Help! Packing for two up camping trip.

[africajim]

Ok, another view. I use my topbox, it's lockable, the two side boxes and a tankbag.

The topbox has our bed gear, airbed, blanket, sleeping bag and airpump. The carrier on top has our tent. The side boxes, one each, enough clothes for five days, a campsite will have a washer/drier in that space of time to get your clothes washed. The tank bag holds everything else, cooking gear etc. It can also be expanded for shopping prior to camping for the night.

Here's the beast fully loaded;

[j]

don't forget either take a device that you can pinch electric at the camp site to charge your phones or charge them off the bike, all very handy.

[cuchulain]

I've done it with and without the top-box , on the 'alp.
The arguments are valid for both. i can definitely use the space better using a roll-bag/dry sac without the top box , but wifey likes the top box to lean against.

One thing i would advise , if you are using the Honda top-box , have a look at moving the Grey plastic mounting plate back towards the taillight by 1-2 cms. You will have to drill 6 more holes in the silver grab-rail/top box mount to accommodate this. Wifey and i found this to be REALLY useful.
It allows much more room for wifey to move about without her being angled into my back all the time. the Honda top-box seems to want to throw the pillion through the rider all the time , due to the weird mounting angle.

Whatever you pack , however you pack it , remember three things ,

1. you will forget to pack something .... (that's why God/Buddha/The Great Inventor/Big Bang/Klingons invented the 'intermarche')
2. Fill up every chance you get , especially Saturday's , French petrol stations are unmanned on Sundays and sometimes hard to find , (although Garmin Zumo's solved the locating petrol stations superbly)
3. If you smoke , buy lots of cigarettes , not every town has a Tabac , and not all Tabac's open early.

Above all Enjoy it , It's an Adventure. If you wanted to be normal you'd do two weeks self-catering in Benidorm !!!

[davsato]

all good advice, if you paint the vara black thats exactly what my bike looks like loaded 2up. im usually only solo though so i take the topbox too and strap the tent and chair to the back seat. moving the topbox back is a must do mod, have a look in my gallery for a plate to make up to keep the topbox secure but move it back 70mm. no need for extra holes but thats up to you.
khyam biker is a big tent, and chairs are a luxury but you will be glad of both.
i put all cook gear (trangia, gas, taste box and cutlery etc) in the tankbag, we have a pannier each and tent, chairs, and bags strap on the rack. a plank of wood or something like it fastened across the rack supports the tent and stops it flopping down blocking the indicators.

municipal campsites in france vary but are usually really basic, forget electric, sit on toilets or even flat ground on some. but they are cheap and nearly always inside village environs with a shop, tabac/cafe, bakery, butchers and bar nearby. sunday petrol is a funny one, you can get it but with auto pay pumps that dont take most of our cards. take a selection as there doesnt seem to be any rhyme or reason to what will work

[sparklymarkly]

As most folk have said, dump the topbox for a camping trip.
I've toured 2 up with topbox when staying in hotels & it's fine (and very handy cos it locks) but for camping with tent, cooking gear, airbeds etc, get a big bag or rollbag as it's much more practical.
When we did our 2 week trip, it was a pannier each for clothes, sleeping bags strapped to each pannier and all the rest of the clobber in the bag.

Tankbag just for documents, ipods, phones etc so light & easy to carry about when you do the touristy thing. Take a lock & chain so you can leave the helmets on the bike and you'll almost look normal if sightseeing!
If you're carrying a big bag, either make a rack extender or as Davsato says, use a plank to stop it sagging.
We came back still friends so it can be done (& we'd never even camped before!). Enjoy!

[Warthog]

The thing is, once you decide to do any camping trip by bike, of more than a week, regardless where you are going you are essentially packing the same as you would for a RTW journey: you'll need the exat same stuff with the exception of some documents and the same spread of tools. I say keep all your luggage. You've got it, and it's built for the job.

One Pannier: stove, pots, plates and some space for food.
Other pannier: Clothes for you both of you
Topbox: sleeping bags
Two medium rollbags: mats in one, tent in the other. Strap these length-ways on your panniers.

This keeps most of the weight over the panniers not way back in the topbox.

You don't need to live in grundy clothes, but just accept that every other night you may need to spend 15 mins doing a bit of laundry. Millets/Blacks should sell a camping clothes line, or you can make your own: slim bungee cord, twisted to form a helix and then attached to two hooks. Easy.

You do need to think about what you take though.

Travelling two up is bulky.

[cuchulain]

One other thing which really helped us , although it rankled with wifey as she hates waste.
Visit George/Tesco's/Sainsburys. Buy cheap (really cheap) plain colour tops , you know three 't' shirts for 2 pound etc ...
Then take them with you , and once worn, discard them in French Campsite bins! . You can also buy similarly cheap clothes in french supermarkets, so if you are adventurous , bring two days clothes with you and buy what you need as you travel from town to town.

It really goes against both Wifey and My grain to suggest such a wasteful thing , however when tops are so cheap , ...... and this really , really cuts down on packing and washing. If you are really brave you can also do this with your undergarments ......

HTH

Enjoy

[Xander]

Hey mate,

Warthog is right on in IMHO. Keep the top box, locking up your helmet is a god send. We are on a RTW and like you, we want to be able to walk away and not look like (or sweat like) we weigh 500kg. my two bits of advice. are 1 ) as above Keep the box
2) get a waterproof roll-bag _70+ltr and a pack safe. That way when you get to the place you are going you put all your riding gear in the bag lock it to the bike with the slash proof pac-safe and walk away free and clear..

also we have been on the road for over 14months now (Africa and SE Asia)
this is the list of stuff that we carried...This is the original list some things have changed but you get the idea. Lady Vader may have some pics of Us loaded so you can see.. It is bulk but not nearly as bad as some we have seen on this trip...

this is what it looked like the night before we left.

· The North Face Road runner 22 tent
· groundsheet
· tarp
· 2 x sleeping mats
· 2 x Thermarest stool converters
· 2 x Kathmando halfbag sleeping bags & compression sacks
· 2 x Goose booster bag liners
· 2 x inflatable pillows
· Primus camping stove /c · 500ml fuel bottle
· 3 x MSR Mountain pot set
· 2 x Camping cutlery set
· Cooking spoon
· 2 x Orikaso Collapsible bowl
· 2 x Orikaso collapsible plates
· 2 x thermal mugs
· matches/lighter
· washing detergent
· Lifeventure wash basin (collapsible)
· 2 x scouring pads
· Pura water filter
· Pura-tabs
· chopping board
· universal sink plug

This is all the clothing we will have for duration of the trip

Tam

Xander

· 5 x underwear (3 normal, 2 g-string)
· 4 x socks
· 2 x bras
· 2 x tshirts - 3 with tank top/nice top
· 2 x long sleeves - 3 with jumper-type or longsleeve shirt
· 2 x trousers - at least one pair convertible
· summer dress and/or small sarong OR shorts
· thermal leggings
· thermal top
· polar fleece jacket
· bathers - bikini and tanktop
· raincoat
· waterproof trousers
· seal skin socks
· gloves
· camp shoes
· beanie
· sun hat
· nice clothes
· hankie

· 4 x underwear
· 4 x socks
· 3 x tshirts
· 2 x long sleeves - one tec warm, one nice/sun cover
· 2 x trousers - both convertible
· thermal leggings
· thermal top
· polar fleece jacket
· bathers
· raincoat
· waterproof trousers
· seal skin socks
· gloves
· camp shoes
· beanie
· sun hat
· nice shirt
· bandana

Camera Gear

Other Electorinics

· 2 x Nikon DSLR
· 8 (x2) Extreme 3 CF memory cards
· Sony Mini-DV Video recorder
· Video tapes
· Lowpro fastback backpack
· Tamron camera backpack
· Pacsafe camera strap
· video camera charger
· Nikon battery charger
· bogin tripod
· 2 x gorillapod
· 2 x trekmate heads
· lens cleaning - paper, cloths, fluid

· EEE PC Laptop
· external DVD burner
· Tough Drive external HD
Toshiba external HD
· 20 x dvds for photo storage
· Rechargeable batteries and Charger - AA, AAA
· 2 x power cords & country adapters

Tool and Spares

1x Tooth brush (cut to 1")
1X Rat tooth clamp
1X tubeing for bleeding brakes
1X random tubing
1X Sparkplug Wrench -
1X Axle Wrench - back
1X Axle Wrench - front
1X Spanners
1X Adjustable wrench
2x Flat screwdrivers
2x Cross screwdrivers
1x 90Deg tyre valve adaptor

2X Lighters
1X mini volt/olhm meter
3X Light Sticks
2x rachet tie downs
4X large and thick stainless zipties
1x Flint steel
1X Stubby Rachet
1X extention tube for rachet
1X racchet spanners
1x spark plug gapper
2x tyre valve tool
1X Quiksteel or equivalent -
manyX Zip Ties
1X Electrical tape
1X Gaffa tape
1X wd-40 or liquid wrench
1X tyre patch kit
1X 12V tyre pump

· 1X Tire gauge
· Electric wire
· Front wheel bearings
· Rear wheel bearings
· 2x Clutch cable
· throttle cable
·600ml Oil
· Spare front wheel spokes
· Spare back wheel spokes
· brake pads - rear
· brake pads - front
· rectifier replacement
· 1X inspection mirro (aka shaving )
· 1X 600 grit sandpaper -
· 3X tire "irons"
· 1X socket kit
·· 1X socket long reach bar
· 1X Allen Kit
· 1X Length tie wire
· 1X - 12 guage (30amp),
· 2X 1/2 Hacksaw blades -
· 1X watch makers box
· 1x magnetic extention thing
· 1x x-handle bar strap down
· 1x SS metal brush (cut to 1")
· 1x knife
· 4x pairs nitril gloves
· manyX hose clamps (jubele clips
· manyX m6 and m8 nuts / bolts / washers
· 2X Multi tools

[Ashley M]

I have found you can save a lot of space with the type of clothes you take. I have purchased 2 Craghopper walking shirts and 1 pair of walking trousers. This will take up less space then 1 pair of jeans I wear 1 shirt on the bike and at the camp site wash this one, use the other one to go out in that night, and then use that one when I ride my bike the next day, also take a pair of shoes that will compress as small as possible. If I need to take a jumper or fleece because the weather is turning cold I take out the thermal lining in my bike jacket and use the fleece instead that way I’m not trying to pack a bulky fleece. I have found using this system you will not have to pack loads of clothes and you can keep this up for as long as you want to. I have also got a bottle of travel wash from Blacks this stuff can be used to wash you and your clothes again saving a little space.

[Warthog]

this is the list of stuff that we carried...This is the original list some things have changed but you get the idea.

OMG.
Broken down like that it is hard to believe you can pack that on a bike.

Question is would you take it all if you were doing it all again, knowing what you know now?

I know we ended up posting a load of stuff back after the first 3 weeks!