Winter Camping.

It's late October and I am unwilling to let go of riding season up here in Michigan. Honestly, we use the camping cabins this time of year nowadays simply because both my wife and I are getting older. But tent camping can be done in the colder temperatures, it just takes different gear.

First, you need a 4 season tent. These tents have rain-fly's that reach to the ground and vents that can be closed. These tents can be bulkier, and are certainly more expensive than a summer only tent, but are well worth the expense. Don't skimp on a tent for fall/winter camping. You do not want a tent that will fold under a November storm.

Second, you really need to take double the ground sleeping pads. having more insulation under you is important to keep it from sucking the heat out of your body. You would be surprised as to how fast a good cold weather sleeping bag can go from warm to cold in 4 short hours directly on the ground.

Lastly, a GOOD cold weather sleeping bag. Something rated down to the temperatures you will be expecting. I also bring along summer fleece bags as well because you can get inside that bag and then inside the big bag for lots of extra warmth.

This presents a problem on the bike. you will be taking extra gear to deal with the colder weather. the nice small sleeping bags have to stay home in favor for the big bulky cold weather bags as well as any extra gear you need for cold weather. This can really present a problem if you are a purist and want everything on the bike. 1 up camping is not much harder, but trying to ride 2 up with 2 fleece bags, 2 cold weather bags, a heavier tent, extra sleeping pads, etc... suddenly becomes a big problem. DO NOT get clever and tie anything to your forks. the last thing you need is to add weight to the forks or pus something up there that can jam steering. Also watch your center of gravity, the extra gear can make the bike really top heavy and twitchy.

Your "always with me" kit...

On your bike or camping trip or a backwoods trail ride. There is a list of things you REALLY need with you at all times. These items will save you a lot of pain and suffering, and sometimes save your life. But as a motorcycle camper, some are not as important unless you are adventure riding off the beaten path...

1 - a good knife. I used to carry a nice pocket knife everywhere before 9/11 now you are a terrorist if you do. But my bike has a ka-bar in it's tool kit. MULE Folder. I prefer folding knives, I'm not rambo so I dont need a full military survival 9 inch monster.

2 - a GOOD multitool. Leatherman Blast. I have yet to find another brand that works as well after being wet and used in the rain. If I do I'd love to try it. A leatherman is a lifesaver all in one tool.

3 - a minimal first aid kit. some band aids big and small, some gauze in a package and a small spool of medical tape is required. I add others, in fact I now carry in my saddlebag a full field guide's first aid kit. It's nice to have a medicine chest with you.

4 - small roll of electrical tape. Small roll of duct-tape. I have used duct tape to fix a tire to make it to a shop. duct-tape on the inside of a tubeless will seal a slice long enough at low pressure to get to where you are going if you are lucky.

5 - tools to get a tire off. two good screwdrivers will do this. add them to your bikes standard toolkit. Also a way to INFLATE that tire. small hand pumps for bicycles do work well.

6 - "emergency food" such as a couple of packs of sugar gum. not sugar free, you need calories so a fat pack of juicyfruit is a good thing. each stick is 10 calories. I'd throw in a few jolly ranchers as well. something that can last a few years forgotten in a bag.

7 - my favorite is an emergency "$50" bill hidden on the bike. Fifty bucks will get you out of trouble. Even someone that does not want to be bothered to help you will help you for $50.00

8 - a GOOD super bright 1 Watt or brighter LED flashlight and a set of duracell batteries taped in a baggie outside the flashlight. you want them fresh and to stay that way. in the flashlight you might drain the batteries.

9 - if you are off the beaten path, a decent spare compass. Sorry, but that compass has a far better sense of direction than you do.

10 - some kind of firestarter in a waterproof package. Camp matches, striker, etc.. having a way to start a fire is important. I'm talking a backup not your main way of starting a fire.

This kit can be very small or huge depending on what you want with you. Some people add more items to it like parts, repair bits for camping gear, etc... It's all about how far away from civilization you will be. If you are 24 miles away from anything in the Arizona desert, you need a LOT more than the family camping in the back yard of a friends home. Error on the safe side. If you did not need it, it's still a win for you.

Interesting tent for the adventure motorcycle rider...

What is Motorcycle Camping?

Some people define Motorcycle Camping as going to a state park and camping just like how they would with a car. Some consider it riding across the country and setting up camp off the road hidden from view at night. While the more adventurous consider it riding the bike up impassable trails and setting up camp in a remote location the real answer to Motorcycle Camping. It's all in what you call enjoyment. But they all encompass the same requirements. A bike, a desire, and determination. It is a LOT easier to go camping in a RV or car. You can carry 80X more things and have a inflatable apartment, or if you RV pull up your apartment building and position the Satellite dish. Motorcycle Camping requires a lot less "stuff" simply because you cant carry it. It makes you feel closer to your bike and your world. Even camping in a state park between the RV's or even in a private campground that has cabins, going minimal makes you look at things differently.

Riding across America with 2 pairs of jeans, 3 shirts, 3 pairs of socks (One wool for the cold days), and 3 pairs of underwear really makes you understand the difference between WANT and NEED. Remember, one pair of that underwear is the under-armor for cold weather riding. Nothing makes riding stink more than 100 miles of cold rain and being chilled to the bone because you did not bother to bring cold weather underwear when you left home in 102 degree temperatures. As motorcycle campers we are not there to see the campground, it's just a stop for the night.

Motorcycle Camping is about freedom and exploration. It's about not looking at the map and just riding over that way. It's about not caring and just enjoying the ride.

HJC Sy-MAX II helmets may be defective..

I have been riding with an HJC helmet on my noggin for years. I was appalled by the very low quality that the chin bar in the HJC Sy-MAX II helmet is that I will be evaluating a different brand on my next purchase. I ride with a modular to get the protection of the chin bar, not for something that is just there for looks. Looking at the photos, it is obvious that the chin bar on HJC helmets are not for any safety use.

When to replace your tires...

A lot of guys will ride until they see cords on their tires. Completely worn out. This if fine if you ride where it never rains and the roads are perfectly clean and flat. For me I use the same trick as the car. if Abraham's head on a penny is completely visible I start shopping for tires. Do you really want to risk a blowout or flat at 70mph? Have you ever had the enjoyment of a blowout on a motorcycle at highway speeds? It's not fun. at 70mph the chances of you not dropping the bike and enjoying road rash are about 30%. It's not fun, the bike will buck from side to side and even ride what seems to be sideways. touching the rear break will cause the bike to swap sides, etc.. I got to enjoy this a very long time ago and it is STILL fresh in my head. Fresh enough to shake my head and call the kids on crotch rockets dumb for riding in shorts and t-shirt. I would have been history if it was not for the safety gear I was wearing.

Replace your tires please. It's not worth the excitement and waking up on the ground with your head and back hurting and your gloves full of blood is not fun.

fullface or composite helmet face shield sun shield DYI.

There is a helmet sunshield out there that you stick to your visor. IT works great but is expensive for $1.00 with of automotive cling tint.

http://www.amazon.com/Insta-Cling-Extra-Dark-Professional-Tint/dp/B000EBKG9A is the same stuff except not green in color. you can cut about 50 of the visor sunshields out of this roll. If you don't want to buy a roll to have forever, go to a automotive tint shop and ask if they have any of the static cling tint scraps. A good shop will give them to you.

I personally have been doing this for a few years, the problem is that I don't like riding with my visor completely closed. so I need to place it lower or cut mine to be taller.

Just a quick tip for riding comfort this summer!

Food on the road.....

Motorcycle camping typically leaves out carrying food with you. Honestly a cooler with enough food and cooking supplies for a weekend camp-out will be larger than your tent and sleeping bag. But there are things you can bring with you if we dip into the deep woods backpacker menu.

Dry soup mixes: like cup a soup and others make a very small meal that only needs water heated to 140 degrees. that means a small camp stove. (No heating the water on your motorcycle pipes will not be an acceptable substitute) This kind of meal is easy and many are quite satisfying. They are a favorite of mine on cold days. I prefer cup-a-soup brand.

Instant Oatmeal packets: Great for breakfast and work as easy as the dry instant soups. You can get assorted flavors that make a nice change of pace. Hearty enough to make you feel full and are packed with energy.

Instant Meals, I.E, MRE's: This is the expensive option and honestly I have not found one that I think is worth the price. They are handy but I dont see them as a real meal.

Granola or trail mix: Dried fruits nuts and honey oat clusters all work great as a snack that can be packed tightly.

Granola bars: the hard type not the gooey chocolate covered ones. Nothing makes a snack or dinner stink than dealing with a chocolate mess in your bags from a bar that melted in the 90 degree heat.

Coffee: I actually really like the Starbucks VIA sticks, they actually make a very good cup of coffee and are super small to carry. IT's a whole lot better than any other instant coffee I have tried and easier than carrying a french press or small coffee pot. It's like a decent cup of restaurant coffee. If you want to give yourself a morning kick in the pants, dump 2 of them into "water joe" a caffeinated water. It's like drinking a pot of coffee in 5 minutes.

Drinks: carrying anything but water is a waste. I like the drink sticks they have now for water flavoring, the arnold palmer half and half sticks taste just like the tea and lemonade cans so I carry those. there are a lot of options from different places on these. That way all I need to carry is water.

Main meals: If you can hunt or fish, there is your source of meat, just bring some small baggies of spices and you can buy packets of cooking oil or get it at the camp store. Dried beans plus good jerky and some spices make a very good stew if you have a camp fire roaring and can cook for a hour or two. you can even get freeze dried tomatoes, although tomato paste in a toothpaste tube is more convenient. I would skip being adventurous and bringing powdered eggs, I just cant enjoy them after eating them for years at boyscout camp.

Don't plan on never stopping to eat, You are riding and half the fun is the stop in a small town diner. You do not need to carry all your food for your trip with you, you can always stop at a store to pick up a couple cans of beans and steak for that night's meal. Having some smaller things with you to make life more comfortable is nice. I tend to like to eat a packet of oatmeal in the morning with coffee to enjoy the morning and let the sun rise, pack up and hit the road for a 9:30am stop at a small town diner for a nice brunch. It's nice to be able to sit at the camp at night and instead of going out for some pop, open up a bottle of water and mix up a nice soft drink for flavor.

Remember, you can always restock at the next fuel stop. Keep the shiny side up!

Motorcycle Trips, you can do a cross country trip on ANYTHING.

I ride a large touring bike, It can carry another 300-400 pounds of gear with me, as well as pull a trailer with another 300 pounds of gear on it. some pull campers with the bike I have. do you need a giant touring bike to travel from one side of the USA to the other and back again? Nope. I just read a story on a motorcycling website of a gentleman that rode a Honda Rebel 250 over 7500 miles. Here is his journal about the ride you dont need a big bike or special stuff. in fact many prefer motorcycle camping at the cabins or cheaper motels. Staying in a motel is not cheating. In fact at times I discover staying in a nice clean but small motel is cheaper than a campground and setting up camp. Plus having a real bed and private shower is needed on a week long ride.

Lots of people have taken really long trips of a lifetime on small, old, limited motorcycles and did it with what they had. So you dont need a new BMW adventure bike with $20,000 in special luggage for it and camping gear. you DO need to bring decent base layer and clothing, even on a 60 degree day you can ride into 35 degree weather and strong wind. I in fact did just that bringing home a bike for my wife. I was silly and did not pack long underwear, I was silly and though my chaps over jeans will be enough. It's not. I jammed several packages of hand warmers into my pockets to combat the cold and gave up with a stop at a store to buy sweats to put on under my jeans. i was still cold, but at least I was not going to get frostbite.

Getting ready for the riding season...

Yes it's the middle of winter, snow 5 feet deep and no end in sight to the bitter cold. I was reminded this week on how you can ride in anything as I watched a guy on his "adventure motorcycle" equipped with studded tires rode to work in 2 feet of snow and ice. It's 18 degrees out snow and ice on the ground and this guy is on his bike at 55mph on the highway.

But it underlines a point. Being ready for conditions. How are the tires on your bike? are they getting thin? are they several years old? do you have a tire plug kit and repair kit? how about your toolkit? When was the last time you looked at it and made sure it was all there and ready for a breakdown? IF you were to break down on a 400 mile ride to the next camping spot, do you call AAA and have them tow you home? or do you break out your toolkit and try to fix the bike so you can ride to the nearest dealer and have it properly fixed? Your kit also should have a list of phone numbers of known big dealers in your state or at least the manufacturers hot-line so you can call and ask where the nearest service center for your brand is. On a long ride I draw those points on my tank map and the other side has all their phone numbers. RED dots are dealers, Blue Dots are Motels, and Green dots are desired fuel stations (I like Speedway).

A tire kit should have everything you need to patch most leaks and refill the tire. A CO2 inflation kit will get your tire back up to full pressure while taking very little space on the bike. What good is fixing the flat if you cant pump up the tire?

It's time to think about the toolkit in your bike. Nothing gives you more satisfaction than spending 2 hours on the side of the road fixing your bike and continuing on the journey. That self reliance is a major rush with the wind in your face knowing that you fixed it yourself. At minimum make sure you have what you need for safety. IF you broke down at night along a highway, a couple of road flares will make the difference between safe and getting ran over by a Sleepy Semi truck driver.