Best Tent For Motorcycle Camping: Top 5 Picks & How To Pick

by Jason | Last Updated:   October 8th, 2022
Best Tent For Motorcycle Camping: Top 5 Picks & How To Pick
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One of the most exciting ways of traveling a country is on the back of a motorcycle. There really is nothing like jumping on your bike and riding the length of the country and stopping at all the weird and wonderful places the country has to offer.

The problem is:

If you’re staying at AirBnBs or hotels along the way, the trip can get pretty expensive. Plus, you have to plan your trip a little better, which can lose its appeal. 

There’s nothing worse than booking a few nights somewhere and realizing you don’t want to make the trip yet.

And this is where motorcycle camping can be so much fun. If you fall in love somewhere, you can stay there for a few more nights without any issues.

Or, if you’ve been stuck in traffic all day and can’t reach the destination, you can pull over anywhere and find a camping spot.

And this is why I want to introduce you to the best motorcycle camping tent:

IN A HURRY? HERE ARE OUR TOP PICKS…

Reviewing The 5 Best Tents For Motorcycle Camping

AYAMAYA Double Layer 1-3 Person Tent

The AYAMAYA double layer tent is built for the motorcycle camper that likes camping in the wild while ensuring their bike is secure. And this is thanks to the enormous vestibule provided in the tent; it’s more than big enough to store your motorcycle.

It’s made with a PU2000 190T polyester fabric, which provides a level of waterproofing and keeps you dry at night. It also helps the motorcycle camping tent breathe during the hot and unbearable summer heat you might find yourselves in.

Another great feature of the lightweight motorcycle tent is how much ventilation it provides you. It comes with two doors, one at the front and one at the side, which can both provide plenty of ventilation. But it also comes with two vents in the tent, which provide extra ventilation when the doors are shut.

Overall, I feel like this is an excellent tent for motorcyclists that like camping out in the wild. I really love that you had enough room for your bike inside. It was also straightforward to set up; it only took around 5-minutes from start to finish.

Pros
  • You can set up the motorcycle camping tent relatively quickly compared to other brands, which is great when you’re in a hurry.
  • You have a huge vestibule, so you have no trouble storing your motorbike inside the motorcycle tent for extra security.
  • The tent provides excellent protection from the rain, which is precisely what you need from a tent.
Cons
  • Unfortunately, the poles are made with plastic pivots which can snap in strong winds.

Harley-Davidson 4-Person Dome Tent

The Harley-Davidson Dome Tent was built for people that need plenty of space to store their motorcycles. The motorcycle camping tent has a massive vestibule on the tent’s exterior and provides plenty of room for people to sleep.

It was also great to see breathable mesh roof panels, which provided excellent ventilation in warm weather. It also features mesh doors on the sleeping area so you can leave the vestibule open and not get eaten by bugs.

The Harley-Davidson Dome Tent is made with lightweight nylon, which is extremely strong. And to add to the strength of the tent, they added fiberglass poles, which can withstand extreme winds.

Overall I think it’s a pretty cool tent; the one thing that bothers me is I couldn’t find any information about the season rating or how waterproof it is. That being said, looking at the reviews, it does seem to have waterproofing qualities.

Pros
  • The vestibule is enormous, so you shouldn’t have any troubles sticking your motorbike inside during the night.
  • The tent seems to have good waterproofing qualities, although I could not find out the exact specifications.
  • It’s very easy to set up and adjust when needed; even a novice camper shouldn’t have any issue with it.
Cons
  • Although it claims to be a four-person tent, it would be extremely cramped in the sleeping compartment; it’s like a two-person tent.

VEVOR 2-3 Person Motorcycle Tent

The VEVOR Motorcycle Camping Tent was designed for the camper that needs to stay warm all year round. This is thanks to how VEVOR built the tent. They used a 190T polyester taffeta polyurethane and a 2000mm water column flysheet that provides 100% waterproofing.

And to add to the motorcycle tents weatherproofing qualities, they included stronger high-grade fiberglass poles, metal stakes, and nylon ropes. All of this helps the tent withstand the pressure from strong winds.

They also ensured that the motorcycle camping tent was breathable, which is very important on hot sunny days. It comes with a breathable mesh roof and a couple of ventilation windows to increase airflow. It also comes with mesh doors which further increase the ventilation and keep the bugs out.

Overall, the VEVOR Motorcycle Camping Tent performs very well in all aspects. It’s straightforward to set up, which helps take some stress out of your trip. My one issue is that it didn’t come with any information about its pack size, which could be an issue.

Pros
  • The tent is made with quality materials which give you more confidence that the tent can hold up against adverse weather.
  • It feels exceptionally well ventilated, so you should have any issues with moisture build-up in the tent.
  • Considering the large size, the tent is pretty lightweight. That being said, it does come with weight bags which add to the weight.
Cons
  • The tent’s specifications don’t mention anything about the pack size, so it could be pretty large. 

The North Face Wawona 6 Person Tent

The North Face Wawona tent was designed for motorcycle adventure riders who like adventuring outside no matter the weather. It has a four-season rating, so you shouldn’t have any problems when the weather gets tough.

It is made with a highly durable hybrid double-wall construction which features a water-resistant finish. To add to the weatherproofing, they also added strong external guy lines to the rain fly that provide extra security.

I also really like the spacious design, but with that being said, I wouldn’t try and sleep with six people in the tent. At max, I’d put four people in the motorcycle camping tent so that you still have space for your luggage. 

You also have a large vestibule at the front of the tent, which is perfect for storing your motorcycle and any extra luggage you might have. Overall, it’s a great tent for camping with your motorcycle.

Pros
  • People were thrilled with how much space the motorcycle camping tent provided. They had more than enough room for two people, all their luggage and their motorcycle.
  • It was straightforward to set the tent up, all the poles are color-coded, so it’s a simple case of matching the colors.
  • The motorcycle tent is well-ventilated thanks to the windows. The one issue people had was the windows could only be closed from the outside.
Cons
  • Some people found the carrying bag annoying; it doesn’t use zips, and the drawstrings are a bit annoying.   

Coleman Skydome 2-Person Camping Tent

The Coleman Skydome was built for the lone rider that needs a motorcycle tent that you can set up quickly without any effort. It comes with pre-attached poles, making it incredibly easy to set up; it only takes 5-minutes to put up.

They also wanted the motorcycle tent to be more accessible for bigger people. They made the door larger and increased the headroom by 20%. And this is thanks to the near-vertical walls on the side of the tent.

I also liked how much they focused on the weatherproofing system. It uses a tub-like floor, welded corners, and inverted & taped seams, which provide waterproofing. And the poles can withstand 35 mph winds.

Overall it’s a pretty good tent for people with limited camping knowledge or who don’t like setting up a tent. The one issue I have with the tent is the vestibule makes it hard to get inside when you’ve got your motorcycle in it.

Pros
  • You can easily fit a queen-sized mattress inside the tent, thanks to the spacious design in the tent.
  • The weatherproofing system works exceptionally well, giving you confidence in the motorcycle tent when the weather gets a bit rough.
  • Super easy to set up, you’ll have no issues thanks to the pre-attached poles.
Cons
  • For me, the vestibule doesn’t make it easy to get in you out of the motorcycle tent when your motorcycle is inside.

Our Top Choice

Motorcycle camping is a great experience if you have the right motorcycle tent for the job. Having the wrong tent can really put a damper on your night… quite literally.

Luckily, I’ve given you some great tents for motorcycle camping above for you to choose from. And if I’m honest, choosing one isn’t any task. I’m really torn between three of them, and they are:

But, if I had to choose the perfect motorcycle tent, it would probably be the North Face Wawona 6 tent. For me, it provides better build quality, so I have more confidence in it lasting a long time, especially considering it has a lifetime warranty for the first user.

I really liked how the vestibule can open from both sides; it makes it extremely easy to push your motorcycle in and out of the tent.

They also provide plenty of storage space inside the motorcycle tent so that you can keep your tent organized and your valuables off the floor.

But what really impressed me with the motorcycle tent is how well it stands up to adverse weather conditions. You never feel nervous about the motorcycle tent not performing when the rainstorms sweep in.

Things To Consider Before Buying The Best Tent For Motorcycle Camping

So, you know which motorcycle camping tents you should be looking at, but you might not know how to choose the right one for you. And this is where I can help.

In this section, I’m going to be explaining exactly how you should choose the best tent for motorcycle camping so you’ll never be left with a dud tent.

Let’s take a look:

Pack Size

One thing I like to think about before I purchase a motorcycle camping tent is the size of the tent. You need to think about how much space you have at the back of your motorcycle to ensure you have enough space for your backpacking tents.

Motorcycle Vestibule

One of the most important features you should be looking for from your motorcycle tent is a place to store your motorcycle safely.

The best motorbike tents will have a decent-sized vestibule on the motorcycle tent to help keep your bike safe during the night.

Not only does it keep your bike out of sight from potential thieves, but it also offers protection from the element, which we can all agree is highly important.

Weight

It might not seem to be too important to have the lightest tent when you’re on a motorcycle, but it really does help.

Packing for a camping trip is all about saving as much weight as possible; the last thing you need is luggage weighing your bike down.

And this is why you should look for a motorcycle tent that’s lightweight enough, so it doesn’t cause you any issues on your journey.

Weatherproofing

Another great thing to think about when looking at a new motorcycle tent is the waterproofing materials. 

This means looking at what materials they use and the waterproof rating. You should also check out the seams to ensure they are sealed correctly.

And finally, take a look at what materials the poles are made with. Ideally, you should be looking for aluminum or fiberglass poles; they provide more strength in strong winds.

Storage Capacity

Although small quality tents save a lot of space and weight, they make it extremely difficult to store all your equipment.

The thing you have to remember about freestanding tent manufacturers is they wildly overstate their sleeping capacity. This means you might not have as much room in the motorcycle tent as you first thought when you made the purchase.

In other words, always get a tent that says it sleeps more people than you actually need.

Season Rating

If you’re camping in cold weather, you need to have the right tent for the job, which is why you should look at the season rating.

The season rating shows you which seasons your motorcycle tent is capable of camping in. So, if you’re looking to camp in cold weather, you need to be looking for a four-season tent.

Easy To Erect

The last thing I like to look at is how easy the motorcycle tent is to erect. After a long hard day on the road, the last thing you want to do is spend hours setting up your tent.

Some tents may look simple to set up, but that’s not always the case. Make sure you check out some user reviews to see what people that actually brought the motorcycle tent thought about the setup process.

How Do You Carry A Tent On A Motorcycle?

If you’re planning your first motorcycle camping trip, you might not know the best way to attach your motorcycle tent to the motorcycle. And it’s understandable; it’s not a common thing to see. 

So in this section, I want to take some time to explain how you carry a tent on a motorcycle.

In my opinion, the best way of attaching your motorcycle tent to your bike is to use a roll bag at the back of your motorcycle. It keeps the bulkiness out of the way, so you don’t get disturbed while you’re riding.

The other benefit of using a motorcycle roll bag is that you get to put your tent, sleeping bag, and mattress together, which means you have quick access to your sleeping gear.

Another great thing about roll bags is they are built for motorcycles, so you don’t have to come up with a creative way of attaching everything to the back of your bike… They are already designed to do that.

How To Load A Motorcycle For Camping

One of the trickiest parts of motorcycle camping is loading your bike correctly. Shifting weight can make it tough to ride, and that’s the last thing you want if you’re taking a long journey.

So, in this section, we’re going to be talking about some of the top tips for packing your camping gear on your motorcycle.

Sound good?

Great, let’s get into it:

  1. Pay Attention To Your Weight Distribution: This is probably the most essential piece of advice I can give you. Make sure you pack your heaviest items first and keep them low and between the two wheels. You should also make sure both sides are packed equally. Your lighter items should be packed higher up so you can keep your center of gravity low.
  2. Have A Designated Saddle Bag For Wet/Dirty Clothes: There’s nothing worse than mixing your wet/dirty clothes with your clean clothes. Having a separate bag will ensure you always have clean and dry clothes available. 
  3. Only Bring What You Need To Bring: This might sound easy, but it’s surprising how many people overestimate what they need. This usually results in them overloading their bike. Think about every item you want to bring and yourself; “do I really need it?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Carry A Pop-Up Tent On A Motorcycle?

It’s not impossible, but pop-up tents can’t fit your motorbike inside the tent to keep it safe while you’re sleeping. Not only that, but the amount of drag they will create doesn’t really make it worth it.

What Do You Need For Motorcycle Camping?

One of the problems with motorcycle camping is knowing what to take with you on your journey, which is why I want to give you a quick motorcycle camping checklist:

Helmet
Helmet liner
Jacket
Gloves
Boots
Socks
Spare Keys
Tent
Cooking gear
Camping multi-tool
Clothes
Wallet
Roll matt

There are going to be more things you’ll need to take, but these are the bare basics you shouldn’t leave your house without when you’re going motorcycle camping.

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Hey, my name's Jason, and before I was a writer, I worked as an outdoor activity instructor where I took groups kayaking and camping. Now I use my personal experiences to share tips and tricks I've learned over the years. For as long as I can remember, I've been passionate about the outdoors, and now I want to share that passion with my readers.