For the touring types -- What tools do you carry?

[Don in Lodi]

I think I'd use a power drill on a skid steer tire before trying to plug it. The rubber is super thick and super tough.

 

[Dogdaze]

I knew I should have kept a tyre from my last change, just to practice string plugging it ::010::

 

[Wanderer]

Howdy,
Join the AMA, sign up for automatic renewal and you'll get free road side assistance. The only thing you need to carry is your AMA membership card.
Later,
Norm

 

[iClint]

How many miles do you average a year on your motorcycle? I ask, because I find it difficult to believe you haven't experienced a Stop-n-Go failure if you are leaving them in for the life of the tire.

Between the 3 bikes myself and my wife own, it'd be around 50-60,000km a year, the 4 cars would do ~200,000km. My road bike tends to be the one that gets multiple punctures per year as I split/filter traffic leading to riding in the crap that gets swept to the edges of the roads.

As someone who has used both methods, sticky string before I discovered Stop'n go, I can't be convinced that sticky string is the better way to do it. I've been using stop'n go now for around 4 years and not experienced any failures or slow leaks.


In an effort to not derail this thread my tool kit on the tenere (and past tourers) consists of the OEM tool kit, a multi tool, some cable ties, some steel wire,duct tape and my credit card and of course the contentious tyre repair kit. My experience touring has told me carrying everything including the kitchen sink is pointless. carrying every tool needed to disassemble the bike apart from taking up space better used for comfort items is like i said "pointless" if you aren't also towing a trailer full of spare parts.

Because of my disability I also carry the Bestrest 5:1 recovery system, which provided my bike is still able to roll can be used to tow the bike. The last item in my arsenal is the InReach which allows me to call for assistance (not SOS) and then also have 2way communication to co-ordinate the effort.

 

[Harry Dresden PI]

I beg to differ.

I not only use Stop'n go plugs on the bikes but on my small fleet of cars in my business, I've never had one of the plugs let go or need further repair. the process is very simple and clean without the mess of sticky string, and requires very little strength to insert the plugs.

on the other hand before I discovered the stop'n go plugs, I used sticky string, which would often have slow leaks and need additional repair (usually removing tyre and patching from the inside) at cost. the process was messy and difficult in comparison.

a short story my father was once patching the tyre of a bobcat and while exerting the tremendous force need to insert the sticky string plug the need slipped and he pushed the needle through the the webbing between the thumb and index finger.

I seem to recall that some Bob Cat tires/wheels are liquid filled to help prevent flip over... Bob Cat tires tread must me 1 to 2 inches thick ...

 

[Rodge]

As mentioned, I have " plug kit and air pump for commuting into DC" The plug kit is just sticky string and tools. I added a SAE plug to both run the compressor and battery tender. The compressor has been most used for other people's bikes, though.

Hello Howard, for the touring type all you need apart from the bike basic tool kit is what Checkwerks mentioned, I would add a cutter plier to pull the FOD (foreign object damage) from the tire and cut the excess tire plug sticking and may be also carry a lighter to burn off the cutted plug.
I go over my bike once in a while to make sure everything is tightened and all is good.
If you're going to do serious off roading in remote areas then that would be different, but for touring type, that's all I needed in my life of sports riding/touring.

 

[camardelle]

No off roading here guys. This is all good info gents. I did pick up the tip about zip ties to secure anything loose. Good idea. I'll likely pick up a tool roll and equip it with things to tighten or loosen whatever, or whatever it takes to get me to someplace secure and safe. Thanks a bunch for all the input. It may be time to go shopping!


Wait, it's always time to go shopping for bike stuff, right? ::022::

 

[EricV]

Between the 3 bikes myself and my wife own, it'd be around 50-60,000km a year, the 4 cars would do ~200,000km. My road bike tends to be the one that gets multiple punctures per year as I split/filter traffic leading to riding in the crap that gets swept to the edges of the roads.

As someone who has used both methods, sticky string before I discovered Stop'n go, I can't be convinced that sticky string is the better way to do it. I've been using stop'n go now for around 4 years and not experienced any failures or slow leaks.

I'm impressed with your results. ::008:: I ride more miles, but don't commute. I've done many puncture repairs with sticky strings, from simple staple holes to 10mm holes from rock damage that required multiple sticky strings in the same hole. I have had failures due to location of the hole off the normal riding area of the tread, and simply poor conditions and large holes, but I've never had a time when I wanted the Stop-n-Go kit instead. Glad it's working well for you. I still do not consider it a permanent repair due to the lack of any vulcanizing to the tire.

Back to the thread - The original query was for touring. In this concept, not everyone tours in areas that have cell phone reception, thus the quest for a tool kit that provides you with just enough to take care of things and continue on your trip. It's a balance for everyone based upon their skills, desire and needs along with where they want to go.

In 2011 my wife rode in the Iron Butt Rally, covering a bit over 10k miles in 11 days and over 13k miles from when she left to when she returned home. She discovered on that trip that she lacked a few tools needed to work on her bike. She had decided not to take them because she did not feel she had the strength to use them. This ignored the help from strangers, had she had the tools. It was a learning moment for her. I had to buy things over the phone and have a friend take them to her. She now carries more tools. I was doing a shorter endurance rally, after having ridden with her to Seattle for the start, then to Salt Lake City for the other rally, then I met her later in CA at the finish. We rode another 30k mile that year just touring around the western US.

In 2012 we probably rode about 30k miles doing various touring rides, endurance rallies, etc. We also flew to Peru and rode rented motorcycles to Machu Picchu, taking the train and bus the final bits that you can't drive/ride. The rental bikes didn't break and we had no flats. Minimal tools were carried, cell phone coverage was spotty, but we did have a local guide with a few more tools and spare tubes, etc.

In 2013, I rode in the Iron Butt Rally and covered around 10k miles during the rally, along with another 2k plus getting from home to the start and 5k plus getting back from the finish via a circuitous route with my wife as vacation time. I had one flat in all of those miles, which was promptly fixed. I had one other incident where extreme cross winds blew a wire connection loose under the seat, (not an oem connection), that required me to stop and get to the wire connection. Only a few simple tools were needed for that repair. I pulled my wheel at a checkpoint to have a fresh tire mounted. Sped things up that way and cost me less for the tire change at a small shop. On the way home I changed my oil in a Walmart parking lot in Parry Sound, Canada on the shores of Lake Huron. I had the tools I need to do the job. Just had to buy a drain pan, which was given away to a fellow happy to have it for the effort of taking the old oil to a recycle place near by. We got to see a lot of good roads while riding around the Great Lakes. Not a lot of traffic in some places or much in the way of services for long stretches.

In 2014 the wife and I rode, (she rides her own bike), to the Yukon and Alaska doing an 8k plus trip lasting ~35 days. I had some minor issues with a fuse blowing that powered my GPS. Turned out to be an intermittent short of a SAE connector that was not being used, but was on the same circuit. Once found, no more issues. Aside from that I don't recall breaking out the tools during that trip other than to help other riders. Much of this trip, once in the Yukon and Alaska was over poor roads and well beyond any cell service. Self recovery was important. There may or may not be another traveler on the road any time soon. Not to mention reservations that if missed, would create a snowball effect with all the remaining reservations for the trip.

This year we followed our friends in the IBR and rode from UT to NM and as far East as Virginia and Kentucky. Only about a 6k mile trip over 2 weeks, but we saw a lot of roads less traveled and a bunch of interstate too. I helped a few other riders with the tools I carry, from a jammed foot peg that occurred during a parking lot drop to changing the oil on a friend's bike in that same parking lot. A big wrench for leverage, some normal hand tools and a vice grip designed for nut/bolt gripping all came in handy. Several times people borrowed some duct tape from the roll I carry on my fuel cell. (a $14 roll of industrial grade HVAC tape, not a .99 cent roll). Some of the 14" zip ties got used and borrowed as well.

Take the tools you need to handle things you might do while on a trip. Where you go, how long your trips last and your comfort level will help you establish what tools you want to carry. That, and the simple experience of lacking a tool when you need it. That's when I discovered I needed that 8mm allen wrench. When I didn't have it and had to unexpectedly replace a tire on the road. I couldn't believe I only got 6800 miles from a PR3 Trail! I fully expected to see at least 2k more than that and had never run a PR3 before, but had gotten 9k+ from a PR2. Fortunately, I was able to just borrow one from the shop I was at that day.

If a CC, tow service, (read the fine print), and cell phone meet your needs, carry on. If not, try using the tools you carry on the bike to do some of your work on the bike in the garage. That may help you to see what you need to upgrade or add.

Next time you need a new tire, consider trying out that flat repair kit and compressor in the garage by poking a hole in your about to be changed tire with an awl or pointy object. It's a lot better place to learn to use the kit than by the side of the road in the rain, at night. But then, some will never be riding in the rain, or at night, or on a strange road to them in the middle of no where. To each their own.

Oh, and tires do get multiple punctures at the same time. CO2 kits rarely can fully inflate a tire on our bikes, and once gone, are gone. Unless you never leave cell service, a compressor is a good thing to have, as is knowing that the connection you plan to use to power it is rated for 10 amps. Few compressors will work with the OEM cigarette port w/o blowing the 3 amp fuse. Having a good flat repair kit and knowing how to use it will make a flat a minor incident instead of an hours long ordeal.

Hope that helps someone reading this thread.

 

[VRODE]

I've used Stop 'n Go plugs successfully on both bike and auto tires. The plugs are squishy and do firm up and vulcanize in my experience (once you get some miles on'em). It's important to try and clear out the entry hole of steel belt windings if present so they won't get cut/torn. At any rate they've worked for me and others while on the road.

 

[Slugo65]

Check out rrr tool solutions. They sell a high quality kit specifically for Japanese bikes. I called and spoke with the owner, Lance Gordon . He said that his toolset has jis quality tools and that they manufacture wrenches and tools that are not redundant and also can nest for space saving storage. I will be ordering a kit from them in the next few weeks and will let you know how it goes. Their website is www.rrrtoolsolutions.com

 

[VRODE]

You can go here to make your own checklist for tool kits, etc.
http://micapeak.com/checklists/toolkit.html

I have made my own over the years as my needs/bikes change.

 

[VRODE]

Also...I always carry this.. metric, std, and torx included as well as various screwdriver heads.


http://www.newmantools.com/wfmc.htm