[Ohm]

I figured I would start my own thread on collecting camping gear. I want to get into moto camping but like usual I am cheap and don't want to spent a bunch of money, or at least not right away. Fortunately I already have a real nice 2 person compact dome tent and a few other odds and ends, last week I picked up Harbor freights single propane burner which is not only cheap but seems nice and rugged and is more compact then the Coleman version. Today at the local goodwill I picked up a folding stainless fry pan with lid for $3 and a 40deg sleeping bag with stuff sack and pillow for $5. All I have left for the main gear is a air mattress, tarp and a small soft cooler and the rest is odds and ends. Anyway I will continue to collect bits and pieces here and there and post what I got.

 

[SteveinPA]

I went with a self inflating foam mattress after freezing my #%@!* off with an air mattress. I picked one that folds in half before it is rolled up so it fits in a smaller stuff sack. Space is at a premium...the smaller the better!

 

[Ohm]

That and no blowing, I was looking at the self inflating ones just for simplicity sake, do you recall which mattress you got? So far the tent and sleeping bag fit nicely on the back seat, the bag can go forward an inch even an be used as a back rest. I still haven't figured out what I will use to carry all the small things, backpack or duffel on top of the pile.

 

[Ohm]

I am thinking it might be worth rehashing my saddle bags for camping instead of a duffel or backpack. I am thinking I could get a set of 12"x12"x6" musette bags to replace the two smaller bags, add a stiff plate to the inside back with hooks and ect to hang them with so they come off easily and maybe turn the smaller bags into tank panniers, hopefully I won't need that much storage though it would be easy just have straps to go over the tank and connect them together and have straps to tie them to the top crash bars.

 

[Blindstitch]

Why not hunt up some hard saddlebags or just buy or make brackets that hook into the stock system. Then you could just plug and play. And if you're not ashamed of ammo cans you could mount up a set of those to. They're cheap. And I would mount the turn signal on them for easy connect/disconnect.

 

[Blindstitch]

I haven't seen them yet on a gl but if someone does do it I want pictures.



http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=540&p=2613#p2613

 

[JGBYJ]

For what it's worth, I found a rack( I think there are pictures in my build thread) built out of simple 1"x 1/8th" bar, and 2 sections of round bar for 2.40$+ 78$ for top of the line bicycle saddlebags from MEC to cost far less than ammo cans+rack.

No mounting hardware for mine, just the stock bolts on the bike, bags sit low, forward and tight keeping the weight where it should be.

If I wasn't on such a long trip I would have gone with the cheaper and smaller saddlebags, REI/MEC house brand are great, far cheaper than bicycle specific stores! Even with the higher end ones the investment is very low because all their house brand stuff is lifetime warranty incl damage.

Cheaper ones would have cost 25$/pair and would be reasonably waterproof, lightweight and removeable to carry inside.

Also easily replaceable later.



I camped for a week riding from SK to Vancouver(about 1700km I think) on my GS, I didn't have any camping gear when I decided to get the bike, so I came back with a tarp I found, my backpack on the back(still got it on this trip, big blue thing) a blanket, a piece of mattress foam I found and a waterbottle. Pouring rain sometimes but it worked fine.

I find a modified diamond pitch on the tarp to be the best, especially when you have a bike to provide wind block for the open side, very comfy.

 

[Ohm]

I don't mind the look of the ammo cans but I like soft bags a little more. I was thinking the Musette bags because they usually have a shoulder strap to carry them with off the bike and they are similar looking to the ones already on the bike. I was thinking on taking a piece of 1/4" ply and attaching it to the inner back of the bag then bending up some aluminum straps to go down the outside of the back with hooks bent into the tops to hang them from the stock mounting rails and then just add a strap to the bottom to clip them to the stock lower.



Here are the bags for those not familiar with them.

 

[SteveinPA]

That and no blowing, I was looking at the self inflating ones just for simplicity sake, do you recall which mattress you got? So far the tent and sleeping bag fit nicely on the back seat, the bag can go forward an inch even an be used as a back rest. I still haven't figured out what I will use to carry all the small things, backpack or duffel on top of the pile.

I got the Field and Stream Explorer Self Inflating mattress from Dicks Sporting Goods. Been working good so far. I like that it folds in half before I roll it up.



It fits in one of my Hondaline saddlebags along with my Eureka! tent and sleeping bag and a bunch of other stuff. I use the Eureka! Tetragon 5 tent and a Eureka Silver City bag. I got the Eureka! stuff at their outlet store in Binghamton NY outlet store. Rode up there and saved a bunch of dough.

 

[Ohm]

Yeah most of the others don't seem to fold in half which makes them bulkier, that and its not that bad a price some of the others are quite expensive and don't even include a stuff sack or anything.

 

[Phil in Vermont]

Since I'm triking the Suzuki , "AKA Suzie" My throw over leatherlike bags are for sale. just hang them over the back seat and tie the bottom. they are shown on my avatar.

make me an offer plus $25.00 postage.

 

[Ohm]

I was messing around with the bike yesterday and went and repacked all my tools out of the separate tool bag in the right saddle bag back into the tool bag behind the seat and filled the other up as a pretty well stocked first aid kit, and all my toiletries. The saddle bag will hold the first aid kit, a 1 lb bottle of propane for the stove, a folding saw and some rope. Then I still have the left saddle bag, so I am thinking since the big stuff like the tent, sleeping bag, tarp, folding chair ect are going on the back seat the rest of the stuff, cloths, food and mess kit, ect should fit nicely in a back pack and in a tank bag. I also noticed my fuel valve was still open, doh, so I went and fired it up, it did not want to though, let it warm up good and cleared out the carbs before letting the float bowls run out. I also pulled the battery and took it inside and put it on a float charger that I picked up from Harbor freight for $5 with a coupon, I put the end of the vent tube into a glass jag with enough water to submerge the end of the tube.



Has anyone tried the little single mantle propane lanterns, I think it might be something worth while if space allows and they are not that expensive.

http://www.bimart.com/skudetail.aspx?loc=k.383520_s.114A_c.165A_d.4&nm=Camping

 

[Blindstitch]

Looks like something I broke before. Is that a glass globe?

 

[Ohm]

Yeah, I nixed that idea quickly. Big 5 sporting goods here in Salem had a StanSport mini backpacking stove on sale for $20 so I picked that up to replace the propane burner, they also had a MAC sports folding stool for $10 so I got one of those as well. I also found a nesting stainless cook kit at the thrift store for $7 still in the box. The only real big thing that I still need to get is a sleeping pad/self inflating mattress, I think I will pick up the one Mr.Softy recommends.

Here is the little stool, seems pretty strong.

And a pick of the stuff all strapped to the bike, getting rid of the propane bottle well allow me to toss more stuff into the saddle bags but for the most part all the small things, clothes ect all fit in the backpack quite well and I will probably pick up a tank bag to hold other odds and ends.

On the right side of the seat is the stool in its bag and my tent entrance mat rolled up. On the seat is the sleeping bag and 8'x10' tarp rolled up, I well probably make some compression straps for the sleeping bag, the sleeping pad will probably go on the very back. Finally on the left side of the seat is the tent in its bag.

 

[Linny]

I was messing around with the bike yesterday and went and repacked all my tools out of the separate tool bag in the right saddle bag back into the tool bag behind the seat and filled the other up as a pretty well stocked first aid kit, and all my toiletries. The saddle bag will hold the first aid kit, a 1 lb bottle of propane for the stove, a folding saw and some rope. Then I still have the left saddle bag, so I am thinking since the big stuff like the tent, sleeping bag, tarp, folding chair ect are going on the back seat the rest of the stuff, cloths, food and mess kit, ect should fit nicely in a back pack and in a tank bag. I also noticed my fuel valve was still open, doh, so I went and fired it up, it did not want to though, let it warm up good and cleared out the carbs before letting the float bowls run out. I also pulled the battery and took it inside and put it on a float charger that I picked up from Harbor freight for $5 with a coupon, I put the end of the vent tube into a glass jag with enough water to submerge the end of the tube.



Has anyone tried the little single mantle propane lanterns, I think it might be something worth while if space allows and they are not that expensive.

http://www.bimart.co..._d.4&nm=Camping

I have a single mantle propane lantern and love it. No smell, no mess, bright as hell.

 

[Blindstitch]

Looks like the kind of stool they use to use when milking cows. I think I know a few uses for one. Might have to go find my very own.

 

[Linny]

The folding tripod chair is nice and compact but a killer on the back for me after a short time. I much prefer the fabric and foam stadium sling chairs. They are more compact and when folded open and sat on give great back support too.