When I travel alone I use a memory foam (aka comfort foam) pad. Very comfortable, inexpensive, and doubles as a great backrest on the bike.

When traveling with the wife we pull the pop-up tent trailer.

 

Eureke 2 man tent,stuff type sleeping bag,1/2" air mattress
peak 1 stove,cup,plate and cooler.

traveled that way for 20+ years...
I ended up putting the bike in the tent so I figured it was time to get a motel room now.

The cost to "rent" a spot is almost as much as a room anymore...

 

We have been camping for years but not motorcycle camping yet. I can also highly recommend the Thermorest pads. Canales also make a knock off. The best part is self inflating. Open the valve and go do something else come back and give it about two puts of air for firm and you are done. I bet ours are 12 years old and still work perfidy.
Jeff

 

There is NO extra room on our Sporty for camping gear, lucky to find room for a change of undies. Saddle bags are taken up with rain gear for riding. Actually we do have a bag on the back but no extra room. Besides my wife calls motorcycling the camping of driving. At the end of the day she says get me a room, so that's what we do.

 

hammock
sleeping bag
tarp
can't beat it and your up off the ground

 

When the wife and I have a lot of ground to cover, we usually motel it. It's more hassle and more time than it's worth to set up and take down the tent for one night. But, when we get to a spot where we will spend a few days, we set up camp, then use that as a base for day rides around the area.

Last year we did a trip from CA to Texas. Did 6-700 miles a day, hit a motel for the nite, then another 6-700 mile day. Got to our destination in the Hill Country and set up camp for a 8 nights. Great campground on the lake, clean, hot showers 25 yards away. Rode around the beautiful Hill Country every day, anywhere from 100 to 300 miles a day. Same thing on the way back, a couple 6-700 mile days, 2 nites in motels.

Altogether, 4 nites in motels, average $100/nite = $400.00. + restaurant food. 8 nites camping @ $12.00/nite $96.00, plus we cooked most of our meals in camp, lots cheaper than restaurants.

 

bluehighways, ref your picture on post 29, wasn't it a little unnerving being in a tent where you had to lock your food up in a bear proof locker?

 

Here's my take on motorcycle camping

here's what i used on my 09' sturgis trip:

tent.....Kelty grand mesa 6,pack size is 27"x9",weight: approx 13 pounds.
The tent is a 3.5 season tent,very well vented,full to the ground rain fly
stand up height of 5'10",a 6 person tent, foot print of 9'2"x10'10"
plenty of room to unpack the bike,change clothes,place to hold up during
bad weather,and walk in size door(no crawling into on hands and knee's)

air mattress: Exped Synmat9 pump 77.5"lenghtx26' width,3.5" thick and very comfy
pack size 11"x7"

sleeping bag: kelty rated for 35 degree's,pack size 20"x10"

blue tarp for ground cover 8'x10'

(2) standard size pillows,put into a vacum donw bag (really compressed the size down)

all of this packed into my king tour pak

HD pillion(rear seat) bag: packed 8 days of clothes,couple hoodies,toiletries,full size bath towels(also vacumed down to reduce size)

saddle bags packed with heavier stuff,tools air compressor/tire kit,
total weight packed onto the bike was 88.7 pounds(yes i weight everything,balanced saddle bag weight too)

bike cover and rain gear bungy netted to the tour pack rack.

10 nights in sturgis at the bulldog camp ground $110.00 (they had two meals aday cooked on site for bike week only,very resonable priced too,live local band every night)

15 day trip.....2.5 days each way(stayed in hotels)10 nights in the tent.....6,004 miles round trip, met some awesome people at the camp ground,some incrediable riding and site seeing,rained every day for 1 hour,glad i had the larger tent,so i could walk in the door and not crawl like my buddy did every time,lol

I camped to save the cash on the trip,yes i spent some cash to buy all quiality equipment that should last a life time of motorcycle camping, I'd do it again ! was alot of fun and inexpensive on a budget. I do agree on the hotel nights with the hot showers and comfy bed after a lond day in the saddle,we rode two 800 mile days and a 400 mile day the last 1/2 a day,2000 miles from NH to sturgis,SD

 

I know trailering is not for every one, but going outside to the states for a 5 to 6 week trip, you have to save money some were. Camping along the ALCAN is one way. We use up about 12 days round trip just getting to and from the states. We pretty much carry the gear that has all ready been mentioned.

 

Nute, you're from Canada so you need to go to Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). They're business is to sell to outdoor enthusiasts (Backpackers, hikers, paddlers, climbers, ski touring, etc.). They have everything you will need, in every size you will need. They're stuff is all high quality and for the most part is trail tested by the people working there. If the stuff fails in anyway they will either repair it or replace it long after a typical warranty has expired, no questions asked.

I do all the sports I listed above, and a few more. I use MEC for 90% of my gear purchases and I can't recommend them enough. And No!, I don't work there. <G>

http://www.mec.ca

Note, they make their own sleeping bags and their sleeping bag ratings can be trusted - other manufactures, not so much.