Motorcycle Camping on an XS650

[Gordon in nc]

Oh.....the bike handled GREAT with that load......solid as a rock. MUCH better with the Yamaha bags than the cooler bags. I guess I can contribute that in part to the fact that I kept most of the weight at the bottom of the bags and they're mounted lower than the cooler bags. I'm as happy as a little girl at the way it turned out.

Gordon in NC

 

[Michaelo]

Love it, great pictures Gordon. I was really taken aback this morning when I had a FaceTime call from a friend in Savannah GA (they are originally from Macon GA where there are some mountians), I did work there a couple of years ago travelling from AU to Savannah, then to Charlotte NC, up to Pittsburgh PA then over to Salt lake city then home. Did that run a few times and fell in love Savannah in the process.
Would kill for some grits, the menu looks great and the camping spot also looking good. It's your summer so why the rain?

Mick

 

[Michaelo]

You gota help me out here....I'm not good at math and not a good reader either. (getting old is not any fun) What kind of actual gas mileage did you get? Unloaded I get close to 50 miles per gallon with my XS650 but with the load I was carrying this past weekend that was down closer to 43 miles per gallon.

Gordon, don't be concerned about the math, as long as you've got the gas to get you where your going "what the heck"

Now you have given me a math workout...litres to miles, US gallons to litres and now I am really muddled up...

What I can say is if i have this right my worst burn is 1.56 US gallons for 50 miles...

So based on that it should be 32 miles per gallon?

I had to do these metric to inches conversion on the fly when I was in your neck of the woods, completely forgotten now...and its only been a couple of years......

 

[Gordon in nc]

Morning Mick.....I'm going to be getting up early all week for work. But at least nobody is bothering me right now so I can play a little.

RAIN????? Good Lord Mick here on the East Coast of the US.....it rains all the time during the spring....summer starts here the 20th of this month and we'll see PLENTY of rain then too. THAT'S why when you see photos of this place....it's GREEN.
When you look at our mountains (on the East coast) for the most part they are covered with vegetation......mountians on the West coast aren't as much.

I love all of the USA but West of the Mississippi River the color green starts to change. IMHO

Savanah is an interesting city......love the river front, the history and the fresh seafood.

If you don't mind, please tell us more about that place in your first photo.......the one with the beautiful water behind the bike. I've always wanted to visit your part of the world and shots like that sure make a man want to stand in that spot.

I guess your starting to have your winter........that is so hard for me to wrap my head around. I've not seen much of this world....something I'll probably regret one of these days.

I'll post some more photos and finish my camping yarn later tonight when I get back home.

Take care........Gordon in NC, USA

 

[weekendrider]

Not everyone is kudzu covered Gordon.

 

[Gordon in nc]

Not everyone is kudzu covered Gordon.

Okay......that's a good point!!!!!!! I'd like to send that AND the stink bugs back to where they came from.

Gordon in NC

 

[Gordon in nc]

Note to self:

Research new mufflers....looking for something a bit quieter...I'm sure the ones I have are worn out.

Research new shocks...been down this road (pun intended) many times...shouldn't be hard to find.

Do not forget to take Baby Powder.....helps you not feel so sticky when your trying to get to sleep and doesn't do you any good if you leave it on the shelf at home.

Mounting new tires made a WORLD of difference in the way the bike handled the mountain roads. Old, hard tires are never a good idea but they filled in while I fell in love with the bike....so they served a purpose....and are now retired to the trash bin.

Next up......XS11 Rally in September....be ready for it!

I'll finish the camping yarn tonight.

Concrete trucks are showing up......time for work. Don't ya just hate it when work gets in the way of fun?

Gordon in NC

 

[Michaelo]

If you don't mind, please tell us more about that place in your first photo.......the one with the beautiful water behind the bike. I've always wanted to visit your part of the world and shots like that sure make a man want to stand in that spot.

I guess your starting to have your winter........that is so hard for me to wrap my head around. I've not seen much of this world....something I'll probably regret one of these days.

I'll post some more photos and finish my camping yarn later tonight when I get back home.

Take care........Gordon in NC, USA

Hi Gordon,

Truly is paradise here, our winter here is on now, I am still getting around in shorts....will look for more pictures. Dingo beach is nice, I race sailboats (my other passion), the water is usually that color. We have 74 islands in the Whitsunday group of islands and Airlie beach is a departure point for the tourists to get to some of the inhabited ones as well as the Great Barrier Reef,

Dingo on a chart

Looking from the mainland South

 

[Gordon in nc]

Mick.....that is breathtaking. I've seen lots of photos from your part of the world but none with that aspect.....amazing.

One of these days..........................a man can only dream.

I'm working some very strange hours right now ( I'm a commercial construction superintendent) and went to bed just as soon as I got home yesterday....but will try to do better tonight and finish up my camping yarn.

You guys and girls take care and we'll see ya in a bit.

Gordon in NC, USA dreaming of camping under the stars in a far off land on the other side of the world.

 

[Gordon in nc]

I'm going to try this from work and I'm not sure how it will turn out....but here goes.

There were folks in the campground that had nothing to do with the event....they were just there for the lake. Here's one of them. A nice vintage travel trailer, dating back to the late 40s early 50s.

Most of the time we have 6-10 folks show up but this time around there were only 4 of us camping and one fellow who was in a cabin off site with another visiting just for the day. Slim pickings but still a nice group. I have another group of friends across the campground that I visited with throughout the weekend. I kinda laugh when I hear some of the XS folks complain about vibration.........you outa ride some of this British Iron I have in the shop and then you'd be happier with what you have. This is an example of a real life bobber......from back in the day. Wanta guess what it is? I couldn't help but laugh at the wooden "stand" next to it. I built a dozen of those around 10 years ago and gave them away as gifts.......that one has seen a LOT of use and from the amount of oil soaked into it.....I'd say they have been mostly Brit,

Well we had a small group but we did have a couple of special visitors.

Yep, our very own Marty....and his lovely daughter paid us a visit. Nice folks and I swear Marty has been EVERY WHERE......at least in a 300 mile circle from where we were sitting....if you mentioned a place you'd been....he remembered to color of the walls in the bathroom. Very impressive. Here's a shot of his nice XS11

I don't remember how many miles he said he has on it......but it was a LOT!!!!!!

I've always been told that some people thought of the XS650 as a copy of a Triumph so I made sure i got a shot of the two together.

I'm getting a little random here and this post isn't put together very well.....I wanted to get back to the camping part of this so here's a shot of my sleeping set up.....NEVER leave home without it. Air mattress, pillow, and sheets.....almost like home.

I told you I had several options for the ride home. It looked like it was going to rain on me all the way back so I waited until the last minute to decide which way to go. In Franklin, NC I could go ahead and run to the super slab or turn onto Hwy 64 and head for the mountains. When I got to that intersection......I took my chances and headed to the mountains and I was glad I did. The rain held off and those roads are SO MUCH more fun. This is a spot that I have stopped at and taken a photo of every bike I've riden through there on......this was the first time i'd had the XS up there so I just had to stop.

Most of the time you can drive under the waterfall and it makes for a great photo. Seems like the rocks have become unstable and you can't do that any more.

Okay that's about it.....I'll try to do better next time. You folks have a GREAT summer (and winter on Mick's side of the world) and I hope to get to meet some of you throughout the year.

Take care, Gordon in NC

 

[Gordon in nc]

Alright.....since so far nobody has ventured a guess at what my friend's bike is.....here's an easier one.....first right answer gets a round on me.

Who does this gear belong to?????

Love the helmet....for several reasons.... but one is, it doesn't look like it's part of a space suit.

Gordon in NC

 

[jetmechmarty]

There were folks in the campground that had nothing to do with the event....they were just there for the lake. Here's one of them. A nice vintage travel trailer, dating back to the late 40s early 50s.

I believe that is a 1948 Spartan Mansion.

Marty has been EVERY WHERE......at least in a 300 mile circle from where we were sitting....if you mentioned a place you'd been....he remembered to color of the walls in the bathroom. Very impressive. Here's a shot of his nice XS11

I don't remember how many miles he said he has on it......but it was a LOT!!!!!!

It has about 85,000 miles on it. I'm far more traveled than you think. I've seen a great deal of the planet. If you're going to be stuck some place, you're stuck in one of the best places.

I used to be a flight mech on this or a 767. It got me around. The tent is better for sleeping.

 

[fredintoon]

Alright.....since so far nobody has ventured a guess at what my friend's bike is.....
Gordon in NC

Hi Gordon,
I don't have to guess.
It's a late '40s/early '50s Single cylinder Ariel.
Either a 350 or a 500.
The Ansty link rear suspension is a dead give-away.

 

[Gordon in nc]

Hi Gordon, <snip> The Ansty link rear suspension is a dead give-away.

You know Fred......that is one weird set up for sure. Just standing there trying to figure out how it works is a puzzler.

The bike is as restored as my friend's going to do it. Runs well but without a head gasket (what were they thinking?) it does leak a little oil until it gets warmed up. Typical Brit...ya gota love em. I love the exhaust note.....and the look.

I owe you a beverage of your choice when our paths cross.....which I hope happens one of these days....the sooner the better

Take care.......Gordon in NC

 

[Gordon in nc]

I believe that is a 1948 Spartan Mansion.

Can you imagine how bummed he (or she) was when they jack knifed it? OUCH!!!!!!


85,000 miles.....that is amazing and says a lot about that model Yamaha.

Gordon in NC

 

[fredintoon]

You know Fred......that is one weird set up for sure. Just standing there trying to figure out how it works is a puzzler. - - -

Hi Gordon,
the Ansty Link was Ariel's solution to the British bike builders' problem "How can we add rear suspension to a rigid frame without actually changing anything too much?"
Triumph came up with the disastrously unsafe Sprung Hub that allowed them to use their rigid frame unchanged, Norton & BSA settled for a small re-design of their rigid frame to add plungers, AMC, Royal Enfield and Velocette bit the bullet and built new swingarm frames but Ariel went a different way.
Their suspension used a plunger forging very similar to that on a BSA but the plunger sliders didn't hold the axle directly.
The plunger slider had a pivoting link with the axle going through it's rear end and another link that pivoted on it's front end then going down to pivot on the frame.
In theory the linkage let the bike's rear axle move in an arc centered on the gearbox sprocket.
In practice this was only true until all those little bushings got a little bit worn.
After that, the axle just flailed up and down like on a worn out plunger frame.

 

[Gordon in nc]

That is a very good description Fred. To me it looks like they stuck a tiny swing arm on the end of the plunger.

My dad who passed recently is the one who got me into motorcycles.....that man could fix anything. He ALMOST never threw anything away and had a knack for making do. He was from Scotland and was from a different mold......and time.

He used to ride clapped out Douglas (growing up in Scotland)....and worked 3 miles from home and he says he had to push it a mile to get it going in the morning. He also told me "They ruined motorcycles when they put swing arms on them" I got my start handing him wrenches and holding the flashlight. Guess he's why I will always have a soft spot for the Brits.

My how time flies. You take care......Gordon in NC

 

[jetmechmarty]

Gordon,

I look at the compact load on your bike and I find it hard to believe you make such a comfy camp from that. How big is the air mattress? The tent? I have a lot of that stuff, but what I have would never begin to pack that small. I'd be interested in more details when you have time.

 

[Gordon in nc]

Gordon,

I look at the compact load on your bike and I find it hard to believe you make such a comfy camp from that. How big is the air mattress? The tent? I have a lot of that stuff, but what I have would never begin to pack that small. I'd be interested in more details when you have time.

Marty my friend.....you better be careful what you ask for Once you get me started it's hard to stop me. BUT.....ya'll have an ignore option you can use.

My two wheel camping started back in the late 60's when I was in the service stationed in Southern California. Back then we'd just throw a sleeping bag on the bike and stuff some bits in our pockets and off we'd go. Happy as a clam and not a care in the world. There have been times I've dumpster dove to pull out cardboard so I could stuff it down my pants legs and shirt front to ward off the cold. I remember one morning near Big Bear when me and my sleeping bag were covered in snow when we woke up. Live and learn they say.

Fast forward to the 80s and I spent a LOT of time on a bicycle ( I know, looking at me now it's hard to tell) I have a pedal bike hanging in the garage that has over 25,000 miles on it. I used to camp off of it and the tent I had at the XS11 rally is the very same one I used back then.....yep it's over 30 years old. It has only been wet ONCE in all that time because I learned how to be a "blue tarp" camper.

This is going to take a little time so bear with me here. I pretty much use just two types of shelter ( I call them shebangs ) I hate having to sit inside a tent while it rains outside....I like to camp under cover so I always have a "sort of" dry space to live in.

I did this photo thing a few years ago for another forum but will see if I can run through it again. It's going to take a bit so hang in there.

To get started......the tarp. I found that a 12'X16' works best for me. For the life of me it NEVER does fold up as small as it does the first time you open it but it still is small enough to not take up much space but big enough to get the job done.

Then I use these cheapo extending poles.....I need 5 of them and they are the biggest pain to haul because of their length.

Good stakes.....these are cheap but I find they work well. I take 12

And I bring plenty of rope......para cord 1100 is my favorite. (not pictured)

The first shelter (shebang....look it up) I'll show is a quicky......if you're not spending the weekend or if it's raining when you ride in. This shelter can be put up in 5-10 mins tops.....and have you and your gear in the dry.

First you need to figure out which way the wind is blowing, most of the time that's not hard to do (orange arrow is the wind direction)

Wait......let me back up a bit and show you what we're going to be using. For camping I wouldn't have a tape measure and the hammer is swapped out for a small hatchet.

Back to the first photo.....lay out the 12'x16' tarp 12' side toward the wind. Stake down the corners and the middle along one end (three stakes total)

Now you move up approx 10 feet and stake out the other side. Both corners and the middle along the other end (three stakes total)

No need to use any rope on this quicky job......just the stakes through the grommets.

So now you have the tarp staked down at both ends with the slack in the middle. No need for a tape to measure 10 feet......most of our feet are close enough to 12" so you can just step it off.

to be continued............................

 

[Gordon in nc]

What you're going to end up with is a simple A frame shelter. You need to use a "ridge line" between two of your extending poles and you need to have this already made up.......a single line with a loop at each end....so when you tension the two poles your putting the tension on the ridge line instead of the cheap tarp. (an important step or the grommets will fail)

Your middle is at 5' from an end. You place a stake at the center and 5' away from the tarp. Slip the ridge line over the top of the pole (not shown yet) and then the tarp and your guy rope (important step) goes OVER the tarp an onto the top of the pole.

A simple truckers knot works for me for tension but for now you don't pull it too tight.

Go around to the other side and do the same thing, ridge line, tarp, guy (important order)......then tension it up.

Shot showing the order.....ridge line, tarp and then the guy line.

Yep a simple A frame.

With enought room for you, your bike, a camp chair and a tent. (sorry the bike isn't an XS)

Bike and chair first (remember it's raining and you want to be out of it when you set your tent up).....

Then the tent....(shown is a VERY cheap Wal-mart version....but still big enough for a twin sized air mattress) That's an 6'x8' ground sheet.

See why it's inportant to know which way the wind is blowing?

and Bob's your uncle.....

I did not use a ridge line in this set up.....my mistake and you can see how much the ridge sags....in the next set up I use it and you can tell the difference.

Note: these two set ups are shown free standing.....adding trees (thank God for East Coast campgrounds) makes this even simpler. I've got this one down to 5 mins tops.....start to finish.

Next up......"the weekender"......my favorite and most used.


To be continued..................................