2-up touring tips

[R12RnHouston]

Hello, All,

Has anyone done any 2-up touring (tent camping at night) on our bike? I find many great suggestions and photos detailing packing, loading, and gear recommendations for 1-up touring; I find no posts for 2-up.

Thank you!

David

[Shakey]

I don't "do" camping I'm afraid but when 2 up touring the rule is if you can't get it in the Pannier inner back then don't bring it. The Top Box contains only waterproofs at the start of the trip but ends up with end of trip dirty laundry and light weight souvenirs so that the panniers take the various bottles of wine we tend to pick up in Germany or France to keep the weight low. Our record is 8 bottles

Anyhoo, if you have a Givi Top box you can fix a rack on the top for your tent but you are probably better off with an ortlieb dry bag and no top box to keep the C of G a low as possible

[celticus]

I two up tour all of the time. What doesn’t fit in the panniers goes in water proof bags on top of the panniers and my wife perched cozily (like an arm chair in between. I put a soft cooler on the BMW rack on the back.
“the rule is if you can't get it in the Pannier inner back then don't bring it.
” I don’t know where this rule came from or to whom it applies.
You know what they say about rules. But honestly this packing does not make the bike behave badly at all. Go to a BMW Rally and watch the bikes as they arrive.

Mark

[Shakey]

The rule comes from Me and Mrs Shakey and we apply it to ourselves - well OK it's more of a guideline really

[PrinceBooger]

R12RnHouston, My wench and I will be going to Arkansas next week from Florida and we will be doing it with an aftermarket top-case, a pair of TourMaster saddlebags, and a TourMaster, 2 pc. tankbag. We will be shipping up to a Brother in Law some add'l clothes because we will be having a Hannigan fairing installed with an add'l 25 liters of storage capacity.

We have toured, 2-up, on our 02', RT and found that camping was best done with "Sherpa". Ted was the owner and he had a good operation going (1-703-963-2521). He provides a tent, air mattress, sleeping bags, pillows, morning coffee and tent gathering place with chairs, and fresh bath towels for each day. Not having to 'burden" ourselves with this load and space was a real help. We have sent our camping gear to a campground as well and had a cooperative campground owner who would receive and hold our gear for us. We did have to transport our box to the local express shipper at the end of our experience (by motorcycle). Unless you and your partner can live with less clean clothes and/or you have the very best (read small, light, and expensive) gear, a camping cabin should be considered as the "least" option, and a Bed and Breakfast, the absolute best option. Riding solo I have camped. The space, weight, and set-up/break-down time all play into camping on motorcycles.

Sending your gear forward of your destinations would be the only way we would do it at this point.

I hope my experiences and opinions will brighten the realities and not darken your hopes, PrinceBooger

[Lost Rider]

Here's my bike packed for a two week camping trip in Mexico.




It's easy as long as you're not overpacking or trying to bring a clean set of clothes for each day, instead we use modern synthetic fabric clothing that takes little space and washes very easily, air drying overnight.

Hands down the smallest packing, most comfortable, and very proven camping gear I've used is Big Agnes. Half the packed size as most other brands I had before the revelation. Go to their site and read up on their design principles and it will all make sense.
My bags, pads, and tents, are all Big Agnes - and all fit with my stove and kitchen stuff in the 33L Ortlieb bag on my tail.
I have two sleeping bags that zip together, making one big bed, combined with the air pad in sleeves build into the bags, it's very comfortable and my girl loves it.

There's a gear list on my site for what I use in my travels.

Good luck! Two up camping is good fun.

[R12RnHouston]

Thanks all!

ChiTown, that photo has me itching to go!

I was oogling Big Agness gear at our local REI this weekend. I was amazed at how compact the pieces were when broken down for travel.

I have the OEM hard top case. Is best replaced by a larger capacity soft bag like I see in your photo? Does it still provide a back rest for your passenger?

[Lost Rider]

Thanks!

As for a hard top case vs. soft bag..... best is just personal choice.
I like the flexibility of the soft bag, the Ortlieb D-fender bag I have is actually a backpack, making it even more useful to be able to schlep all out camping gear very easily for hike-in camping sites or when we end up at a hotel. It's secured with ROK straps, but I still have a cargo net in addition to add expansion capabilities for things like a Mexican blanket, layers of clothing, firewood, beer, or various other items for "temporary" storage.
This bag is a perfect shape for motorbikes and works very well as a backrest, inside it is a number of compression bags for each "soft" item like tent, bags, etc. so it's actually quite solid, and fits together like a puzzle.

Since you already have a top case, it's a hard call what is better. I believe I can stuff more gear into a soft bag of similar capacity, including my tent poles, and a Kermit chair, but then again it doesn't lock and I can't get in it without removing it - as why it's only camping gear in mine, if I need anything, I need everything in it anyways.
As for security I rarely remove my keys from the bike while traveling, let alone worry about locking things up, but I can see how others more paranoid than myself would want to be able to lock a top box or have storage for helmets and such.

Cheers!

[sjbmw]

Jo's U-PAC rules.

3 man XTA Tent, 2 sleeping bags, 2 mattresses, 2 stuff sacks with clothes, Jet boil, you name it, this thing stuffs and stuffs. It's indestructable, and your passenger can take a nap safely whenever the mood strikes.

Good for long trips one up too.

http://www.josupac.com/main1.html

[redwing]

We will be having a Hannigan fairing installed with an add'l 25 liters of storage capacity.

Hey PrinceBooger.... let us hear about your fairing. I've heard the fairing is so quiet that the rider can hear the front tire roll down the pavement.??? Don't forget pictures.

Robert