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How to deal with the riding gear and a small tent?

Afan

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I have The North Face 3 person tent and I really like it.
Got as a present from my kids Mountain Trail (or something like that) backpacking 2 person tent. It hardly fits one person of my shape and has extra space for my wallet only. My The North Face has two vestibules for riding gear, like jacket, pants, boots, helmet...
So, even the "present tent" is really "limited" (did I mention it doesn't have the rain fly?) I was thinking to give it a try because it's REALLY small when packed and... it's the present from my kids.

So, my question is: if you have small(er) tent and your riding gear can't fit in, where do you keep it over night? Once I put my jacket and pants on my bike and then covered the whole bike with the waterproof (?!?) cover, but in the morning, because of the dew (no rain, just dew) and because the gear was touching the cover, the gear was slightly wet.

I already read about some "tricks", like keeping the gear and other "water sensitive" stuff into a dry bag, or make the area between the bike and the tent covered by tarp or something and keep the stuff there...

I would like to hear your experience.

Thanks.

* P.S. If the thread doesn't belongs to this section please move it to the appropriate section.
 
Do you need the mattress AND the cot? Is it too uncomfortable to just use the cot?
I'd be a bit concerned over the weight on the rear rack. Mine has a very low weight limit, like our frunk.
I'm going to look into ways to strap more heavier things on the rear seat. I figure since it is built to withstand the weight of a passenger...
 
I did an 8 day trip through Colorado and set up in a different place every night using a $24 one man backpacking tent from Walmart. At night my helmet, boots and other gear simply lined the sides of the sleeping area. It wasn’t neat, and it was cozy, but everything just fit, including me. I now use a larger two man tent with a large rain fly and vestibule, so the boots stay under the fly outside, but the rest of the gear goes along side me in the tent.
 
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I did an 8 day trip through Colorado and set up in a different place every night using a $24 one man backpacking tent from Walmart. At night my helmet, boots and other gear simply lined the sides of the sleeping area. It wasn’t neat, and it was cozy, but everything just fit, including me. I now use a larger two man tent with a large rain fly and vestibule, so the boots stay under the fly outside, but the rest of the gear goes along side me in the tent.
I'm like Greg. I camp using a 2 man backpacking tent that that packs down to length (pole length more than anything) that fits in my E36 saddlebags. Knocked-down pole length was one of the criteria in choosing the tent. A 2 man tent has enough space for all my gear inside the tent except for my boots and they stay outside under the vestible. I pack everything I do not want to get wet in a 24" x 8" roll-top stuff sack - bedding, one set of dry clothes, and a small stuff sack that has my MSR stove and some instant coffee and dehydrated oatmeal. This way I can set up and take down the tent in rain and ensure I have the one comfort of dry bedding and a warm meal no matter what.

When I started motocamping someone told me to use the 3 pile method of deciding what to take. This method is that when I came back from a camping trip I separated gear into three piles. The first was gear I used and needed next time, the second was stuff I didn't use but still wanted to take next time. The third pile is stuff I didn't use and would not take next trip or stuff that I could get on the road if I really had a need for it. Pretty quickly I was able to pack for a week using just the pair of saddlebags, the dry bag on the back seat, and a tank bag (frunk of the NCX) and a top box - but leaving the top box mostly empty as place to store my helmet when stopped for meals/gas/rest stops. This is about 60 lbs distributed in secure locations that least affect the way the bike handles.
 
Do you need the mattress AND the cot? Is it too uncomfortable to just use the cot?
I'd be a bit concerned over the weight on the rear rack. Mine has a very low weight limit, like our frunk.
I'm going to look into ways to strap more heavier things on the rear seat. I figure since it is built to withstand the weight of a passenger...

Just the cot alone would not be enough without some kind of mat for insulation. Even in the tent.

For the riding gear, stuff a large drybag in one of the bags and use it. I have a gear sling (hammock for gear) from ENO and it works for me. I also use a hammock instead of a tent now. Where I am, no real worry for trees.

You could also just do a tarp from the bike ot the ground and throw the gear under that. I have done that as well.
 
Right now I roll up sleeping (yoga) pad, air-mattress, 2-person tent and sleeping bag into Ascend (I think it's 50L or 55L) dry bag, and place it on rear seat (yes, I have to take it every time I putting gas, but got used to it...). So, in case of rain I have easy access and can put the tent up without opening any cases. Luckily, it never happened so I BELIEVE my theory works ;)

20180729_094310_2.jpg

When I started motocamping someone told me to use the 3 pile method of deciding what to take...
And 4th pile for stuff you needed but didn't bring? ;)
 
What's the size when packed? Can you please make a picture with folded cot/tent next to the bike, Thanks.

Here is a picture of the Cot/Tent attached to the side of the NC. I attached the front part of it to the unused passenger peg, the strapped/hung it from the passenger grab bars on the side. Although it looks like it would swing around a lot it didn't, it was quite stable for the 100 miles i rode with it to the camp site.

Pictured with the Cot/Tent and holding up the rear portion is a piece of 3/4" electrical conduit pipe which i no longer use. I still attach the Cot/Tent in the same location, however now i just use a small strap and attach/tie the front off at the passenger peg and the rear is tied off and hung from the rear rack/grab bars. It works Slick!! :{)
Cot Tent on the bike.jpg
 
That’s a big beastie! I’m sure it beats a rock or root in your back all night. Points for being creative on how to haul it.

JT
 
Hopefully, to add to the discussion, ....[HERE] is the cot I carry for camping. I put the air mattress on top of it, so even if the air mattress goes flat, I still have the cot.

It packs down small enough to fit in my 20gal top box (storage box) along with a very large sleeping bag.
 
Here is a picture of the Cot/Tent attached to the side of the NC. I attached the front part of it to the unused passenger peg, the strapped/hung it from the passenger grab bars on the side. Although it looks like it would swing around a lot it didn't, it was quite stable for the 100 miles i rode with it to the camp site.

Pictured with the Cot/Tent and holding up the rear portion is a piece of 3/4" electrical conduit pipe which i no longer use. I still attach the Cot/Tent in the same location, however now i just use a small strap and attach/tie the front off at the passenger peg and the rear is tied off and hung from the rear rack/grab bars. It works Slick!! :{)
View attachment 38057

Thanks for the picture. It's a bit longer than I thought. Although it wouldn't stick a lot over my Givi E21 sidecases if I put it across the rear seat...
 
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