1150GS - What tools for a tour?

[rustychain]

Next week I'm heading to Scotland for a few days with a friend.

I have breakdown cover, but I want to be able to deal with any non major issues on the roadside.

On top of the standard toolkit I'll be taking a pump, puncture repair kit and Leatherman.

Is there anything else tool wise that would be worth packing?

Cheers

 

[Pootler]

I usually carry a lightweight space blanket or poncho for those long hours in the middle of nowhere in the rain waiting for the breakdown service.

 

[KMD]

I have a spare relay tucked away. Quite a few years ago my K1100LT starter motor stuck ‘on’…..if the ignition switch was on, the starter motor was spinning. In Dinant at the time. I traced the problem to the relay, the contacts had welded together and kept the circuit live.

Never happened again on any subsequent bike, but I still keep one anyway.

 

[GedJack]

Never travel anywhere without cable ties and a role of duck tape as well

 

[kirby morgan]

Alternator belt & the U shaped fuel pipe found in the fuel tank.
I know it's not tools, but these items have failed on me on European trips.
I have new spare ones tucked in the bike now.

 

[Ian J Hartley]

It’s Scotland.

Make sure your mobile phone has the coverage.

Most of the mobile phones up there have “No Service” as the provider.

 

[albatross]

Nothing….just done 4000 mls on the old girl and no spares needed……

 

[rustychain]

Nothing….just done 4000 mls on the old girl and no spares needed……

I'm sure it'll be fine, but the boy scout in my likes to be prepared!

 

[MarkShelley]

I always used to carry a short piece of copper tube (6mm dia. from memory) about 30mm long plus a couple of small jubilee clips to fix any leak in external fuel hoses. Cut out the damaged section and put copper tube in its place.

 

[GORILA]

A pair of pliers is useful for pulling out screws or nails to repair your punctures.

 

[albatross]

I'm sure it'll be fine, but the boy scout in my likes to be prepared!

I know what you mean Rusty….
I use a small set of screwdriver bits,some fuel hose,interestingly this time I even used a small piece of hose with a male adapter in case somebody runs out of fuel and I wanted to drain some of mine, set plugs,
also the tyre repair kit, which really should be in your under the seat tool box anyway,
handfull of screws and nuts, few wires, some connectors, a pair pliers,
Some insulation tape, a piece of an old cycle tube, some surgical type gloves…
the whole pack weighs near 3 kg and I didn’t open it once..
Replacing a broken speedo drive few years back it came in handy.
have a good service, replace filters, check tyres, after all Scotland isn’t the end of the world..

 

[rustychain]

Thanks for the responses.

I'll be camping so can always put up the tent if I get stranded while waiting for the carrier pigeon to get help.

The bike has had a new hall sensor and alternator belt in the last year or so - fingers crossed they hold up.

The u-shaped fuel pipe has been playing on my mind (bike has 57k miles) - it looked okay when I replaced the filter the other week. I'll see if I can get one in time for Thursday.

 

[The Other PaulG]

Some insulation tape, a piece of an old cycle tube, some surgical type gloves…

Amazing how handy a strip of rubber cut from an old inner tube can be. That, baling wire and duct tape means you can fix quite a few things. It's not always the bike itself that can need a fix, maybe it's luggage, your boots or something else.

 

[albatross]

Thanks for the responses.

I'll be camping so can always put up the tent if I get stranded while waiting for the carrier pigeon to get help.

The bike has had a new hall sensor and alternator belt in the last year or so - fingers crossed they hold up.

The u-shaped fuel pipe has been playing on my mind (bike has 57k miles) - it looked okay when I replaced the filter the other week. I'll see if I can get one in time for Thursday.

Promise you Rusty ,you won’t need it. you checked it’s fine so don’t worry.
you can have a spare petrol pump, a spare hall sensor, spare plugs but then suddenly you need a spare bulb you haven’t got with you.
its always the same old story, what you need you haven’t got.
Then the adventure is to get help or find somewhere where you can fix it or get the part.
sorry about it when it happens…ride and enjoy….

 

[steve g]

Save carrying reels of duct and insulation tape, I wrap several turns of the stuff onto a pen! Takes up minimal space

 

[rustychain]

Save carrying reels of duct and insulation tape, I wrap several turns of the stuff onto a pen! Takes up minimal space

A good tip Steve - I've wrapped tape around the bike frame on previous cycling tours.

 

[rustychain]

I know what you mean Rusty….
I use a small set of screwdriver bits,some fuel hose,interestingly this time I even used a small piece of hose with a male adapter in case somebody runs out of fuel and I wanted to drain some of mine, set plugs,
also the tyre repair kit, which really should be in your under the seat tool box anyway,
handfull of screws and nuts, few wires, some connectors, a pair pliers,
Some insulation tape, a piece of an old cycle tube, some surgical type gloves…
the whole pack weighs near 3 kg and I didn’t open it once..
Replacing a broken speedo drive few years back it came in handy.
have a good service, replace filters, check tyres, after all Scotland isn’t the end of the world..

The fuel u tube arrived yesterday so I have a spare if needed.

Pretty much packed and ready to go.

Fingers crossed that the aftermath of Hurricane Nigel doesn't give us a hard time...

 

[albatross]

Have a great time Rusty

 

[rustychain]

And we're back!

We covered a total of 1,045 miles over 2.5 days. We'd allocated ourselves 4.5 days but a combination of amazing roads, an appetite for miles, wild camping and a bad weather forecast resulted in long days and lots of miles.

The bike ran like a dream. The only fettling was a precautionary top up of oil while we were on the Dunoon to Gourock ferry.

What the trip did highlight is the pi55 poor main beam. We rode into the night yesterday, navigating by candlelight wasn't fun. I'll have a search on the forum for solutions.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.