Go Big and Ride Small

[Godspeed]

My (new) small bike , collected it today . 45 years old and still fairly original ...........

IMG_0964.JPEG

That looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun…. Tell us more about it. How old? And more importantly how many mirrors will you be adding

[boboneleg]

Hi Chris, it's 1978, 2 stroke , 6v electrics , 4 speed and no indicators. Only 1 mirror will be added otherwise it will stay exactly as it is

[Godspeed]

Love it!!

[catcitrus]

nice Bob--a lot lighter than the Burgman 400 I had!--even a spare wheel I see. Just a chrome rear rack and you are ready to tour. Very popular in France and plenty of group rallies here in the UK.

[Magnusson]

YouTube has just suggested that I get down with it.

[Godspeed]

Took the PCX125 on another camping outing.
It was just down to Devon on a 241 mile round trip.
I really wanted to test out my new tent, a decathlon MT900 Forclaz ultralight. 3 person and only 2.3kgs so I can get my tent, sleeping bag and roll mat under the seat. Ideal for camping adventures.

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[ErikGustav2]

Excellent with that storage under the seat.

I also prefer 3 person tent. They count small spaces per persons
=> Half the tent for sleeping. The other half for riding gear and some other items.

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What roll mat do you use ?

[Godspeed]

I think my tent gets bigger with age.
Gone are the days when I could sleep comfortably in a Bivi bag

I’ve got an Alpkit Cloudbase, basically an inflatable mat with a waffle design. It’s lasted me a few years now and though very poor for insulation it’s pretty good until the temperatures drop below 0.

https://alpkit.com/products/cloud-base

[ErikGustav2]

=
I’ve got an Alpkit Cloudbase, basically an inflatable mat with a waffle design. It’s lasted me a few years now and though very poor for insulation it’s pretty good until the temperatures drop below 0
=

Look good. Down to zero is enough. And pack small and is light.

I tried a simple self inflating one from Sweden.
https://www.handelsboden.com/catalog/pr ... g-exklusiv

The valve cover (to close the valve) was plastic and broke fast.
I had to make a home made plug of wood to survive that weekend


I bought a "self inflating" one from Therma rest for my South American Tour. It was expensive but lasted only one month. Then I went to a supermarket and bought a cheap and simple one. Of the type I have used most of the times before. And it worked well. But bulky

I am still using that simple type. Wide, comfortable. But takes a lot of space.
https://jysk.se/utemobler/luftmadrasser ... 0xl190xh23

I am thinking of an investment.
But I do not know what to buy. I have to do some home work.

=

When we use camping regular, it is worth to pay for good stuff.
When you do not pay for hotel room.

[Magnusson]

I am still using that simple type. Wide, comfortable. But takes a lot of space.
https://jysk.se/utemobler/luftmadrasser ... 0xl190xh23

I had similar size one from Jysk, also inflatable pillow. Small 12 volt blowerfan to inflate. Used the cigarette lighter output in the bike. The mattress sprang a leak at the ABR festival, so I left it in a bin there. Thinking about replacing it with the same. It's only a tenth of the price of those fancy ones. Comfortable to sleep on. Roll it up with the sleeping bag and it's not that bulky.
Realistically im getting too old for camping using tents small enough to fit on a bike. Hotel beds are so much better for sleeping than any air mattress. Plus AC, a real toilet and a shower, or even a bathtub. And you can dress standing up or sitting in a chair. Not laying on the ground. If i go to the ABR next year I'll probably try to arrange a nearby Hotel or Airbnb.
On the other hand camping is special. You get closer to nature than any hotel room can offer. I recently stayed at the "Pigs Place" campsite. A motorcycle friendly campsite with awesome atmosphere and a great service. Including bar and breakfast. They even charged my Zero overnight. Places like that are great example of how good camping can be. Quiet, clean air, and start the next day with full stomach and fully charged bike.