(Part 2) Top products from r/motocamping

Ah, so you're on a KLR 650, aka "The Tractor". Excellent! It's the best choice for doing long distance adventure touring when you're poor as shit. They're cheap, simple and hilariously tolerant of abuse. MASSIVE aftermarket for parts and accessories, too.

• Some things are worth over-planning and some things aren't. Route is not something you should plan too much, emergency options and mechanical stuff is. Make sure you've got AAA Premeir (The basic AAA plan doesn't cover motorcycles), and health insurance. The more mechanical skills you have and the better you know your bike, the better.
  
• Get to be a regular on ADV Rider, and make use of their Tent Space list to find people to stay with for free. Also an amazing resource for when you crash and break stuff, just about anyone on that forum will bend over backwards to find a truck and drive out into the middle of nowhere to rescue you, bring you back to their garage and then help you fix the bike in exchange for hearing your stories from the road.
  
• Yes, food is expensive and $10/day is the minimum you should plan for. Cooking for yourself can help keep costs down, a Whisperlite stove is much better for this as opposed to a Jetboil.
  
• For eating cheap, instant pasta packets are a great option. Like these: https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=pasta+side+dish That's actually a pretty high price for them, if you are good about hitting discount grocery stores like Aldi and always getting the generic or store-brand stuff, you can sometimes find them for as little as $0.70/pack. Add the contents to 2 cups boiling water, simmer for 7 minutes and you're done. They pack super small, they're tasty, calorie dense, really cheap and easy. Also, instant mashed potatoes (in similar sized pouches) are usually findable for under $1/pouch, and instant rice. All of these options are usually a bit light on protein, so supplement them with tuna pouches like these: https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=tuna+packets and precooked chicken breasts like this: https://i2.wp.com/www.wicproject.com/images/2010/07/tyson_grilledready_bag.jpg?resize=216%2C216 . The instant oatmeal packs are a great option, just plan on eating at least two for each breakfast. Oh, and don't forget the peanut butter. I had plenty of camping nights where dinner was eating peanut butter out of the jar with a spork.
  
• Disperse camping in National Forest/BLM land is lovely and a brilliant option. But keep in mind that once you get east of the Rocky Mountains, such areas are MUCH harder to find. That being said, it's still possible to "Stealth Camp" even in the flyover states, but it takes some skill and a good eye. If you google for "Stealth Camping with a motorcycle" you can find a lot of info on some tricks on doing it well.
  
• KLRs do burn oil, it's kind of the nature of the beast of a cheaply made low-stress thumper. Many people use Shell Rotella T6 (it's a full synthetic designed for diesel trucks but works great in motorcycle engines), but you'll be fine using whatever cheapskate store-brand dinosaur oil you can find as long as it's close to the right viscosity.
  
• While we're talking about oil, remember that you'll need to do a full oil and filter change at least three times on this trip. Long distance cruising on pavement is actually really easy on engines and oil (it's a consistent speed, temperature and load) so you can stretch the usual 3,000 mile requirement to every 5,000 miles. Autozone/AdvancedAuto/O/Reilly auto parts type stores will usually have the filter, and in most states they are legally required to take old oil for free. Google how to do a parking lot oil change (Hint; find a small cardboard box in a trash can somewhere, line it with like three or four layers of plastic bags from the auto parts store, and drain the oil into that).
  
• Actually, your KLR does use Tube tires, becuase it's a giant over-sized sorta-dirt bike. Generally, anything with spoked wheels uses tube tires. So that is the proper patch kit, although my personal preference is to carry as small 12v compressor as opposed to the CO2 tubes. Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Slime-40001-Motorcycle-Tire-Inflator/dp/B000ET9SB4 (Make sure to have the bike running while using the compressor!)
  
• Bring the patch kit, but also carry a spare tube. Get the proper tube for the 21" front wheel, and in an emergency you can actually shove it into the rear wheel as well. It'll work fine for getting you back to civilization where you can buy a proper new tube.
  
• Okay this part is important. Patching a tube tire or even just replacing the tube is NOT SIMPLE. You need to remove the wheel from the bike, then remove the tire and tube from the rim. If you plan on doing this on the side of the road, that means you need to have a center stand on the bike, and carry all the tools needed to pull off either wheel, PLUS a set of tire spoons and something to use as lube (mixing up some dish soap in water works great). Oh, then you need to know how to do it all. My suggestion is to spend a weekend practicing it at home before you leave so you know how it's supposed to work, lots of videos on youtube can help you with this. Trying to figure it out by yourself for the first time in the middle of nowhere isn't how you want to learn.
  
• Speaking of tires, what tires do you currently have on the bike?
  
• As for chain and sprockets . . . eh, maybe. Be rigorous about cleaning and lubing your chain every 500 miles, keep an eye on how worn the teeth are getting but you'll probably be okay.
  
• Tool kit. Fortunately because the KLR650 is such a popular bike, many other people have already done the work of figuring out what a good roadside toolkit consists of. Read over this thread for a lot of information: https://www.klr650.net/forums/showthread.php?t=86172 Some carry more, some carry less. If you google for "KLR650 Adventure Toolkit" you'll find a lot of info. Tools and ability to use them are something you should over-plan on.
  
• The KLR's alternator can provide PLENTY of power to charge your phone. When people are talking about insufficient power from it, they're talking about running stuff like high-output auxiliary headlights, electrically heated jackets and pants and seats for both rider AND passenger, stereo systems, etc, and all at the same time. Just charging a phone and running some heated grips, you'll be fine.
  
• Oh yeah, you should get some heated handgrips. Trust me. I think the effect is more psychological than anything, but when you're cold and wet having warm hands makes a world of difference. Simple under-grip elements (requires you take off your existing grips, then put the heating elements onto the bars, then put your grips back on) are like $30. Fancier new grips with integrated heating elements (such as made by Oxford) are around $100.
  
• Jeeze those ammo cans are gigantic. Yeah, I think you'll be fine for waterproofing with those things. But your duffel/rear seat bag needs to be waterproof as well. As I mentioned in another post, Mosko Moto bags are amazing but really expensive.
  
• For keeping your neck dry, I recommend rain gear with an integrated hood. You put the hood on UNDER your helmet, and it stops the rain from running down your neck. Something like this is good for your budget: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/nelson-rigg-sr-6000-stormrider-rain-suit, it's sized to go over your existing gear (Which isn't waterproof. I know, I know. The label that came on your jacket and pants says that it's waterproof. It's not. It's waterproof enough for a light afternoon shower, but if you're riding all day in a thunderstorm it WILL get soaked through. I speak from experience).
  -Also for keeping your head and neck warm, get one of these: https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/mens-coldgear-infrared-hood/pcid1244401?scid=scplp1244401-001&sc_intid=1244401-001&cid=PLA|US|NB|GGL|DES|SiC|ROAS|&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0PuRqLXW1wIVB25-Ch3KlQb2EAYYAiABEgKOovD_BwE
  
  A word on off-pavement stuff: The KLR 650 is extremely capable of taking you very far off the beaten path if you put knobby tires on it, well away from pavement and civilization and deep into the wilderness. Which is awesome, totally awesome. That's my style of touring, personally. But it comes with a LOT of other risks and considerations. Are you thinking of doing a lot of backcountry riding on this trip?

Last year a buddy and I took a 1300 mile trip around Colorado /r/dualsport ride on a Husqvarna 701 and a Yamaha WR250R. Here's a photo of the gear from last year.

This year we are adding one person (riding a monster, brand new, KTM 1090 Adventure R) to the crew and moving a little farther west to see some of the amazing sites in Utah. I put together a 1500 mile route, and will tack on White Rim Trail (if we can get passes) and wander around in Beef Basin for a bit.

A few of my friends have started using Polar Steps, so I've setup a trip and will try to keep it updated. I also maintain a simple website and will post photos on my flickr account.

Now, on to the fun, because sorting out gear and packing is half the fun of a /r/motocamping trip.

I'm involved in volunteer search and rescue (/r/searchandrescue) so a lot of this gear comes from my callout pack and extended incident command packs. The more experienced riders will notice that I'm lacking any tools, spares, tube slime, etc. I'm fortunate enough to be riding with 2 other riders that are packing all that jazz.

Two mottos:

1. buy once, cry once
   
2. high speed, low drag
   
   motorcycle
   
   

• Yamaha WR250R 2018
  
• Dunlop D606 tires
  
• heavy-duty tubes
  
• Tusk rack
  
• Tusk handguards
  
• Rox Speed 2" risers
  
• Seal Savers
  
• Moose Racing skid
  
• HaloCam front+rear dashcam
  
• IMS 3 gallon tank
  
• Double Take enduro mirros
  
• Edge2 fender eliminator
  
• USB charging port
  
  navigation
  
  
• Garmin 64s - Most Garmin's allow OSM maps. Free, crowd-sourced maps are a huge win in my opinion.
  
• Garmin inReach Mini - in the event I "full send"
  
• OSMAnd+ - Open Street Maps offline maps
  
• GaiaGPS - offline satellite images, private/public property maps, USFS road maps and topo maps
  
  photgraphy
  
  
• Sony a7iii
  
• Sigma 14mm f1.8
  
• F-stop Navin - mounted on my chest, holds my Sony a7iii
  
• Lowepro Toploader chest harness
  
• Lance Camera strap
  
• 3x Sony batteries
  
• Osprey ultralight dry sack 6L
  
• GoPro Hero 6 Black
  
• 6x GoPro batteries
  
• GoPro battery charger - charges 3 batteries at a time
  
• GoPro ND filters
  
• various GoPro mounts
  
  medical and hygiene
  
  
• SAM splint
  
• NAR Hyfin vent chest seal
  
• NAR rolled gauze
  
• QuikClot clotting gauze
  
• thermal blanket
  
• 3x hand warmers
  
• triangular bandage
  
• medical tape
  
• wound seal
  
• NAR tourniquet
  
• Leatherman Raptor medical shears
  
• basic meds
  
• basic bathroom supplies
  
  wearing
  
  
• Forma Adventure boots
  
• Fox v2 VLAR helmet
  
• REV'IT! Wind Jacket
  
• 100% Accuri Sand - the "sand" model helps with wind blowing on my eyes and drying contacts out
  
• grey smoke lens
  
• Mammut Neon Light 12L backpack
  
• Nonoise ear plugs - I know they are a bit pricey, but I've worn them 5 days in a row over 1500 miles and didn't even know they were there
  
• Road iD - blood type, date of birth, allergies and wife's contact info
  
• gloves
  
  sleeping
  
  
• Kammok Roo Single hammock
  
• Twisted Root Cloudburst rainfly
  
• Big Agnes Hitchens UL 20 sleeping bag - ultra-light, ultra-compact, I carry this for winter SAR activities
  
• ALPS Mountaineering compression sack - medium size, I use this in place of the Mosko Moto tail bag because it fits my sleeping bag, rainfly and hammock
  
• REI Flash sleeping pad - insulated is important
  
• Osprey ultralight dry sack 12L - used for my sleeping back, inside the ALPS compression sack, to ensure my sleeping bag stays dry
  
  inclement weather
  
  
• winter riding gloves
  
• Olympia Horizon rain pants
  
• rain jacket - cheap, no-name, fits over riding jacket
  
• face mask - ski/snowboarding style
  
• windbreaker - for over riding jacket, cheap no-name brand
  
• smart-wool base layer
  
• fleece jacket
  
  food
  
  
• 2.5L Osprey Hydraluics LT - inside the Mammut backpack
  
• GSI Pinnacle Soloist pot
  
• Light My Fire spork
  
• UST Delta Stormproof lighter - this actually failed to work on my trip last year to Colorado, but I think it was because we were at altitude
  
• [Primus Micron trail stove](primus pocket rocket) - mine is an older model
  
• Primus fuel cannister
  
• 4x backpacking dinners
  
• 4x backpacking breakfasts
  
  motorcycle
  
  
• 2x Primus 1.5L fuel bottles - unleaded fuel is important
  
• funnel
  
  clothing
  
  
• 1x riding pants
  
• 2x shirts
  
• 3x pairs of socks
  
• 3x underwear
  
  luggage
  
  
• Mosko Moto Reckless 40L saddlebags - I did 1500 miles through CO last year with these and absolutely loved them. A key feature for me is that I can snag the "sleeves" and run under a rainfly and setup my entire camp. Other brands, all your gear is in a bag, on the bike, so you have to stand next to the bike while you setup camp. Also important for when staying in hostels.
  
• Mosko Moto Pico tank bag
  
• Rok Straps
  
  misc
  
  
• Moo cards - I carry these for dropping in geocaches and sharing my photos with people I meet.
  
• Zebra H600Fc - recommended in /r/flashlight by /u/Zak
  
• 2x USB cable - multi port - these are nice and short, and can charge both micro-USB and USB-C devices at the same time
  
• Leatherman Skeletool
  
• flip flops
  
• shorts
  
• t-shirt
  
• 10x rechargable AA's

That you're camping in Australia reminded me of this recent post in which a blogger recommends this biker-focused swag tent. Seems to be a fair deal and while I have no experience with it the blogger reckons it's a good bit of kit as you Aussies might say ;-). Most likely you won't be borrowing your parent's tent. The car-camping type tents don't really get along well with motocamping. Sleeping bags and maybe the air mattress or sleeping pad are more likely, or a bit of cooking equipment. I'll throw out some random recommendations based on stuff I like and let you decide how it fits into your $500 =).

I find backpacking equipment seems to parallel motocamping equipment in many respects. You aren't as concerned about weight on the motorcycle, but you do need compact and reliable. You may want to consider a backpacker's inflatable sleeping pad, [this is the one I have] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ANRW7DI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It's no mattress but it insulates you from the ground which helps keep heat in, and it provides a bit of cushion too. It will fit inside the swag, a hammock, or any compact backpacking tent, and it packs up small. I have this tent which legitimately sleeps two as long as you don't mind being close (tested with my girlfriend) and should fit a twin sized inflatable mattress which would be substantially more comfortable than the camping pad I linked above. To make an addition to your luggage, I can't recommend a tank bag enough. I have this tank bag which is truly a bargain and should fit any motorcycle.

I would also check out Aerostich's Camping Section for some ideas. Being that you're in Australia I'm not sure if you want to buy directly from them unless you can't find an item anywhere but their website, but there are tons of ideas you can get from their store that you might not find other places.

Now I'll just list off several items I can think of that I like to pack for motocamping (most are small and multi-functional items, and a few specific get-my-ass-out-of-a-jam things):

Tire plug kit, some way to put air back in the tire (compact air compressor, CO2 cartridges, bicycle pump, etc), several feet of 550 cord (AKA paracord), extra bungee cords, extra cargo net, zip ties, electrician's tape, heavy-duty trash bags (maybe 3 or 5), a small supplement to my bike's OEM tool kit & a multitool, a first aid kit that includes bug bite relief (and anything else you might want specific to the area you're traveling), a sam splint & triangle bandage, a couple ways to start a fire (waterproof matches stored in a watertight container & a cigarette lighter usually), one or two of those mylar emergency blankets, a little mild dish soap.

You might not feel the need to carry all that on a 3 day trip but a lot of it is small, cheap, and multi-funcitonal. Trash bags are to keep trash under control at camp and emergency waterproofing for gear/people, so you want the thick ones.

You have lots of good selections in your list. Dunno about the shoes, do they really have lots of holes? Mosquitos will LOVE that!

Here are some camp kitchen suggestions that add value w/out hassle

Thin cutting/prep surface

Cheap kitchen knife with sheath for easy stowage(pick one or two)

Cheap non-stick frying pan(I got one for a few dollars at a grocery store)

Cheap heat-resistant spatula

Exxxxtra loooong tongs for cooking over a fire. Them coals get HOT.

The amount of different meals you can make with these is amazing. Eat a steak or salmon instead of MRE's... Cook bacon, sausages and scramble eggs for the camp...

I also recommend a small vise-grip for when you're wrenching and need a third hand. I splurged on the Leatherman Crunch and I love it.

And to jump on the bandwagon, go for smaller tent and a hatchet.

A big second for Adventure Motorcycling Handbook. I'd also recommend California Coastal Byways, California Desert Byways, and California Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails if you're going to be in Cali—or the equivalent for the states you'll be in if they exist.

I highly recommend joining ADVRider, they have lots of useful info.

Finally, get a book on ultralight camping, many of the principals are useful for motocamping as well.

Heres a couple things I like having on my bike when I travel:

AC inverter: gives you a 110v outlet in case you need to power something like a phone charger and you don't have a 12v usb connector.

Water purifying tablet: They take up about a cubic inch of space and may save your life.

Large wet wipes: For giving yourself an on the go shower in case you meet your future wife and there is no shower access.

Small mess kit: I have a serbian mess kit and I love it. The knife included has a can opener and a bottle opener and is serrated and well made.

Head lamp: Because holding a flashlight while its cold and you are trying to do something sucks. I prefer ones that have single large diodes instead of lots of little ones as they are brighter and have better color. Also I try and get ones that use 18650 batteries so I can share a charger and batteries.

• Tire Irons
  
• Spare tube
  
• pump
  Tools - wrenches, sockets, vice grips.
  
  
• Tent I got this for $69 at the time. There are others that have good reviews for under $100.
  
  
• [Stove] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009PUQAU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) $70 This one can also run on gas from your bike/gas can
  
  
• Showers $30 Not sure about Australia but here there are buggers in the water.
  
  
• Sleeping Bag $60 You can get a good one for cheap, just check the temp ratings match the area and conditions you will be in.
  
  
• [Water Filter] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000BBF2RY/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new) Although you can just boil your water it can still taste funny and contain dirt, etc., as such I recommend a filter. Be aware that some don't filter out viruses so you will still want to boil water if your water filter does not. I also like to pack a life straw and tablets. I actually got
  
  
  
  For a more complete check list see this guy's [packing list] (http://www.backcountrydiscoveryroutes.com/WABDR-Packing-List)
  
  So when it comes to keeping it under $500, don't sounds so blue as $500 can get you a longs ways if you shop around.
  

Western Arizona, southern Utah, the entire state of Nevada. Check out this book and some of the others in the series. The author does a fantastic job of laying out amazing backcountry roads and trails in the Southwest.

• ZMM is an interesting read, but has little practical value.
  
  
• The Adventure Motorcycling Handbook covers practical trip preparation.
  
  
• A Clymer Shop Manual is a useful reference when things go wrong.

Buy two dry bags (size will vary depending on the size of your bike and saddle bags) and bungie cords. Then attach them on top of each saddle bag. Doubles or triples your storage, and your passenger and you both fit.

http://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Sports-Omni-Blue-X-Large/dp/B000BJ7WQU

Or a soft cooler:

http://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Sports-Frost-40-Quart-Cooler/dp/B0014W2QU0

These turn into backpacks:

http://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Sports-Grand-Adventure-Backpack/dp/B001OPJDOY

Well you get the idea.

I stay in the States (at least for now), and have this first-aid kit with me.

It's not perfect certainly, but I ride street and don't get far from civilization. I adore how compact these kits are.

Amazon sells a few different fuel bottles:

• MSR
  
• Trangia
  
  There are more options, as well.

I picked up a cookbook made for people who travel and camp, it's called Dirty Dining: An Adventurer's Cookbook by Lisa Thomas who has been riding around the world for the past 15 years.

You're expected to have some basics like spices, sauces, small tins of vegetables and meats, and to combine them with other food that's easy to find wherever in the world you are.

https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Dining-Adventurers-Lisa-Thomas/dp/1945703067

Good call! I keep the extra lengths (typically 2-3ft) of my straps tidy with double-sided velcro. Never had a problem with them coming loose.

An amazon search yielded this. Not quite sure it's what you're looking for.

For motocamping I picked up one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Pacsafe-Backpack-Protector-Silver-Size/dp/B000FGVFP8 along with a waterproof duffle bag. Stuff my gear in the duffle and then into the pacsafe, which gets locked to the bike frame.

You might pull some ideas form this: Motorcycle Journeys Through North America.

Also check out Butler Maps.

And if the timing works you might check out Thunderdome in Detroit.

I'm cheap so I got this pup tent. It packs small enough when you separate the poles and the tent, but you'll want a tarp if it rains. You can spray it with waterproofer, but I would avoid doing that if you ever camp below freezing (breath snow will form).