I'll be taking a petrol stove which works on diesel (I'll be on my diesel Royal Enfield so makes sense). Cooker always gives out too much heat, at least that's my excuse for burning everything.

I've got an aluminium set at the moment, things tend to stick pretty quick. Can't beat the copper bottomed stainless huh.

Yes I think you're right.

If you've not got a great deal of control over the heat - and it's on the hot side - you'll really appreciate that copper bottom - in your situation I'd definitely avoid non-stick.

Hope that's helpful :-)

m

I've just arrived home from 4 months around Europe and West Africa and took a Bivi bag + Tarp combo. For me it was the perfect setup.

My main reason was weight, I wanted full camping and cooking facilities to keep costs down around Europe, but wanted a total amount of soft luggage I could comfortably take off the bike and carry. Plus I only had a small bike.

I used a tarp (with one elasticated side which I stretched along the bike) with a cheap spare tent pole propping the other end, a Goretex Bivi, and a small groundsheet with mosquito net I made. I left the pole in four sections (as in without the stretchy string), so I could use however many of them I wanted to shut the tarp down in bad weather, or allow me to use the tarp without the bike.

The bivi bag is far warmer than any tent (which lots of people don't seem to realise), the tarp provides a large shelter area (you'd need a heavy tent to get this much space) and as it's a modular system you can use as much or as little as you need.

The whole lot is just over 1 kg (with guys, pegs, net etc.) and packs very very small, but altogether the components cost me less than 80 GBP. To get a tent this light you have to spend over 300 GBP (double skin anyway). Plus I had all the stuff bar the stretchy tarp.

I've just found a picture of it all set up HERE.

So basically lots of people here are recommending your tent, which is fine if you don't mind the space and weight - but if you want to go lightweight, I say take your bivi...

Eddie.

For me, it's always a tent. A bivvi will get boring REALLY fast on a long RTW.

A quality tarp and bivi aren't really that much smaller than a tent anyway.

A three man dome would be ideal. Like the first reply says, it's way more flexible, versatile and useful. You can hide in there on a rainy day, sort your stuff out, have proper privacy etc.

A free standing Dome tent can also be put up in a carpark, hard ground or very soft ground (sand etc).

As always it's a personal choice.. You should go and have a few days away using only a bivi or bivi/tarp combination and see if you can imagine sleeping/living that way for a long trip.

Hi

That is certainly a light weight set-up, but I don't think I would like to use in in Northern Europe, where it often rains horizontally for extended periods. I was in Norway this year and it was exceptionally wet and also rather cool, though we were in a motor home. Next year I intend to go on an extended trip solo on the motorbike to northern Norway and possibly Russia. I did consider a bivi/tarp combination, but quickly discounted that as impractical in inclement weather.

I understand the problem with weight, as I want to do some 2-4 day wilderness walks, but I also want a decent tent with good vestibule space for wet biking gear. That almost drives me to take two tents (one a small lightweight dome tent), though I will have to do a shake down trial in the spring to see what is practical and works.

As regards visibility, I stick with green tents, but sand coloured would probably be better, though less commonly available cheaply. Unfortunately the green used by many manufacturers is dark bottle green so not an ideal blend with nature.

At least with a tent, you can leave it set-up during the day if you want to do a day trip or site seeing with the bike on a rest day and also have some measure of privacy.

Horses for courses I guess.

Grey Beard

I suppose I could take both, the bivi is less than 1kg without the pegs I'd have to take.

For me the bivi is best when needing to crash at night, but I really do not want to be in this situation when I'm away. If I am it's because of shit planning. I shouldn't be in a rush to get anywhere either.

That said there were a few occasions where rain made the bivi a problem as everything I wore (jacket, boots) had to go outside with a makeshift cover.

I've 6 month to decide but leaning on the tent.

Mate not sure how late i am but my advice is use a Tent,
I was in the HM Forces for 22 years I used Bivi Bags really god but not for long term,
I have a Vango Omega 250 for just me = 2 man & for me and my GF 350 = 3man this gives you, a dedicated sleep area & a vestible, there is quite a bit of space,
I chose Omega as it is Ally poles not, fiberglass.

As for cooking utensils I have a 2 man MSR set of pots etc they all go into 1 pot & plate, they also do a 1 man 2 man and quick pot set.

BTW the Forwards of HU Fame on there Hog use a cover over the bike when staying for any length of time, in one place.