An acceptable list of spares to take with you?

Gordon T

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Can anyone guide me to a post I read some time ago on the list of spares to take with you on a bike trip? The bike in question is a 2010 1200gs twin cam. Ive done the search bit but cant find it. I seem to remember the list included things like alternator belt and some rear seal etc. G.
 
Gordon T said:
Can anyone guide me to a post I read some time ago on the list of spares to take with you on a bike trip? The bike in question is a 2010 1200gs twin cam. Ive done the search bit but cant find it. I seem to remember the list included things like alternator belt and some rear seal etc. G.
Click to expand...

Depends on where you are going. If you are going to Tesco you will need a different spares kit to the one you would take to Outer Mongolia. One thing to remember is you can't take everything and of course it's useless if you don't know how to change it! For my Alaska trips I take a biggish tool kit because of the mileage we do, the remoteness of some parts and the number of bikes we take and here is a basic list:

Good and comprehensive tool kit to cover everything,
Puncture repair kit and small compressor
Rear Drive outer seal
Main drive bearing (can't change it on the road but useful to have)
Spark plug and coil pack
WD40
Brake pads
Spare battery
Duct tape and cable ties
Bulbs

Remember that I will take up to 12 bikes so I base this on the law of averages but in 4 trips I've done up there covering about 400,000 miles in total for all bikes, I've never had to dip into it for anything but puncture kit and basic stuff.

My advice is to make sure bike is prepped to the highest standard before you go on your trip and you will be OK.
 
Spare bulbs and and maybe a spare tyre valve kit in case the original gets mullered. An angle connector should avoid that problem. Also take a set of Torx keys and hex keys. A BMW repair manual could be handy just in case something major does fail.

Anything else can be ordered via the mobile phone.

If going to outer Mongolia read The Long Way Round. They took a stack of stuff, tools and spares, but dumped most of it - either not needed or too heavy. When the rear frame broke they had it arc welded and screwed the bike's electronics.
 
Bendy toy said:
Spare bulbs and and maybe a spare tyre valve kit in case the original gets mullered. An angle connector should avoid that problem. Also take a set of Torx keys and hex keys. A BMW repair manual could be handy just in case something major does fail.

Anything else can be ordered via the mobile phone.

If going to outer Mongolia read The Long Way Round. They took a stack of stuff, tools and spares, but dumped most of it - either not needed or too heavy. When the rear frame broke they had it arc welded and screwed the bike's electronics.
Click to expand...
Apparantly it dident screw it at all, when the BMW mechanic arrived to retrieve the bike he found a multi plug that our intrepid adventurers had left un plugged.
He had a couple of days on the piss then rode it home. As told to me by service manager whilst working in a dealers workshop.
 
Gordon T said:
Can anyone guide me to a .... list of spares to take with you on a bike trip?
Click to expand...

Hey, Gordo

Just before we start guiding you....

Can you guide us please, to:

(1) Where you are going

(2) When you are going

(3) How long you plan to be away for

(4) Your likely furthest point of contact from reliable civilisation

(4) Your basic mechanical aptitude

(5) What, if anything, you really expect to encounter
 
davegs said:
Apparantly it dident screw it at all, when the BMW mechanic arrived to retrieve the bike he found a multi plug that our intrepid adventurers had left un plugged.
He had a couple of days on the piss then rode it home. As told to me by service manager whilst working in a dealers workshop.
Click to expand...

Something conveniently ignored in the book. :augie

It also shows how some basic mechanical aptitude can go a long way. A disconnected cable connector shouldn't be "that" hard to spot.
 
It all depends on where you plan to go, what your ability is as the posts above says. I have a tool kit that I can do most things on the bike with. I use this tool kit when I service the bike, clean the brakes, change brake pads, take wheels off, take panels off, take the fuel tank off etc... This fits in a Kriega tool roll which I bought for £19. Spares I carry is fuses, light bulbs, tie wraps, electrical tape, heavy duty tape (not the whole roll, I cut a toilet roll to size, squeeze it flat and rolled the tape on it, fits nicely), mechanic gloves and don't forget your Leahterman. For trips into Europe I take a container for the oil which I had to use once, had to use the light bulbs twice, fuses twice. Since my track/road bike is a boxer BMW I use the same kit for track days where I remove the mirrors and the electrical tape and heavy duty tape comes in handy blanking the wires after removing the rear indicators. The track day kit fits into a duffel type toolbag and the touring kit is a tool roll and the original tool roll for the spares, oil goes in the cannister hole at the front.

More info here.

If your adventure is a bit more challenging than riding into Europe then consider to have critical spares for service or breakdown to be forwarded to a motorcycle shop on your way. You cannot foresee every eventuality so if the worst happens you be in one place for a while so money will than be your saving grace along with a calm persona. Over on ADVrider search for Walter Colebatch in the trips section who has been riding the Stans and Siberia for years now. He takes enough tools with him for a service and some kit specific to his bike. Oil and spares are arranged for when they get to a city where there is a decent motorcycle shop. If you go with a mate who has the same bike as you split the spares and tools between you.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602168
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=834987
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=727119

A Dutch chick to Mongolia
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=715670

The stories have one thing in common and that is preparation. Prepare yourself with knowledge and having a relaxed attitude when travelling. Prepare the bike and take money.
 
It depends upon where you are going and your capabilities.

If you are incapable of repairing a puncture then no point in taking a repair kit.

Anywhere in Europe

Puncture repair kit plus any necessary tools to repair.
Cable ties
Gaffer tape
CREDIT CARD

If Rasher was here he would suggest taking a spare bike even if you are only going to Tesco
 
I have the standard tool kit that come with the bike, a 90° angled valve adaptor, a Stop and Go plugging kit and a slimmed down electric compressor. Im quite a good competent spanner shuffler so mechanical problems are a piece of cake. I will get a couple of bulbs and some gaffer tape and ties. A rear wheel oil seal and bearing has been purchased off ebay. Would I be needing something like a fuel pump controller or ring antanea? Not really doing big milages or venturing too far off the beaten track but would like to know what to take as a simple faulty component would be a show stopper.
 
Ring antenna is a show stopper So that plus a spare key would be on my list I just got a s/h one from Sherlocks :thumb
 
bisbee said:
Ring antenna is a show stopper So that plus a spare key would be on my list I just got a s/h one from Sherlocks :thumb
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haven't heard of one of them failing since bmw replaced a whole load of faulty units years ago.
 
The standard thing I take abroad on any of my bikes are..

Gear lever, front brake lever and a clutch lever. Also the tools to change them. A slow speed drop could scupper your day.

I've never needed to use them.

I always pack some duct tape and cable ties.

However, my trips abroad have always been within Western Europe (OK, so France) and never off tarmac other than a campsite grass verge :thumb2
 
Good to see that nobody mentioned the fuel pump controller, is that because they don't fail any more, or because there's a simple work around? Probably worth taking a scrap of paper with the instructions on how to bypass the FPC, plus the necessary bits of wire.
 
Put the engine and chassis parts fiche with exploded diagrams on your phone and photos of useful information, 'how to's' etc.
 

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