Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Hi Guys,

A friend of mine owns an ER-6F and is planning a camping trip to Scotland for his birthday at the end of August.

I have a 2008 SV650S and was wondering what would be the best luggage options for such a weekend, recommend tents, sleeping bags and equipment and any other tips?

I've been camping before, but never by bike. Also, what do you guys do about power - mainly mobile phone, cardo headsets etc.? I have power on the bike for Sat Nav, Grips and Heated Clothing (no cigarette socket).

At the moment I don't have any racks or tank bags - literally sorting this out from scratch!

Many thanks in advance guys =)

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Whoa there, slow down

Camping in Scotland in August....... Priority purchase the world biggest tin of deet.

The Scottish midge has a voracious appetite and I still carry the holes from 11 years ago.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Definitely something I will need to consider then !

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Avon 'skin so soft' keeps the little bnggers at bay, even the 'ard military types swear by it ;)

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Lol well at least I now know how to protect from whatever skin biting creatures Scotland throws at me ! What about the rest of what I need? ;)

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Buy a 12v socket (peanuts) and then go with whatever luggage you prefer.

Personally I prefer hard luggage (topbox) vs soft, but its your choice really. Take as little as possible, keep the weight evenly distributed.

Take a few extra bin liners as they will come in handy to seperate wet/dirty clothes from dry/clean ones.

Whatever you go for, encase it all in some kind of waterproof bag (aka bin liner) - top boxes etc are NOT waterproof and things will get wet if it rains hard enough...condensation also plays a role.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

You should be able to do that with a set of soft panniers and a few bungie chords.

Tent, roll mat bungied to the pillion seat, clothes waterproofed in the panniers. If your struggling for space you could probably also waterproof your sleeping bag (rubble sack or similar) and bungie it to the seat, but it would be rammed full then.

Also it kind of depends if you're planning on being self sufficient, or near somewhere where you can get cooked food etc.... gas burners etc are all extra carriage.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Yup - the hardest thing about installing my 12v socket was making the hole in the fairing.

I also prefer hard luggage, but if it's just the weekend trip and you aren't planning on doing it a lot then it wouldn't be worth it.

+1 on everything else Hong said.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Well I have done European trips before with the missus, but stayed in hotels - I was thinking hard luggage, perhaps a pair of Givi panniers (what would be recommended) - for the ease of 2-up in the future? And by 12v, that's the cigarette socket right? Where do you put whatever you are charging/running through that connector whilst on the move? I think we will need to be self sufficient, so cooking stuff etc. would be a must. Has anyone got any pictures of a setup they have done in the past? Also, what tents/sleeping bags would be good and easy to transport? Plus - any recommendations on waterproofs that pack up small?

Thanks for the suggestions !

Consider the many nice, cheap hostels Scotland has to offer. Then you need not the deet, camping gear etc and all are within wobbling distance of a pub :-).

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Get a double skinned tent, I got a gelert 200 I think for £30 to try. Love my snugpak kestrel sleeping bag, they pack really small and are very warm, just check pack size of the tent you order, and avoid pop ups cos they're round!

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Heh yeah that would be great, but it's not my birthday trip unfortunately and I don't mind camping =)

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

£30 for a tent? Seems cheap? I've heard it's best to go one size higher, like a 2 man if on your own etc. What do you think?

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Yep.

Personally I don't like panniers, I had a Renntec rack and a tailpack on the sv.

I've currently got a 50L Jofama tail bag and a tankbag, enough room for a 3 week camping trip, with a £20 Tesco tent (wouldn't recommend if you're taller than 175 cm though)


http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/2124/imag0068az.jpg

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

I've used a tesco's 2man tent, easy enough to bungy to the back of the bike, cargoed my sleeping back on hte back and most of the clothes went in my tank bag. But it depends what else you need. If you can talk to everyone else and see if you can get a list of essentials and split it around the group. And a silk sleeping bag liner to keep you warm.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Cool cheers guys, and for the picture. I'm 6ft 2, so pretty tall!

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

You can get perfectly good tents for not a lot of money. I use a Vango Alpha 300 that cost me about thirty quid. Generally I strap that with a camping stool to the back of an Oxford tailpack on the back seat.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eldaifo...57625961264592 (not an SV, but as equipped tourers go it's roughly equivalent)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eldaifo...57627378629415 (that little lot saw me to Brno and back - tailpack and one dinky pannier with clothes in, other dinky pannier with camping gear, and the tent and stool strapped to the tailpack with a cargo net)

For power, I have a 12V accessory (fag-lighter) socket wired direct to the battery with a 10A inline fuse fitted. I originally had it up by the ignition barrel, but moved it under the rear seat. Reason being I don't usually need to charge anything up on the move, but if the bike's parked next to the tent I can run a 3m USB lead from under the seat and into the tent, and charge my phone overnight. The draw is minimal so doesn't leave me with a flat battery. Crucially, the under-seat area is far, far more protected from the weather than the cockpit, and the lockable seat means I can put my phone under the seat unit, close it up, and leave it to charge save in the knowledge that it won't go walkies.

For the satnav (Garmin Zumo 220 and/or Tomtom Rider v2) I wire the standard lead direct to the battery in the same way.

Other camping kit: I use a Snugpak Extreme sleeping bag, that packs down quite well, a silk liner if it's really chilly, a Thermarest sleep mat (best thing since sliced bread) and, if it's going well below zero, a cheap second sleeping bag for extra warmth. That saw me through a night at Weston a couple of years ago, when we were chipping ice off the tents in the morning after a good night's sleep.

Oh, and port. Never underestimate the value of a bottle of port when camping. It'll warm you up, get you to sleep, and give you something for those late-night emergencies once empty.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

It probably will be cosy, but since we just trying it out I didn't want to spend loads initially. Basic but good waterproof rating, sewn on groundsheet, quick to pitch. Also don't mind leaving it if it's thirty quid whereas don't fancy leaving an expensive one if you go out for the day, just my opinion. Edited to add the vango 300 is the one I went for,small and light pack size and got a self inflating mat too.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

+1 on the bungies (though never underestimate the ability of a cargo net to hold things steady at 170mph on an Autobahn) but I'd vote strongly for a tailpack over panniers every time. The first time you have to filter with panniers, you'll wish you'd used a tailpack instead.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

That's great advice there - thanks! I had the Oxford Tailpack once, tried using it on a CBR600FS1 and had trouble fitting it properly? But that could just have been me.

What about security - obviously if you are using tailpacks and soft panniers isn't there a bit of an issue with security? And what do you do when you go out for the day - just leave all your gear at the tent and take the valuables with you?

Some dumb questions there - but nice to get an idea of how its done !

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Oh and I do have a cargo net, tend to always have that and a few bungies under my rear seat anyway, as well as long cable lock.

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

Have used soft luggage almost exclusively over the years when touring all ovr the UK and Europe and never had any security issues. I feel confident that when you park most areas are where peopl are there for a reason i.e sight seeing, drink, food etc. and not interested in your belongings strapped to your bike. I always make sure the panniers / tail pack are well secured but this is more for when travelling around but obviously makes removeing them quickly very difficult and hence more secure. Hope that helps

Re: Newbie: Camping with SV650S
 

I've only ever used Oxford's tailpack, but it's a doddle to fit. One strap under the seat, then bungee it down. I've used it on a ZX7R, SV650, GSXR750, GSXR1000 and (of all things) an RGV250 with no problems. The key thing is the strap under the seat - I once had a moment where a mate who hadn't done that bit was riding in front of me on the way out of Calais and his tailpack made a break for freedom. Two of us had to swerve like mad to avoid his shreddies all over the motorway and he never saw any of those clothes again.

For security, I try not to worry about it. First rule of camping is don't take valuables. If you must, then take no more than will fit under the rear seat and carry the rest with you. That logic has got me through riding to Glastonbury, weeks or weekends at foreign races, weekends at pubs, whatever. It is an issue though, hence why I've just bought a bike with full hard luggage, so I can leave stuff on the bike without worrying too much about it.

Golden rule is travel light - if you don't need it, and I mean *need* it, leave it at home.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

If you are going to take valuables with you then put them all in a tankbag. It takes 30 seconds to take the tankbag off the bike and they all come with a shoulder strap.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

I am a Mountain Leader/Climbing Instructor and have adapted my kit for bike use now. Starting with the Bike, I love Oxford kit so have Oxford panniers and tank bag.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net..._5889851_n.jpg

The panniers are expandable and hold 60L of stuff. The Tank bag is also expandable and holds about 40L. I know that some folks prefer hard luggage, but this Oxford stuff does not require fitting kits or racks to bolt the boxes on to. The down side to this is that pillion room is reduced, but this does not bother me because the wife rides her own bike.

With tents, we chose a big one that has a porch big enough to put both bikes into. The reason we chose this is because if the bikes break down, we want somewhere warm and dry to repair them if the weather is bad. However the tent cost us dear at nearly £300 with out BMC discount.

If you do not want to do this, try a little three man or minimum of a large two man tent. Camping on the bike, you will want an area to store wet kit with out it soaking your sleeping bag if it rains and somewhere to dump kit when it is not on the bike. I use a Coleman Tent that I bought for my MLA in 2003 and it has never let me down.

As for stoves, I use both a multi fuel stove again, by Coleman because it can burn Petrol and a small gas stove to cook on.
http://www.coleman.eu/uk/images/Prod...dium/22746.jpg
With the bike you will always have a store of petrol, but you will need to carry a store of gas bottles. Meths stoves are still available, but these are in my opinion slow and not great for modern tents. Meths burns with an invisible flame and if spilt, it can be hard to see where it is burning. The most crude systems are the solid fule stoves, these are similar to Meths in cooking time, but can sometimes be sooty, which makes the rest of your kit dirty when you pack them down. For pans, I use MSR stainless steel. These are a little heavier than Aluminium, but it has been suggested that Alu pots can cause disease. Whether this is true or not, I prefer MSR steel pots, they are easy to clean and beautifully made.



As mentioned here, Scottish midges are mean little gits. DEET can work, but it causes melting of some plastic based clothing, so do not get it on your Bike gear if you wear textiles.

Carrying water is always a good idea too, I use a water bag and a Camelbak so always have lots of fluids is wild camping. As for food, I have to be honest and state that I really hate Wayfarer meals! I carry ingredients so that I can actually make nice camp food, I hate that dried pasta packet stuff, so stocking up with nice food on the way is a good idea.

Hope that this helps, if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

We allways uesed a Givie Wing Rack .Hard panners(Clothes heavey stuff etc) and a tote bag accrose the rear rack.
Stuck the light cooking gear in a magnetic tank bag and the tent accros the front bungied to the mirrors,
Thers some magic triangle to keep the waight in so the bikes stable.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Thanks for the detailed list. On this trip I will be travelling by myself, but in the future I may have the girlfriend with me on these trips (she doesn't ride her own bike). Would you still then recommend soft luggage, despite the reduced pillion room, or is it then better to go for hard luggage?

Also, I noticed you don't have your tent/sleeping bag/etc. packed in that picture, how do you find the room for that? I am a bit against the mirrors idea!

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

A sensible 3 man tent(your need that for 2 of you)are not that big or heavy.
I'll see if I can dig some pics out and.scan them.we did a fair few runs 2 up on the Katana ,ZZR 600 & RF 900.
Found the extra weigh on the front kept it stable(2 up) .All the valuables locked in hard lungage is pice of mind.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Personally I use Oxford First Time throwover soft panniers, a cheap magnetic tankbag, and bungee net everything else over the top of the pillion seat. Tent is a Lichfield Apache 3 man which was 35 quid.

There are no right or wrong answers here, any panniers will do, any tent will do (Vangos and Tescos both in this thread), any sleeping bag will do (just wear more clothes if it's a cheapie), 12v socket can be installed in your dash or lying loose under the pillion seat.

You are going camping in Scotland in summer on a motorbike, not trekking on foot for a month across the Himalayas. You don't need the lightest this or the warmest that, or this brand name or that brand name.

The only important bit, is getting out there and doing it.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Yeah I guess that's the thing, I think the setting it up is the main thing. I don't have many areas on my SV to tie bungees too. Ive had to lock a cargo net under the rear seat usually to secure stuff on the pillion seat.

Noticed you are located in Northampton, I'm studying music here. If you fancy a ride out sometime let me know.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

With regard to hostels,it is a good idea,but the prices have gone up a bit this year in comparison to 2010 [10days about£185approx]. Wild camping in Scotland is free and even some pubs allow you to camp in adjacent grounds.
When I had the SV I used panniers and a tailpack,clothes in one pannier,tent and sleeping bag in the other and my cooking stuff and shopping in the tailpack.Remember it is Scotland so expect rain at some point so although you have luggage wrap it in bin liners before you stow it away.

It may cost a few bob to kit yourself out a decent tent being the priority but you still have all the gear for weekends away,the GM or the AR so it repays for itself in the long run

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

I cut a piece of luggage webbing to the size of my tail unit , plus a couple of inches, with holes for the pillion seat to go through the webbing, take pillion off, put webbing on, clip pillion seat back on to hold it in place. Then you have protected all your paintwork and can put bungees pretty much anywhere you like, including hooking them against themselves underneath the tail unit.

Madlanders tends to cover Northampton, we are quite active in summer for rideouts, when the next one comes up I'll point you in the direction of the thread, would be good to have you along.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

For me, the reduced room on pillion would be uncomfortable, but then I am tall and have a fat back side. The panniers would stick into the backs of my legs and foot peg room is reduced. Not a problem if your lass is small and patient!


My small tent fits in the panniers with the sleeping bag. However, when I was with the wife, she carried the big tent and I carried our sleeping bag, air bed and cooking kit.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net..._1101435_n.jpg

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

simple cheat
MRE's ,yank military rations with self cook sleeves tastey and quick
saves cooking kit all you need is spoon knife and mug, plus you'll prob be hitting the local bar /chippy for food most nights
dossbag, get a good one even if your tents poo a good dossbag will stop you freezing getting drenched and do get a roll matt
binbags do a fair job but kayaking bags are worth there weight in gold
remember your going camping not a world tour be ruthless do you really need that thing if the answers mmmm bin it
they have shops in scotland too so dont pack carp you can buy for the same cash when there (toiletries being the big one)
valueables the only valueables you should have should fit in a small and i mean small daysack that you can easily yomp round all day without issue, eg wallet, satnav, phone, keys, leave the bling at home
as for luggage a expandable tankbag should cover a weekend minus extra boots bungyed to the pillon seat
week add a tailpack
any questions just pm me hth
dave

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Cheers all! A lot to consider, guess I will have to have a ponder and work out the best decision.. :)

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Madlander... will have to check that out. Is there a forum or facebook group or something?

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Most useless piece of advice from Dave to a young un yet.

The above translates in Preston speech. "Why leave a bar with drink, leave when you have emptied it"

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

If your a'rd, all your take is a army sleep system. A Tesco £ 19.99 tent ,wash kit Stove,water bag and bivy tin .3 pairs of pants and t shirts ,socks,.2 fleces (1on,1clean , .)microfiber towl.multi tool and matches .put it in bin liners .then in a rucksack.

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Re: Luggage and camping with SV?
 

Brilliant cheers. Just an update, me and the missus broke up today so looks like I don't have to feature that in the equation in regards to luggage anymore!