In the middle of the arctic circle, you might get a polar bear and he won’t be offering mints, ok that last bit ages me
A breakdown call out in the arctic circle! So you've no room for tools, where you going to carry the sat phone? You are having a laugh aren't you? Mending a puncture will keep you warm... and alive. You were fast there crispey.
No room for tyre levers, just basic tools for basic repairs. I will be taking something to inflate the tyre for a temporary repair.
I run "Tyre shield" (slime is another brand) in the tubed tyres on my Bonneville and Thruxton. Seals small puntures (up to 6mm) while you continue to ride on oblivious . Supposed to dynamically balance the tyre and helps the tyre run cooler. Speaking of cooler, forcast is for 40c plus for the next 5 days and we just had 2 days of it. Dreaming of a white xmas eh. Got a ride in early this morning when it was only 26.
So what basic tools and basic tasks ARE you hoping to cover? On a remote trip welding frames etc. to get by is possible so punctures are definitely in the basic category. Maybe I just have the wrong mental picture of what you're undertaking. Why don't you start a new thread with the trip idea and people can then offer more focussed advice knowing more detail?
Mole grips & screw driver. Don't want to get weighed down. Might take some cable ties as well. I don't want to think about punctures anymore.
Spark plugs? A lot of basic checks start with taking these out.... What do you plan to do with mole grips.
You need to review where your going and what the bike will need, NOT what you'd like to take with you or do..... I was once competing in Diss forest and a bolted on footpeg mount came loose. One bolt had gone so i removed the other as i didnt want to lose the whole mount. My bumbag had allen keys so 2 minute stop and on way. Riding sand with one leg on back seat (to protect lower leg) was interesting. Without being able to weight the foot pegs evenly led to tankslappers but if you relaxed they didn't get too wild Anyone remember Mike Rapley (A writer for TMX news)?, he was on an RMX 250 and I blitzed passed him with a right weave on He came to me as I was fastening peg back on at next check. His words were something like "Youre a f*ucking nutter you were all over the place coming past me!"
You need to plan to carry more ! Talk to @dilligaf about a trailer ! They are a lot easier than you might think !! Less wear and tear on the bike,tyres, suspension etc and you can take A Whole Lot More with you !! And they affect fuel economy less than overloading your bike ! You can carry more extra fuel if there's a possible problem getting access to fueling station ! Cheers capt
First of all thanks to all of you for your posts and suggestions. Much appreciated and some of them made me laugh out loud. I am going to Nordkapp which although technically is "within" the Arctic Circle it is still attached to mainland Norway, so I do not expect to be shooting Polar Bears and skinning seals for survival in the event of a breakdown. A puncture is my main concern hence the post. A mechanical breakdown on the T120 I consider to be unlikely and it will be going in for a service and trip check just before I set off. I am also going to have new tyres fitted which was another reason for the post, to see what options may be best/available, tube or tubeless. It is a three week trip and luggage will be very limited as I hate panniers and will not be fitting any. Roll bag for personal items and a small bag attached to the rack for security chain, oil, chain lube and a few tools and various spanners for chain adjustment and tightening things up that may come loose. Roadside repairs are limited these days given all of the integrated electronics on the T120 so tools will be basic and breakdown cover comprehensive. Any advice you may have regarding the trip would be very welcome.
For such a trip to totally trust a dealer service without a thorough check yourself would be very niave and foolish in my opinion.
On a serious note, what are you like at lighting fires out in the wild? A small tin of lighter fluid and a piece of inner tube could save your day.
I always give my bike a thorough check the day before a trip and I know exactly what I am looking for. Out of interest what would you be looking for on a pre-trip inspection?
Forget the spark plugs. They won’t give you trouble. I’ve just changed mine after 12,000 miles and they looked like new. Save room for more useful tools.
