Photos by Jon Beck, Ryan Adams, and Yamaha
One of my earliest camping memories was from a completely unintentional trip. In a remote spot somewhere in the mountains of Colorado, my parents' VW van broke down. As I'm told, my dad hitchhiked to the nearest town to purchase parts, and returned to swap out a failed drive axle on the side of the road. All my 10-year-old brain remembered was how amazing the boulders were to explore during the day, and how nice the environment in the tent was at night.
Motorcycle.com thanks Yamaha for sponsoring this new rider series.
Being stranded on a desolate mountain pass was clearly a problem, but not one I was entirely aware of or had to deal with. I was simply on an adventure. To this day, early experiences like that one seem to have left a profound impact on what perspective means in adventure travel.
By definition, "adventure" refers to an experience or journey with an uncertain outcome. In some cases, like the Colorado story, problems can be the exact thing that lands you in an amazing spot you've never been. That same story also shows that a little preparedness and some travel skills can make almost any spot exactly where you want to be.
Adventure motorcycle camping isn't about perfection or expensive gear. It's about paying attention to small details that can compound over the course of a trip, or a single night. An oddly sloped campsite, poorly placed boots, or a maladjusted rainfly can turn a peaceful evening into a long, frustrating one.
Referring back to the first installment in this series, "Route Planning" is step #1 in choosing a campsite. The type of route you choose, and the nature of the site, depends entirely on the kind of adventure you're looking for. I've navigated single-track passes on adventure bikes through freezing nights and set up campsites at 2 a.m. in the rain. There's a feeling of accomplishment there for sure, however in the context of a "101" series, we'll focus more on enjoyment of travel and camping rather than testing your ability to survive a trip.
In your route plan, if you've already established a known camp spot, great. If you simply have a general area in mind based on travel time for a particular day, a bit more adventure is added to the mix. It can be helpful to establish a buffer zone to determine when you want to start scanning for a campsite. Focusing purely on achieving a specific distance for the day might mean passing up great camp opportunities in the quest for miles.
In looking for a place to stop, you can start with the big picture, and quickly narrow down the options based on smaller details. Start with the wind. It can be less noticeable when you're riding, but it becomes very real when you're lying in a tent at 2 a.m. Look at the terrain: ridgelines tend to catch wind, while dips and tree lines can offer shelter.
Most motorcycle camping tents are lightweight, so you'll feel every gust. Position the lowest, most aerodynamic side of your tent toward the prevailing wind, and use your bike as a partial windbreak if possible. Some areas are well-known for being calm at dusk, and producing gale-force winds during the night. If you're in an area like this, or it's already windy when you've stopped, lashing the tent and other items to your bike can prevent things from blowing away during the night. One important note: any time your bike is positioned near your sleeping area, lean it away from you on the sidestand to prevent the possibility of waking up with a motorcycle on top of you should the sidestand sink into the earth during the night.
Strategically placed rocks or heavier gear items such as tool rolls can help keep a tent in place in areas with high winds.
Before pitching the tent, take a moment to look at the ground. Ants are easy to ignore until they aren't. A patch of dirt that looks fine from standing height might be crisscrossed with tiny trails or small anthills. If you see steady movement, don't convince yourself it'll be fine. It won't. Move on.
Trees can be a double-edged sword. They provide shade, wind protection, and sometimes a convenient place to hang gear. But look up before you commit. Sap can drip onto your tent or bike overnight, leaving a sticky mess that's hard to clean in the field. Branches can creak and fall. Birds and insects tend to congregate above you. Even something as simple as waking up to constant dripping from dew collecting and falling can make the night feel colder and wetter than it should.
Then there's the ground itself. You want it level, or as close as possible. A slight incline might not seem like much when you're standing, but you'll feel it after a few hours of sliding toward one corner of your tent. Lay your sleeping pad out mentally: where will your head go? Where will your feet land? If you're unsure, place a small object on the ground and see if it rolls.
Rocks are another subtle problem. A single small stone under your hip or shoulder can become a nuisance by midnight. Take a minute to clear the area where your body will rest. It's one of the simplest improvements you can make.
Think about your relationship to the campfire. Close is convenient - especially for warmth and cooking - but too close means smoke and sparks, which can damage your tent. Position your tent far enough away to avoid drifting smoke, but close enough that you're not wandering in the dark to reach it.
Water sources are tempting. Camping near a river or lake sounds ideal, and often it is, but there are trade-offs. Some low areas near water can turn muddy overnight, especially if temperatures drop and condensation builds. Mosquitoes can thrive in these zones, and they tend to be most active right when you're trying to relax. Stay close enough for access, but not so close that you're dealing with damp ground and a constant buzzing soundtrack.
Once you've picked your spot, resist the urge to rush through setup. This is where comfort is won or lost.
Lay out your tent with intention. Think about how you'll use the space, not just how it looks when empty. Your gear should have a place, and that place should make sense in the dark.
Using a camp stove inside the shelter of a tent is not recommended, and requires special techniques which can sometimes become necessary in extremely high winds or pouring rain.
Keep frequently used items within arm's reach. Your headlamp, phone, and water should be accessible without fully sitting up or digging around. Less-used gear can go toward your feet or in the vestibule.
If the forecast looks clear, the tent's rainfly might seem like an option. That's a gamble. Aside from the hottest and driest nights, the rainfly can play an important role in managing condensation and cold winds. With it properly vented, you create a barrier that helps regulate airflow.
It also gives you that small but valuable vestibule space. That's where anything dirty or wet can live without invading your sleeping area. It's not just about staying dry - it's about maintaining a clean, organized space inside the tent.
Waking up to wet or icy boots is not a preferred way to start the day.
Boots deserve special attention. Leaving them outside seems natural-until you consider dew, insects, or a sudden change in weather. When tucked under the vestibule area, they stay dry, protected, and easy to slip on if you need to step out during the night.
Lighting in a tent doesn't need to be elaborate, but it does need to be practical. While there are many very cool options for camp lighting, your headlamp provides a great solution for tent lighting even when you're ready to remove it from your head. Most lightweight camp tents have a small compartment or attachment points positioned at the highest point of the sleeping area where you can place a light source.
The diffused light cast downward into the tent creates a sufficiently bright environment, especially once your eyes adjust. Most high-output LED systems have a low-light or red-light mode that can help preserve your night vision if you find the regular mode too bright.
In addition to your headlamp, a tent candle such as one from UCO can be a simple and welcome addition, especially at colder campsites. These compact devices have been around for many decades, require no batteries, and provide a 12-hour low-light source, a degree of warmth, and help reduce condensation inside the tent.
Food at camp doesn't need to be elaborate, but it does need to be intentional. Much like the rest of camping, small decisions here can either simplify your evening or quietly complicate it.
One of the first choices to make is how you want to approach meals. Freeze-dried or boil-in-bag options are hard to beat for simplicity. They're lightweight, require minimal cleanup, and reduce the number of variables at the end of a long day. You boil water, eat, and you're done.
On the other end of the spectrum is stopping at a grocery store before arriving at camp. This opens the door to better meals - fresh ingredients, more variety, and a bit of creativity - but it also adds responsibility. You'll need to think about storage, spoilage, prep time, and cleanup. Neither approach is better; it just depends on how much effort you want to invest when the riding day is over.
Whichever route you choose, trash management is key. Food packaging adds up quickly, and it has a way of spreading across your camp if you're not paying attention. Keep a dedicated bag for trash and store it securely, especially in areas where animals are active. A clean campsite at night is easier to manage than one you have to reconstruct in the morning.
Utensil cleaning is as important as trash management. Even a simple meal can leave behind residue that attracts insects or creates unwanted smells. You don't need a full kitchen setup - just a small amount of water and soap, a quick rinse, and a consistent habit. Clean it right after eating, and it never becomes a bigger task.
If your setup involves a fire, one that's too large wastes fuel and creates unnecessary risk, while one that's too small or poorly maintained makes cooking frustrating. Keep it controlled, keep it purposeful, and always be mindful of local restrictions and conditions. When you're done, make sure it's fully out.
The choice between a camp stove and a campfire grill involves a trade-off between control versus atmosphere, as well as what you're cooking. A stove is predictable. It works quickly, performs the same way every time, and doesn't depend on wood, weather, or patience. A fire, on the other hand, creates an experience. It takes longer, requires more attention, and can be inconsistent, but it's also part of what makes camp feel like camp. Plus, a fire works amazingly well if you've picked up some steaks prior to camp, which have been marinating in your pannier.
When your cooking system matches your energy level and environment, meals become something you look forward to rather than something to manage.
There's one detail that seems trivial until it isn't: your bike key.
At the end of a long day, it's easy to toss it somewhere - into a jacket pocket, a tank bag, or accidentally onto the ground while unloading. Then you move things around, reorganize, and suddenly it's gone.
In the confined space of a tent, that problem gets worse. Soft gear swallows small objects. In low light, everything can look the same.
Pick a dedicated place for your key and try to stick to it every time you camp. Choose a specific pocket in your gear, or an available storage pouch in the tent, or anywhere else that's easily remembered. The exact method doesn't matter, consistency does.
While breaking camp in the morning, after everyone is packed and bikes are warming up, you don't want to be the one who just realized their bike key is safely stored inside their tent, in a pannier.
Once everything is set, you start to notice the difference these small choices make.
The wind might still blow, but your tent holds steady because you positioned and secured it well. The ground feels even because you took the time to check it. Your boots are dry, your gear is organized, and your light is exactly where you need it.
That's really what "Camping 101" comes down to. It's not about mastering the wilderness. It's about reducing friction. Every thoughtful decision removes a small annoyance, and those small annoyances are what can add up to a bad night.
Adventure motorcycle camping is already a balance of freedom and limitation. You carry everything you need on your bike, which means every item, and every decision, matters a little more.
Get the basics right, and the experience opens up. The ride becomes more enjoyable because you're not dreading the night. The night becomes restful instead of something to endure. And in the morning, when you pack up and start the engine again, you're ready for the next stretch, not recovering from the last one.
That's the goal. Not perfection - just a system that works, one campsite at a time. If you don't have to hitchhike to source parts for a broken vehicle, even better.
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