Part of the glory of owning a motorcycle is the freedom that comes with it. When you’re on your bike, you feel unrestricted by time, responsibilities or location. Yet, at the end of the day, you still have to ride your bike home, pull it into your garage and get back to real life … or do you? 

If you’re two hours from home and decide that the sunset over the Grand Canyon deserves more than a passing glance, you should be able to pull up to a nearby campground and make camp for the night. If you’re riding across the Badlands and decide you want to see the area come to life in the early hours of the morning, it shouldn’t even be a question of whether or not you should pitch a tent and wait for dawn to approach. With the right motorcycle camping gear, you can cave to your whims and fully realize the freedom that motorcycles provide. That said, what gear is the “right” gear?

Lightweight Tent 

If you’re cruising with just yourself or one other person, you don’t need a roomy tent — in fact, you should forego the standard camping tent and instead invest in a one- or two-person backpacking tent. Backpacking tents are small and lightweight, yet they’re surprisingly durable and can holdup in extreme weather conditions. You’ll also save money on gas and space by electing to purchase a smaller shelter. Higher quality backpacking tents often weigh less than five pounds. 

TTLIFE Camping Cookware

If you’re like many aspiring vagabonds, you assume that the only utensils you can reasonably carry with you are a spoon, fork, knife and can opener, but you’d be wrong. The TTLIFE Camping Cookware kit is a 12-piece kit that contains one nonstick pot, one nonstick pan, one pot cover, two bowls, a stainless steel fork, a wooden spoon spatula, a soup spoon and more contains everything you need to cook gourmet meals when out in the wilderness — and it’s just 1.33 pounds. 

Lightweight Sleeping Mat

Like backpacking tents, there are several outdoorsman sleeping mats on the market today. Though they look flimsy, they’re far more comfortable than any sleeping bag and far easier to transport as well. If you put in the legwork, you can find one of these bad boys that weighs in at less than one pound. 

Military-Grade Multitool

You may have made all the best motorcycle mods before embarking on your adventures but that doesn’t make you immune to accidents or acts of nature. When a rainstorm rolls through and your bike gets stuck in the mud, you’re going to need a shovel to dig yourself out. If you want to cut firewood, you’ll need a saw. How will you start that fire? That’s where the fire starter comes in. 

Motorcycle Fairing 

If you plan on travelling a great distance, you want to do all that you can to keep fuel costs down. In addition to packing lightweight camping gear, you should also make a few modifications to your bike, one of which is adding a motorcycle fairing. OEM motorcycle fairings are designed to reduce air drag, which can help both with your travel time and your gas mileage. 

Once you buy a motorcycle, you need a go-to source for parts and supplies. Find everything from OEM to aftermarket parts and from camping gear to motorcycle helmets online. 

Having the right pieces of gear during a camping escapade is always important. However, as a camper and a backpacker, it’s imperative to know what items to take with you and what items to leave behind so you can be sure you are carrying the right weight. Here is a list of seven essential pieces of gear you should always have.

1. Powerful Lantern

You will not realize how dark it can get until you go camping in the wilderness. For that reason, a good lantern is instrumental as it will help to light your camping area at night. You can look for lanterns with replaceable batteries so you don’t have to worry about staying in the dark when the batteries die. On the other hand, rechargeable batteries are ideal but you will have to carry spare ones since there is no electricity in the wilderness.

2. Walkie Talkies

There are chances that your mobile phone may lack service while camping. That is why it is advisable to carry a walkie talkie with you so you can remain connected to family and friends without worrying about the dead zones. These are especially instrumental if you are planning to travel with your children as they are an inexpensive way to remain in communication.

3. Flashlight

A flashlight, just like the lantern, is essential when it comes to camping. These are imperative for safety reason and good for your sanity when camping in the wilderness because sharing a flashlight can be cumbersome. Choose a small and lightweight flashlight with an easy-to-operate switch. Your flashlight should also fit comfortably in a backpack and palm.

4. Sleeping Bag

A camping blanket or a sleeping bag will ensure you remain warm when spending your night in the wilderness. You may decide to use a sleeping pad along with a sleeping bag but isn’t absolutely necessary especially if you are a person who does not mind sleeping anywhere.

5.    Firestarter

You may not consider matches as official camping gear, but these are pretty important. You can carry a lighter or a box of matches with other camping material for ease of access. You can consider getting one of the best firestarters if you are planning to make a fire whether for cooking, sterilizing water, or protecting yourself from other elements in the wildlife.

6. First Aid Kit

A first aid kit that has been amazingly stocked is an essential piece of gear which you may easily forget, but you need to know that anything can happen outside. Burns, scratches, and other injuries can occur when camping and serious emergencies are not an exception. Therefore, a first aid kit, like any other camping gear, is quite important.

7. Maps

As much as you would prefer a GPS, it is to be safe and get a plan B when you are out camping. Although a bit old school, print out a paper map for use when hiking or camping. A map can help you get to your destination, find your way back your campsite, and show you the exit route.

Final Word

When you go camping, make sure you have the right equipment with you. Consider your location and the duration of your camping and get the right pieces of gear. However, do not miss any of the seven equipment highlighted in this guide.