FJR / Tent / Camping Suggestions

[mmonroe]

My wife and I ride two up and camp. My wife is no princess, but she is the queen of "get by"We use Eureka, two man and SlumberJack Telluride bags, Not the warmest 30 degree (NOT) but pack really small.

here is the waterproof bag we put it all in. see how small



Here is the tent setup.



Packed really well, easy to set up and teardown.

What kind of watertight bag (size, brand, etc) are you using there and how do you have it attached to the bike?

What all are you putting on the rack in the dry bag versus in the side hard bags?

Is there a rack or backrest on there?

Great information guys. I really appreciate it!

Mark

 

[timalan]

My wife and I ride two up and camp. My wife is no princess, but she is the queen of "get by"We use Eureka, two man and SlumberJack Telluride bags, Not the warmest 30 degree (NOT) but pack really small.

here is the waterproof bag we put it all in. see how small



Here is the tent setup.



Packed really well, easy to set up and teardown.

What kind of watertight bag (size, brand, etc) are you using there and how do you have it attached to the bike?

What all are you putting on the rack in the dry bag versus in the side hard bags?

Is there a rack or backrest on there?

Great information guys. I really appreciate it!

Mark

Actually I walked into walmart and bought the only watertight bag in the camping section they had.

I used one of those tiny motorcycle cargo net with six hooks. attached to the grab rail and under the stock tiny rack, Plus I went with a walmart Bungee or two, under the fender and over the top. The shoes I added half way through the trip. And also bought two wool indian blankets to sleep on they are under the waterproof bag. Sleeping bags (two) and tent are in the watertight bag and clothes and Personal care junk in saddle bags. It actually worked quite well.

No other backrest or rack, everything was stock on bike.

 

[Dudewado]

After a little experimenting, this is what I use now.

I have an inexpensive 3 man tent, air matress and pump, cofee pot, ground tarp, and stove in the green Wal-Mart duffle.

(I tried several different pads; I gave up and now wouldn't go if I couldn't have my air matress, even with the weight penalty.)

Then a folding chair (amansker is right, worth the trouble!); Sleeping bag and some clothes in blue stuff bag;

Rain gear, shoes, misc. in clear vinyl bag.

Side cases hold clothing, towel, clear shield, tools, tire repair kit/pump, toiletries.

Besides the coffee pot,I don't carry cooking supplies. I eat early, then I set up camp and go to closest store for snacks and ice.

You will find that your load and supplies change as you find out what you need/want, and what works for you.

(I'm now Jonesing for a Moto-Fizz bag!)

I use a cargo type bungee, with regular bungees added for insurance.

Hope this helps, happy camping!

 

[timalan]

I also for got I put a plastic tarp (walmart) in that yellow bag.

Brand is Ozark Trail... and measures 7 by 14 by about 24 inches.

Here is the bag on Ebay. fit well.

https://cgi.ebay.com/Ozark-Trail-Float-Bag-...2QQcmdZViewItem

 

[nitelife]

I use the medium MotoFizz bag mounted on a Gaurald rack. This is a old pic. Sleeping bag now goes in the bag with the tent and a Thermarest mat and chair straps on top. Tent is a Kelty Teton2

Contents of Motofizz bag:

Sleeping bag

Tent

Towel

pillow

flashlight/lantern

first aid kit

survival kit

Still room for additional items in the side pockets.

 

[drew231506]

Below is the way to do it. With two up camping you have to be much more strategic and figure out how to pack small and light. If your touring by yourself on the Feejer you can pretty much bring the whole camping store along with you.

My wife and I ride two up and camp. My wife is no princess, but she is the queen of "get by"We use Eureka, two man and SlumberJack Telluride bags, Not the warmest 30 degree (NOT) but pack really small.

here is the waterproof bag we put it all in. see how small



Here is the tent setup.



Packed really well, easy to set up and teardown.

 

[turbodave_98]

I think Cejay down in Adelaide had the right idea with his rig for camping.Plenty of room for everything you might want to bring, including an electric icebox for perishables!

A company in Cananada (honest, that's how it's spelled on my son's birth certificate) has a similar trailer:

I have an older model of the Kamparoo Cub that dates back to 1995. It is still in great condition and I pull it with my 96 Royal Star 1300. My trailer weighs about 450 lbs but I have never pulled it with my FJR. How does it handle and is braking ok with it?? Just curious.

 

[NightShine]

I think Cejay down in Adelaide had the right idea with his

I have an older model of the Kamparoo Cub that dates back to 1995. It is still in great condition and I pull it with my 96 Royal Star 1300. My trailer weighs about 450 lbs but I have never pulled it with my FJR. How does it handle and is braking ok with it?? Just curious.

Hey, Dave!

Cejay should be able to fill us in on FJR handling on the Kamparoo Cub, but he hasn't checked into the forum for a month or so. In his trip write-up he mentions that changes in weight distribution made a big difference in how his trailer tracked behind the bike, but I don't remember him commenting on braking performance.

I was surprised at the 450 lbs weight of the Kamparoo Cub. The comparable Lee-sure Lite trailer is only 230 lbs, which would seem to be a much more manageable proposition.

 

[timalan]

Below is the way to do it. With two up camping you have to be much more strategic and figure out how to pack small and light. If your touring by yourself on the Feejer you can pretty much bring the whole camping store along with you.

The most important thing about two up motorcycle camping is...

have to pick carefully who you take.... My wife is Beautiful, But on a long camping/bike trip. She takes three shirts two pair of jeans and Under junk for 3 days maximum. No hot rollers, no blow dryer, no Iron for cloths.... etc.

She looks great in her new Extra Short helmet hair, And Jeans and a T shirt. She is a Packer extraordinare. We take tiny shampoo bottles. Three of them. liquid soap, shampoo, and Hair conditioner. We stop and get more when we run out if the trip is long. We plan third day stops for a quick laundry everything and start over.

I met a guy last year traveling alone on '06 FJR At Mesa Verde, He had queen size airmattress, Chair, Large tent and such,I was envious, But He put it all where my wife goes. And she would be Pissed, Holding all that junk.

Otherwise make your life easy and get a motel.

 

[amansker]

Tent Quality - The inexpensive tents work fine 95% of the time, but on occasion you might actually experience some "weather". I have been through 40mph winds and torrents of rain for hours on end (Anza Borrego Desert) with the North Face Pebble on two occasions. A $30 no-name tent would have been ripped to shreds and flooded. The NF bared it all with no complaints.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Below is the way to do it. With two up camping you have to be much more strategic and figure out how to pack small and light. If your touring by yourself on the Feejer you can pretty much bring the whole camping store along with you.

The most important thing about two up motorcycle camping is...

have to pick carefully who you take.... My wife is Beautiful, But on a long camping/bike trip. She takes three shirts two pair of jeans and Under junk for 3 days maximum. No hot rollers, no blow dryer, no Iron for cloths.... etc.

I replied back on the first page of this thread (post#3) but, I want to add my agreement to these posts.

I mentioned I toured and camped with a G.F. for a month on a 500cc bike. Well, we'd ridden on weekend trips but for the month-long trip -- there was a little problem.... The bike had two small panniers (Krauser Starlets, for those who may know) and the night before the big-day we were in her garage as she brought-out all she wanted to take along. I prefaced the process by saying she could have her own pannier. When it became obvious that it all wasn't going to fit, she said: "If I can't take that (I think it was a dress?) -- then I'm not going." As relationships develope/adjust, the trip became reality and we both enjoyed each other's company and had a wonderful time.

I'm sure (today) she'd find the FJR's accommodations 'luxurious'.

I ended-up sharing the tank bag, too.

Motorcycle touring (and camping) has a way of focusing things......

 

[Pepperell]

Saw this tent being demo'd at Eastern Mountain Sports. No poles, inflate with air. Nemo Morpho. Nemo Morpho

https://www.nemoequipment.com/nemo08-morpho-tent

 

[Bogie]

Damn good info here guys!! Thanks.

 

[Big-D]

It’s amazing how much stuff you can pile on a bike isn’t it? Although I have not “traveled” yet on my FJR, I have put tens of thousands of miles traveling on my other bikes.

During most of my trips on 2-wheels I stay at camp grounds 9 out of 10 days. I carry my 3-man Kelty dome tent with rain-fly (I’ve had this tent for about 12 years) because it rolls up real tight and has fiberglass poles. I also carry a Kelty sleeping bag. Because I have never traveled 2-Up, I cannot answer that part of your question, but for me, it would make things much more difficult.

For your FJ, you need to get the OEM trunk attachment to protect your rack being it’s painted and you don’t want to mess it up. I carry two fairly large bags made by Kuryakyn. One is called the Grand Tour and the other is called the Ultra Tour. I went with Kuryakyn because “I” think they are the best made bags out there. Not only are they constructed well, they don’t collapse when empty. They hold their shape even while hauling down the road. These bags have multiple hoops, brackets and other means of attaching all of your gear to them without it flying off. I generally take these two bags, sleeping bag, pad, tent and many other items you’ll come to realize you’ll need to make your trip as comfortable as possible. Between these two bags, your side cases and everything you can attach or tie on top between your rack and passenger seat, you can disappear for weeks without needing much at all. You can look them up on their website to see them up close and personal.

While traveling, I like to stay at KOA’s when ever possible. Most of the time when you pull up with 2 or 3 bikes or even by yourself; the campground will make room for you even if they are full. But I have stayed at many other types that were excellent also. Once you pull up, you'll know if it is a nice place by how clean it is and how nice it is taken care of. I have a simple routine I follow. I try to arrive at least an hour before dark. I setup camp then find a self-serve car wash to clean the bike. Leaving those little critters on your finish will eat right through the clear-coat. Once back at the campground, I either hit the store for something to eat or hit the showers. KOA’s usually have really nice and clean showers. Usually (but not every time), people will see you and the men will approach you saying “wow, you are so lucky to travel by bike” or something like that. Then about half the time, someone that approached you will come up and say “hey, my wife made up a huge pot of chili, hamburgers, hotdogs and such and you are welcome to join us. On many occasions I’ve sat around someone’s campfire near my own campsite, having a great meal, maybe a cold beer or two, all the while telling these envious people how much fun you’re having touring the country on a motorcycle. Many people tend to look at you in awe because you are doing what 99% of all men have dreamed about doing but never had the chance. For those of you as old as I am, people tend to bring up “Then Came Bronson” sometime during our evening around the campfire.

For the most part, staying in a well established campground will afford you the chance to meet some really good people, make some friends and enjoy some home-style cooking while you are traveling from point A to B and beyond. When people see you with your bike loaded down like you’ve been on the road for months, they get so curious, they just have to talk and listen to your stories. And when your license plate shows you are a long way from home, the questions and the want to hear more, intensifies.

Let me see, most nicer sleeping bags come with water repellent type bags. At 70-80mph you won’t get hit with rain anyway. A few years back, a friend and I were running through Northern Utah in a pouring rain at 80mph. The people in cars were looking at us like we were nuts, but at speed, the rain goes right over you (just don’t stop), the roads are clean so the tires get great grip and you just get in the groove and move right along with an occasional wave at the kids staring at you from the back seats of cars as you cruise by.

Unless you plan on staying in Death Valley or some place like it, you really don’t need to carry lots of food items. The bags I mentioned above with hold your clothes and personal items in one and all of your other stuff in the other, like a little camp stove, a set of pots & pans, utensils and such. Either after you wash your bike and before, stop at a market and pick up a couple steaks or whatever you want to eat that evening. I enjoy having breakfast at a mom & pop outfit in the morning.

Now remember, everyone has their favorite method way of doing things and what they feel are the best products to use. I am just one of many opinions on what I think is a grand way to tour on two wheels.

If you need or want more information or need any advice, feel free to ask anything you like. Riding a bike is fun, we all agree on that. But nothing beats hitting the road for a couple weeks or a couple months on a bike. There is no better way to see our beautiful country than on two wheels. Period!!

I better stop before I’m accused of writing a novel on the forum. Have fun when you travel. Be friendly and don’t cop an attitude. You’ll be surprised how friendly and helpful most people will be to you. Life is Grand!

 

[huk finn]

on subject of packing/camping, has anyone used the grand touring bag from "mags bags" ,,, https://www.magsbags.com/grandtouringbag.html

I'm thinking these will hold as much as motofizz (much more than givi 52) & will help keep weight /center of gravity lower. PLUS room for passenger.

So anyone know if these bags are any good? (I know they look goofy).

 

[Big-D]

on subject of packing/camping, has anyone used the grand touring bag from "mags bags" ,,, https://www.magsbags.com/grandtouringbag.html
I'm thinking these will hold as much as motofizz (much more than givi 52) & will help keep weight /center of gravity lower. PLUS room for passenger.

So anyone know if these bags are any good? (I know they look goofy).

If they serve the purpose, looks are not that important. However, one thing to consider is how they hold up and sit on your bike when empty. If they want to sag and possibly interfere with the wheels, then keep looking. They do look like they will hold a lot of stuff.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Forgive me for not reading through all the recent posts, but if no-one has mentioned it yet, get thee over to REI, or REI.com. Recreation Equipment Internation is a virtual candy store for campers. Their staff, both in-store and on the phone are knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Right now, they have a huge sale going on until 5-11.

Prices are high, but so is the quality and service. When we took up camping again, last fall, we kitted ourselves out from REI and have enjoyed every single item that we bought. I believe we own shares in the company now because there's always something else we'd like, then when we get into the store, there's this, and that......

Jill

 

[canyonman]

As for packing your gear you may also want to take a look at helen2wheels stuff. https://www.helen2wheels.com its all

purpose designed, waterproof, heavy-duty stuff. reasonably priced.

I just added a set of the seat panniers to my arsenal they fit /work perfectly when solo.

If I go two up I have to take the HD (not my choice-hers).

 

[Bustanut joker]

I got a really nice Igllo an a teepee, Bearly odot, used I'll sell ya real cheap.. like free.

Come an get 'em.

:jester:

 

[TFC]

Brian -

Thanks for the description. I finally rec'd my Medium MotoFizz bag.

Question - Other than the clear tubing to protect the rails where you're attaching the straps, have you done any other "protection" for the bottom of the bag and where it contacts the stock rack?

Thanks,

John

[i looked around, and I don't have any other pictures of the mounting, but I'll try to describe it. The next time I put the bag on the bike, I'll take a full set of photos.
MotoFizz bags come with four adjustable straps that mount to the bike. These straps attach to buckles on the bag. This makes it easy to remove the bag from the bike - just pop the buckles, and carry the bag off. An extra cross-shaped buckle set comes with the bag, and attaches to the fixed straps on the bike when the bag isn't in use. This keeps the straps from flapping around if you go for a ride with the bag off.

I put the rear straps on the stock rack, with a piece of clear, 1"OD plastic tubing to protect the finish on the rack. (At other times, I've wrapped blue masking tape on the finished areas for protection.) The rear straps don't need adjustment, so I tied off the excess strap length to keep it from flapping at speeds.

The front straps mount on the trapezoidal frame piece that the passenger foot pegs are mounted on. The foot pegs attach to the bottom section, and the straps mount on the upper section. Again, use the clear plastic tubing or masking tape to protect the finish.

Once the straps are on, I attach the bag by putting it almost completely on the rear rack, tilting it back to buckle in to the rear straps. Then I attach the front straps, and tighten them down. Tie off the excess to reduce flapping.

It takes 10 seconds to take the bag off, and about 45 seconds to mount it, adjust it, and cinch everything down.