Moto Camper

[RedMenace]

I had set up one of my KLRs with a rack to carry my 9 foot tipi

I took it on several campouts and it was fun

but there were a couple of problems:

The 9 footer was really too small to manage a fire properly.
If the wood was wet or the wind backed (frequently encountered conditions in the Pacific North West) the tipi filled with smoke immediately.

Andy and I came home from this winter camp smelling like a couple of smoked hams!

 

[RedMenace]

The rack set the poles up so high that the rig was almost unmanageable in the corners even at very slow speeds.

I sold that tipi and bought a 12 footer

and I replaced the KLR with a Triumph Scrambler.

The shortest poles for the new tipi are 16' long and several of them are longer than that.

I fabricated a rack that puts the poles low, between the bike and the sidecar. It is a simple upright loop of pipe that keeps the poles off the hack body and cradles them on the upper sidecar mounting struts

I was worried I wouldn't be able to fit all the poles on the rack and still leave room for my leg, so I alternated them butt and tip to stack the poles more compactly. To make the poles balance I had to let the skinny ends stick out much farther than the butts.This left considerable overhang fore and aft!

It looks like I have plenty of room to stack them all the same direction so I intend to stack them butt first with the tips trailing. This should make the overhang in front of the bike manageable and the tips will be less likely to break if they drag over bumps. I may be able to lift them at the back of the rack to gain more ground clearance. I will let you know how it works out:rofl

 

[RedMenace]

I restacked the poles so they were all facing the same direction, butt first.

it reduced the overhang by about 7 feet overall and put most of that out back.

The tips are a little higher than the butts and should be a little less likely to snap if they ground.

I took about a 3 mile loop for a test ride. Lots of corners and some hills. Top speed 50mph, cruising and cornering speed 35mph. It handles acceptably well if not exactly "good". It would behoove one to maintain awareness of nose dive when braking and cornering. I am not sure if the poles would act like skid outriggers or a pole vault (catapulting me into the next county) if they grounded hard.

I used 2 Rok Straps to secure the load. I think I should add a ratcheting cargo strap to cinch them down tight and perhaps wrap the anchor rope around them to draw the bundle tight to keep them from migrating. All in all I consider it a successful test. This is doable!

 

[rbirkey]

RedMenace,

Wow, that is some serious outdoor adventure experience with a Scambler! My hat is off to you!

Randy