One poor guy had his exhaust cans pinched off his Ducati, what problems he had on the way home I don't know.
That sort of thieving was going on last time I was at Ricard for the Bol in '92. No such problems at WSB at Phillip Island in 2000 & 2001, but I didn't bother with the tent in '01 as the wind and rain made the Toyota Camry hire car a better option. Coleman 2 man is my biking tent, goes up and down quickly, enough room for 1 plus bike gear. Can get it and enough for a few days away in a Ventura pack.
My cousin got his 916 taken in Assen in 2003. Luckily I could take a pillion and a mate took his luggage, so we got him home ok. A school mate of mine had his brake lines cut and calipers stolen at Paul Ricard.
Gone forever. All he got from the Dutch police was an offer of loss counselling and a crime number for his insurance. The brakes bike, he got it recovered to uk and went and picked it up in a van.
I hate camping when I’m on the bike and normally avoid it at all costs, but on the odd occasion when I’ve had to do it I’ve used this Coleman Phad X2 ,..it does the job very well, compact and comfortable for one person, don’t think they still make this exact model any more? Nice and comfy inside, complete with my old dogs blanket, he’s been long gone now ( that’s him in my avatar, “Buster” a 63kg Rhodesian ridgeback) still has a faint pong of him that reminds me of the big rascal. I take his blanket every time I go camping just for sentimental reasons as it reminds me of the laughs he used to give me, although it was a bit of a squeeze in there for both of us!! Too much hassle camping and biking, would rather pay another few quid for B&B somewhere and sleep in a warm dry bed.
Camping? Nah, fuck that. People with money pretending they’re homeless. I’d do Colonel Gadaffi stylee. Massive fuck off tents that you can walk about in. Y’know, with a bar and pool table maybe
we used one of these in DD racing The bike kept it warm for a bit Good bedroom space and a smaller area for all the bits Easy to put up too When bike is outside you can sit in that area out of the wind
When I was 'a lot younger' I had a long narrow tarp about 6' wide and 18' long which I used to use as a Bivvi. I'd peg one end down, park the bike on it @6' from the pegged down end, peg it down just the other side of the bike to keep it away from the hot engine, then throw it over the bike and peg it down again at around the same place as the other end. Then I slept underneath in a Mummy bag. It used to keep the rain off, and as long as it wasn't windy was more than good enough for a night in a carpark at a beach somewhere. Now modern fabrics mean a 2-man tent rolls up to about the same size as my tarp did then, and is lighter. Nasher
I'd not go camping somewhere big and busy on the bike so never thought of needing a tent to cover it. I use a little 2 man (sleeps 1) with 2 poles but then I'm out all day on the bike, evening in chippy then pub ideally. Only thing I've wanted for in the past is somewhere to stand up but not enough to make me take a bigger tent yet.
Never thought about those tents - with a garage ! Good luck with your travels ! It will be interesting to see where you end up ! Why not I suppose. It might get very hot in there in the South of France in the summer. Did quite a lot of motorcycle camping. Some fantastic scenery - making cups of tea and cooking on a Trangia - ace. Not so good when on the move everyday as it takes ages to pack up and get gone. A cheap B&B - even a leisurely start after a shower and some breckie - and you can be on the road by 9.00 am easy. Also got a bit fed up lugging heaps of luggage around ! Had couple of Hillebergs - they are very weather proof but still living on the floor, no standing room.
