Here is our Motorcycle Camping Gear Checklist to help you make sure your next road adventure goes off without a hitch. There's nothing like the freedom of the road followed by a night under the stars. Don't dampen it by forgetting some important gear at home. This gear checklist covers just about everything you will need to make your trip a success.
Be safe, don't overload your bike. This motorcycle camping gear checklist is for reference only and lists a lot of items. You DO NOT need everything on this list. Pack only the essentials plus anything else you might want for your trip.
We made a handy printable version of this motorcycle camping gear checklist just for you.
Motorcycle Camping Gear – For the Road
- Appropriate Riding Clothing (helmet, boots, socks, protective clothing, gloves, jacket, rain gear, gaiters, scarf)
- Saddlebags, tank bags or other gear storage container
- Bungee cords or tie-down straps (to secure things to the bike)
- Bike lock
- Bike cover
- Visor Cleaner and cloth
- Motorcycle maintenance kit
- Mechanic’s gloves
- Small Flashlightor headlamp
- Owner’s manual
- Basic toolkit
- Multitool
- Tire repair kit (patch/plug kit, spare tubes, tire removal tools, tire iron)
- Air compressor or Co2 inflator
- Chain oil
- Motor oil(and funnel)
- Cleaning rag
- Spare light bulbs
- Spare fuses
- Spare keys
- Spare bolts
- Electrical wire
- Duct tape and zip ties
- Windshield cleaner
- Roadside safety vest and/or visibility items
For At The Campsite
- Tent (with stakes and guy lines)
- Tent footprint
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping bag liner
- Sleeping Pad
- Pillow (or multiuser item to use as pillow)
- Folding Chair or camp stool
- Water bottle
- Water storage container
- Water purification method if necessary (Filter or purification tablets)
- Camp knife
- Axe or saw
- Fire starting Kit(matches, lighter, ferro rod)
- Rope (clothes line, hanging bear bag, setting up tarp and more)
- Dry bags
- Survival kit (when not using main roads or campgrounds
Miscellaneous
- Daypack
- Compass
- Headlamp or flashlight (and a backup)
- Lantern
- Extra batteries
- Duct tape
- Repair kit (sewing kit, superglue, patches, tent pole brace)
- Emergency blanket
Personal Items
- First-Aid kit
- Personal medication
- Water bottle
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Toilet Paper
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Contacts or glasses (and glasses case)
- Lip Balm
- Soap and Shampoo
- Shower Bag
- Cleaning wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Mirror
- Camp towel
- Insect repellant
- Hairbrush/comb
- Earplugs and/or eyeshades
Kitchen Gear
- Camp stove (and method to light the stove)
- Fuel for camp stove
- Windscreen
- Cooking pots and pans(with handle or pot grabber)
- Cups and mugs
- Plates and bowls
- Cutlery (spoon, fork and knife)
- Cooking utensils (spatula, spoon, knife, whisk)
- Measuring cups
- Dish soap
- Garbage bag
- Dishcloth
- Pot scrubber
- Dishtowel
- Paper towels
- Food storage bags (resealable)
Optional Kitchen Gear
- Cooking grill
- Coffee/espresso maker
- Can opener
- Bottle opener
- Cooler
- Portable Sink
- Thermos or vacuum bottle
Clothing items
- Sun hat
- Rain jacket and pants (or poncho)
- Warm gloves
- Underwear
- Moisture-wicking Shirts (short and long sleeve)
- Quick-dry Pants
- Quick Dry Shorts
- Socks (non-cotton)
- Swimwear
- Hiking shoes or boots (depending on environment)
- Sandals, camp shoes or water shoes
- Insulated fleece or sweater
- Warm pants
- Cold weather hat and neck warmer
- Bandanna
- Sleepwear
Information and Documents
- Maps
- Passports
- Memberships (AAA, park pass, registration, etc),
- ID
- Drivers license
- Insurance
- Money (cash and cards)
- List of phone numbers
- Pen and pencil
- Paper or notebook
Electronics
- Cell phone
- GPS
- Radio
- Alarm clock
- Camera (with spare memory cards)
- Chargers for devices
- Extra batteries
*Featured Photo copyright CDamian, 2011. (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Did we miss anything on our Motorcycle Camping checklist?
It's impossible to think of everything when it comes to packing. Did we leave anything off that is an essential item on your motorcycle camping gear list? If we did, please let us know by leaving a comment below and we'll make sure to add it to our camping list.
I enjoy spending time outdoors during the summer. My friends and I would take our camping gear, drive up th the foot of the nearest hiking trail, set up our tents and sleep under the stars. It’s an amazing experience.
We hear you. There’s nothing better than riding and then sleeping in the open air.-
Some of these things you can remove like a mirror in your hygiene bag you bike has two and can be easily removed in an accident. Weather permitting should be a factor on this list. A scarf isn’t needed in July anywhere. If possible multi use items should be recommended I.e. a mag light of any size can be converted into a lantern very easily, soaps like hemp spas can be used for your body and your dishes, safety wire over zip ties since you can’t use zipties on anything that gets hot, and a motorcycle has plenty of those places! I’d replace a sleeping bag liner with a Mylar blanket, 1/10 the space and has several uses like collecting water, wind/heat protection and insulation, signaling and shelter. I suggest motorcyclists that carry tool rolls carry both metric and standard because we aren’t the only motorcyclists on the road and we don’t leave each other stranded(only if you feel it’s safe) 550 cord is a must for tarp/tent lines not to mention luggage securing, clothes lines, hell I’ve used it to change a tire before. A small wind up radio with emergency channels isn’t a bad idea in Forrest fire areas. Multiple ways to start a fire is a good idea. I carry waterproof matches in a sealed container, a bic lighter inside my jacket, and a sparker in my saddle bag. I know I said go lighter but some things are more important like fire, shelter, food, and first aid. One of those tiny survival tins isn’t a bad idea and packing a small knife inside the tin vs on your person is a great idea. If you wreck you don’t need that folding knife in your pocket opening up while you slide and roll or tumble and roll! Adding bleeding to a broke collar bone or femur isn’t going to help anything. Wool socks with dress socks under them will keep your feet dryer but keep your nose back when you peel them off. Gold bond medicated travel size will help. I was U.S.Army infantry for 6 years and we lived in our boots. Sleep in your boots wake up peel them off change socks and do it again! Gold bond is the only reason I still have feet! If you are doing day rides and a set camp don’t over pack with food, ride to a grocery store every few days and while there dump your trash if it’s not a set location the same rule can apply just have to hunt for them. Saves you from eating freezes dryed everything for a week on your trip(it gets old and expensive fast) I try to lay out everything I’m bringing and my bags then I grab A throw blanket we have on the couch I pack all my stuff into the bags and then add that blanket. The blanket then gets taken out so I have filler space for a gatoraid and some food for stops on the trip. Ever get all packed down with stuff “you need” then stop and ummm?????? Where am I gonna put that???? So you chug it and get 30-45 up the road and have to piss again….. didn’t rehydrate by chugging it just made yourself have to pee more! Shelter is easy with a tarp from just cover you size to the tap Taj Mahal. Room for a pool table, a guest wing and three bedrooms, 2 baths….. no matter the size remember cross bracing the tarp prevents that rain from while you were sleeping from turning into a very cold wet wake up at 4am. The larger the tarp the more cross bracing you’ll want. Small one line across, little larger and X with paracord and a knot in the center. The 3bd design you’ll was 4 north to south and 4 east to west with knots on each by making a slight V with your water bottle tether to the edge of the tarp you’ll have water to drink in the AM just from the morning dew. Also dig a channel from the highest elevation around the tarp. If it rains it round around you not under your sleeping pad/bag. Well wish you all the best on your Moto travels and life, hope to see you out there rubber side down.
Wow Matt, you obviously enjoy (and know a lot about) motorcycle camping. Thank you for your generous insight on this great pastime we love so much.
Trying to buy gifts for a guy who recently got an adventure bike. He has most things but needs camping utensils and cutlery. I know space is tight when packing up. Any that you recommended that are compact but high quality?
Hi Lauren, thanks for reaching out. When it comes to utensils you can’t go wrong with Titanium. Titanium a super lightweight material but is also extremely durable. I use a set very similar to this one from Amazon and absolutely love it. https://amzn.to/3qaYDiR. If you want something even more compact you can go with combo sets where the fork and spoon are combined. Like this one. https://amzn.to/3rAwDp2. I hope you find this answer useful. And wish your friend happy and safe camping from us at Motorcycle Camping Guide.
I agree with the other poster about backing off on alot of the stuff you have here. I rode the Trail of Tears solo a few years ago, and then took my grand-daughter on a 6100 mile road trip solo the next year. I found that a bunch of the stuff I took with me on that first trip was unnecessary, and I have honed my stuff down tremendously. I ride an 05 ultra classic now, and can pack everything in the trunk/saddle bags, and not even have to use the back seat if necessary. I traded in my tent for a hammock (honest Outfitters $29), the sleeping bags for under/over quilts (UGQ, pricey, but packs down to the size of a cantelope and rated to 0F), have bug net and rain tarp for sleeping (amazon… less that $60 for both) . I did lot of research on equipment that backpackers take, and though I don’t normally use the ultralight stuff, I do like things that pack small. I carry a small non stick frying pan, a jetboil mighty mo stove, and some fit together pots that the stove and gas fuel packs into (again Amazon). I bit the bullet after wasting money on several different pieces of equipment for more effecient things such as a silky saw gomboy, Schrade sch52m, gerber strongarm… This is all you will ever need for firewood on the mc. I have several ferro rods in various places, never leave home without fire making ability. Smoothie straws cut to size and resealed make fabulous waterproof containers for a variety of small things including spices, saline solution, pain relievers, etc… Wallet with id, cards, money, and other small have to get to items like lip balm goes in the windshield bags, and I have a cheap aluminum frame cup holder mounted on the handle bars along with a cell phone holder that will charge my phone while I ride. Both these last items are also equipped with “seatbelts” to keep my yeti, and my phone from hitting the highway. Packing cubes are wonderful for keeping things of a feather together. I have left out some of the things that goes with me, but for the most part, You are going to be either traveling through a town, or close enough to town where you can pick up small things that arise. Funny thing… When I first started riding, my husband would tell me I was packing too much stuff… Now it’s the other way around! WHEN he’s lucky enough to get to go with me. Happy motoring!!
Thanks for the great write up Gerri. We fully agree that our list contains more items than necessary, but we wanted to be thorough and let people decide for themselves if an item is worth lugging around. Enjoy the road.
To the gentleman who said no needs a scarf in July – you do know that the earth had two hemispheres don’t you? For us, July is mid winter.
A book to read