Khyam Biker Tent Reviews and Details

Tent Reviews: Khyam Biker

Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Khyam > Biker Reviews

Current Model?
Berths:
Weight:
RRP on date added:
Bedroom inners:
Living area groundsheet:
Pitching Style:

Yes
2 (more 2 berth tents)
5.80 KG
Ł229.99
1
N/A
In one

Average User Rating:

7.22/10 from 9 reviews

Viewed: 47896 times

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9 Reviews of the Biker

By: Xbob Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2018 Rating: 3 from 10

My Biker plus seemed the ideal tent for one person, indeeed I was initially impressed until a horrible experience left me completely non plussed and dissappointed.

I arrived early at a lakeland site and had the pick of pitches.

Try as I might, I could not untwist the frame.

A friend arrived who is a chartered mechanical engineer, so I was confident it would resolve.

No such luck. It took the two of us over two hours to finally sort the mess out.

I am a seasoned camper and replaced a much loved Coleman Byespace with this.

Khyam were not much help and I never really felt confident.

The tent is catching dust and hasn't been used for a few years now.

An expensive failure!

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By: Worlestone Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: 8 from 10

I've been using the Khyam Biker for the last two years on various bike camping trips across the UK. It is, as others have said, an easy tent to pitch, though not as quick as the Igloo due to the extra pole for the porch, but more space. The ground sheet is a must, and here's a problem, the Khyam ground sheet is really an inch or so too big both width and lengthwise, you have to get it spot on to have any chance of keeping water from going under the tent. Loads of space inside for a solo biker and room for two in comfort, however, you'll need a low chair, like the Sunncamp deluxe low chair to have a chance of sitting in the porch without your head touching the roof. Also the side entrance is quite low, but no lower than other tents of the same size. Also you'll need the extra storm guys, really not an option if you want to feel secure in a windy tent.

But, overall a great tent and happy with it and fits across the back seat of the bike, but not in the panniers or topbox, unlike my previous Vango. My previous tent was a much smaller Vango Spirit 200+

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By: LaughingGravy Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: 8 from 10

I bought this tent in 2007 for a charity motorcycle ride - as I was camping most of the way round, for a night at a time, I wanted a tent that would go up and down quickly with no hassle, and I also wanted a tent with a porch to put wet clobber - there's nowt worse than getting soaked whilst out riding, then having to drag all you wet gear into the sleeping area of the tent with you. The fact that the tent pitches with the inner already attached means that even if it's raining when you erect it, the inner remains dry.

Pitching is quick, though whilst the main body of the tent goes up quickly, threading the pole for the extending porch is as fiddly as any other type of tent that uses a pole and sleeve system. Proper pegging out is essential for maximum stability and weatherproofness (is that even a word?).

As other reviews have stated, this tent really does require the additional footprint tarp, some folks make their own, I opted for the Khyam one. The groundsheet in the sleeping area is THIN - very thin. The footprint also means you have a decent floor in the porch area. The optional storm guys are also not really optional - they are a necessity if there's any sort of wind blowing, or the tent will attempt to fold in on itself.

The two doors are a bonus, allowing you to take your pick - for myself, I prefer the side door as it seems to leave more storage area free.

Taking it down is as easy as putting it up - remove the porch pole, fold the legs, then roll the tent around them. At first, getting the tent into the bag seems a bit mission:impossible, but once you realise it's easier to put the bag over the tent, rather than the tent into the bag, it's child's play.

Pack size is not small. Considering it's 'been designed to be just the right size for the back of a motorbike', according to Khyam themselves, it seems very big. It will fit on a bike though!

I've been using this tent several times a year since I bought it, including for a few sub-zero winter bike rallies in Snowdonia, and it's dealt with everything that's been thrown at it in that time. I've just had to reproof it, as it was getting damp inside the porch during really wet days and night, and it has developed an annoying drip or two from the door securing toggles - the water seems to leech through and drip of the ends into the porch - unfortunately right where I kneel as I go in, leading to wet kneees! Nothing to worry about though, and after five years I can't complain too much, and it's nothing a little seam sealant won't sort out.

Overall, it's a great tent, its price made higher by having to buiy the footprint and storm guys separately, but a good purchase overall, and one I'm very happy with. I think if this one gave up on me, I'd likely buy another to replace it - that way I could have one in the much nicer green colour they come in now, and it would be flame retardant to boot!

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By: Annie314 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating: 9 from 10

I bought this tent for Glastonbury and found it perfect for the festival. There was plenty of room for two of us and all the kit we needed. The weather was awful with torrential rain. The tent withstood this well. Kept us dry,cosy and warm. You do need a footprint for the tent a)to provide a floor in living area and b)to protect the bedroom. I made one from strong tarp. This tent did everything I expected it to. Only down side was that with the weather so bad it was difficult not to drag mud into the tent when crawling in.

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By: Flybirdy Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2012 Rating: 3 from 10

We bought the Khyam bikers tent because it was promised to be quickly erected. Indeed it did not take us long, even for the first time to pitch this tent.

The inner tent is attached to the outer tent, so that is a time saver. There are enough storage possibilities for reading glasses. Mobile phones etc.

We found the inner tent to small, but that was because we bought 2 x 80 (31.5 inches) cm wide mattresses. This did not leave enough space to quietly leave the tent at night without bumping into my partners mattress. But that was our own fault.

The major disadvantage of this tent is that the groundsheet in 'the living area' is not fixed to the sides of the tent other than the inner tent (sleeping area). When the weather suddenly changed to cool and windy, we were sitting in a draft and were cold. The gap between tent wall and groundsheet was approximately 10 cm. (4 inches).

Nobody mentioned that the folding was probably more time consuming then the erecting. One has to 'unlock' all the bends in the umbrella type frame in order to release them and only then can the tent be folded. Due to this umbrella system, we could not get this tent neatly back in a decent shape.

We bought the extra storm ropes, which came in useful.

After 3 days we decided that this is not our ideal tent and we bought a more conventional tent, Coleman Rock Springs 4, just as quick to erect, and quicker to clear away, with a bucket type of groundsheet which is attached to all walls of the tent. We discovered that with our new tent we could also leave the inner tent partly attached to the outer shell. So less time was lost during 'take down'. We also came to realize that most time of setting up camp is not in erecting the tent, but in arranging the sleeping, kitchen and storage areas.

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By: Mrharley Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2003 Rating: 9 from 10

I have had this tent and used it a lot over the last 6 years. For a start, I used it while motor cycle touring and lately with my car. I did have a pole split while in Northern Ireland last year, it was my fault as I didn't have storm guys during a night of high winds and heavy rain but it was easily replaced. I managed to repair the old pole so I now have a spare. As I am now a OAP I am thinking buying a 'Khyam Freelander' so that I have standing room for longer stays but I still intend to use the 'Biker' for short and one night stays.

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By: Jaynus Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: 9 from 10

We have owned our Khyam Biker now for about 3 years. We bought it to replace a Khyam Igloo which we had for about 18 years! The only reason we bought a replacement was due to the small porch size on the Igloo.

This tent is excellent quality. The sleeping compartment is a self contained pod with fly sheet and can comfortably sleep 2 people (3 people if one was a child maybe). The tent doesn't come complete with ground shhet and I would recommend buying the quality Khyam one. The porch is a generous size and we can fit all our food/clothes bags etc for a fortnights holiday in there leaving the sleeping compartment clutter free.

The tent is very very easy to pitch as it has self erecting poles for the main section each with 2 joints to snap into place. The porch has a normal collapsible pole that just feeds through. We use our tent for multi campsite holidays so in a fortnight we can be erecting and collapsing it about 5 times so it needs to be fast. We can erect ours in approx 3 mins comfortably.

The only reason I have rated this 9/10 and not 10/10 is that you are unable to stand up in it anywhere. This is no problem to us but I know some people like to be able to stand in their tents.

We have suffered some very poor weather with this tent as we use it all year round. We have never had a problem with water leakage but we do use a good quality re proofing spray on it every year. We have camped in high winds and only had to put extra guy ropes on it once.

Overall I would highly recommend this tent

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By: Gje4 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: 9 from 10

This was bought for me, complete with ground sheet last year, my wife & I put it up at the time and by myself bank holiday weekend May 09 - it was quick (not 30 seconds) and took 20 mins, it was my first time so I think I could get this down to 10 mins. Spacious, warm, well put together so am completely happy with it. One word of warning, when you first purchase you have to seal the seams inside to waterproof, may get a bit wet otherwise. Does not take long and everything supplied. P.S Its a Biker tent, I have a VFR and it fits well.

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By: PaulBB Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: 7 from 10

I would have rated this tent much higher if considering the price it was supplied complete. 2 items it NEEDS are optional extras??? Storm guides and ground sheet. The living area has no ground sheet and the bedroom areas ground sheet is very thin and easy to damage. It only takes a relatively medium storm before the tent needs the optional extra storm guides. Total extra cost for theses items around Ł40<Ł50 on top of a list price of Ł189!.

Ok I paid Ł150 for mine and made a ground sheet for a tenner but I was unaware of the need for the additional storm guides until I got caught out in a storm on a Scottish hill at 3am having a half flat tent so had to get up in me jimjams go out in the dark in the rain and wind find the ratchet straps that I had and use them as storm guides then all was well.

This tent is good quality, Don't leak, easy top pitch even on your own and I had no condensation problems even after boiling a kettle inside (essential after a 3am run about in the rain and my jimjams)let down by not being complete.Complete tent would be 9.5 out of 10

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Manufacturer's Description

As recommend in RiDE Magazine. The Biker has been designed to be just the right size for the back of a motorbike and by using the Rapidex® Quick Erect pole and joint system the Khyam Biker pitches and strikes down in minutes. The extended porch provides plenty of extra storage space, ideal for rucksacks and helmets.

Technically, the Biker benefits from using the Khyam commissioned WeatherWeave Pro flysheet, with taped seams and additional polyurethane coating ensures excellent hydrostatic performance. The tried and tested Rapidex Quick Erect pole system uses strong, solid fibreglass poles and durable, hardwearing nylon auto joints. With a little bit of practice the Biker can be pitched within 30 seconds!

Optional extras for the Khyam Biker include a tailored footprint SPS groundsheet. This great accessory will provide protection for inner tent groundsheet, and add a groundsheet to the porch area to keep your belongs clean and dry. Also available is the Flexidome storm kit to provide extra stability in windy conditions.

... there may be more info on their website

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