Equipment Carried
- Thread starter Mike Strong
- Start date
Well Mike there is no substitute for knowledge. Phil has a great idea in that he does all his bike maintenance only using the tools he carries on the bike. In the absence of knowledge Bob has the right idea!
For the knowledge challenged I'd say the minimum kit required is:
Puncture repair with compressor
Fuses
Fuel syphon
Most motorcycles have regular Achilles Heels and reading your bikes forum will give you the heads up for regular road side failures and how to fix them.
Love, light and kindness,
Dave
For the knowledge challenged I'd say the minimum kit required is:
Puncture repair with compressor
Fuses
Fuel syphon
Most motorcycles have regular Achilles Heels and reading your bikes forum will give you the heads up for regular road side failures and how to fix them.
Love, light and kindness,
Dave
ah the ultimate question what is to much gear? the answer is just carry what will break and stop the bike from moving. Sounds simple but takes a bit more thought first is it likely to break? So what you need is on a scale of consequence of break v likeliness v ease of repair v space available to carry the kit to fix it. scale is worse case bike immobile to slight misfire. So know your bike its age etc should determine the likeliness of say terminal failure/seizure . so to be honest any tyre can get a puncture so a every one should have either fitted some sort of sealant in the tyre or carry a repair kit and ideally know how to use it. Even if you don't know how to change an item or use the repair kit having a spare with you saves the waiting time for said item to be sourced if you've got the bit any garage mechanic could fit it so just having breakdown recovery or a credit card does not always get you where you want to be. I will give an example many years ago whilst touring a remote part of Scotland I snapped a chain all it required to repair it was another link which I did not have I got the bike to the local garage willing as the guy was he rang round all the local bike lads and no one had a link of that size and pitch they all ran trial bikes, so my only option was to get one from Inverness or Glasgow and they would send one by post or I could get the bike to them. this is an item that would attach to my bike key ring so not that hard to have with me. And the other extreme I met a chap at a Dover rally in the 70's on a Panther outfit with a spare engine in the sidecar apparently he believed his current one was about to expire and did not have time to change it before setting off but was hoping it would make it back to London on the old one, his space available gave him that option. some things like gaffer tape super glue and bits of string wire and cable ties allow you to improvise temporary repairs that can cover a multitude of occasions.
As for being a mechanical expert I don't believe that to be essential. having a bit of experience and slight aptitude to attempt a repair is within most peoples grasp. Just having a try at home would give you an idea as to what is within your ability to fix at the side of the road its always easier at home with the support of a friend etc to achieve these things.
So do I carry to many spares and tools? oh yes far to many do I need them all? not yet but I might.
As for being a mechanical expert I don't believe that to be essential. having a bit of experience and slight aptitude to attempt a repair is within most peoples grasp. Just having a try at home would give you an idea as to what is within your ability to fix at the side of the road its always easier at home with the support of a friend etc to achieve these things.
So do I carry to many spares and tools? oh yes far to many do I need them all? not yet but I might.
80,000+ miles in the last 2 years on 2 bikes with regular maintenance. 1 clutch failure which needed 8 hours in the workshop to repair. Touch wood, regular maintenance has resulted in no minor problems and 1 catastrophic failure which would have been beyond my ability to repair at the side of the road.
What do I carry? A bulb kit, puncture repair kit, compressor, gaffa tape, cable ties, mobile phone and breakdown membership card.
What do I carry? A bulb kit, puncture repair kit, compressor, gaffa tape, cable ties, mobile phone and breakdown membership card.
I'm the same as Gordon. The only things extra is I carry are a 'ring antenna' for the GS as they can go anytime and a fuel pump sender unit. This last cannot be fitted by the side of the road but if I get relayed to BMW dealer or other bike mechanic then I don't have to wait for the part.
122,000 miles in 6 years over 3 continents and only had 1 puncture and 2 headlamp bulb failures.
I've converted the lights to HID so hopefully I won't see another failure but converting (at a push) back to regular Halogen is doable by the side of the road.
Regular maintenance is indeed key.
122,000 miles in 6 years over 3 continents and only had 1 puncture and 2 headlamp bulb failures.
I've converted the lights to HID so hopefully I won't see another failure but converting (at a push) back to regular Halogen is doable by the side of the road.
Regular maintenance is indeed key.
Hi all "Happy new Year" to you all, when I was competing in the BBR & the like I carried (what I called) a rally tool kit in addition to the bikes kit, this comprised of a ratchet and socket that fitted the wheel nuts, a set of socket drive Allen keys that also fitted the ratchet. The thinking behind these additions was that speed would be of prime importance during a rally, also as a lot of bodywork would need to be removed for certain jobs I purchased a battery powered electric screw driver that would accommodate the torqs bits needed for the BMW screws.
As far as spares to be carried as well as a set of light bulbs, some fuses, a selection of cable ties, a reel of duct tape & the usual puncture kit with compressor I carried a new speedo cable as in those days a minimum mileage needed to be achieved in order to get a finisher certificate, and a broken speedo cable would be a game finisher !!
As far as spares to be carried as well as a set of light bulbs, some fuses, a selection of cable ties, a reel of duct tape & the usual puncture kit with compressor I carried a new speedo cable as in those days a minimum mileage needed to be achieved in order to get a finisher certificate, and a broken speedo cable would be a game finisher !!
Here's a few piccies of some of the stuff I cart about. The bike has very little standard space for tools so I got one of the alloy boxes that fits inside the right pannier frame. This now gives me more space than most bikes have (not including top boxes or panniers). I carry most stuff others have already mentioned plus another 'stationery pouch' for rally planning which also has some other bits and bobs I might need quick access to rather than digging out my tool box stuff. Don't worry, I won't bore you with lists of stuff though 
These long thin pouches are just the right size for the tool box and easy to retrieve, there's also a cyalume light stick and a tyre valve adaptor tube
This is the pouch I carry during rallies in my top case. At the top are a pair of tough latex gloves, USB cable and tool for the oil filler cap.
These long thin pouches are just the right size for the tool box and easy to retrieve, there's also a cyalume light stick and a tyre valve adaptor tube
This is the pouch I carry during rallies in my top case. At the top are a pair of tough latex gloves, USB cable and tool for the oil filler cap.
Puncture kit/slime compressor, cable ties, spare fuel pump controller, roll of black nasty, all lights are led so don't carry bulbs, tool roll with torx/ screwdriver bits and relevant spanners BMW tools for wheel removal.
Apart from puncture kit and compressor all in a tool roll so it can live any where on the bike.
Oh and my brew kit
BTW if you dont know how to use it don't carry it
Apart from puncture kit and compressor all in a tool roll so it can live any where on the bike.
Oh and my brew kit
BTW if you dont know how to use it don't carry it
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