Self-sufficient touring: Best motorcycle camping tents

We said it recently when we looked at the basics of motorcycle camping but it really does bear saying again; your tent is perhaps the most important element of any off grid trip. It is your only shelter from the elements and if it lets you down, you have nowhere to hide. Our guide to the best motorcycle camping tents should help

Of course, tent technology is much better today than it was even a few years ago. Material and design advances have meant that tents can be larger when in use yet fold up smaller and are lighter than ever.

The first thing to decide when looking at motorcycle camping tents is how much space you want when it is up. Many mountaineers and hardcore campers go for the smallest tent possible, working on the basis that the less space it takes up on the bike, the better – this can be particularly true if they are on a huge overland trip where they will be carrying everything to be self-sufficient for weeks at a time.

Related: Best universal motorcycle panniers

However, for a weekend or a week away around the North Coast 500, for example, you can probably afford to carry a bit more luggage and not have to worry about carrying 1000 miles’ worth of petrol with you.

So while a tent barely larger than a sleeping bag will keep the rain off you while you sleep, it doesn’t offer much protection for your kit or space to try to dry it after a long, wet ride, for example. Of course, you could get one with all the space you need but the pay-off is weight and space on the bike when packed.

Here is a selection of motorcycle camping tents that could work, depending on your requirements.