Giving Motocamping a go.

[Phild]

Budget option…. I came across this company based in Newton Abbot.

https://www.trail.co.uk/bowden-3-man-tent-waterproof-3000mm.html

Not quite tall enough to stand in, but near enough. £249, reduced to £110.

Down side is in the pack it’s 71cm’s wide. That’s 11cm’s wider than my Trekker top box.

Funny how we become obsessed with size and weight on a bike.🤣

[Phild]

I’ve taken the plunge and ordered a Vango Galaxy 300.

I’m hoping to do a few nights away this month, but at the very least I’ll be putting it up in the garden and giving all my kit a practice run.

With some discount I paid £269. If you take the tent out of the equation, for all the other stuff I’ve needed to purchase, I’ve spent about £150. That includes a new power bank for £33 (which I needed to get anyway).

I need to get a tent footprint, but I can get two 210mm x 180mm footprints (which would be ideal) for less than £25.

Once I’ve had a chance to play with it, I’ll put some feedback on here.

Thanks for all the help and advice.👍

[endintears]

Know you said you'd camped before but just a reminder to make sure it's absolutely bone dry before you pack it away for anything more than a couple of days (re-pack when you get home if needs be) to avoid getting black mould spots on in particular the inside.
Near impossible to remove and one of the things to watch out for condition wise if ever buying secondhand off the likes of Ebay.
Enjoy.

[Phild]

Thanks Endintears.👍

All my kit gets dried in the garage before being stored in a cellar, where the boiler keeps the room nice and warm.

Even though it’ll be a new tent, I’ll be giving it another spray of waterproofing as soon as I put it up as well.

[Rixington43]

I know they cost a few quid more but I really like having the official footprint for mine, I can lay it out to get an exact idea of where the tent will sit and then use the same pegs for the flysheet, it also helps when taking the tent down to have a groundsheet to work on if the ground is wet.
The footprint is well within the peg placements on all sides as well.
Cost vs benefit though clearly, anything that makes pitching quicker and easier is worth it's weight in gold on a group trip where it goes up every night and down again, usually in a hurry, the following morning

[Phild]

You may have convinced me about the genuine footprint….. if I can find one in stock.

Clinked on a number of websites, but when you take a look they’re out of stock. Even Vango are out of them.

I’ll have to keep an eye out for one.👍

It appears to have been discontinued.🤷‍♂️

[Rixington43]

Maybe drop Vango an email, I caved imagine they'd discontinue the footprint for a currently available tent. Good hunting, and happy camping Phil.

[Phild]

Email sent about 5 minutes ago.👍

[Phild]

The reply to my email to Vango……. Back to plan A….. sort out one myself.🤷‍♂️


Hi

Thanks for contacting AMG Group Customer Service

Unfortunately, we do not have the footprint in the current range, we may be introducing this in the next coming year.

Regards,
David

AMG Customer Service

[Phild]

I took delivery of my Vango Galaxy 300 today. Since the biblical rain yesterday has made my lawn a very damp sponge, instead of having a practice putting it up, I had a practice pack and stow on bike.

What you see in the photographs is almost everything I need packed and ready to go. Obviously I haven’t packed the top box as that will contain my clothing.

I’ve decided to put the tent inside one of my dry bags as it looks neater, and there’s room to put my oversuit in there.

I’ve also got a set of Lomo crash bar bags. Although I haven’t got the upper bar fitted on my 1050XT, I’ve worked out how to secure them neatly / safely to the lower crash bar.

I don’t use a tank bag.

I now know I can fit everything in for longer trips, never mind a few days.👍

[Phild]

And from the rear……

[The Doctor 46]

Good to go Phild. Chain oil, check engine oil, check tyres fill up with petrol and go go go. Enjoy. I went to Donnington for the GP (many times) and after putting up our tent, me and the boy, I noticed a young man sitting next to his rucksack looking a bit lost.

Turned out he was waiting for his mate to put the tent up. The young man was carrying it but didn't have a clue how to put it up. 10 minutes later I had put it up, given him a brew and enjoyed the moment. It's nice to be nice.

Enjoy your trip and be safe. 

[Phild]

I’m (was) hoping to get away sometime before the end of the month. However, both sons now require Grandad to do babysitting duties next week and a week of the half term.🤦‍♂️

Only way I can do the half term is drive from Somerset to Devon. Pick up two grandkids (11 and 9), then drive to Lincolnshire to stay and look after the other two (9 and 6) as well.

All the best laid plans…….. 🤷‍♂️

[bladeowner]

When camping I like to use a small tank bag so that I can charge various items that need charging while riding out and about during the day - led tent light, power packs, phone, bluetooth stuff etc but mainly the power pack so that I can charge stuff overnight while I sleep.

[Phild]

Thanks Bladeowner, I think I’ve got that all covered.

I carry two power banks which will easily cover my power needs for several days. I have a small handlebar bag that I can put a phone or power bank in and charge from the usb at the side of the dash. If I need to charge more than one item, I can utilise the power socket under my seat.

The larger of the two power banks (which is a jump starter pack as well) can recharge my phone, rechargeable torch (also carry a battery head torch) and iPad several times. I haven’t got anything else to charge. 👍

[Bobsyeruncle]

Looking good Phild.
How do you find thr lomo crashbar bags?
I quite fancy a set....

[Phild]

I only ordered them after my decision to give Moto camping a go, so they haven’t been used in anger yet.

I’ve managed to work out how to attach them neatly to the bottom crash bars as I don’t have the upper accessory bar fitted. No great problem, but it would probably be a little less fiddly with the upper bar. Minor issue.🤷‍♂️

They haven’t been tested in the wet, but they’ve got a real good robust quality feel to them.

They take 6.5L’s each. One I’m using for washing / washing up kit, bum wipes (too much info there, I know), tissues, first aid kit.

The other I’ve got my mess tins, chopping board, KFS, basically all my cooking stuff bar the Jet Boil and gas…..it might get a little too warm for that so close to the engine.

I could probably get a bit more in both of them.

Although they are untested, I’m more than happy with the quality feel to them, so I’ll be replacing my 10 year old + Held 40L roll top hold-all for a Lomo Vizallo 40L hold-all, when they are back in stock. Lomo tell me they are due in again in December.

Although the company is based in Scotland, the tags on the bags say they are made in China.…. What isn’t.🤷‍♂️

If you haven’t already, take a look at the Lomo website. They have short videos explaining all their kit.👍

[NeilM]

I have had my LOMO crashbar bags on the bike four years and 25,000 miles now.

I have also 'drop tested' them on three occasions now. 

They are tough and keep everything dry, even in Welsh and Cornish monsoon conditions and I'll be buying a second pair for my recently acquired 1200GS.

[Bobsyeruncle]

@neilm
Do you have any pics of them on your bike?

[NeilM]

Here are a couple.

Pic 1 is just after I fitted them, pic 2 is the bike fully loaded in North Yorkshire on my way to Scotland.