Bike camping gear

[Guest]

Ive never liked the idea of Tipis.. even though on the face of it the extra headroom is very attractive.. its that central pole that I do not like the idea of and also.. from a purely practical sense. the pack sizes tend to be a lot longer than usual. (because the central pole is often over 6' tall and is normally split into longer sections.

 

 

The lightweight tipis like the golite I have pack very small, central pole is around 40cm long. The outer and inner pack separately at about 40x8cm. Half nest even smaller. Central pole can be annoying occasionally but not often. Myself and my lady can sleep on one side of it.

Very quick to put up and take down, I'm normally setup and having a brew whilst others are still setting up. Outer can be put up first and left up whilst packing away if it's wet. Can use just the outer on its own or just the nest on a warm dry night. Can also be hung from a tree without the pole or you can use a walking pole to set it up if you're hiking. You can also rig a tarp to it to give additional outdoor shelter. I've tried other tents but the flexibility and versatility of the golite setup just works for me.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

[mention]Westbeef[/mention] thanks for the link, looks a bit like the £55 one I bought for this trip which is surprisingly good.

[mention]Liveware Problem[/mention] that is an absolute bargain!

[mention]goat[/mention] thanks for all of the tips. Have looked at a lot of the tents but not the sleeping bags or other kit yet. Have a couple of wool base layers from cycling, they’re definitely superior.

Love the look of the tipi tent, watched the video review, it looks excellent but it’s not for me cos my other half is lovely but robust and clumsy, it would be mere moments before that central pole was wiped out and even if it stays in situ I’d be permanently waiting for the tents collapse. You’re likely right that I’ll end up with a lot of gear!

[mention]griptwister[/mention] I’ll have a look into the two sleeping bag thing, in the winter when standing on the side of a freezing rugby pitch with the wind and rain beating down wearing two coats works really well! They are bulky but worth it. Don’t think anyone makes gluten free cupasoups though apart from Heinz tomato and that ones not a good one, perhaps hot chocolate will do the trick!

[mention]Gerontious[/mention] thankyou again for the detailed information. Will wait for the full wintery discounts to kick in.

Robens and vaude looks good, the large porch area is very appealing and the attached lining plus fast up and down is great. Like the layout. I have the recommended tarp which is still in one piece folded under the current tent. Would it be possible to sit in a small low chair inside it? Or is that not possible for a 6+ footer!?

[mention]Rodders[/mention] thankyou for all of that info, that’s given me a few options! I wouldn’t consider carrying it though, if it’s possible to have an allergy to carrying stuff I have it!

Sorry if I missed anyone, all the advice is appreciated. Packing up and heading home this morning, I’m guessing the unpacking the other end is going to be the worse bit!

[Bender]

You really don't need to take 2 sleeping bags they are the bulkiest things your going to have after the tent, get one for winter and one for summer. 2 cheap sleeping bags are ok if you have a car and a boot and in that case get 2 double ones and pinch the heat from your other half too, I have done camping on the cheap and its more than doable, it is however much more enjoyable when you can get what works in the first place rather than compromising.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Ta. Not keen on compromise gear. Would rather spend once wisely than waste doing a respend. Those cocoon shaped sleeping bags look a bit restrictive but they seem to be popular and they must be smaller n lighter. Any experience?

[Throttled]

A tip for packing tents is to find a dry bag that is a bit bigger than the tents bag. That makes packing easier and way less of an issue if you need to pack it wet. It also means you could have space to add poles for a porch, spare pegs or a tarp in the same bag. I then bungee that onto the pillion seat.

[Bender]

I have no issues with the tapered bags they cut down on weight, the more expensive ones will have more insulation zones ie more where you need it, we have marmot ones which are rated as comfy down to - 15 the wife still needs to wear warm stuff below 0 she has the circulation of a stick, read up plenty and work out how well you think you will do, you may not use them in the middle of winter but it can get down to nearly freezing early spring and autumn no problem.

My tent fits in top box in its own bag when in use I prefer to keep poles and tent separate and if raining I split the inner from the outer and pack that dry, it's easy to pack the poles on the bike and then you can pack tent where you want.

For cooking look at primus, they do a few sets with a burner and a pan/pans they have wind protection and the pans have added fins to get more heat into them, a couple of small gas cans can be shoved in where you have space rather than 1 large one

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

[mention]Throttled[/mention] and [mention]Bender[/mention] thanks for the tips.

Will be buying the bag after the tent and the tent after the bikes width plus panniers is known.

The width of the bike including the mirrors is 890mm (2’ 11” in old money) so I could in theory go that wide but I wouldn’t want to, the smaller the better and the 60cm or less mark does seem sensible.

I also have the circulation of a stick and need heated gear and a snowmobile suit over the top of my usual motorcycle gear before getting on the bike in the winter so the warmest possible sleeping bag known to man (on top of the snowmobile suit ) will probably just about do.

Like the sound of the finned pans. Thinking one pan and one plate or the like will do. Hate bad cutlery so might avoid camping cutlery and raid the kitchen drawer.

Don’t know what to do about the panniers. The majority of the bikes I see have hard panniers. I kinda want a solution that I can take off- until such time as common sense and practicality overwhelms and I get a tourer!

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[Throttled]

Think Lomo for pannier bags and a dry bag for the pillion.

https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/waterproof-motorcycle-soft-panniers-set.html#SID=83

https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/motorbike-drybag.html#SID=83

[Bender]

Camping cuttlery can be fine, I hate sporks and plastic. Titanium knives and forks are good, get proper size ones though, the holder will weigh more than they do.

Pasta and rehydrate type foods are easy but when it's cold i prefer curry and you can do curry and rice and balance a bottle of red wine ontop.

[Throttled]

A plastic mug is better than a metal one, which is pretty much guaranteed to burn your lip.

[Gerontious]

Not sure why you would need super lightweight titanium cutlery for a motorcycle camping trip. It's not like weight is an issue. I just raid the cutlery drawer before I go, including a knife that can slice a bread roll and cheese... Wrap them in a tea towel. With an elastic band to secure it.. And shove it in the bag with the rest of the camping gear. I've successfully carried a bodum glass cafetière and mug all over Europe without it breaking. Can't beat a proper coffee first thing. In fact that's all I take so far as cooking is concerned. I cook at home... But not on holiday. No thanks. Cooking and then the washing up... Sod that. At worst.. Maybe something for an al fresco meal from the friendly neighbourhood store. Bread Cheese, tub of salad and beer and maybe more beer. If I want a cooked meal.. There are these things called pubs and cafes. Even a chippy to prove I'm not quite the snob I aspire to be. I've been bike touring and camping for donkeys years and never once even considered cooking. The very idea!!

[Bender]

Knives and forks from the kitchen draw dear God what has the world come too , they will also do if your not bothered about excess weight lol, I buy stuff that gets carried too at which point every gram counts, I have abandoned clothes on a hike before.

[Guest]

@Throttled and @Bender thanks for the tips.

Will be buying the bag after the tent and the tent after the bikes width plus panniers is known.

The width of the bike including the mirrors is 890mm (2’ 11” in old money) so I could in theory go that wide but I wouldn’t want to, the smaller the better and the 60cm or less mark does seem sensible.

I also have the circulation of a stick and need heated gear and a snowmobile suit over the top of my usual motorcycle gear before getting on the bike in the winter so the warmest possible sleeping bag known to man (on top of the snowmobile suit ) will probably just about do.

Like the sound of the finned pans. Thinking one pan and one plate or the like will do. Hate bad cutlery so might avoid camping cutlery and raid the kitchen drawer.

Don’t know what to do about the panniers. The majority of the bikes I see have hard panniers. I kinda want a solution that I can take off- until such time as common sense and practicality overwhelms and I get a tourer!

️

 

Surely there must be pannier options for the R nine T?

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

@Throttled and @Bender thanks for the tips.

Will be buying the bag after the tent and the tent after the bikes width plus panniers is known.

The width of the bike including the mirrors is 890mm (2’ 11” in old money) so I could in theory go that wide but I wouldn’t want to, the smaller the better and the 60cm or less mark does seem sensible.

I also have the circulation of a stick and need heated gear and a snowmobile suit over the top of my usual motorcycle gear before getting on the bike in the winter so the warmest possible sleeping bag known to man (on top of the snowmobile suit ) will probably just about do.

Like the sound of the finned pans. Thinking one pan and one plate or the like will do. Hate bad cutlery so might avoid camping cutlery and raid the kitchen drawer.

Don’t know what to do about the panniers. The majority of the bikes I see have hard panniers. I kinda want a solution that I can take off- until such time as common sense and practicality overwhelms and I get a tourer!

️

 

Surely there must be pannier options for the R nine T?

 

Yep but the ones the dealers showed me are small and narrow. I’m gonna explore other options, larger, easy to remove and maybe metal is what I’m thinking.

[Guest]

@Throttled and @Bender thanks for the tips.

Will be buying the bag after the tent and the tent after the bikes width plus panniers is known.

The width of the bike including the mirrors is 890mm (2’ 11” in old money) so I could in theory go that wide but I wouldn’t want to, the smaller the better and the 60cm or less mark does seem sensible.

I also have the circulation of a stick and need heated gear and a snowmobile suit over the top of my usual motorcycle gear before getting on the bike in the winter so the warmest possible sleeping bag known to man (on top of the snowmobile suit ) will probably just about do.

Like the sound of the finned pans. Thinking one pan and one plate or the like will do. Hate bad cutlery so might avoid camping cutlery and raid the kitchen drawer.

Don’t know what to do about the panniers. The majority of the bikes I see have hard panniers. I kinda want a solution that I can take off- until such time as common sense and practicality overwhelms and I get a tourer!

️

 

Surely there must be pannier options for the R nine T?

 

Yep but the ones the dealers showed me are small and narrow. I’m gonna explore other options, larger, easy to remove and maybe metal is what I’m thinking.

Careful.......beware the stylistic crossover.....do you really want a R nine T GS ???? The very thought.......

Anyway, I think you'll find that most (if not all) of the metal pannier options are designed around the GS and have a huge cutaway in the LH side pannier to accommodate that high-level exhaust.

I'm sure that something will be available from the aftermarket guys like Givi, though........just a matter of doing the research. Are you sure that there are no larger size panniers to fit the mounting system the stealers showed you? Back in the day, Krausers were the pannier of choice for the BMW enthusiast.......but very few people seemed to know that there was only one lock configuration......yes, that's right - any set of Krausers could be opened with the same key!

[Gerontious]

Trouble is.. 3rd party panniers are never as integrated as originals. The frames are generally ugly and often stick out much further than necessary. They might even mean the bike needs altering. Indicators moved or even replaced for instance.

The RnineT was never designed to be a tourer... It's an urban toy. At best original panniers will be sufficient for a weekend away.. at a hotel. And probably very nice to look at.. Neat little suitcases perhaps. Or roughly toughty leather or canvas bags which are really just overpriced fashion statements.

Probably easier for the Urban GS... As that bike practically demands decent luggage. But the standard bike? Not so much.

So. The question you need to ask yourself is just how much carrying capacity you need and how much you want to change the look of your bike with... Perhaps permanent racks and possibly physical modifications. And for al that.. You might manage 25litres per side. Not much at all from Givi or 22 from hepco & Becker.

Or whether it's easier to use throwovers with a top case and drybag on the pillionseat. Which means the only addition will be a top case holder.. And they're easy enough to find.

[Guest]

Just had a look on t'Web. .....if you Google "R nine T panniers" and select "images"......there's 100s of 'em.....and some nice looking metal boxes so I take back all that I said about GSs. Plenty to choose from.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Oh [mention]Speedy23[/mention] and [mention]Gerontious[/mention] in some (a lot) of ways it’s so not the right bike and I know this but I’ll never own a toy if I take the practical route now. Childish hearts desire first then practicality sets in and adventure/tourer next.

A single key for all luggage that’s brilliant A bit like dealers setting the override key code (for ‘keyless’ bikes) the same. 80% that come back in for service have not changed the code so if you’re in an area you bought the bike from it’s likely thieves will know the code- oops.

I’ve done a bit of research and these guys do some lovely stuff including customs (goodness knows the price of those) so I think I’ll give them a bell.

https://www.craven-equipment.co.uk

ps my better half is a pack mule!

[Guest]

Oh @Speedy23 and @Gerontious in some (a lot) of ways it’s so not the right bike and I know this but I’ll never own a toy if I take the practical route now. Childish hearts desire first then practicality sets in and adventure/tourer next.

A single key for all luggage that’s brilliant A bit like dealers setting the override key code (for ‘keyless’ bikes) the same. 80% that come back in for service have not changed the code so if you’re in an area you bought the bike from it’s likely thieves will know the code- oops.

I’ve done a bit of research and these guys do some lovely stuff including customs (goodness knows the price of those) so I think I’ll give them a bell.

https://www.craven-equipment.co.uk

ps my better half is a pack mule!

Errr...... (adopts diplomatic mode).....are you sure that Craven can cater for your R nine T type requirements? They are, IMHO, somewhat oriented towards, shall we say, the more "traditional" end of the market.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Appreciate the (quote correct) concern. Some tentative conversations sugggest yes they could do something to suit.

TBH I don’t care what they are so long as I can remove them and enjoy the bikes aesthetics on the usual riding days.

In reality I’ll likely make a couple of uncomfortable long trips and when it’s all uncomfortable enough start looking at the adventure tourer line but for now

[Guest]

I liked these......

 

 

But - it's your call. At the end of the day, get what YOU like....Main thing is, when you walk out of the house in the morning, if it makes you smile, then you made the right decision.

If you're still smiling when you get off again, even better!

I suppose the main criterion is how many portions of fish & chips you can get in them.

[Guest]

...."the more "traditional" end of the market".......you know, people who wear open face helmets, goggles you can't see through, smoke pipes, wear waxed-cotton jockstraps ( ) and who know who "Ixion" was.....

[Gerontious]

I liked these......

pannier-system-racer-for-r9t-urban-gs-pure.jpg

 

 

They cost over a £1000 (boxes plus racks plus locks) and as far as I can tell... The polish site selling them doesn't mention their volume.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Lol

They are good, where d’u find those, on google images? Craven will make you whatever you want and aren’t the ridiculous prices of some.

Fortunately never worn a waxed jockstrap (is that a real thing ) or smoked a pipe and had to look up ‘lxion’ (went to a paupers school, they just about managed to teach tieing shoelaces) so might have another glance at the panniers when the pain/joy of buying the damn things over!

Fish n chip wise I’m good, got some right baggy waterproofs that I could it LOADS in

[Bender]

...."the more "traditional" end of the market".......you know, people who wear open face helmets, goggles you can't see through, smoke pipes, wear waxed-cotton jockstraps ( ) and who know who "Ixion" was.....

 

Lxion, that's easy, that would be Stu, he's been damned to Hull for eternity