Two up with camping gear

Rjeffery · Feb 6, 2009

I have a R1150RT and am thinking about camping with my wife. Can you get a tent, two sleeping bags, and two sleeping pads along with the normal overnight gear on the bike? A trailer is out of the question.
Anyone have pics with all their gear loaded up?

gsjay · Feb 6, 2009

Yes you can.
Shop like you're a backpacker. Small & light is important.

Think about removing your truck and replacing it with a rack. You can haul more on a rack that in a trunk.

Look at Helen 2 Wheels packing system.
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/category/Helen_Twowheels_Bags_and_Straps

And it helps if your wife can pack light!
jason

Bud · Feb 6, 2009

Welcome to the forum!

Sure you can. But it won't be cheap. Quality gear never is.

Down bags in stuff sacks. Big Agnes mattress. Tent that packed is small enough to go into your topcase. Clothing that can be washed and will dry overnight. A very understanding wife.

tourunigo · Feb 6, 2009

in reference to your sleeping bag and mats: What we have found works (when we think that we are committed to camping but really, deep down inside, want to find mom/pop motels) is take one double bed size puff blanket with all that air inside and jam it into a good stuff sack (LL Bean comes to mind). Squeeze til it begs for mercy and it will be quite small. Take one sheet of the same size and put into plastic bag the size of the bottom of your trunk and lay it flat. Get an air mattress and external air pump (12 v) that puts air in and sucks air out. put in trunk or bottom of side bag (in plastic). Get to the site... pump up the mattress...lay down the sheet and cover with a now liberated puff blanket.... and cuddle man

. We've covered lots of miles this way and found it works for us. Also consider that you cannot go far from your bike if you've got stuff strapped to it. If you can lock it then do it. It will make your desire to walk away from the bike and explore a lot more pleasant. -Bob

sdpc2 · Feb 6, 2009

I took my top case off

and replaced it with a U-Bag. Helped that i have the Over-sized lids on my saddle bags. But we were able to travel quite comfortably.

But now she drives a sidecar rig!

We bring EVERYTHING!! :nyah

tourunigo · Feb 6, 2009

sdpc2 said:
and replaced it with a U-Bag. Helped that i have the Over-sized lids on my saddle bags. But we were able to travel quite comfortably.

But now she drives a sidecar rig! We bring EVERYTHING!!

we really liked the U-bag on our /5. Many miles that way but taking way too much. Even made a little u shaped rack for it that doubled as a table when we camped. Mary found it very comfortable to be surrounded on three sides by it. You could also unstrap the whole thing and carry it away for unpacking or taking into a motel. Trouble was leaving it on the street and wandering out of sight. Exposed gear is a real limiter when leaving the bike alone.

Like having that sidecar, our small trailer somehow compels us to over indulge ourselves with 'MightNeeds' - Bob

tourunigo · Feb 6, 2009

Rjeffery said:
Anyone have pics with all their gear loaded up?

This might qualify for the thread What's Wrong With This Picture but we made this rig successfully manage 11,500 miles in July-August of 2001. We had a ball!! Even the Black Sheep were impressed that we had the gumption to carry this caper off! -Bob

SweetT · Feb 6, 2009

I can fit tent, sleeping bags, a change of clothes, and cooking stuff (including stove, pots skillet, bowls, utensils, and tasty food for 3 days) all in or strapped to the saddlebags and topcase of my K1200RS. Yes, this is for two people. And remember that the K1200RS has a teeny left side saddlebag!
The key is not bringing cotton clothes. No jeans or cotton t-shirts. Then you can wash out your undies in a sink every couple days and stay happy. Those nylon cargo pants that zip off at the knee are a FANTASTIC substitute for jeans! I also saved A LOT of space by switching to down sleeping bags. And if its going to be in the upper 50's at night, I only take one sleeping bag and spread it out like a blanket over both sleeping pads. I did that when we took a trip to the national in WI. It really freed up a lot of space in the dry bag for stuff we bought at the rally.
Another key is to have your wife watch/help you pack the bike and stress to her that everything has to go back in its original place every time. That makes it easy to repack the bike every day while on a trip and no one gets upset.
have fun!

montec · Feb 6, 2009

All you list except the sleeping pads

Photo from my latest camping trip

10 days 2 up with my son

2 sleeping bags
1 tent
cooking supplies
and the basic necessities

Rjeffery · Feb 6, 2009

Thanks

Hey thanks for all the help I have a few ideas now to research. I like the comment "A very understanding wife".
My wife is a credit card camper and roughing it would be an outdoor pool...
So I have to do it right the first time!

Thanks again.

marchyman · Feb 6, 2009

Give your partner the use of one pannier for all their stuff. It helps if you can give them a bag liner that fits that pannier. Explain that 100% of the stuff they bring has to fit in the liner. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't come.

That worked very well in the days when I travelled with my daughter. She got one bag, I got one bag, and the rack was used for the shared items (tents, sleeping bags, etc).

// marc

theLuz · Feb 6, 2009

good advice

gsjay said:
Yes you can.
Shop like you're a backpacker. Small & light is important.

Think about removing your truck and replacing it with a rack. You can haul more on a rack that in a trunk.

Look at Helen 2 Wheels packing system.
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/category/Helen_Twowheels_Bags_and_Straps

And it helps if your wife can pack light!
jason

what he said. Your wife gets a side bag, you get a side bag. Thermarest in one bag with one sleeping bag and cooking stuff. Thermarest in another H2W bag with the other sleeping bag and maybe some rain gear. One tent bag with tent. Don't forget the mesh bag for the back, as it's the catch all for caps, wet stuff and things you forgot to pack. You'll have a ball.

empeg9000 · Feb 8, 2009

Here is my setup

Here is my camping setup for two at the Airheads rally last June with camping set up for two.

Craigt · Feb 8, 2009

U-Bag?

What is a u-bag and where would one find one?

thanks,

Craig

dancogan · Feb 8, 2009

empeg9000 said:
Here is my camping setup for two at the Airheads rally last June with camping set up for two.

And how did you fasten the bag on top of the side case? TIA

tourunigo · Feb 8, 2009

if you are somehow compelled to hang stuff on your bike, do not use bungees except as some sort of safety catch. Use straps. BTW, after riding two up for over 60,000 miles (two 11,000+mile stretches) let me tell you this: unless duties emerge spontaneously you must divide tasks for take off and landing moments. Do not, once the tasks emerge, get involved in the other's duties. Do not,sir! Also, riding as copilot is not always particularly exciting so be aware of that stress. Can she see in your mirrors? Make it so. Does she have a camera and the determination to document the adventure. Hope so. Trip planning is a cooperative/collaborative thing... do not hog the process :nono

. Sharing, patience and communication will help you keep 'feelin the love'

Enjoy! -Bob

JeffMunn · Feb 8, 2009

craigt said:
What is a u-bag and where would one find one?

Craig

Craig, I've used a Jo's U-Pac for years. Jo is a member of our local club here in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. She not only makes an incredidle product, but will also customize it for any specific bike, i.e extra reflective material, extra tie-down points, etc.

Here is the link to her web site.

What is a U-Pac? It is a duffle bag that is in the shape of a big U, that lays on top of the saddlebags and goes around behind the passenger. Not only can you fit a ton of stuff in it, but it makes a wrap-around "armchair" for the passenger. My wife loves ours.

In 2004 we went two-up to Alaska. Full camping and cooking gear. Loaded for weeks on the road. We rode onto a Truck Scale outside of Fairbanks and the operator told me we weighed 1100 lbs, fully loaded, full tank, two-up. And yet the GS never flinched doing the Top of the World Highway, the Cassiar, and even the Haul Road to Prudhoe Bay. That U-Pac is a wonderful way to load, and when you get to your campsite, you can unhook it and carry everything to the site at once. Same with loading in the morning. You load it, then carry it to the bike.

If I ever wear this one out, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

jeff

empeg9000 · Feb 8, 2009

dancogan said:
And how did you fasten the bag on top of the side case? TIA

The R12RT has those grab handles on the side of the seat for the passenger so I just attached the straps to that using H2H straps.

tourunigo · Feb 8, 2009

JeffMunn said:
Craig, I've used a Jo's U-Pac for years. Jo is a member of our local club here in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. She not only makes an incredidle product, but will also customize it for any specific bike, i.e extra reflective material, extra tie-down points, etc.

Here is the link to her web site.

What is a U-Pac? It is a duffle bag that is in the shape of a big U, that lays on top of the saddlebags and goes around behind the passenger. Not only can you fit a ton of stuff in it, but it makes a wrap-around "armchair" for the passenger. My wife loves ours.

In 2004 we went two-up to Alaska. Full camping and cooking gear. Loaded for weeks on the road. We rode onto a Truck Scale outside of Fairbanks and the operator told me we weighed 1100 lbs, fully loaded, full tank, two-up. And yet the GS never flinched doing the Top of the World Highway, the Cassiar, and even the Haul Road to Prudhoe Bay. That U-Pac is a wonderful way to load, and when you get to your campsite, you can unhook it and carry everything to the site at once. Same with loading in the morning. You load it, then carry it to the bike.

If I ever wear this one out, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

jeff

ditto. Same sort of experience here although on older technology. I like your GS set up very much. -Bob

Visian · Feb 8, 2009

Good info in the CampSite

Two-up riding & camping tips.

an oldie but a goodie.

ian

pssst... i've got a jo's upac for sale if you'd like. turns out my wife hates riding *and* camping.

Two up with camping gear

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