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  1. #1 Don't leave home without it 
    Life Is Good! ChinaV's Avatar
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    Decided to start this thread showing some of the stuff I've been carrying on various trips. The first part will be mostly related to the equipment I always bring, and the second part will cover some of the camping and travel gear my wife and I used while touring the USA this summer.

    Feel free to chime in with your favorite equipment and ideas

    First up are the tools. Most bikes come with horrible quality toolkits, hardly the stuff you want to rely on when you're out on the road. If you're in China, a quick trip down to the local tool market and you can make a nice quality kit for very little money. Roll some electrical and duct tape around the handle of a large tool and put some zip ties on to keep it from sliding.



    The Wolfman toolbag is from America and I've had this one for over 5 years. Still looks like new and will probably last another 10 years.



    All rolled up and ready to go. The lighter gives you an idea of the size and is also one of those handy things you don't want to forget.



    I always carry a leatherman and a knife in my tank bag or side pocket. A lot of simple things can be fixed or adjusted with these which takes less time than breaking out the larger toolkit.



    A small air pump can be a life saver when you're out in the boonies. I'm amazed at how many people tell me they don't carry one. Along with the pump, you should have a patch kit for tubes, or a plug kit for tubeless tires.



    An assortment of popular nuts, bolts and spacers always seems to come in handy. Not a bad idea to add some helmet faceshield screws as well.



    Locktite, super glue and liquid steel are great for temporary fixes.



    Rubber gloves from the hospital or food prep industries are great for messy repairs.



    Some fuel line, shrink tube, zip ties, piece of coat hangar and alligator clip wires can fix just about anything.



    Tiny multi-meter for figuring out electrical issues.



    Parachute cord or tent rope is very light and amazingly strong. Good for tying stuff down, hanging clothes, or towing your bike.



    I keep all these supplies packed in a small cassette tape bag that is padded. Candy tins are a great way to keep things like glue from opening up and making a mess while out on the road.



    A few spare parts that I usually car on longer trips.

    A master link is absolutely vital and I recommend carrying two as a broken chain can really spoil your day. Make sure you get the exact same brand as the chain you buy as I have seen many cases where links won't fit from different manufacturers.



    A spare shift lever is nice if you have the room.



    Clutch and brake levers are easily broken if you don't have handguards.



    An extra tube is pretty much mandatory for riding in China.



    I also carry a spare clutch cable and spark plug.

    That's the first part of my list, feel free to add more.

    Cheers!
    ChinaV
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  2. #2 Re: Don't leave home without it 
    SabineHartmann SabineHartmann's Avatar
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    ChinaV, you made my day! now we Germans are out of the "cold wind". normaly everybody is laughing about our trip preparations. you top it! thanks!
    Sabine
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  3. #3 Re: Don't leave home without it 
    Life Is Good! ChinaV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SabineHartmann View Post
    ChinaV, you made my day! now we Germans are out of the "cold wind". normaly everybody is laughing about our trip preparations. you top it! thanks!
    Sabine
    Hmmm.... I wonder if that comes from all the work I've been doing with German companies over the last 10 years.

    Thanks for the compliment... I think

    Cheers!
    ChinaV
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  4. #4 Re: Don't leave home without it 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    Good work, good work. Great idea for a post. I have all of that, and more. On the bike my kit is 'similar' to yours, just a wee bit smaller - at least, I always carry a cigar lighter and a knife .... the rest of the kit usually sits in the shed unfortunately and is always missing the actual bit that drops off!!!!
    I wish you had posted this a few days ago and I might have packed it on the bike! Today it was the gear lever that fell off and as I had gone a fair way since the last change, it was a loooong walk along the roadside - I rode back twice looking, stuck in fourth gear so too fast to see properly so eventually had to walk a couple of km. to eventually find it in the grass which was fortunate. I would have used the 'mole grip pliers' in an emergency, if they hadn't been in the shed at home.

    Looking forward to seeing the camping gear as I have a couple of day packs made up for bow-hunting and for bush-fire emergencies, it will be good to compare. Mine are 'cheap and cheerful' components but do the job in this climate.
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  5. #5 Re: Don't leave home without it 
    Life Is Good! ChinaV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jape View Post
    Today it was the gear lever that fell off and as I had gone a fair way since the last change, it was a loooong walk along the roadside - I rode back twice looking, stuck in fourth gear so too fast to see properly so eventually had to walk a couple of km. to eventually find it in the grass which was fortunate. I would have used the 'mole grip pliers' in an emergency, if they hadn't been in the shed at home.
    That you found the lever is amazing, and should be taken as a sign of your good karma. Sometimes things fall off, rarely are they found.

    Cheers!
    ChinaV
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  6. #6 Re: Don't leave home without it 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    Yeah, it was a strange feeling to try and change down just before entering a bend and the foot just pressing on air! The funny thing was I had no real idea what it looked like (just a brain glitch) but it was indeed good karma as the black rubber tip was just sticking up a bit, the rest of the lever was covered in mud and lost in the background.

    I will get my 'emergency pack' out of the car tomorrow and check it through before the summer fire-season, so thanks for the timely reminder! We have some good debates on the bow-hunting forums about the best brands for gear but not much about the actual contents and necessities, with some variations depending on climate zone and electrical toys. Will post pics later.
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  7. #7 Re: Don't leave home without it 
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    Before I make a toolkit, I must first have at least some relevant motorcycle wrenching experience. For now, I just know how to change the oil (broke the cap once, didn't know it's plastic) and maybe adjust and lube cables. Maintenance book is on the way. But what's item #23 on in ChinaV's original post?
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  8. #8 Re: Don't leave home without it 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by slabo View Post
    But what's item #23 on in ChinaV's original post?
    Its a doovalacky. You hit things with it when all else fails mate - as opposed to a thingumabob which is always kept somewhere near the whatchamacalliit and is always on the workshop bench at home when you need it.

    It is not a 'special service tool' which is required only by first degree 'mechanics of the secret order of arcane bs' and serves mainly to frustrate you so you will pay high charges after breaking your nails, getting at least three blood blisters, ripping your trousers, losing an eye and finally giving up. 'Special service tools' don't actually exist in this dimension, they can be ritually invoked with gold, US dollars or sometimes, in extreme cases, blood. When invoked into this realm by bs adepts they take on the appearance of something you can make yourself with a bottle cap, two bits of wire, an adhesive band-aid and belly button fluff.

    Don't be fooled, if you have no arcane metaphysical bs training in 'glamour', they will fall into a heap of unrelated component parts, as will you. Then you require the doovalacky and you hit things. Simple.
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  9. #9 Re: Don't leave home without it 
    Life Is Good! ChinaV's Avatar
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    Item #23 - Safety wire pliers. These can be used as pliers, wire cutters and as a safety wire tool (pull the round thingy and it twists the wire). You would be amazed at how many things you can fix with safety wire. The basics here.

    Cheers!
    ChinaV
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  10. #10 Re: Don't leave home without it 
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChinaV View Post
    A small air pump can be a life saver when you're out in the boonies. I'm amazed at how many people tell me they don't carry one. Along with the pump, you should have a patch kit for tubes, or a plug kit for tubeless tires.

    I was looking into a portable air pump on Taobao this morning since my scooter has a tire that is slowly losing air again and I'm getting tired of always looking for some place to inflate my tire over and over again. This is already the 3rd-4th time in 6 months! Is it me not being cautious where I drive or is the Chinese always leaving their shit (glass, screws, you name it) everywhere on the streets? I assume the latter!

    Anyway, I found this on taobao:

    This looks very similar to the air pump in ChinaV's original post!?
    Anyone has any experience with Slime Tire Sealant that is included in the set with the air pump? Any other suggestion on products for fixing tubeless tires (and available in China)?

    Furthermore I found this portable air pump on Taobao, which is a bit more in the Chinese price-range!
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