BC motorcycle adventure riding and camping set-up
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    • Oct 25, 2023
    • 4 min read

BC: Riding & Camping Gear 2023

June-September 2023 |


This was my set-up for 3-months of riding and camping in British Columbia, from my home base in Salmon Arm, Shuswap Lake. Much of this gear was bought online in Singapore (Carousell - a great source of barely used, or second-hand but unused gear). I configured my KLR with two set-ups, one for touring using Mosko Moto and Giant Loop bags, and the other with a Kappa Moto Monokey box for around-town running around.

Bike

  • Kawasaki KLR 650 2012. My first bike in Canada (still only bike....), I bought this "pig" for C$4,500 on Kijiji from a seller in Kamloops BC, 14,000 km on the odometer. Overall the KLR has been decent, but it has suffered some issues with carburation (ongoing) and water pump. I am pretty sure both issues derive from it having been in storage with little/no riding for a couple of years. Thus far it's cost me C$2,000 on services in two summers of riding - much more than anticipated when I bought this "bullet-proof" bike. Fingers crossed I do not suffer any further issues in 2024!

Luggage

  • Panniers: Mosko Moto Reckless 80 v2. I bought this set used in Singapore (on Carousell), rode around SE Asia in 2022/23 and summer 2023 in BC. It's excellent, top-quality gear.

  • Tank bag: Mosko Moto Nomax tank bag: I upgraded from a Wolfman Blackhawk (Carousell); gotta say, the Nomax is truly state-of-the-art, it really defines Mosko's attention to detail, design and usability, very well built and provides everything an adventure rider needs fopr close at hand storage.

  • Duffel: Giant Loop Tillamook 48L bag: I used it with the Reckless 80, as a larger-sized replacement for the Mosko Stinger 22; nice to have the extra space, especially for large items like cold weather camping gear

  • Backpack: Osprey 18L something or the other; I put a Gregory hydration pack in it and wear when riding

Box

  • Kappa Moto KFR420B, This box uses their Monokey system, which makes it incredibly easy to add/remove the box on the KLR. When not using, I put the Reckless 80 over the Kappa plate screwed onto the back rack of the bike.

Riding gear

Camping gear

  • Tent: FE Active Escondido (Amazon). This is great 2-man tent, sets up fast, decent quality. Have had no issues with it over 2-summers of use now. The only thing I don't like is the giant "FE Active" brand on the side of the tent (perhaps resulting from some rookie marketing techniques out of China? I am guessing that is the case...).

  • Pad: Klymit Insulated Static V. (Facebook Marketplace) I bought this to replace a cheapo pad I bought on Amazon that was too narrow and sprung a leak. The Klymit is "the real-deal", 1.5 sizes wide, super-high quality. I sleep like a rock on this thing, it's wide enough that I don't roll off when changing position.

  • Chair: FE Active Noosa (Amazon). Another great product from FE Active. Having a chair is a real game changer for camping, and this one has proven to be a much-valued addition to my set-up.

  • Stove: MSR Pocket Rocket stove kit (Amazon). A top-quality, excellent solution. This tiny stove and camping kit is a miracle worker for my dinner and breakfast needs.

  • Pillow: Hikenture (Amazon). I didn't know this when I bought it, but it is a top-rated low-priced pillow. It has been an essential element of my sleep set-up, highly recommended.

  • Ground sheet (Canada Tire): Impulse buy that is the wrong size and shape for my tent. Also does not fit easily fit back into its stuff sack. Should have bought the more expensive MSR rectangular one I was looking at prior to buying this one... (live and learn - never it seems...)

  • Sleeping bag: Hotcore Cooper R-7 & FE Active Ventura. This Hotcore is a great warm weather sleeping back, packs down really small. The FE Active is huge in its stuff sack, too big for moto camping, but it is big and warm.

  • Light(s): I carry a Coleman battery powered light, and a SolarBuddy light (there's an interesting global development story behind this solution; it's something we gave as a gift at the annual CXO conference at my former employer)

  • Zapper: Thermacell MR300. Only tried this thing once, left it on all night, burned all the fuel and matt....

  • Food: Giant Loop waterproof bag

Cloths

  • 2 sets of t-shirts, underwear, shorts

  • Base-layer of long underwear bought at Costco

  • Swim shorts

  • Havanas flip-flops

  • Lululemon training jacket

  • Muji packing cube

  • Oakley glasses & Ray-Ban sunglasses

  • 2XU running hat

  • Uniqlo puffer jacket

Electronics

  • Communicator: Cardo Pactalk Bold headset; this is useful for voice directions when using Google Maps or similar. But that's about it - even with the hyped JBL speakers it is woeful for music, delivering shrill, screechy sound when riding at highway speeds.

  • Phone/GPS: iPhone 12, w/ Quadlock cases

  • Apple Airpods Pro

  • AirTags: on 310gs & Pacsafe backpack

  • Anker 20,000 power brick (I carry it my tank bag, use it mostly for charging iPhone 12 on Quadlock mount)

  • Emergency: Garmin InReach Mini 2

  • Power: Satechi charger (highly recommended, this charger replaces the usual jumble of Apple and other plugs and adaptors, it provides fast charging for multiple devices at the same time)

  • Hardshell case for Macbook and/or iPad (if/when i carry). This is a no-name, low-price case I bought on Amazon in Singapore, it's great for adventure motorcycle touring, highly recommended.

  • Tumi accessory bag most of above goes into.

SIM / Data

  • Virgin Plus. I signed up for a plan at The Source where the staff worked out an amazing package for me as a non-resident.

Accessories

Toiletries

  • Plastic zip-lock bag of basics






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