest in some good camping gear. In any case, avoid packing bulky items, the lighter, the better.

What resources will you need to pack?

List down all the natural resources you’ll have access to at the location you’re headed to. If food is easily available, then that’s one less thing to fit in your luggage.

Are there locals around the place?

If yes, then ask them for advice. Note all the things they get without difficulty and what they don’t. Pack what you think is necessary for camping and save room for important things. You’re camping out on a motorcycle after all, go hardcore and leave as many luxurious commodities at home as you can.

A simple smartphone (even cell phone) will suffice in case of emergency. Let’s be honest, you won’t have a Wi-Fi connection there, so spend time connecting with nature.

Most of the time you’ll need to book your campground well in advance, so make sure you have a place to set your tent after a long ride.

Is your bike's maintenance due?

Ensure your motorcycle is in the best shape before setting off for camping. Even if it’s up-to-date, simply get an oil change before heading out for camping, it is the cheapest way to ensure your bike doesn’t break down.

With the motorcycle pull behind camping trailer attached, you get enough space for a toolkit but getting your bike fixed before the trip is strongly advised.

Getting a new oil filter and an oil check is the cheapest way to avoid issues on the road. Another place you could go wrong is not checking the tires. Before every trip, checking the condition of tires is necessary, as they wear out sooner if you pull behind additional weight with the trailer. If you’ve not changed the tires from sometime, just before leaving for a long trip is the best time for it.

Are you violating any local rule or regulation?

It took you awhile to modify your baby to look and feel how it does now. But some states don’t permit certain modifications to the motorcycles, now with the trailer, you must be extra careful.

How can you avoid breaking the law?

Go through the laws of all the states you’ll be crossing and ensure you’re packing according to it. If any modification is unauthorized in some state, avoid taking that route or ditch the modification. The choice is yours.

California, for example, restricts interference with emissions. So, any modification that gives your motorcycle more power at the price of clean emissions makes you an outlaw. Not the cool SOA kind of outlaw, the kind that pays fines when ticketed.

Check the state laws wherever you plan to go on your two-wheeler to avoid getting a ticket.

What will the weather be like?

Another critical factor is the climate where you plan to go. What’s the forecast? Will it be hot? Will it be cold? Will it snow? Experienced bikers are prepared for all situations. Always.

A motorcycle pull behind camping trailer allows them to be prepared for every situation with its additional storage.

Check where you’re going, if it’s hot pack gear that offers enough ventilation to keep you cooler. If it’s pleasant, still bring along a windproof jacket to protect you from getting cold (don’t forget you’ll be going at 50 to 60 miles an hour).

For places with rainfall, remember to pack waterproof gear. Remember, waterproof is not the same as water resistant. And there is a difference between waterproof and water resistant.

Waterproof gear, as mentioned earlier is ideal for places with medium to heavy rainfall. Whereas, water-resistant gear keeps you safe from the mist, fog, and drizzles of rain. Other than that water-resistant gear will not protect you in extreme conditions.

In a Nutshell

Motorcycle camping is fun with the right equipment. A motorcycle camping trailer makes the perfect accessory for experienced riders, giving their bike a more defined look and not to mention the additional storage.

Before embarking on the trip, you need to take a look at how you’re going to spend the days to ensure your camping trip is memorable for the right reasons. To enjoy your camping experience, make sure you pack your things in the correct order:

1. Pack camping and travel gear and equipment first (the core essentials)
2. Position heavy items at the bottom and forward areas of the trailer and lighter ones near the top
3. Final touches. Add in your personal necessities now based on the space available

Remember, you have got a long way to go. Go on a trial run first, make sure you’re ready to ride with the added weight of the trailer and its items.

To sum it up, keep it as simple as possible to enjoy the ride and the camping trip the most. Choose a spot wisely, make sure the weather is suitable, and abide by the state laws. Follow these simple rules and make your camping experience unforgettable.