Motorcycle Camping - The greatest holidays ever!
Just wanted to share my experiences of going away camping with our Motorcycle,the clothing for the trip and the outdoor equipment you can't leave home without!!!
British Motorcycle Campsites
There is a great site when looking for camping places around the UK, with some reviews of sites and some other great little tips for the camping biker. Some of the campsites have there own websites so you can check online what they look like and even if they have space left. All information can be found on the British Motorcamps site. Or another good source of information that can always be used is the backpacking info site.
Which Rucksack to take?
As well as the baggage attached to the side of your bike I would highly recommend that you (or if your passenger if you have one) taking a decent sized Travel rucksack. These can hold around 60-90 liters and usually have a integrated waterproof rain cover. The amount of stuff you can pack into these bags is impressive and most boast "hidden" pockets to hide away valuables. We purchased a Berghaus rucksack as we recommended the brand as being reliable and it has stood up to its reputation. The straps are comfortable even on longer trips and waist and chest straps really help stabilize it.
Which Tent is Best?
There are many different types of tents but there are two major points you need to ask - How many people are ment to be sleeping in the tent? and How much space does it take up?
Of course there are other elements that come into question but I found these 2 the most important. Finding a bargain tent that sleeps 4 people and takes up a decent amount of space is useless if you are 2 and traveling on a bike - even if you have saved a few quid! My recommendation is to spend a little more on a compact tent, takes up less space and usually when you spend that little more - offers you a little more protection from the elements (usually)! I recommend taking a good brand name tent that has a PU (Polyurethane) coated cover to make sure you stay dry at night, also ensuring the tent drys quicker when its time to pack away.
Also some thing to keep in mind is a decent camping matress, again a compact one at best! Helps incredibly for those nghts in the wild and also saves you poor back the following morning!
Pocket Knife
One essential piece of kit that no camper should leave home without is a Pocket Knife!! I go a step further and find that simply leaving the house without one can cause me panic, they always seem to come in handy and especially when out in the wild.
Nowadays you can get pocket knives that can do pretty much anything including the washing up, I know that those boffins over at Victorinox have produced a knife that have over 40 functions including a memory stick! All very impressive of course but when camping I think you can survive with a knife with a good blade and maybe a saw function too. Definately one think not to forget when packing!