Mar 20, 2013

Because They're Water Soluble?

Redverz Gear Series II Motorcycle Tent
You probably didn't know you needed this product: a tent with a motorcycle garage. It turns out that there are a few versions of this silly-assed idea. The Redverz Gear Series II Expedition pictured at right costs $449 and is is a 13 1/2 pound, 3-season, 3-person, 16 3/4 foot long, "expedition grade" tent  with "anodized tent poles."

Harley-Davidson Rider's Dome Tent
As always, when a really dumb consumer product turns out to have a large, rich, and brain-dead market, you would expect Hardly to jump right in and they have. Since they are the largest manufacturer of dissolve-able motorcycles, I'm sure their product is sold purely as a service to their suck . . . customers. The Harley-Davidson Rider's Dome Tent sells for "only" $229and is slightly less dorky/cool than the Redverz Gear tent, but half the price. It is also nylon and uses fiberglass poles, presumably not-anodized. Harley's 4-person tent-plus-garage sports features like breathable mesh roof panels, front and rear doors with bug screens, inside zipper storm flaps, "clearview" windows on the rainfly, and the desperately needed "motorcycle vestibule." The whole thing weighs 12 pounds.

Finally, a company called "Catoma" sells a series of "Lone Rider Adventure Shelters Motorcycle tents" that Sears sells to the poncho biker crowd (Yep, that's a Frank Zappa reference.). I'm not gonna bother with a picture of that company's silly shit because Lone Riders apparently only need normal popup tents with a trendy name.

Aerostich Ultralight Bike Cover covering my fully-loaded V-Strom.
Unless you desperately feel the need to sleep with your bike, you might know that I've recommended the Aerostich Ultralight Bike Covers (I use small for the WR250X and large for the full-bagged and ready-to-tour V-Strom 650) in a previous life on this very blog. You can't sleep with your bike using one of these covers, but it will keep your gear dry on the seat during some pretty nasty weather. I know, I've tested it under conditions that practically floated away my North Face tent..

4 comments:

RichardM said...

You wouldn't believe how many of those tents i saw at the BMW MOA rally. On second though, you probably would believe it.

On my AK <--> CA trip last summer, I used a similar looking cover for my bike and stored most of my gear under it at night. Things were always nice and dry though I didn't have to deal with floating tents.

T.W. Day said...

The things are huge, especially packed. I don't get it but I don't travel with that much gear.

As far as the floating tent thing, I often travel with a hammock rig. It can't rain enough to get me wet. I love the hammock.

Flyboy said...

What the?! Right up there with a Chihuahua in a hand bag....

Sean McDermott said...

You are absolutely on the mark with the statement on the silly tent suite for your bike phenomenon. Now on the flip side, I camped with someone for a week in Alaska last year with the air-frame tent. I may not be sold on it, but they were the first to set up and take down camp. Simple and good design compared to these behemoth tents that weigh four times too much.