Touring on a budget.

[Bonez]

Thought I'd start a thread for those that don't have gozillion bucks to trip around the country. Believe it or not you can have a lot fun on lesser powered cickles than some folk give credit (or have forgotten about in this credit card age ours). Hints and suggestions here thanks. Carting your cickle around on the a trailer behind a campervan doesn't cut it

[Jackrat]

Most of my touring involves staying with friends an family.
I have family in Northland,South Waikato,Christchurch,and friends allover.
If that's not a go it's cheap motorcamp cabins or the tent/swag depending on the weather.I like staying in out of the way places so the swag gets used quite a bit.I also like trout fishing so will sometimes just find a place to camp close to a stream at the end of the day.That way I get to wet a line at days end an then next morning.During the 70s/80s you could camp just about anywhere you could find a flat spot but today your likely to get told to move on,so I'm a bit more picky now.
It is of course a sign of the times but people today are more uptight than they were in the past,I've been invited to stay the night by farmers and other total strangers after they'd seen me camped up somewhere.I spent 74-76 just cruising NZ,never staying in one place more than a couple of days.I met a lot of good people in pubs an service stations that would put me up or give me a couple of days work.Dalgetys and Rightsons were my personal WINZ,I could always get a few days fencing,crutching,relief milking type work through them cause they knew all the local farmers.
During that time when things got hard you could get a feed by collecting Puha or watercress an catching an eel or two,then there was the coast where you could score some shell fish ect ect.
The Gov't put me up free of charge a couple of times but I wouldn't recommend that.
Today most of my touring involves visting those old places and remembering how it was.
I was pretty skinny, but life was good.

[justsomeguy]

Most of my touring involves staying with friends an family.
I have family in Northland,South Waikato,Christchurch,and friends allover.
If that's not a go it's cheap motorcamp cabins or the tent/swag depending on the weather.I like staying in out of the way places so the swag gets used quite a bit.I also like trout fishing so will sometimes just find a place to camp close to a stream at the end of the day.That way I get to wet a line at days end an then next morning.During the 70s/80s you could camp just about anywhere you could find a flat spot but today your likely to get told to move on,so I'm a bit more picky now.
It is of course a sign of the times but people today are more uptight than they were in the past,I've been invited to stay the night by farmers and other total strangers after they'd seen me camped up somewhere.I spent 74-76 just cruising NZ,never staying in one place more than a couple of days.I met a lot of good people in pubs an service stations that would put me up or give me a couple of days work.Dalgetys and Rightsons were my personal WINZ,I could always get a few days fencing,crutching,relief milking type work through them cause they knew all the local farmers.
During that time when things got hard you could get a feed by collecting Puha or watercress an catching an eel or two,then there was the coast where you could score some shell fish ect ect.
The Gov't put me up free of charge a couple of times but I wouldn't recommend that.
Today most of my touring involves visting those old places and remembering how it was.
I was pretty skinny, but life was good.

Wow, I don't think I have the guts to live like that mate......

Looks like you had a blast though. I really respect your tenacity and ability to live for what really matters

[Bonez]

A small pack, towel and a couple of bungies can make a perfectly good tankbag and put some of the weight forward. I've found rollbags usefull - larger ones can draped over the side of the bike a bit to lower weight and lets not forget the packframe to assist as an securing point. m/c cargo nets are also usefull. But one can get away with rope (remember to inspect every refuel) If one must use saddle bags remember to protect any paintwork if you care also it's a good idea to have a small frame made up to stop them rubbing on the rear shock in a twin shock setup or rubbing on the wheel on monoshocks. Also there are the Givi range of hard luggage is usefull but it's probably OT here. It's interesting to note that it appears to be no dearer now than when I bought my setup back in '91 so is certainly worth the dosh you pay.

[Hitcher]

I guess there must be cheaper ways, but Mrs H and I are big fans of the "motel-with-decent-bed-spa-and-Sky" school of motorcycle touring...