Bikes

[Chancebond]

I was wondering what your guy's opinion of living in/on a bike is. How much would I need for startup and to keep going. Thnx.

 

[FALCON]

Using either a bicycle or motorcycle, you're very limited in what you can carry. You might want to consider using a trailer for either one (but keep in mind that many of the cheap bike trailers are crap and potentially unsafe - you have to get one that is a good design). If you're talking about traveling (touring), finding places to sleep is much more of a challenge than living in a vehicle because of how much slower you move.

I did a little bit of bicycle touring ten years ago. It is a wonderful way to see an area - it's at a speed where you can take it in and think about what you're seeing. You'd have to really be into it in order to do it for a long duration though. If you're fairly stationary, and have a good place to set up a tent, it wouldn't be too bad - it's basically living out of a tent but having a bicycle to get around on.

 

[FALCON]

As for the cost, it totally depends. You could spend $10k getting a nice bicycle, nice bags, nice riding clothes, nice camping gear, etc. Or you could probably spend $500 and be up and running.

 

[akrvbob]

I have a friend who lives on a bike. My guess is his total investment is much less than $1000. He doesn't tour on the bike, he lives off it. When he wants to move areas, he takes the bus or train so he lives in an area for a while, then takes the train/bus and goes to the next place.

You must be a ultra-minimalist!! Literally, everything he owns fits in a duffle bag.

I also have a friend who lives in a H-D and tows a tear-drop trailer. That's much easier to do but you must be a snowbird and you have to plan on being in some bad weather sometimes!
Bob

 

[minimotos95]

Good to see you back on here Chance.

Living off a motorcycle is easily done if you are willing to give up most of your comforts, live in a tent and cook on a backpacking single burner, A pair of aluminium saddle bags and a trunk or tailbag is more space than what many thruhikers use and you have a motor to haul the weight.

A bicycle without a trailer on the other hand requires real minimalism, not only do you have to watch the volume of your stuff but the weight too.

Trailers are a great option for both but make riding a whole different experience. A good cheap option for motorcycles is a harbor freight trailer with a car top cargo carrier mounted to it. I don't know much about bicycle trailers.

I really want to try living in a tent in the desert for at least a month, whether on foot, bicycle, 50cc or motorcycle but sadly that's not going to happen with the added responsibility of being the sole caretaker of these 2 dogs now.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

If we're talking bycicles then start up would be around $1000. You could do well with a $500 bike, get the best rack you can afford to carry your load and the largest bags you can find to put on the rack. Also get a tire repair kit with a good pump a spair tube and tire. Then get backpacking gear for camping that will fit in the bags or on top of the rack.

 

[offroad]

And buy the best bullet proof Kevlar tires you can afford. They get popped so easy. So much glass-steel-stone in the roads.

 

[masterplumber]

I've done long trips on my KLR 650, and I think I could live off of it for a year or so if I wasn't working (no way to carry enough tools, but I do have some). It does require more of a backpacker gear list, and I would want someplace to store the stuff I wouldn't want to part with while away. While I've lived short term in a tent in the winter at 10,000 feet, I would definitely follow the weather. I'd probably start in the southwest, and not stop until I hit Tierra Del Fuego. I've collected the gear over many years, so no idea how much I've spent, but I've known people who like the challenge of seeing just how cheaply they can outfit themselves for a long trip, and can usually do it for less than $1500.00 including the motorcycle. The cool thing about that route, is when you get where you're going you just sell or give away everything and hop a plane back to where you started - no return shipping fees, or another year riding back through what you've already seen.

For me the best thing about traveling on my bike, verses traveling with my truck and cargo trailer, is almost without fail people stop and talk to me wherever I stop, even if it's just at the gas station. On a bike you're much more approachable than in a van or other enclosed vehicle. And I think that would apply to a bicycle also. The downside obviously is much less comfort, especially in bad weather.

 

[gcal]

Google Tent Cot by Kamp-Rite.

 

[Chancebond]

Thank you all so much. Before I plan on deciding what to live in or do in life, I've decided that living on a bike for a couple of months would be good experience for me. And yes, it is good to be back. I was away cuz I had to finish up my last year of h.s. Now that I'm done, I plan on taking a week off from my life and go backpacking with a bike or on foot. Thnx for all of the answers guys!

 

[mconlonx]

People tour for months at a time with what they can pack on a bicycle. I've done motorcycle touring/camping a few times, but only out on the road a week each time. If I was thinking of living off either for an extended period, for sure I'd get a trailer.

There's motorcycle trailers, like Bob's friend, and for whom he posted a couple of guest blogs, which double as sleeping area. The Harley/teardrop trailer setup was way cool, practical, and doable. But note that she had to buy a bike big enough to tow the trailer -- many bikes would be too small. For this kind of thing, on a budget, I'd probably be looking for something like an 80s Honda Goldwing or Kawasaki Concours. Bike + trailer, less gear, setup would start somewhere in the $3-4k neighborhood.

Quality used bicycles can be cheap, but the type of trailer you want would probably be more expensive and you won't find them used much of the time. Cargo bikes have become popular and would be another option. If I was going this route, I'd be looking at a tadpole style recumbent trike coupled with one of the relatively new Surly trailers. And either a coroplast structure on the trailer or a hexaurt flat fold setup which would be way easy to assemble at end of any given day. Or just a tent. With a used bike and a kid carrier trailer, you could probably start around $500 or even less, but for the setup I describe, you'd be at $2-3k. Middle ground would be a decent used bike and used BOB trailer, around $1k

 

[rvpopeye]

View attachment 3564

How about one of these...

 

[Patrick46]

This is my chopper and my Kwik-Kamp camper trailer...




I know a number of folks who live full time on their motorcycles...with ALOT less than pictured here.


Motorcycle or bicycle camping is easy and fun to do. You've just gotta want it bad enough to put in the work. Less Talk, MORE ACTION.

 

[Chancebond]

Yes, I did graduate. And with 55 credits!

 

[masterplumber]

congratulations Chance. I'd love to backpack in Alaska - maybe very deep in the Brooks Range. You're in a great position to live your dreams. Just stay out of dept and follow your dreams.

 

[wagoneer]

Camping with a chopper, that is very cool, I almost pulled the trigger on an old BMW 69R with big tank then remembered i promised my mother I would never ride a motorcycle while she was alive, her brother died in a motorcycle accident then when she died i was getting too old to do it. I figure if you can't lift a bike why have it.. Happy trails.

 

[Patrick46]

I was getting too old to do it.

"You're NEVER too old to have a Happy Childhood" (quoted from a customer of mine who was well into his 80's)

Wagonman...get yourself a small trail bike. They're lightweight, a ball to ride, they get incredible gas mileage (you could use it for running errands), and they're small enough to strap to your rear bumper. NEVER say you're too old to have fun!!


oh...and I don't ride a chopper to be 'cool', or to be a 'biker' (which I am NOT)

I do it because it makes me smile!!!
(...and you NEVER see a 'real biker' smile. they're too busy scowling)

 

[masterplumber]

I agree with Patrick46. Read "Old Man on a Bike" a guy in his late 70s rode a 125cc Honda pizza delivery bike through Mexico and South America - chose the bike precisely because it was still light enough for him to lift.

 

[mconlonx]

There's plenty of YouTube vids of how to right your bike after a tipover, search: How to Pick Up Your Motorcycle. Some of them show very slight, tiny people righting very big bikes...

 

[Chancebond]

Wow master plumber... How'd you know I'm from alaska?!