On Tour Motorcycle Recovery

There are a lot of riders who just head off on a journey with very little mechanical knowledge of their motorcycle. Sometimes you can't blame them. Most motorcycle manufacturers' handbooks now just advise that if you experience any problem 'take the motorcycle to the nearest approved dealer' and the motorcycle come with an ever decreasing tool kit, hardly good enough to change an indicator bulb.

Most modern motorcycles are very reliable, although each model of motorcycle will show a trend for a few repeated issues, and more so if you are riding the first line of a brand new model, where teething problems seem to be resolved by those who buy the machine first, testing it out for the manufacturer under real riding conditions. You would do well before setting off on any longer tour to check motorcycle specific website forums for any reported issues and ask your dealer for any 'unofficial' problems that have reported arisen with your model. A good dealer will be prepared to help you out.

To be fair, the more common problems that can stop you in your tracks occur due to damage because your motorcycle has touched the ground. We see this all the time when doing a big motorcycle expedition. Most of the issues we have to deal with are due to drop or crash damage from rider error. Only a tiny minority relate to an inherent mechanical or internal issue with the motorcycle itself. Punctures generally are the most common problems, although so far it only happened twice.

I believe that the minimal problems we get on our tours, is because all motorcycles are generally well looked after, and have had a major service and new tires before departure. Even where riders have dropped their motorcycles, damage has been minimized because most have fitted protection accessories such as engine bars and a bash plate for when we are n rougher roads. Prevention is better than any cure!

Once en route, don't just think the motorcycle will look after itself. Doing a quick check around the motorcycle at the end of each day is also a good prevention technique. This is more important when you have a particularly demanding day on the motorcycle, say a high kilometer day, poor road condition or extreme weather to content with. If you know you could be going somewhere very dusty, ensure you can take the air filter out and give it a good clean. If the roads have very bumpy or potholed, check nuts and bolts for anything that could have shaken loose and look over you tires for any damage from sharp rocks.

Despite all the checks and preventative measures, things can still go wrong and you could be left in a pickle at the roadside if you have not got some basic tools or skills. Clearly not everything is fixable, but by having some essentials you could resolve a whole host of relatively minor issues without having to wait for help. Clearly the further you are traveling and the more remote the destination, the more prepared you need to be.

So what are the essentials? It applies to all touring – gaffer tape, cable ties, WD40, a multi-tool, and a mobile phone with a SIM-card that surely works in the region you are!

Don't leave home without the good old gaffer tape. This has saved many a rider! Whether it's fixing a cracked screen, putting the fairing back together after a drop, or taping bust indicators together. Cable ties are great for holding things together, especially if it bolts or screws have worked their way loose. WD40 has many uses, keeping damp out of electric parts and throttles, keeping levers and pannier hinges moving to name but a few. Have a good multi tool at hand for those quick jobs and to tighten the things which can work themselves loose on the motorcycle – screen and bodywork fasteners, frame bolts and pannier attachments. A good mobile phone with SIM card that actual works in the region or country you're riding is for most a no brainer... but it's amazing how many times I was asked if somebody could borrow my phone...