Touring Survival Kit

[bogan]

Oops, forgot.

Good quality tire gauge - always run on properly inflated tires. Even if you've got to ride to the servo on the way out of town and do the calculation:

Required pressure at servo = recommended pressure + (current pressure at servo - gauge pressure before starting)


One of the motorbike mags here in Aussie gave away a small right angled tire valve connector with one month's magazine, it makes checking tire pressure so easy. I just inflate the tire to a couple of psi above the recommended pressure as there's a slight loss of pressure as you take it off.

That's not really survival kit stuff, that's part of pre-ride checks. Also, I think you're overomplicating it, you inflate it to said pressure, then take the thingo off, not that much gets out.

[iranana]

My current survival kit (if I'm venturing far from home...)

Spark plugs
Spark plug socket/ratchet
Small socket set w/screw heads etc
Jewellers screw driver (for carbs)
Tube patching kit (now I need a small pump)
Various carb jets (never know when you might need them on a smoker... especially on one that you're fiddling with all the time)
Swiss army knife
Craft/stanley knife
Rags
Masking tape and electrical tape
Gasket maker (in case I spring a leak somewhere - permatex ultra black)
500ml of gearbox oil (cause I have a small oil leak right now... waiting on parts to fix it)
WATER
And if all else fails and I'm stranded... food (and herb)

Kind of overkill. Maybe. But then again, I ride a 35 year old bike that can be a bit shitty sometimes.

[AD345]

Jesus Christ, what is this? 1973?

OK - I can understand a few bits and pieces for Adventure or Off-road riding otherwise I gotta agree with the other poster who said:

"Your bikes must break down a lot"

Essentials:

credit card

cell phone

Done

[Akzle]

Jesus Christ, what is this? 1973?

OK - I can understand a few bits and pieces for Adventure or Off-road riding otherwise I gotta agree with the other poster who said:

"Your bikes must break down a lot"

Essentials:

credit card

cell phone

Done

half the places i go dont have cellphone coverage. Aucklander.

[AD345]

half the places i go dont have cellphone coverage. Aucklander.

So upgrade your phone bush-boy

[Mike.Gayner]

So upgrade your phone bush-boy

Spot the guy who never rides too far away from a Starbucks.

[T.W.R]

Good thing my bike only has one fuse.

Once apon a time even old cylinder type fuses could be patched up with a bit of the foil out of a cigarette packet

[AD345]

Spot the guy who never rides too far away from a Starbucks.

Hell no

Plus I need to be close to a power supply to ensure that my Pomeranian (in the Louis Vuitton tank bag of course) is always able to be blow dried to look her best

One must maintain lifes little luxuries

[Voltaire]

My old BMW's have a pretty good tool kit, add a 1/4" socket set and very good.
Typical set:


Best side of road job was swapping out a gearbox.
Punctures, not a problem as there is a pump under the seat too.

For my modern bike I just have a phone and AA card.

If I was doing a world trip I'd take an airhead BMW.

[Gremlin]

My old BMW's have a pretty good tool kit, add a 1/4" socket set and very good.

new BMWs are the opposite. I think I counted 7 tools in the standard kit. 3 Allen keys, probably a spanner or two, the most valuable is the one for getting into the oil. If it didn't use oil BMW would probably not provide a kit at all

[chasio]

Pair of vice-grips so you can clamp them on to a broken cable and use them as the lever.

You wouldn't be the first person that will get to the next bike shop pulling on a pair of vice-grips to take up the clutch to change gear. They're always handy for holding things together.

And if you have them, then you'll never break a cable! Sort of mechanical insurance policy, always have the tool to fix something and it'll never fail.

As I learned from Gordon on the DB, vice grips also make a good "bead buddy" to hold down the bead when repairing tube-type tyres. Pump, decent combo tyre levers / wheel nut spanners and WD40 were also good to have had on me. Don't own anything tubeless, but assume a can of flat-fix and maybe a pump would replace that lot.

[Voltaire]

new BMWs are the opposite. I think I counted 7 tools in the standard kit. 3 Allen keys, probably a spanner or two, the most valuable is the one for getting into the oil. If it didn't use oil BMW would probably not provide a kit at all

On my Ducati ST ( Semi Tourer) you have to take off the fairing to check the oil. To disconnect the battery, complete fairing off, mirrors and dash panel.

[Kendoll]

An' sum 2" plumbers tape. That shit is jesus.

I second that! After this summer and a few roadies my bike's back end was practically held on by plumbers tape... (has since been properly fixed, I'm not that useless..)

[Gremlin]

On my Ducati ST ( Semi Tourer) you have to take off the fairing to check the oil. To disconnect the battery, complete fairing off, mirrors and dash panel.

Making mechanics out of motorcyclists I guess

[george formby]

On my Ducati ST ( Semi Tourer) you have to take off the fairing to check the oil. To disconnect the battery, complete fairing off, mirrors and dash panel.

And a visit to the dealers to plug the fuel injection into the poota.

I thought real KTM's had to have bits hanging off them Kendoll? Scars are cool kinda thing.