Winter Moto Camp: Cold, Chaos, and Community

Written by Mitch McLane

Rolling In: Snow, Tents, and First Impressions

Winter moto camping last weekend was equal parts ridiculous, resourceful, and unforgettable. We rolled into camp Friday and immediately started setting up. This year, instead of the Civil War tent, I brought my Wingman of the road tent to camp directly in the snow—or so I thought. I wasn’t sure how it would handle the brutal cold, but it held up surprisingly well. I carved out a body-shaped pocket in the snow for it, which briefly felt like I was digging my own grave. Spoiler alert: I survived. Jeff and Keith were still en route with the bikes, while Richard was already out doing donuts in a Rivian truck that somehow became part of our weekend plans.

Improvised Engineering: Ski Bikes and Cold-Weather Fixes

We also brought some new fun this year—something Neil cooked up in the fab shop: a Gryffin ski bike, inspired by a Scandinavian YouTube rabbit hole. Once the bikes arrived, I got to work unloading and firing them up, only to quickly remember just how cold Winter Moto Camp really gets. Our lithium batteries were not fans of the temperature. Luckily, dinner made everything better. Amy had prepped massive hobo—sorry, cowboy—dinners, each one about the size of a football. People definitely noticed as we pulled those out of the fire, and they did not disappoint. That night in the Wingman tent was actually pretty cozy; the coffin-like shape trapped heat well, and between hand warmers and a solid sleeping bag, I slept just fine.

Food, Fire, and Staying Human in Subzero Temps

I was up first Saturday morning, getting the fire going and brewing some much-needed cowboy coffee. Breakfast followed with bacon and eggs for the crew, courtesy of yours truly. Meanwhile, Neil and Richard made a Rivian run to grab AGM batteries to save the day. Once we were powered up, I finally got out riding—mostly on Halcyon 450 #001, a well-used and well-loved prototype from the early days. Dropping tire pressure to about 15 psi made a huge difference, and the studded tires on H01 were an absolute blast on the icy back roads. The cold was brutal at speed, but the traction was worth it.

Riding in the Cold: Studs, Low Pressure, and Frozen Faces

The ski bike ended up being a crowd favorite—people couldn’t wait to take a turn. Just like last year, there was an incredible mix of bikes, familiar faces, and plenty of chaos in the best way.

The People Who Make Winter Moto Camp What It Is

Our host’s heated barn was a lifesaver, complete with two massive slot car tracks that kept everyone entertained when fingers needed to thaw. Huge thanks to Moto MI for putting on such a killer event, John for being an amazing host, and Mark from Foster Coffee for keeping spirits (and temperatures) up.

Already counting down to next year.