Get Packed For Motorcycle Camping: Picking the Right Gear

Picture this: a majestic R1200GS with a full set of hard cases and over 100 liters of luggage space.

Now picture this: a humble SV650 with soft bags that would be lucky to squeak out a mere 40 liters of capacity.

If I told you I could pack my SV with enough gear for three nights and four days of comfortable camping and still have enough room for a bottle of Spanish wine, would you believe me? You should, and in this post I’ll tell you how.

Fast and Light Is the Name of the Game

I’m a follower of the “fast and light” school of packing out of necessity: the SV650 will never, ever compete with an R1200GS or a Goldwing in terms of storage capacity, so I have to be selective when deciding what to bring along. My packing style is straight out of my days spent backpacking, and if you’ve ever trucked a full load on your back more than a quarter mile you know that every ounce counts.

Of course, you could take “fast and light” to the extreme, trimming off the end of your toothbrush and leaving all creature comforts at home. Such asceticism may work for some, but I like a little comfort in my camping. To me, fast and light means making some sacrifices in order to take more goodies.

Here’s some of the gear I took on a recent trip:

I keep my packing list on a post-it note. Here it is:

Here’s a more detailed list of my typical gear payload:

• Stuff For the Motorcycle
• Personal Hygiene
• Repair Kit
• Camping
• Cooking
• Clothing
• Miscellaneous

Stuff For the Motorcycle

This list does not include the obvious things like your riding gear, helmet, tie-down straps, luggage, etc.

	Item	Notes
	earplugs	bring extras!
	spare key	even better: carry a third key on a lanyard around your neck
	jacket and pants liners
	visor cleaning kit	a microfiber cloth and some water works just fine
	spare gloves	I bring my summer and winter gloves
	neck warmer	Bikers Comfort in Action Wind Tube
	rain gear
	tool kit

My philosophy about tool kits: Tools are heavy. They’re also useless if you don’t know how to use them. My wrenching skills are very limited, and so is my tool roll: just a T-handle and a few bits and sockets that fit fasteners that aren’t covered by the SV’s tool kit. I also carry a few spare fuses. That’s it. Remember, I’m not riding in Afghanistan. My cell phone and a credit card will do just fine, and if I’m somewhere remote like Southern Oregon, I have enough gear and food to spend a night or two.

I do plan on carrying a tubeless tire plug kit and pump, once I learn how to plug tires properly. Some other items you might consider carrying are a siphon tube and a lightweight jumper cable.

Personal Hygiene

I store my toiletry items in a small Granite Gear Air Bag. It’s the translucent white stuff sack in the photo.

	Item	Notes
	toilet paper	don’t leave home without it
	mirror	camping mirror made out of polished metal
	toothbrush and toothpaste	travel size
	contact lens case and solution	a 2oz Nalgene dropper bottle holds enough solution for almost a week
	spare contact lenses	spare glasses, too!
	washcloth	PackTowel face towel dries quickly and packs small
	shampoo and hand lotion	stolen from a hotel somewhere
	hydrocortisone creme	I hate mosquitoes
	medication	Advil, Immodium, etc in a small pill bottle to supplement the first aid kit
	baby wipes	in a travel size package

Repair Kit

These items fit in a small heavy duty ziplock style bag. It’s the one directly above the cooking pot in the photo.

	Item	Notes
	duct tape	mini roll available at backpacking shops
	pencil and paper
	dental floss	wound around a piece of card to save space
	needles	thread? see dental floss above
	spare zipper pulls	found at backpacking shops
	zipties
	air mattress repair kit
	matches

Camping

	Item	Notes
	tent	REI Half Dome 2 HC
	sleeping bag	20° F down bag
	compression sack	a Granite Gear round rock sack compresses my sleeping bag into compact ball
	air mattress	I recommend the Big Agnes Air Core pad: comfortable and packs tiny

Cooking

My stove, fuel canister, matches, soap, and scrubbie sponge fit inside my MSR Titan kettle.

	Item	Notes
	stove	Snow Peak Giga Power stove: the mighty mini!
	stove fuel	a single small Snow Peak canister lasts several days
	matches
	biodegradable soap	in a 2oz Nalgene dropper bottle
	scrubbie sponge	cut the end off a dishwashing sponge
	cooking pot	MSR Titan kettle is all you need
	utensils	splurge on a full utensil set, or carry a spork!
	cup and bowl	I particularly like this squishy cup and bowl set for its space saving properties

And then… you’ll have to pack food for the trip. Food is bulky, even if the freeze dried stuff is relatively lightweight. I try to buy food as I go — it’s one of the big advantages of motorcycle camping over backpacking!

Clothing

Clothing is a packing trap. It takes up a lot of space and it’s surprisingly heavy. A little moderation here will go a long way.

	Item	Notes
	t-shirts (2)
	shorts (1 pair)
	convertible (zip-off) pants (1 pair)
	underwear (1 pair per day)	or, buy “travel” undies that can be washed and dried overnight — hey, it works for Rick Steves!
	socks (1 pair per day)	as a concession to comfort, I like having a clean pair of socks every day
	fleece pullover
	wicking long sleeve shirt	cool in the heat and warm in the cold
	wicking long underwear	keeps legs from feeling sweaty on hot days
	sleep clothes
	shoes
	hat	Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero keeps the sun and rain off

Miscellaneous

	Item	Notes
	towel	XL PackTowl, perfect for campground showers
	sunglasses	and eyeglass lens cleaning kit
	headlamp	no hands required
	first aid kit	for minor injuries, not enough for anything major
	knife or multitool	I dig the Leatherman Skeletool
	bandanna
	camp chair	I recommend the Alite Monarch Camp Chair
	camera
	laptop and charger	Asus eeePC netbook
	cellphone and charger
	reading material	book or magazines
	deck of cards
	6 cup espresso pot	yes, I’m serious — this is how you make friends at rallies!

If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big gearhead, and experimenting with different pieces of gear and different packing setups is part of the fun I get out of camping. While this list works for me, it’s certainly not the be-all-end-all of packing lists. Use it as a rough guide, then add or remove gear to fit your own travel style.

Happy camping!