Things I learned while STRANDED

[black hills]

One thing a lot of people don't think about is machine shops/welders. Most every town has at least one and they can usually surprise you with thier ability. I've heard of people spending days waiting for a part when the local machine shop could have repaired the old, or made new one relatively cheap. It may not be perfect, but it will usually get you back on the road

[Sport-Touring]

[GS George]

new guy here, 1st post but i have been stuck/stranded many many times. first off nothing beats a cell phone, credit card or a buddy with a truck. having said that this is what i carry on my bike, not only when i tour but all the time.

assortment of tools that are bike specific, tape (duct & elect.) rescue tape, hose clamps, zip ties, spare bulbs (headlight, tail light & signal) clutch cable, brake cable, front brake lever, clutch lever, tubes, valve stems, tire irons, ru-glyde, air pump, tire gauge, BMW anonymous book, flashlight, pen & paper, jumper cables, latex gloves, rags, extra fuses, multi meter, wire, JB weld, chain tool/extra master link, and an extra set of keys.

this is all i can think of off the top of my head but i am sure there are other things i carry. if you keep your bike in good condition and don't neglect it the chances of a break down are greatly reduced. regular maintenance is the key to keeping your bike in top shape. although things can and do happen i try to be prepaired but you can't foresee every situation, and you can't carry entire tool chest with you. i try to take it all in stride and remember, if your in the U.S.A. not some third world country no matter how bad you think the problem is help is right around the corner. i have been stuck on the side of the road in WY in July where it took hours for a tow truck to arrive but since i had bottled water and a phone it was no big deal. i have had flats in the pouring rain, been lost and out of gas at night etc. and it is all part of the adventure. sure it sucks, but it still is better then sitting home on the couch watching TV.

ride safe,
George

[jwmead72]

Friend of mine gave me this one:
Vise-grips can become a shifter or lever in a pinch if ya break one off.

And one from my Grandfather...
If you have ever gotten a brake caliper locked up (hopefully not in mid-ride) sometimes you can release the caliper by using small vise-grips on a rubber hose and pinch the hose, open bleed screw on caliper and brake cylinders release if your lucky. Tape the handles together on the grips to keep the break from relocking and get to somewhere to get it fixed. Works great for double disc breaks on the front, but will still get ya out of a jam if its the back, just remember no breaks where-ever it is you clamp off brake fluid so ride accordingly.

[OrangeSVS]

AAA RV Plus Membership or MoTow.

Ok... I know it's not the DIY yourself hardcore option... but for like 75 bucks a year, you get free towing for a hundred miles. The nearest shop doesn't service your make of bike and you're dreading the per-mile charge of the tow service? You can get one or two towns over, no problem. And of course, it can cover your cars and give you some discounts as well if you're into that sort of thing.

[OrangeSVS]

My newest "must add to the 'survival kit'" item is....

Lock thaw!

Yup. Got stranded when the key wouldn't turn. Had to walk a ways and get a couple cups of hot water to thaw it out... and by the time it thawed, the hot water that had fallen to the ground had turned to ice and made backing out of the spot a little treacherous...

[Jason F.]

Like many who have posted my original bikes tool kit gets many of the items replaced with better quality or more usable tools. I also supplement with things like.

Zip ties
Electrical tape
Blue shop towels (pulled off the roll and folded flat)
Spare zip lock bags (hold the shop towels and other need to be dry items)
Spare lengths of rolled electrical wire.
Spare lengths of safety wire
Two led flashlights stashed in separate locations.
Two pocket knives stashed in separate locations.
Spare blade fuses
Spare bulbs
Tire plugs and kit.
A pack of disposable hand cleaning wipes.
Small tube of rtv type sealant.
Last year I added an MSR fuel bottle of gas since I have run out of gas a couple times in the past.


My bike is already wired with two 12v plug "cig lighters", one up front of the GPS and one under the seat to charge cell phones and such. On one of my old bikes I actually wired up a plug inside my side bag so I could just toss an item in there to charge and lock it up if I was away from the bike.

I think after reading this I will stash a couple of control cables in my kit even though I have never broken a clutch or throttle cable. I am also planning on building a small set of jumper cables to add to the kit this year. Probably use a battery tender style plug wired directly to the battery in the bike and a couple of smaller alligator clips for the other end but that would not allow me to help out another rider. With that in mind I may just use clips on both ends.



I have stopped for several stranded riders. Most recently I had one of my stranger encounters. I stopped for a ratty looking Harley on the side of the road. His "buddy" was 20 feet ahead on his shiny full bagger but neither he or his lady had even bothered to get off their bike to see what the problem was. The rider of the ratty looking bike had an electrical issue and when I offered wire and or tape to help him get the short corrected he pretty much refused help. He was too macho or proud apparently since all he could talk about was how his new bagger was at home and would not start so he drug this old thing out to make a toy run ride that day. He had apparently not finished rewiring the bike but was trying to impress me with his mechanical knowledge and aptitude. Well with his tired looking lady standing by the side of the road he finally accepted a bit of my obviously inferior electrical tape with a "it will have to do till I can get home and use proper Harley electrical tape attitude". I just smiled and laughed a little as I put on my helmet and they rode off for home.

[coloradocon14]

Just ran across this thread and thought I would add something that came in handy last weekend.  My buddy overestimated his fuel range (He now claims the gauge malfunctioned) and we were stuck quite a ways from a gas station.  A Harley stopped and without getting off his bike, handed us a small hand siphon pump.  60 seconds later we had transferred half a gallon of fuel from my tank to the empty one and were back on the road.  

[MonkeyNuke]

Someone mentioned a spare key.  I keep mine securely zipped in my inner jacket pocket.  My theory is that I believe that I will not lose my jacket as easily as a key by itself.  
Another strategy is to plan an extra day.  In other words, if you have to be back to work on Monday morning, plan to arrive home Saturday, not Sunday night.
Also, I like to be hydrated.  I keep a water bottle with me and top it off from a drinking fountain.  This way, if I have an unplanned stop on the road, I can at least have a drink of water.

[corndogs]

could not agree more than the orig. post

[elizabethhill]

Nice post! Number 2 is very important. It is necessary to bring emergency kit and tools regardless if you are planning a long or short trip.

[ggmichael]

Externally, the appearance is very similar to the E21 predecessor, however there are various detail changes in styling to the E30. Major changes over the E21 include interior features and revised suspension (to reduce the oversteer which the E21 was criticised for).

[montanaman]

Man..what a great thread. As a new member here a fairly new touring rider ( 3 years in) it's kind of staggering to read the amount of safety items one can bring. I ride a Sprint GT and ride some very remote roads here in Montana where the bears out-number the people.  I think it is possible to over-prepare tho.  It sounds like I need to hook up a second bike to a trailer to be absolutely sure I am going to get home and that's not right. You just can't bring everything every time.  I guess when you leave on a bike alone for a long ride in the middle of nowhere you have to just accept that you might be delayed for more than a day or 3. It's just the way it is. Either that or stick to 100 mile day rides around the house..

[mica]

Micro battery will jump start your bike, or car for that matter. There are a lot of different models with varying degrees of power. This one's size is 6 x 2.9 x 1 inches. Can also charge phone and just about anything else.

http://www.amazon.com/Antigravity-Batteries-Micro-Start-Starter-Personal/dp/B00FDYYK4A