Who has gone camping on an FJR?

[SnowAviation]

The problem I have is that after I pack the tent, cot, sleeping bag, bed roll, change of clothes, extra riding gear for the change of weather,I don't have room for keeping the beer on ice. :angry2:

Proper packing allows for priority beer, er I mean gear.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

Works great as long as you aren't 2 up.

No problem at all when riding without the wife;

It is especially easy if you are riding solo so you can pack things on the pillion seat.

For me, camping on the FJR is best without a passenger.

From another thread:

Now whatever bike I get, she would not be riding much anyway since we now have a 2 year old. She rode B4 that.

Try not to look too happy when you return to your wife and toddler after a weekend of camping & riding.

 

[BikerDude]

Try not to look too happy when you return to your wife and toddler after a weekend of camping & riding.

I have to make sure of that!!!! LOL

BD

 

[FJRGuy]

Done it! Love it! In fact have even done it 2-up without a trailer (sans cooking gear/food.) Looking at a utility trailer to make it tremendously easy!

 

[Powerman]

I left my wife home too many times, she said she didn't do camping.

Ended up with a fully packed trailer going to EOM.

 

[Roseville Steve]

Alright everyone, New guy here, I am seriously considering pulling the trigger on a FJR, one of my questions are how is it for Camping? who has done it? And how much were you able to fit on it? I used to ride a HD Ultra Classic and I was able to pack everything including the kitchen sink on one of those. The set up I was looking for would be just the side panners, tank bag, and a Rack on the back and lots of bungee cords. It would most likely traveling 1 up most of the time on it.

BD

Bikerdude: I tour and camp on my FJR. I use a large dry bag (BOB cycle trailer dry bag) to store my tent, sleeping bag and other camping gear. Keep it all snug to the bike with a 15' friction release strap. works great.

-Roseville Steve

 

[Roseville Steve]

Alright everyone, New guy here, I am seriously considering pulling the trigger on a FJR, one of my questions are how is it for Camping? who has done it? And how much were you able to fit on it? I used to ride a HD Ultra Classic and I was able to pack everything including the kitchen sink on one of those. The set up I was looking for would be just the side panners, tank bag, and a Rack on the back and lots of bungee cords. It would most likely traveling 1 up most of the time on it.

BD

 

[Robert Ford]

Not to necro an old thread, but I'm really liking the pics of FJR's loaded up for camping trips.

Here's mine from last summer on a two week trip to Gaspe/Perce Rock (from Ohio). Everything but the tent and ground pad fit in the cases and tank bag, which as you can see is about to burst. I'm looking at ditching the top case and using a large Motofizz instead next year.

 

[Candyman]

I do it everal times a year. Usually 1 up. mamma like creature comforts so we hit hotels when she goes. When I am solo i pack the tent adn chair on the back seat , everything else fits in the side/tail bag. I go across country like this often. Going from mobile al. to petaluma Ca in january and I will be tent campoing the way there adn back.

 

[mferriter]

Can you reach behind you and grab a cold one while riding? Where's the cup holder?

 

[Bungie]

Mmmm bike camping. I'm on my lunch hour and well, I need to kill some time.

MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) has a big free shipping for Christmas sale going on so I figured I'd go mosy on over and have a peek online. Well, sure enough, I ended up ordering some more bike camping goodies. Nothing overly expensive mind you, just stuff that nice to have.

Collapsible coffee basket. I'll camp without a lot of comforts but I like my coffee in the morning. The problem is that a coffee basket take up a feckin' pile of room. Weirdly shaped, it just always seems to be in the way. I spy this collapsible dealie for a few bucks. OH YA baby.

My tent has some mesh pockets in the corners that are really handy for stashing 'losables' in the night. Flashlight, clock etc. MEC sells these mesh lofts. Less than $5 and I can throw a paperback and a LED lantern up there. Sold!

The most expensive thing I bought. A Black Diamond Headlamp. I bought a BD lantern 2 years ago. That thing is fantastic. In fact, despite using it for well over a 100hrs, it still has the original batteries in it. So I was happy with the brand. I bought the headlamp. I got a chuckle over reading that the 'high beam' was good for 70M (over 200 feet!). Well, I got it and dicked around with the switches and the dimming. Cool. Later that night I walked out in my backyard and flipped on the 'low beam'. Nice even broad light. I then hit the 'high beam'. MOFO!! If I lose the headlights on the FJR, I swear, you could ride a good 35mph with just the light that this thing throws. Way cool. The advertise 7-8hrs battery life on high and up to 250hrs on dimmed low beam. Judging from the accuracy of claims BD made for the lantern, I don't doubt it.

Can't wait to try these things out next season.

 

[TomInPA]

3-week 7500 mile trip with some camping, mostly motels and a family stay in PA. The bike packs well and the Dry-Pak waterproof dufflle costs under $40.

 

[SacramentoMike]

. . . this collapsible dealie . . .

Great find! I'm definitely ordering one. That solves a big PITA packing problem. I've even broken a hard plastic one on a camp trip. (*edit:

Didn't realize the free shipping was in Canada. For some reason, shipping anything across the border adds a LOT--either way. So I bought them on Amazon. Still appreciate the tip.)

One other packing tip I finally figured out: every morning, packing up the gear and loading the bike, I realized that the tent, at least, doesn't really need to be rolled up nice and neat. I just load all my camping gear into the big duffel--ground pad, sleeping bag (in a compression sack), tent poles, coffee stuff, etc., and then just cram the tent, the rain fly, and the nylon ground cloth into all the little available nooks and crannies. SO much faster and easier, and I can actually do a better job packing the duffel (that fits on the back seat) more evenly. Plus it makes a better back rest.

 

[Bungie]

Great find! I'm definitely ordering one.

See you understand!

.. and then just cram the tent, the rain fly, and the nylon ground cloth into all the little available nooks and crannies.

The tent tip. Yup. I've even read arguments that its better for the fabric of the tent because it's not always getting folded up in exactly the same manner - cramming spreads the folds/creases randomly.

 

[Bungie]

3-week 7500 mile trip with some camping, mostly motels and a family stay in PA. The bike packs well and the Dry-Pak waterproof dufflle costs under $40.

Hard to tell from the pic, but that looks exactly like the duffle I use. Picked mine up from Cabela's. Not a 100% waterproof, but it's got to be a real, prolonged frog choker to get any water inside.

My entire camp kit except for the chair fits in my duffle. Tent, ground sheet, poles, sleeping bag, air mattress, katyden, stove + 2 cans of fuel, utensils, small cookset, hatchet, latern, usually about 5 packs of instant oatmeal, sometimes a couple of freeze dried dinners, coffee and fixin's.

.. heheh.. can you tell I'm jonesin to for a scoot and setup camp somewhere?

 

[jmgrif]

Last year I went across Canada to Newfoundland, did all 10 provinces. Leaving Canada went south to Tennessee then zig zagged back to southern California. From there up to the coast back home. On the road for 2 1/2 months, camping, relatives, motels when weather dictated. 25,500 kms. It can be done but if I did it again? I would definitely look at a m/c trailer? I think the packing up would be a lot easier?

 

[Bungie]

It can be done but if I did it again? I would definitely look at a m/c trailer? I think the packing up would be a lot easier?

That's the problem with camping while traveling, especially if your trying to get somewhere. Every morning you can count on 30-45 minutes repacking everything. Even less fun if it rained during the night (or is still raining).

 

[FJReady]

Yup, the FJR is a very good platform for solo camping. I've never tried it two-up. picture is from my 2009 coast to coast trip that included some camping. I had more stuff than I needed and no trouble carrying it all. Waterproof 'dry bag' was key. thats the blue thing on pillion seat.

 

[Mr Martini]

These are great pics and give me ideas of what I'll need to get before I try camping with my FJR. I loved to go camping with my ol' Vulcan but I used a sissy pack attached to my sissy bar on that bike. I love motorcycle camping and definitely hope to do a camping trip on the FJR.

 

[Auburn]

Done it! Love it! In fact have even done it 2-up without a trailer (sans cooking gear/food.) Looking at a utility trailer to make it tremendously easy!

We did 11 days/10 nights through BC, Alaska, Yukon, Ablerta and back this summer with the BeamerReamers. We had a trailer, planned to camp 2 days and then stay in a motel to catch up the laundry. We ended up camping all 10 nights because most of the places we stayed had laudry facilities and showers.

Just South of Waston Lake (BeamerReamers)

On the way from Watson Lake to Dawson Creek

Banff National Park

Camping near a Provincial Park (I forget the name of the falls). Really roughin' it. Two laptops surfing the internet and one Kindle.

We rode the whole trip two up pulling the trailers, covered about 4900 miles. Yes we are late in getting the rider report in. We'll get to it this Winter.

I recommend camping using a trailer (especially if you are two up). Makes it a lot easier to carry things and stay organized. The right trailer will not affect the riding enjoyment at all. Both of us have Bushtec trailers, they are kind of pricey but are very good to tow. With the air shock suspension systems they do not transfer any bumps from the trailer to the bike.