There is no one right way of traveling by motorcycle.
Some people love to camp, others find camping a form of torture and hate having to haul all that gear on their bikes. Some people love the personal, "homey" nature of a bed & breakfast, and others much prefer the anonymity and predictability that staying in a chain or luxury hotel brings. Some people want to be on the lookout for ways to save money, others want travel to be their opportunity to splurge. Some people want to do everything on their own, and others want everything planned out and arranged for them by a professional travel agent long before they start their trip.
You have to find out which is right for you. If you like it, then it's the right way of traveling.
Most likely, you will find yourself wanting to combine different traveling styles, and that different styles fit different countries or regions. I once took a motorcycle trip where I stayed in a youth hostel one night, a luxury cabin with a bathroom, kitchen and cable TV another night, a rented room in a woman's home another night, and a cabin with nothing but two beds and a hot plate another night. And it was a GREAT trip!
Do what is right for YOU. Don't let anyone bully you into traveling a way you don't want to, or make you feel self-conscious about your preferences. I have friends who balk at the way I travel, and I've balked at some of their preferences. But, in the end, we did what was right for each of us, and had the trip each of us wanted.
And do take steps to stay safe. I don't really talk about personal safety below - just motorcycle safety.
In the USA and Canada, there's no need to take stools/chairs - all camp sites come with picnic tables. In Europe, that's not at all the case.
In the USA and Canada, you may not be anywhere near a store or restaurant at all while camping. In England and Scotland, campsites are very often near a small village (that means easy access to grocery stores and PUBS!).
In the USA and Canada, there's usually no place provided for tent campers to cook if the weather turns bad. By contrast, most camp sites in Europe do provide such.
Some camp sites have no running, drinkable water at all. Some have water spigots or pumps but only pit toilets. And some - especially state parks - have bathrooms with showers. I'm very partial to state parks in the USA - you may find one with rock climbing (South Dakota), a dirt track (Missouri), a planetariam and dune sledding (Idaho), or a museum of Audubon paintings and prints (Kentucky).
My packing list is based
on camping while motorcycling. You won't need this much if you
aren't going to camp (and less stuff may be a good trade off - it
means you won't have as much luggage).
For choosing your tent: get a two-person tent if you will usually be camping alone, and a three-person tent if you will be camping with another person; the extra space is for your gear, and room to easily move about - something you will want for dressing, or on a rainy day when you might be in your tent for an extended period. Get a tent with a vestibule (good for leaving shoes and, perhaps, your cooler, if you aren't in bear country, outside), and with ventilation in the back of the tent (some days and nights, you will need it!). A separate rain fly is essential, one that extends well over the door. Tents that have floors made from one piece of material are less likely to let water seep in than those with seams. Having a tarp on the ground under your tent will better ensure no water gets in (water in your tent is AWFUL, trust me).
You want a warm sleeping bag (bring a light sheet if it will be too warm to close up the sleeping bag, and use this to cover you when you sleep instead of the bag), and a air mattress (many camping mattresses will self-inflate at least 50% in about 45 minutes). I bring an air pillow as well.
All this packs down surprisingly small!
I looooved staying in cabins in Norway and Sweden, particularly
when a cabin was in some lovely area and wasn't too close to other
campers. You need a sleeping bag, but not an air mattress, and
usually, there's no bathroom en suite (rather, there's a communal
thing somewhere near by). And a small stove or hot plate, as well
as cooking pots and utensils, are usually provided. Some cabins in
Norway came with a TV! In addition to cabins, some spots have
trailers to rent onsite at campgrounds, with all the amenities of
a hotel. You can count on cabins and trailers being clean and
ready-to-use in Scandinavia... but elsewhere, you need to research
first. Also, these sites tend to be rather isolated. If you are
lucky, in Europe at least, there's an onsite bar and maybe even a
restaurant as well.
A Note Regarding Reserving Tent Space or Renting Cabins or Yurts
You can hit up friends, and their friends, to let you sleep on
their couch or floor or guest bed when you are in their area.
There are also web sites where you can register to be hosted by
other registrants when you visit. It's an ultra cheap way of
traveling, but it also means that you probably don't get to sleep
until everyone else does, that you will have little if any
privacy, and if you don't like your accommodations, you have no
options other than keeping quiet or leaving. There may be a cat
litter box that isn't well managed, or a lingering cooking smell
you aren't fond of, or a resident that wants to watch TV until 2
a.m. Ask well before you arrive if you need to bring a sleeping
bag. If you are a smoker of ANY kind, ask before you book if you
will be able to smoke somewhere outside.
I've slept on friends' couches, floors and guest beds, but my
limit on such is two nights, both for their sake and mine. And I
also make a point of taking the household out to dinner for
putting me up.
Usually called "youth" hostels, these can provide a great way to travel on the cheap and to meet other travelers. They are few and far between in the USA, but abundant in Western Europe. The downside of them is that they may not provide secure parking for a motorcycle, and they may be loud at night.
I'm not a big fan of youth hostels -- I prefer bed and breakfasts or rented rooms when traveling abroad, if I can't camp. If a youth hostel is truly youth-focused, then it will be way too loud at night to be able to sleep (something I do enjoy doing after a long day of site-seeing or motorcycle riding), and in addition, I have little interest in talking with the others if they are traveling only to party and get laid. That said, some hostels are fantastic -- particularly in Scotland and Scandinavia, where hostels cater much more to walkers and adult travelers, rather than just youth, and staying in them gives you access to not only cheap, comfortable accommodations, but really cool fellow travelers.
Many hostels offer private rooms for couples or even for single travelers. Some even have bathrooms in your room, rather than down the hall. If you are traveling in a group of three or more, it will be easy and cheap for you to reserve an entire group dormitory just for yourselves (provided such is available).
Some tips for staying in a hostel:
In the USA, and independent hotel does not necessarily mean it's also cheap, but it does often mean you can get a great local experience. For instance, both the Austin Motel and the San Jose Hotel, both in Austin, Texas, are legendary for both their locations (just down the street from each other, in the heart of the South Austin music and food scene), their atmosphere and their attitudes. I think I got a job once because I recommended the San Jose Motel to the company's representative.
Here's an example of what I mean by a great independent hotel while on the road: the Lost River Motel in Arco, Idaho. We had fought incredible winds all day, which makes me miserable on a motorcycle, and it was starting to rain, and Stefan, who is never, ever cold, was chilled to the bone. It turned out to be a great choice - very comfortable, affordable rooms, and a very friendly, bike-friendly owner. And our bikes were right out the door, just a few meters from the bed.
In the USA, I'm frightened of what we call budget hotels and motels, but abroad, budget hotels (pensions) are usually family-run, and provide a friendliness and warmth, plus a closeness to the local culture, that I want while traveling. Also, budget hotels abroad usually include breakfast. But, as noted in the following description as well, breakfasts can vary widely: some will be generous and some will be just bread and coffee. Look for budget hotels abroad that have excellent access to local attractions, or to transportation for such, in case you don't want to take a motorcycle.
What's just as important: motorcycle safety. Can you park your bike inside a garage, or even inside your room? Some motels and hotels in developing countries allow motorcycle travelers to park their motorcycles inside the lobby or dining room. Always ask where you could safely park your motorcycle. If your bike has to be outside, lock your bike to something!
Remember that, with the Internet, it's now oh-so-easy to find out what kind of reputation any hotel, hostel, bed & breakfast or campground has among travelers! Always research before you book. I use:
If you have NEVER traveled outside the USA, then I would suggest your staying in a chain hotel, budget hotel or bed & breakfast on your first trip -- at least for the first two or three days. Then experiment for the rest of the trip. Don't give up on something because of a first-time bad experience.
And remember: if you don't feel safe, go somewhere where you will. If that means spending more money, then spend more money. Never compromise on your safety.
And now this word from my husband:
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