The Ultimate Motorcycle Camping Stove - Advice Wanted

At the end of May I'll be off once more for a +5000 km round trip to Spain by motorcycle, camping all the way (except at my destination, which is on a rocky outcrop of the Mediteranean shore halfway between Valencia and Alicante, with views worth the trip alone).

I've done this and other M/C camping trips so many times before, that by now I consider myself expert enough to write a how-to book about it. Recently I found a publisher silly enough to believe this as well, so now I'm hooked. This manual is scheduled for publication next spring, meaning it should be ready for editing etc. next November. Stoves wil be a very important subject of course (it's how I came into stove collecting anyway).

That's why I'm asking for your opinions and contributions on this subject. The stove must be a petrol-burner, because my M/C's tank will also be the stove's supply. The stove must be as small and light as possible, because space and weights will be at a premium. It should be reiiable of course under any circumstances, including howling winds, rain and snow and at high altitudes. Panholders preferaby are able to hold my small Peak 1-set of stainless steel mountaineering pans.

The following is a random list of stoves which may or may not be eligible, and why

Primus 71- this has been my choice for the last few trips; can't think of anything against it, except maybe that is not very windproof, causing the need for a windscreen to take along as an extra
Optimus 8R - great performer and eminently reliable + much better wind resistance, however won't take the small pans
Svea 123 - great performance too, but a bit too cumbersome to operate + all that lovely brass is very prone to denting
Borde - the ultimate lightweight high performer, but difficult to operate in adverse conditions
Phoebus 725 - rock-solid rocket performance, but won't take the small pans, is relatively heavy, and that round tin is really too large and difficult to pack economically
Enders Baby - comes with its very own pressure pump, reliable, but cumbersome and anything but windproof
Coleman (any small one) - performance generally OK, but too large and heavy, and even worse hardly field-maintainable.

I'd be greatfull for your say on these (or any other) stoves (keeping in mind the purpose of long-distance M/C camping).

Thanks, Jur

 

Hi Jur

All the small stoves benefit from being shielded from the wind.
But surely your faithful Primus 71 has its own built-in windshield.
It has a case that protects it. Does yours have this case??

 

123 and a Sigg Tourist pan set is good if you have one. Failing that, I'd take a Coleman to be honest

 

Thought you were going to suggest a meths bike, Rik.

 

Hi Jur

I've done my share of m/c miles too, I know just where you are at. I know the 1st 3 stoves quite well, owning them as I do 8)

If it was me I'd probably (maybe) opt for the 71L for it's easily packable shape and willing nature on petrol. Just know where your prickers are. The windshield thing is a valid arguement, but a hinged 3 piece shield wouldnt be hard to build and would pack flat. Is one more thing to carry, tho.

The 8R is another solid choice, self cleaning and tougher than goats knees. I know what you mean about not doing small pots, but this might be a solution to that...



The 123 is...well...the 123...you know it'll perform on cue and look just maaahhhvelous!!! in photos. GlobeTrotter pots and maybe a Trangia non stick fry pan and you'll be one sorted dude for what ever you'll be making.



I dont know the rest, but no doubt the opinions will come pouring in

The only thing more fun than planning your trip is helping someone else plan theirs 8)

 

Yes Trevor, it has, but that keeps the space between burner and pans largely unshielded. But it's true, in practice one can come a long way with a bag or such, carefully arranged against the wind.[/quote]

 

I wouldn't last two minutes on two wheels, but that aside I'd concur with Mike's choices and in the same order.

 

I've put stupid number of miles on bikes.

8R - top choice, coleman 442 another fine choice. But nowadays I'd be very tempted to try either an Omnifuel, or a Nova in a Trangia 27.

One of the fun tasks is extracting the fuel from the bike - on a /7 beemer I'd just pop a float bowl - 1 bowlful neatly fills the 8R.

 

Hi Doug,
I took my Beemer to Switzerland and then onto Naples last September. I took my 8r. Ran it on un-leaded plus a little vlave additive as my old Beemer is a '78 model. Nothing to moan about with the 8r although I do use a midi-pump.
Other than that I think the Borde is excellent. However it takes time to get used to it but with practice it's magic Light, frugal and powerful.
I do like paraffin stoves. My Manaslu 96 is fantastic but it uses a different fuel so no good to you.
I have used a '71 with no problems in heavy winds with no windshield. I just used the back wheel of my VFR.
Most of my motorcycle pals use either the 8r or Borde so that may say something.
Bon chance and watch out for Volvos.
Alan

 

I'm not one to give advice on a 5000km M/C trip but should i be undertaking such an adventure again i do believe i would use a Coleman ( other brand ) military burner. Something like the Coleman M-530 but with stabilizing feet. If used carefully they can be some of the best in the business. Otherwise i'd be using a 123 of new or early model. Possibility the 123R because it has the selfcleaning needle, though i must admit that after fettliing a 123 and installing new rubber fill cap gasket and a new wick i would have no reason to prick the jet. Least wise i haven't had reason to do so on either of the two i use for camping or here on the truck.


The last long distance trip i took on a M/C was on a Honda Interstate 1100, in 1980 from San Francisco to Washington DC. Felt more like flying than riding. Real adventure but i was glad it was over when i got to W.D.C.

lance

 

For a small collapsable, durable and portable stove that will take a medium pan I would suggest that that heavy thinking has already been done for you. The M1942 paratrooper stove and M1950 military seem to have everything you want. They were designed to be dependable, durable and portable under the most adverse of conditions. I believe that they each will burn a varity of fuels and come with a full set of spare parts as well as a multi-tool device. Personally I like the three armed M1942 and always carry one tucked away fully fuled in my 350 deisel. Being a yank I am not overly worried about being blind sided by uncontrolable pangs to brew up but have been known to pull out my French Press coffee maker on a meer whim!! One must stay alert you know..... Gordon

 

Enders baby

Size, weight, low center of gravity, indistructable case and the screw in funnel for easy refilling.

Steve

 

Many thanks for all your reactions. The fact that opinions are so diverse and there is no clear winner, seems proof that all stoves mentioned actually are well up to this specific task of m/c camping.

While I'm at it, there are a few more which I forgot in my first post, but certainly belong here also

Optimus 99 - performance naturally equal to the 8R's, light weigth and separate windscreen are extra pro's, however fiddly pan-supports a clear con.
Optimus 111B - plenty powerfull and eminently reliable under any conditions, but really too large and heavy for m/c camping
Optimus 199 - strong and finely adjustable silent burner combined with light weigth are real pro's; fiddly pan-supports and wind-vulnerability definitely aren't

 

Oh and yes of course, all the time standing right behind me

Campus 3 - 'This petrol stove is ideal for the hiker or motor-cyclist with it's compact design & light weight.' http//

 

You know this may cause some dispute but one stove I've used with no problems for a long time is a Camping Gaz Globetrotter
The only downfall nowadays is the hard to find canisters.
One more thing. What type of cooking will you do?
Simple boiling water and heating canned/wet foods or proper preparing and cooking?
If the first then something very basic like a M1942/1950 is fine. If you want more control then I would go with the 8r. I can't see you failing with an 8r. it would do everything very well.
Have a jolly time.
Alan

 

It is several years since Camping Gaz stopped manufacturing the GT106 canisters so relying on finding enough to supply a holiday or buying en route can largely be discounted.
However, The useful panrest/windshield assembly from the GlobeTrotter can be mounted atop the valve assembly from some more modern stoves which utilise the current favourite screw-on connection ( in this case from a Gelert Rambler ).



This whole burner/valve assembly can then be fitted to a modern screw-on Coleman 100g canister and the end result is effectively a modern-day Globetrotter which will fit as comfortably in the GT pans as the original did.





A useful bonus is that the burner can be fitted to any compatible canister should the need arise. Here it is shown on a 170g blowlamp canister and I usually keep it set up on a 500g canister for quick brews.

 

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If only because after a few days all canned foods start tasting the same: preferably proper preparing and cooking, time and opportunity permitting, which however won't be that often.

For that I'd prefer though any non-R-stove (so without in-built cleaning needle), because they're so much better at simmering, thus real cooking!

[This post - to me - is historic, being the first after 200+ wherein I finally mastered the quote-trick, thanks to dis-disabling 'BBCode', whatever that precisely means]

 

... or this!