Taking a road trip in july looking a for a single person or two person tent that I can pack on my 2003 sportster. Been looking at backpacking tents but they look really spendy. trip is going to be 530 miles one way.

 

check out the apex 2xt. can probably get it for around $80 on amazon. maybe a little cheaper on ebay. packs down small. great for 1 person plus a bag. nice rain fly.

 

Walmart!

 

REI campdome 2 http://www.rei.com/product/731378 is what I use. Packs small (7 x 22) set up is super easy. And it has already seen a huge downpour with high winds and it stayed dry. It 99 but it is bomb proof and simple. MANY cheap tents will let you down when the rain or wind comes. Mainly this is because of the fabric and the fact that the seams are not sealed on cheaper tents.

I have a medium black duffel (got it on sale for $15)http://www.rei.com/product/795136 that has the tent, a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a stove the pocket rocket. It is on sale right now fro $30 (just got this stove. It is great. Another biker turned me onto to it smaller than a deck of cards) http://www.rei.com/product/660163
It also has a backpack pot, a french press coffee mug from starbucks to make coffee, a bowl, a glass, and fork knife ect. And cause I am a geek a chair that is the size of a wine bottle. http://www.rei.com/product/792007. Not cheap but I love this thing.
I also always key a swiss army on the bike. This is all in the duffle. The stuff that needs to stay dry are in waterprof bags in the duffle (mainly freezer bags)
I strap the bag to the sportie with bungees and have everything I need to camp. I have a backseat on mine so that is where the bag goes but you could strap it to a fender.
Ohh and get yourself a camp towel. They dry quick, hold a ton of water, and are super small.

More than you asked for but thought I would share.

Also super cool thing about REI is their return policy. It is no questions asked and doesn't have a time limit. I take stuff back all the time if I don't like it. I even returned a screen tent after a storm destroyed it. They gave me a new one without asking. This policy alone saves you money. Don't like the tent return it.

 

Liz has some good ideas. A coupla things I'd change...

Instead of bungees, check out the straps wal-mart sells. They're one inch nylon straps with plastick buckles. Not only are they cheap, but they're handy as a shirt-pocket. I used bungees in the past, but finding perfect sizes was always a pain, and they break so easily.

A decent tent like the one liz mentions is mandatory. And a chair is one of those things that you absolutely need but you wont believe it until you're at a party and everyone has a chair but you

For cooking, I use stearno and three metal tent stakes to hold my pot above the can of stearno. Its cheap, light, and works.

Also, if you like meeting new people, you could go minimalist. A friend of mine is a party animal and well recieved by strangers. He carries a tarp and an afghan. He never needs anything else because people are always offering him food/drink/tent space. He's a righteous ****.

 

With this sort of stuff, you get what you pay for.

That said, I'm with Liz: REI is the way to go. I also have a CampDome 2, with footprint. It packs *real* small. REI stuff is real well made. Trust me. I've been using REI gear for over 20 years, for car/bike camping, backcountry treks through Yellowstone, backcountry ski touring, and climbing in Washington and Montana. Stuff works, and is usually about 2/3 of what "name brand" stuff will cost (North Face, Marmot, etc.) And here's the cool part: if you *ever* have an issue with it, you can take it back for a full refund or exchange for as long as you own it. No schitt! (If there isn't an REI near you, buy online.) Plus, REI is a co-op. You get yearly dividends back on your own purchases.

Liz's stove is probably a good one. My stoves are a little more serious because I also use it for winter camping at altitude. I like the Jetboil stuff, but it is pricey.

Certaineed's advice about avoiding bungees is good. I use bungees for strapping a six pack to my Sporty. For road trips, I use regular ol' straps or old climbing rope. Just remember to tuck in your tag-ends.

Well, now that I re-read your post, you only asked about a tent. So I assume you're squared away with all else. I swear by that little REI tent. It's a bit tight for 2, but fine for one, with gear. And, it is light enough for backpacking. If you can swing it, I suggest the footprint, too. Nothing worse that waking up to a wet tent floor because it drizzled in the night and the ground is soggy. A tarp would also do.

 

I also have the MSR dragon but takes up more space so I figured for summer and at sea level I got this one. (Ohh and a car camping one with a grill and a burner that uses propane but that is not for the bike).

 

Thanks for all the replies. I am familiar with REI but most of the stuff I think about from REI is usually $150+. the $99 tent liz posted about looks really good.

I don't need any other gear for cooking but a chair might be a good idea. the Motorcycle destinations I'm going to will be well packed with food and other stuff.

 

Liz the chair you post has a butterfly. I am not comfortable enough to take a butterfly chair to a MC Rally.

 

My experience is that motorcycle chairs don't pack down very small at all not to strap to a sportie.
That is why I like the crazy chair I got. It acts more like a rocking chair but it is comfy. The other thing I have seen people us is camp stools they don't have backs. They are about $20. http://www.rei.com/product/744930