Motorcycle Camping: What I learned after 8 years on the road

[@STho205]

For the moving motorcyclists I agree on the tent. Quick up, quick down, small. 4lbs/2kg, maybe 7lb/3kg. I use economy 2 person tents, and replace them every 3-4 years. If you bike to one location and stay there a week...then a bigger or fancier tent....but usually I set up in a new spot each night as I'm riding to new areas. At most two nights. Better to focus on the sleep kit. Uncomfortable cold sleeping will make exerything bad.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Agree 100% 🙂👍

[@keithmoule4154]

Thank you for taking the time to shoot this video. Fine work. No attempt to 'sell' the products. Just what works for you. Thanks again.:)

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Anytime!! It s the least i can do

[@babar69110]

Exactly what is needed. No more, no less. Pleasure to see accurate review and give true priceless advice for all new travellers. We all learnt by the hard way until just getting essentials... 😊

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Thanks for the comment mate. Happy to see someone appreciate it

[@PaoloCattaneo]

thanks mate! it took me a while to find the essentials but I think I nailed it after a few years of practice. cheers

[@wolf1066]

That Armadillo bag looks like an awesome idea! Never heard of them before.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Yeah, it s super useful in remote areas! Tough as and weights nothing. Definitely check that out! Www.giantloopmoto.com

[@wolf1066]

@@PaoloCattaneo Cheers for that. I've found a local supplier - which is good, because getting anything shipped to New Zealand from the USA costs an arm, a leg and a sizeable portion of your spleen.

[@byroncrump4390]

Thank Paolo excellent work, finally rec commendations of good quality reasonably priced gear

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Happy to help! Yeah, it doesn’t have to be expensive. But the mattress is very important

[@Saxonpod]

Spot on. Sleeping pad is always number 1. I found this out the hard way. Great video

[@PaoloCattaneo]

It really is! Thanks for watching

[@babar69110]

just got back o some old videos and found back yours. 6'18" is still the best advice new comers could get ;) Even for myself as reorganizing gears for next trip. KISS keep it simple stupid ;) wake up call again is always needed

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Absolutely! Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately we tend to overthink…about everything but at the end we really don’t need much. I appreciate your support mate. 🙂👍

[@riccardoferrauto8625]

🥇best video about camping ⛺️ equipment. Great Paolo, you’re always the best 🔝🤟

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Grazie Ricca!

[@GiantLoopMoto]

Man, those panniers are super cool!

[@PaoloCattaneo]

They are!

[@artycul8artycul869]

One of my favourite camp accessories is an aluminium camp sheet I bought for $6 from Aliexpress. I put it on the floor inside the tent and It keeps it cosy and warm inside. Takes up little room in the kit bag and weights nearly nothing.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

That s exactly right! Perfect technique to save space and money instead of buying bulky sleeping bags or air mattresses

[@tattoomiked4612]

Good info for those getting ready to go. My setup is similar.👍

[@samhill3496]

Good vid.Used similar items the last 45 years.

[@c.a.l.e.b.s]

Been waiting for this from you for sure. Looking forward to watching tonight. Thanks man!!!

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Hope you enjoy!

[@gorongo4202]

Good tips. Travel light, travel far, enjoy the ride. Less gear, for me, means more time riding and exploring.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

That s exactly the point. 🙂👍

[@ohiovetoutdoors]

Fuel bladder is a nice one

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Definitely. And water bladder too

[@rkb3573]

Great video. I have most of that covered, but need to get out more with it. Thanks and be safe.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Thanks 👍

[@TonyaPetero]

like the minimal what you need. food and comfort are extra.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Unless you decide to stay for one week in one spot, you don’t need much to spend the night comfortably

[@jamesoliver565]

Looks like a fantastic day

[@PaoloCattaneo]

It was!

[@ThrottleDownunder]

Awesome work mate I only just discovered you had a KZbin channel. Subbed now 👍👍

[@PaoloCattaneo]

I don t promote it too much i guess. Thanks for stopping by

[@razorwired130]

My rule is I can take whatever I want motorcycle camping as long as it fits in a SINGLE pannier.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

That s a good tip!!! 🙂👍👍👍

[@peer-olafkremer4715]

2:59 The problem with tents is that, when you 6,9’ like I’m, you need a tent and a sleeping bag that’s big enough and so it’s a lot bulkier! 😄

[@PaoloCattaneo]

I m 6.3 mate. I need a 3 people tent if i want to sleep comfortably. Unfortunately for people your size is even more complicated. But you should be able to get something portable anyway.

[@nenadmijailovic7786]

we miss your videos from around the world. best motorcycle trip videos by far. always will be mystery why you dont have much more views. best regards

[@PaoloCattaneo]

The mystery is what keeps me grounded. Ahah i think that subconsciously I don’t want to become too popular. I like to travel and the facts that nobody knows me it allows me to enjoy it in its purest form. Thanks though!!

[@advgirl]

Down bags are the bomb! I camp down to -7 C and down bags have always bee superior to synthetics and they take up so much less space. 👍

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Agree! Quality sometimes pays off. I always carry my space blanket though for emergencies

[@ianthepelican2709]

@@PaoloCattaneo I added a silk liner to mine for extra warmth, it packs down to the same size as your pillow. I agree 100% about the sleeping mat, I also carry a foiled backed foam roll for that little bit extra comfort. Safe travels. 👍

[@Michael-qo8bs]

Thanks for sharing...information was insightful and useful.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davidparsonage1930]

Great job & advice. I am sure many riders have either taken too much or not enough. I guess it depends on your comfort levels & budget too. Even a top quality micro folding chair can cost over £100. I like to research products before buying for peace of mind, eg, durability, quality, simplicity. A two person tent seems to be a rule for lone motorbike riders. But if you have fitted panniers, then you could have a cheap tarp over your bike & have a one person tent? If the wheels/tyres can be cleaned, it may be possible to have a ground sheet under the bike & a tarp over the bike. Under a bridge is an option to stay dry. I am planning to do a road trip to France, Switzerland & Italy(Turin) from the UK in May 2025 over 10 or 11 days. I would like to go wild camping for at least 6 nights and I was thinking of using a hammock because there are a few national parks/woodlands. Is it worth packing a tent & a hammock despite the extra weight? I only plan to do 5 hours of riding per day with one or two stops in between, so I will have plenty of time to set up for the evening. I was only planning to take minimum clothing (3 of everything?) & wash them every other day. How did you wash your clothes? I was thinking of using zipper bags & dissolve tablets in s/s mug with hot water, let it cool down for 12 minutes then shake. I will be dependent on google maps & other apps via my mobile phone, so I need to know how to keep it fully charged most of the time. What do you recommend? I was thinking of buying a tomahawk camping axe for chopping wood etc. Is this a problem at passport control when crossing borders? Thanks again.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

It s worth packing a tent if you can free camp. But it s hard to do it in the alps. No border control at all. You can bring an axe no worries

[@penguinvic9892]

This probably goes against the tips in this YT video on travelling light, but years ago in my long distance commutes over several days, I ALWAYS carried a shoulder bag, that rested on the fuel tank, full of basic amusements. A couple of handheld (academic) computer games 📱; radio 📻 ; portable chess set ♟ with checkers, too; a couple of books 📕; pack of cards 🃏; note book and pencil 📝; etc. Not enough thought is given to basic entertainment until a rider is trapped somewhere due to mechanical trouble or torrential rain, etc.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Absolutely. Everybody has his own style of travelling. There are no fixed rules. Most people these days would use a phone or a tablet for all things entertainment but cards and a small chess set could go a long way especially in a hostel or being stuck with somebody for days. Notebook is a great idea too. I ve filled up several of those 👍

[@penguinvic9892]

@@PaoloCattaneo Thanks for the polite and thoughtful response. Here in Australia mobile phone coverage can be somewhat variable. So I would recommend at least a few small off grid devices that are economical with batteries 🪫. Still recommended is my 1980s Franklin WordMaster dictionary and games, where batteries last and last but the contrast can be upped to get the last bit of power out of them. Brilliantly engineered for its time. Glad to hear also from someone who still thinks there’s a place for the old fashioned note pad and pen/pencil.

[@roebucksadventure]

how do you handle when its raining when you pack up your tent which would be wet? Do you store the rain fly separate when packing up.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

If it s rainy you just pack up and unpack the day after to let it dry, even if you don’t camp. It s always better to let all gear dry up before packing those for longer periods

[@ZebraActual]

Great info! What double-walled camping mug is that ?

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Cheers! I m not sure of the brand but i bought it at the camping store.

[@ZebraActual]

@@PaoloCattaneo no name or mark on the bottom?

[@PaoloCattaneo]

@@ZebraActual wore out completely now! :) ehehe sorry mate

[@ZebraActual]

@@PaoloCattaneo no worries

[@gordonjames8811]

Hi Paolo what recommendations for tools? you would laugh if you seen my sleeping bag now its time i switched to a Denali, thank you very much. Also how big is your fuel bag?

[@PaoloCattaneo]

There s an incredible amount of tools you can carry. Ideally you just need what the oem toolkit comes with. But i used to carry a 32mm socket for my wheels as tensioning the chain is quite a frequent task to do. Aside from this you don’t really need much. You ll find tools everywhere and you are probably not going to take apart your engine in the middle of the desert. Fuel bag is 1 gallon but this is just because I wasn’t crossing big gaps with not fuel. Ideally the 2 gallon one is perfect as you can fill it up halfway and still be alright.

[@chasiu75]

Why does the audio sound digitized and clipping off?

[@PaoloCattaneo]

I was near a noisy road and i used AI to clean it up

[@chasiu75]

@@PaoloCattaneo Thanks, that explains why it sounded strange.

[@garethjones1827]

Sound is poor for some reason? Might be my end..not sure.

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Essential, not poor

[@claudiofranchi8474]

Ciao Paolo, italiano? Un saluto dal Texas

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Ciao Claudio. Si italiano ma fuori dall italia da molto

[@jaimearnau2013]

8 years on the road?! holy shit...Extremely jealous! How do you afford it?

[@PaoloCattaneo]

There a whole debate about it on reddit if you search for it on iama. Long story short, skip a meal, sleep wherever and travel in cheap countries.

[@badsport2008]

I've been all round the world. Seen beautiful things, the glory of nature, so I thought I'd present thieves in front of a brick wall

[@jimsalabim9203]

I don't get it? Thieves?

[@Terran_tino]

👍

[@marcelobybike]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@israelolvera558]

🌞❣️💝❤️💗💖😇⭐♥️

[@mathieutallard6328]

I was glad to learn something but, NO. The fuel bladder can't store gas !!! It's great when empty and folded ! Seriously ?

[@mathieutallard6328]

I need extra fuel all the time. It has to be full all the time but it's not good for storage !! What's the difference between keeping gas or refueling when empty ?

[@PaoloCattaneo]

Most adv bikes are good for 350km so no need to use the bladder all the times.

[@mathieutallard6328]

@@PaoloCattaneo i travel with kinda of chainsaw motor on my bike. I'm good for 30km!