let's see a picture of your camping setup and how it all fits on your bike... please

As mentioned elsewhere in this post, the rule of thumb is thus:

If a 2 person tent = a loaf of bread in pack size, a 3 person of the same tent = the same loaf + 3 slices.

It stands to reason. It really does not take much more material to add 18-20 inches to a two man footprint. For guys venturing off tarmac on enduro types, extra weight might be a factor, but if (like me) you rarely venture far off asphalt, the extra ounces are immaterial. In my experience, the setup & take down times are virtually identical, assuming the tents are the same design.

I actually use a 4 man tent. I think it is a Marmot4? Not sure but I like the extra room to keep all my stuff in and never have to worry about being cramped.

I bought a teepee style tent last year - a Eureka! Lone Tree 4. It’s meant to be a 4 person but... ! It’s a brilliant tent for me (plus one) with gear. The one I bought doesn’t have much of a vestibule but I can almost stand up straight in it (5’ 11”). Pitches in about a minute but isn’t free-standing. Weighs in about 3.5kgs.

I used to use a one person backpacking tent, then went to a 3 person Koppen tent, and now ended up meeting in the middle with a Kelty Salida 2 person.

A one person tent is just too small while traveling on a bike with all the gear to store. I quit storing my gear outside in the vestibule after discovering a spider in my helmet while traveling down the highway several years ago. Now it all stays in the tent with me.

The three person was nice to have for the extra room. Take down time was the same for the 1 p, 2 p, or 3 p tents, as they were all done tents with vestibules. But pack space is ultimately what made me decide to retire the 3 p tent and go with a 2 p tent. A 2 person tent is the best compromise of pack size and roominess for one person moto camping IMO.


My 1 p:



3 p:



2 p:

As I said, I'm really liking the MSR Hubba Hubba, not too big to pack on this setup, it remains to be seen if it packs small enough for Siberia 2020 on my 525.

My now ancient Mtn Hardware Night View still is a great tent and served me well for many years but the end door is a little more difficult to get in and out compared to side doors and the vestibule is decidedly not big enough to store your gear.

I would bet the Night View will stand up to higher winds and worse weather than the MSR but it is also a few lbs heavier so that was a gain on the bike.

there's actually a pretty hefty difference between my 2 and 3 person tents. I've got a coleman peak1 cobra (no footprint) 1 person, an Eureka Madori 2 person and Marmot Limelight 3 person for comparison.
Obviously different tents with different materials, construction, design, etc. will have a different physical sizes and pack weights.

The Madori has two doors w/ ample vestibules so it, like the limelight, is a little more bulk than the more minimalist 2p tents so they're somewhat comparable IMO.




On the bike, I use the Eureka. When I pack my tent into my GL great basin, I like to pack the poles & the footprint separately.

I have had a variety of tents and as I age I am moving towards comfort and ease of ingress egress.

For a while I had one of the Catoma Ravens and while speedy for set up it was rally not that comfortable for me (I am a little over 6'4 and will be 64 this spring) I also found it had to ventilate.

A few years ago I bought the 2 person Redverz and went to stand up to get dressed camping with a rain room.

I am doing more solo camping these days and just managed to buy on the flea market a Redverz solo.

I camp in comfort now Helinox Chair XL, Exped Mat and a little Helinox table.

Having the luxury of camping of larger bikes (BMW K1200GT) KTM 1290 Super Adv R I can carry my gear and still not be too heavily loaded. When I retire and head on my long trip I will be more conscious of what I am carrying tent wise but I still see advantages to being able to stand up and change in my tent.

This is a great thread and I would like to thank the other posters for all that they have shared

Go ahead Bill stand all you want, I'm not quite that decrepit yet but I'm working on it.

As for the Helinox I love my Kermit chair but I'm pretty sure it won't be an option to take on the 525. I might actually have to go chair-less and that will be a big step down in comfort.

I still have my kermit chairs, they are the kings of comfort. I sacrificed bringing them for the standing up tent.

Yeah, I could see the difference in pack size could be an issue. Those Redverz are massive, sure I'd love to have one but I'll hold off until I buy a K1600 to haul it around.

I bought a lone tree 3 and I really like it - plenty of room for one person. For me, it's a good basecamp type of tent where I'm staying in a single place for a few nights. I like the fact I just about stand up in it - easy to put up also.

Alright i’ll chime in...we (2up camp/ride) went from a semi decent 2 person tent, to a cheap ass 2person(17 bucks!) that didnt weigh anything but worked for the BOM ride to a stand up multi person. We’ll probably use all of them still depending on the ride and the speed we need to get going in the morning. They all work for their purpose but I tell yah that a nice big one that can even fit a chair inside is sweet along with cots and all our gear. This year will be a special one as we now have a trailer. BUT...that doesnt mean we’ll always bring the big daddy. We hope to do Moab and the 3 Step hideaway this year so I really cant wait to post up our set up for base camp and night away from camp. Really enjoy all of this thread cause it does involve so much feed back and options. Just wish everyone would include pics!! Cheers!! and heres the pic...cause I snivelled!! Ha!

My Big Agnes (2 person) tent and everything I need. I eat when/where food is available.

That is one mad railway fence!

USA - Mexico border near Nogales, Arizona. A source of much discussion currently here in the USA.

I just picked up an Exped Mira 3, and as with all of the Exped stuff I've bought over the years, I love it. 3lbs all told, packs down small, easy to pitch, 2 doors and vestibules, and has a peak height of 45", so I can sit in a chair comfortably in case I get stuck inside in bad weather.



Tent in the middle, my Nemo Tensor 25L sleeping pad on the left, and my compressed Kelty summer down bag on the right.



I've only pitched it in my living room at the moment, but I can't wait to get out this spring and spend a few nights testing it out.

Ahhh...understood, now it makes sense.

That is one serious fence. Is it to keep an M1 Abrams from wandering away from the ranch?

Looks can be deceiving. Fences like that don't do much for pedestrian traffic with backpacks (either full of clothes or drugs)

Large vestibules are appreciated when the weather is bad. My 3p tent has two entrances/vestibules. My riding gear takes up as much room as a person, so I opted for a 3p tent. Size and weight of modern tents makes this tent pack up smaller than my last tent which was a 2p.