Tools & parts to carry - Himalayan Road Trip

[GSMuscle]

Im off on a big adventure to the Leh-Ladakh valley (India) and it will be a 3 week trip on my 2014. This is my first long road trip on my new GS.

1. What parts and tools are usually recommended to be carried on road trips and especially something this remote and extreme. I have the Advdesigns full tool kit for the new GS. Do i need to carry levers as the hand guards should take care of them in a fall?

2. Has anyone heard of thermostat failing in higher altitudes? and this being the most extreme in the world.

3. My first service will be done early june and the trip would cover say 1500 miles end of June. Maybe just top up oil is what i am thinking.

4. I am not thinking of changing tires (mine came with Anakee 3) as there won't be any mud to worry about except for a bit prior to reaching Rhotang pass. I did think of 50:50 off road knobbies but I'm guessing the Anakee will do on the valley terrain.

5. I also have the Advdesigns puncture kit with an electric pump.

6. Bike has Led headlights, Bmw aux fog lamps, bmw crash bars + touratech upper crash bars and planning to add Glenda to the bottom of the forks with amber lens.

7. The stock batt is 12ah, is this sufficient if I'm adding Glenda led lights and hooking the bike with adv cams and charge phones and other electronic bits? I understand that the led set up uses mostly very little wattage so I'm guessing i dont need to carry a Li-ion batt as a spare.

Although i have the experience of riding many bikes this is my first big adventure bike and so far the bike has been a blast. I have done the Manali-Leh-Khardungla before on a RE Classic 500 so i know what to expect but this one is going to be several folds more extreme as we are covering almost the entire valley covering Killar, Kishtwar route and many more.

Would highly appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Yellow Peril]

Spare bike

 

[GSMuscle]

Spare bike

Dang!

 

[pistole]

klr 650

 

[GSMuscle]

I know it's too much bike to grapple up there in the mountains but I'm hell bent on taking it. The klr and the like are the best bikes to ride there and even better the now trusty RE 500. I should be able to thrash the big GS without breaking it on those lumps of rock ain't it? With a caveat that I'm not going to drop it.


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[AberdeenAngus]

Yes, you should definitely take a caveat. Very useful, they are.

 

[GSMuscle]

Ha ha ha! Now I'm getting nervous.

Ok, two GS's (both previous gen) have done this in the past, one last year and the other in 2011. Last years bike gave no problems and was accompanied by a Multistrada. The 2011 ride bike gave up a thermostat and were stranded for 9 days (that's what I have been told) till the part arrived.


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[snaponphil]

Ha ha ha! Now I'm getting nervous.

Ok, two GS's (both previous gen) have done this in the past, one last year and the other in 2011. Last years bike gave no problems and was accompanied by a Multistrada. The 2011 ride bike gave up a thermostat and were stranded for 9 days (that's what I have been told) till the part arrived.


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Just a quick one..
Bikes new so shouldn't worry about water problems, from memory altitude makes water boil at lower temperature because of pressure (or lack of it) but the radiator cap should take care of that, you can run bike without a thermostat or possibly smash the innerds out of it to 'get you home' maybe a small tube of gasket goo, for oil & water applications. (Ask BMW mechanic what they use)
I'm sure there are guys on here that do extreme stuff regular, bit of advice on what general items to take I'm sure is coming.. I would be more concerned with punctures & vulnerable replacement items, maybe look more at crash bars efficiency & rear pannier frames seem to protect the delicate rear items..
Even a puncture can set u back hours & make u sweat like hell if your not confident in the technique.. Also the bikes heavy if you need to lift or support it..
Good luck & enjoy the ride..

 

[yankeedoodledandy]

Solar battery charger for bike or electronics? Satellite phone?

How is the gas there? If its not great, you may want to get the dealer to set the bike up for low octane.

 

[Giles]

Rad protectors ...

 

[GSMuscle]

Just a quick one..
Bikes new so shouldn't worry about water problems, from memory altitude makes water boil at lower temperature because of pressure (or lack of it) but the radiator cap should take care of that, you can run bike without a thermostat or possibly smash the innerds out of it to 'get you home' maybe a small tube of gasket goo, for oil & water applications. (Ask BMW mechanic what they use)
I'm sure there are guys on here that do extreme stuff regular, bit of advice on what general items to take I'm sure is coming.. I would be more concerned with punctures & vulnerable replacement items, maybe look more at crash bars efficiency & rear pannier frames seem to protect the delicate rear items..
Even a puncture can set u back hours & make u sweat like hell if your not confident in the technique.. Also the bikes heavy if you need to lift or support it..
Good luck & enjoy the ride..

Thanks snaponphil. I will get the gasket glue. I ve never really had too many flats but have done them partially in the past. My VMAX had a large puncture and the compound wasn't enough to seal it so i had just abt enough time to get home before the tire got flat again. I will be off to the flat tyre shop to actually get some real world lessons. Thanks for the tip.

Ive got other mates who will lend a hand if the bike needs to be hauled about. Just hoping they will have enough juice left in such altitude.

Solar battery charger for bike or electronics? Satellite phone?

How is the gas there? If its not great, you may want to get the dealer to set the bike up for low octane.

Solar batt chargers sound great and not sure abt sat phone though, if i can get one. The bike will be re programmed for 91 octane as per the manual. Fuel as expected is going to be quite nasty and also a couple of fuel injector cleaners thrown into the mix to get the big girl cleaned up if any bad fuel is pumped. Any fuel injector cleaner would do? or is there a standard to be used on the new GS?

Rad protectors ...

Yep, she has Touratech Rad guards, expedition XL sump guard, fork protectors, cardan guard, cardan spool, cardan ventilation relocation, caliper covers, ABS sensor protection, rear brake res protector etc

 

[Packer]

I know that the bike uses tubeless tyres but carry a tube anyway in case the carcase gets cut on a rock and can't be plugged/patched. Choose a tube that you can cram into either wheel. A length cut from an old tube will be useful for additional protection at the split. Tyre levers may be useful as well.

If your bike has the factory upgraded switchgear you'll probably be OK, otherwise think about a spare micro switch. (Do all '14's have the uprated switches?)

Duct tape, a million uses for things that move but shouldn't and cracked plastics. Selection of cable ties, light and heavy duty.

As weight will be your enemy, especially at altitude, review what's in the tool kit and ask yourself if you really need it all. Liaise with your mates so that you aren't duplicating tools and weight as long as you'll be riding as a group at all times.

 

[Engineer]

Just get good breakdown cover and go lightweight - the less stuff you have the less you have to worry about - alternatively forget the GS and hire a Enfield, the locals will be able to fix it for you.

 

[gramshep]

Before you go. Take both wheels off and put them back on, take the tools you use to do that with you. Practice taking tyres off and punctures more than just the once. (if you put the tyre back on the wrong way round out in the sticks, don't worry you'll get another puncture soon enough!! Technically you should not need to to take it right off anyway) The rule of T: Tubes, Tyre levers, Ties Tank Tape, Time. As Packer suggests share with your mates but, you may get separated so maybe think "Self Sufficient." Keep your tools on top, if you have to unpack at the side of the road, stuff goes (or can go) walkies...falls down ditches etc. or just gets left!! Good luck I bet that nothing will go wrong and I hope it doesn't.

 

[DRAIN MAN]

Do not worry to much, if you break down it is cheap enough to hire a truck to take you to a town were you might get repaired.
Punctures are not much trouble, crash damage repairs can be done, just hope you do not need any BMW parts as I found nowhere in India who could get me any. They would have to be flown in from elsewhere which takes a lot of time.
I was lucky and nearly at the end of my trip when I killed the clutch trying to get down the Rhotang pass through 10KM of mud which in places was over a foot deep and very sticky !!! Took me over 4 hrs to cover this section.
Enjoy the ride it is a great place to be.

John

 

[Sooty09]

I found pound shop superglue worked on the plastic parts of the 09 GS800 and GS1200. It was good enough to glue tabs back on hand guards, radiator panels, actual GS800 radiator mounts and all the tabs in the Vario panniers. A few small tubes takes up very little space. Once open its best to throw the tube away.
Take a few v point grub screws, these can be screwed into punctures as an emergency fix, Halfords do a proper kit of plastic screws for £5.00.
2.5MM drill bit, can be pushed into a cork as a handle. Use to drill holes into torn plastic so tie wraps can be laced through.
Small tube of plastic metal.
Roll of gaffer tape.

Pack of Andrex moist toilet tissues, (make that a six pack).

On no account consider super gluing your bum up. If you know of a solution to what you will suffer on a few days please let me know. Love the sub continent but it plays havoc with Mrs Sooty.

 

[GSMuscle]

Wow thanks a lot guys! Keep the info coming. Its the bits with what people have done before on the road actually make a ton of difference like the grub screws & where to find them, wheel removal and fitting them back so i get acquainted with them. Im feeling brill.

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

Done those roads on a 350 and 500 bullit , would be quite a trip on a GS . Got to the top of the Kardunla pass and a guy turned up on a Fat Boy !! no tools just a rucksack , and headed down to the Nubra Valley . The Rhotang can be a real challenge , we took 9 hours to do it last time I was there as it had been shut the day before and traffic was mental , thats when it may get hot .I'd say you'll have a great trip and the mechanics out there are pretty resourceful if you need help . Ditto rad gards and a good tool kit /puncture repair kit . Look forward to hearing about it . I guess you are based in Delhi ?