Motorcycle tent

[Reckless]

One of the better buys is right here in good old NZ. http://www.torpedo7.co.nz/products/B...d-impulse-tent
2.1 kg 2 person (or 1 person plus gear)?? $244-00NZD. And at least its high enough for you to sit up without crawling out which is helpful to get some kit on, b4 going out when its pissing down.

[warewolf]

Beware cheap tents! There is a damn good reason Macpac, TerraNova etc cost good money: you get what you pay for.

We have a Macpac Celeste as our prime hike/bike tour tent. Sleeps two in comfort and has a big vestibule either side - so rider & pillion can enter simultaneously and fit all their riding gear in the vestibule. Virtually the only hike tent in the range to do so. Top quality, top design so easy to use & effective, robust & will last a long time. And the company stands behind the product. Amortise the cost over the ten years or so it'll last and it will be pretty good value. Shit, time flies - thinking back, it's 9 years old now and still looks new!!

Recently we bought a Beyond tent (stronger/heavier version of the Refuge with geodesic-type pole system) super cheap on Torpedo 7 as a family car-camping tent. Fcuk is it cheap and nasty. After just 10 nights the main door zip is needing care and the doors look like they're about to rip. Figured if it lasted a couple of years, for $230 not a great loss, and if/when it fails we could retreat to the car. However for the same money could have bought a used near-new canvas tent that'd last near forever. Ours takes 2 people 20 mins to set up - really poor design. And Beyond/Torpedo 7 warn about wind damage on all their tents - having used ours in strong winds personally I think this is a pitching issue/skill however they simply aren't built like a Macpac.

Competition has brought the price of the top stuff down, and there's a lot more choice nowadays with many mid-range brands readily available. I would hesitate to buy (well, I wouldn't buy) a bottom-shelf tent if I actually expected to use it in tough conditions for more than a few nights.

[ADVGD]

Beware cheap tents! There is a damn good reason Macpac, TerraNova etc cost good money: you get what you pay for.

Totally agree warewolf, the price may be a little stingy for a quality brand but well worth it. You don't want to end up like this unfortunate lot

[DR650gary]

Not totally disagreeing with the above opinions, but am disagreeing that the Beyond tents are unsuitable. We have the Impulse and the Weekender. We bought the Weekender (like the Refuge but no floor in the front part) for biking and the occasional car trip. It does need a reasonable sized bike but it is doable on the DR. It has been through some fairly heavy weather in the 4 years or so we have had it without any damage at all. We haven't faced a hurricane or alpine storm with it but who the hell wants to be on their bike in those conditions. That is what hotels, cabins and motels are for. Paid $129.00 on clearance at Torpedo7 and it was used extensively again this summer.

The Impulse was bought for a similar price, again on clearance, from Torpedo7 and it easily sleeps the two of us, married so close, and whatever gear we want to put in there. It is better than the Weekender for the bike trips as it is much lighter. Will it survive a blizzard, don't care ain't going in one. A $600+ tent will rip or melt just as easily and who wants the same tent for 20 years. I have a tent I bought in Holland 33 years ago and it still works fine but who cares, the newer tents are lighter and have more room and I am sure in another 5 or so years I'll buy another that is better again.

Budget is a concern and IMHO the Beyond tents I have are much more than adequate, after all, I ride a Suzuki not a BMW so I do care about value for money

[wysper]

Those are good points Warewolf and DRGary,


I am somewhere in the middle on the tent issue, since it would be something I was only using maybe 2 or 3 times a year I wouldn't want to spend top dollar, but I know how rubbish it is when you are camping and your tent doesn't keep out the weather. So I would probably look to spend $250 to $400 on a tent, I know it would be far from the best, but better than the worst.

It would only take a few trips where you stayed in a cabin to pay for the tent, the several more to pay for a decent sleeping bag, and several more for a good thermarest or something.....

Maybe I will just stay in cabins for a while Would cost more than a grand to set up for camping, stoves, sleeping bags, tents, etc etc etc.. that is a lot of nights in a cabin hehehehe.

Unless I am so far off the beaten track there is no cabin... that is what I am aiming for, but realistically won't be doing that for a year or two I would say.

[warewolf]

Yep, like I said, we are spoilt for choice in the mid-range market these days. Our previous hike tent was a mid-range job which was heavily used for 13 years, although the last few were on a prayer with poles held together with duct tape and the UV-damaged fly about to shred. But the design & weight wasn't so good, so we replaced it with something better and couldn't be happier.

You pays your money and takes your choice.

Sharing a cabin is probably the best value here in NZ. Can cost nearly as much as a share cabin as for a tent site for 2 ppl at a motor camp or similar. So you don't need to carry the tent, only a decent sleeping bag. And places with cabins usually have kitchens, so you don't need a stove unless you like roadside brew-ups. Or alternatively, carry a thermos and fill it in the kitchen each morning. But a full 1L thermos is nearly as heavy & bulky as a stove anyway, just more convenient particularly in the wind & rain - just can't do espresso.

[dino3310]

the tents ive used the last few years are the best as i borrowed them and didnt cost me a thing

[justaddwatertomix]

got me one of these tents delivered today hope to use it at the coldkiwi this weekend

[justaddwatertomix]

i should of mentioned i ordered and paid on monday and it arrived today via fed ex $250us for postage though

[wysper]

OUCH!!

(10 chars)

[XF650]

I spent way too much time researching tents (e.g. heaps of info on AdvRider) plus checking out what other riders use at Rallies etc. Anyway I ended up with two - a 2 man (me & gear) for Rallies, plus a Coleman Phad 3 (vestibule big enough that I could cook in) for adv touring. Both these tents have been fantastic & used heaps in all weather.
Prior to this we had accumulated 3 tents for family camping trips but none were suitable for carrying on the bike.
For m/bike camping the tent should obviously pack small & light, but doesn't have to be as fancy or compact as what they use for tramping / mountaineering. Go for alloy poles, solid alloy pegs (not wire) and rip stop fly with at least 3m rain rating. Vents help stop condensation inside, which can turn to ice in the winter.
Decent vestibules are good not only for storing wet gear but also keeps rain out of main compartment, when opening entrance in shitty weather.
Another good feature is external pole system - this allows complete tent erection in one go i.e. fly is pre attached, keeping inside of tent dry if erecting in the rain and the whole thing together if blowing a gale.

The other option (for rallies) is to use a really cheap tent then bin it when you leave (or burn it ala Brass Monkey). My best deal was one summer Rally where I bought a cheap tent from local 2nd hand shop, used it, then sold it back to same shop for more than I had paid for it!!

I think it is dangerous to camp too close to your bike, either from storm blowing bike over or some pissed biker knocking it on to you at a Rally. A lot of guys pack a full bike cover but I use a small tarp, just big enough to keep ice off instruments, motor & seat.

[Monstaman]

We do a LOT of tenting, we tented our way around Iceland and Scandy June and July this year and all out international trips are camping based touring road trips.

For motorcycle rallies when it is just me I take the smaller one which says four man but it is good for two and some gear.

We had a bloody good tent but when we packed up from Geysier in Iceland somehow our poles didn't get packed cos it was pissin down so we had to buy a new tent because we could not get poles anywhere and we needed to continue on our trip.

We have a Hilliberg Keron GT 4, great vestibule space for boots, lid and gear and enough dry space if the sun turns gray and wet.

This is a little bulkier but so worth while in inclement weather (i.e. when you REALLY need it).

I back what Colin says and my advice is if you are going to get the use out of it don't be too dutchie.

[babysteps]

I have a North Face Big Fat Frog. Its perfect for one and fits nicely in my drybag. You can get two in there but you'll want to be pretty friendly with them!
It has a huge vestibule that will comfortably fit panniers and riding gear. I've even cooked in it on a rainy night! Sad thing it you cant get them in NZ.

More info here

[Squiggles]

I have a North Face Big Fat Frog. Its perfect for one and fits nicely in my drybag. You can get two in there but you'll want to be pretty friendly with them!

I have a similar one (cant remember the brand), mine fits two with decent amount of space and is pretty compact. T'wasnt cheap though @ ~$600 but its been solid so far, the space out front is good for keeping the gear in. Will have to find a link (but have to find the tent in the shed first!)

[pete376403]

Mine is a Coleman 3 person, cost less $150 IIRC. The door is on the long side so if more than one peson in, there is some climbing over to get out for the 3am pee. However good space for me and gear when on my own. Pegs were a bit lightweight, replaced them with 4mm stainless.
Packs down reasonably well, across the seat it is no wider than the panniers.
I don't use it enough to justify a more expensive one.