The Best Tents for Motorcycle Camping

There’s something undeniably exciting and romantic about the notion of packing up and hitting the open road on two wheels, though one thing that can hugely retract from this sense of exploration and adventure is to end each day inside a motel room. Motorcycle camping tents, on the other hand, offer a very different experience, bolstering the user’s freedom by allowing them to easily set up camp wherever they please, whether that be on the side of a highway or deep into off-grid territory.

And while finding a tent for a motorcycle trip once meant scouring the market for models that just happened to have features that were conducive to a nomadic existence on two wheels, nowadays there’s a wide range of mobile shelters that have been engineered from the ground up specifically for motorcyclists and their bikes. Below, we’ll be counting down the best motorcycle camping tents currently on the market, along with what factors to explore when shopping.

While shopping for a moto-specific tent isn’t all that different from buying a regular camping or backpacking tent, there are a few finer points that are important to review before making your purchase in this space. Here, we’ll quickly touch on seven of the most pivotal factors to review when buying a moto camping tent.

Type: Motorcycle-specific tents come in two main types. The first is a more traditional style of tent that typically features an additional area to store one’s bike at night or when parked at camp. The second of the two types can best be described as a modern-day moto-specific take on a bedroll, with an all-in-one setup that is erected next to the motorcycle and uses the bike as one of, if not the main structural member of the tent. The former type tends to be more robust, roomier, and more comfortable, though does so at the cost of being larger, heavier, and not breaking down to as compact of a size. The smaller type of tent also gives away the fact that a motorcycle’s silhouette is clearly underneath, whereas the larger type of tent hides the fact that it’s housing a motorized two-wheeler.

Construction: Just like with most pieces of camping gear, the materials used to construct a motorcycle tent will play an enormous role in its overall quality and durability. As such, it’s vital to review the primary construction(s) used for elements like the tent walls, floor, and rain-fly — with high-denier nylon and taffeta being two of the most common constructions. It’s also worth looking into the materials used to make a given tent’s poles or structure, as well as the items used for smaller pieces such as the zippers, buckles, or hardware.

Square Footage: Regardless of what type of tent you’re shopping for, square footage should always be a main guiding factor in your decision, as this figure should give an objective sense of how many riders, how much gear, and how many bikes a particular model will be able to accommodate. This is especially important because traveling by motorcycle requires schlepping around all your regular camping essentials, plus a helmet and a full suite of protective gear.

Price: While it can always be tempting to simply opt for the least expensive model available, the reality in this space is that you tend to get what you pay for, with more exorbitantly-priced tents almost always being much more rugged and of much higher quality. What’s more, many of the higher-end tents on the market are built to withstand a lifetime of adventures out on the open road, and as such come backed by lengthy — even lifetime — warranties.

Motorcycle Coverage & Protection: No matter the type, pretty much every motorcycle camping tent on the market will offer some level of coverage and protection for your bike. The smaller bedroll-style tents typically sit over the bike — not unlike a bike cover — and do shield the machine from the elements, however, larger tents with dedicated sections for accomodating motorcycles not only protect the scoot from foul weather but also provide owners a safe, dry area to load up or wrench on the bike.

Weather Resistance: Just like with camping or backpacking tents, motorcycle tents are typically designed for use in a specific season or seasons, with lighter tents often being geared toward spring and summer, and more robust, all-season tents providing adequate shelter year-round. Obviously, the four-season tents are typically heavier, though they provide markedly more protection from the wind and elements.

Packability & Compactness: Because these tents have to be carried on motorcycles — which tend to have very limited cargo space — how compact a model is can be massively important. Not only do you want to check out the size of a tent when packed away, but also how much it weighs, if it comes outfitted with any attachment or tie-down points, or if it needs to be carried inside a separate bag or vessel. Certain moto tents are also markedly easier to set up and break down than others, making this another worthwhile area to review prior to making your purchase.

Because of their size and shape, motorcycle tents can very seldom be carried atop a gas tank or in a pannier, however, that doesn’t mean that they’re difficult to transport on two wheels. The vast majority of moto camping enthusiasts opt to carry their tent on the rear luggage rack or tail of the bike, simply mounting down the item using straps or cords. Some tents can be carried in a backpack, however, having your back land on a set of tent poles greatly increased the likelihood of an injury in the event of a crash, which is why we recommend carrying a tent on the back of the bike and not on the rider’s person. When using a smaller, non-moto-specific backpacker-style bivouac tent, some riders also opt to carry different components of the tent on different parts of the bike, finding recesses and gaps between parts and panels where a set of poles, rain fly, and main unit can all be stowed away. 

WOLF WALKER Motorcycle Tent 

Best Value Tent: Though not boasting as premium of a construction as some of the other more high-end models on this list, WOLF WALKER’s Motorcycle Tent is a solid mobile shelter that offers unbeatable value and bang-for-your buck. Crafted around a set of aerospace-grade aluminum poles, the tent features a main living area with 6.25” of headroom that’s supplemented by a fully-enclosed motorcycle port. Equipped with four separate entrances and a removable waterproof rainfly, this multifunctional moto tent breaks down to a 25” x 11” x 6” form that weighs only 12lbs.

Snow Peak Amenity Dome M

Best Upgrade Tent: A high-end three-season tent with room for four, Snow Peak’s Amenity Dome M model was technically designed as a car camping tent, though its rugged construction, ample real estate, and oversized covered entry-port — the latter of which makes for a perfect mobile moto garage — make it a stellar choice for motorcycle camping or road trips. Measuring 30” x 10” x 9” when packed, this tent is comprised of a set of Ultralight Duralumin poles that support a polyester taffeta canopy that’s paired with a 210-denier polyester taffeta floor and a 75D poly-taff rainfly. Because this tent was designed for car camping, it is fairly heavy, weighing in at just shy of 20lbs.

Wingman of the Road Goose Tent

Best Bivouac Tent: An ultra-minimalistic, all-in-one mobile moto dwelling, Wingman of the Road’s Goose Tent features a hardwearing 14.8oz ripstop canvas canopy that wraps around a set of aluminum poles before extending out to cover the user’s motorcycle — which also creates a covered space between the tent and bike for storing riding gear. Alongside the tent itself, the Goose also boasts an integrated high-density foam mattress and a built-in sleeping bag. Benefitting from ample customer feedback, the latest iteration of this minimalistic moto tent features a new exterior flap and redesigned compression straps with quick-release buckles crafted from high-grade aluminum alloy.

The North Face Wawona 6 Tent

Best Luxury/Oversized Tent: The North FaceWawona model is another top-shelf tent that, while not specifically designed for it, lends itself remarkably well to motorcycle touring and camping. This is primarily owed to its hardwearing 7 and 150-denier polyester canopy construction and a massive covered vestibule that packs more than enough space to fit a full-sized, fully-loaded adventure bike — though, with a six-person capacity, the tent’s main living area can easily accommodate a second or even third scoot. Built around an ultra-rugged yet lightweight DAC MX pole set, the tent also features ample pockets and ceiling storage, as well as a secondary rear vestibule for stashing riding gear. And, like the Snow Peak Amenity Dome, this tent does, however, tip the scales at just shy of 20lbs, placing it on the heavier end of the spectrum.

Lone Rider MotoTent

Best Overall Moto Tent: The Lone Rider MotoTent is a decidedly premium moto-specific tent model with a highly-calculated design that aims to address the needs of riders in a minimalistic package that can easily be transported on two wheels. Covering this tent’s aircraft-grade 7001-T6 aluminum poles is an ultra-light, UV-resistant, ripstop 210T polyester main canopy with a 10,000mm waterproof coating and a detachable and breathable polyester lining, along with a 190T nylon floor with the canopy’s same 10,000mm waterproof coating — all of which are CPAI84 fire-retardant. The lightest motorcycle canopy-equipped tent currently on the market at just 12lbs, this model also features color-coded 7001-T6 aluminum poles for easy construction, dedicated gear storage areas, an easily-mountable carrying case, and waterproof zippers throughout.

Redverz Atacama Expedition Tent

Best Off-Road/Adventure Tent: For the last several years, the Redverz Atacama Expedition model has set the standard in the motorcycle tent space, and as such has seen its watershed design replicated by a host of lower-quality competitors. Measuring only 10” x 21” when packed, this tent sports 7001 T6 aluminum poles, flow-through ventilation, a set of J-doors, mesh B3 mosquito netting, and a main canopy construction that’s supplemented via a breathable 75D inner fabric and a DWR-finished 68-denier ripstop poly rainfly. Using a flexible hoop design that remains stable and in place even amidst intense winds, this moto tent also features a 100” x 36” garage vestibule that’s big enough to accommodate even the largest dressers or ADV bikes, and a hybrid floor that combines factory-sealed seams with bathtub curves to ensure remarkable levels of waterproofing.

NEMO Wagontop 6 Tent

Best Multi-Bike Tent: What your average two-person camping tent is to a single-family home, NEMO’s Wagontop 6 Tent is to a palace. The latest generation of this massive tent features a single-layer main canopy construction, new easier-to-use side window hardware, custom self-contained pole hubs, and more durable PU-coated 300-denier poly floors. And, with a 140” x 100” floorplan that affords nearly 100-square feet of living space, this tent is large enough to comfortably shelter half-a-dozen adults, or provide enough room for a trio of riders, all their accompanying riding gear, and their bikes — assuming they are mid-sized tourers or full-sized dual-sports. Large screened sections of the canopy also provide ample ventilation along with panoramic views of your surroundings — or a framed view of your two-wheeled pride and joy in the tent’s 27-square-foot vestibule. The sixth-gen Wagontop also comes backed by NEMO’s lifetime warranty.

The Best Motorcycle GPS Navigators

Want to make sure your two-wheeled travels stay on the right track? Then be sure to check out our guide to the best motorcycle GPS navigators for the finest devices that money can currently buy.