Spares and tools, are they really necessary?

I was at a friends house the other day. Also a biker since many years, we came to talk about long-haul riding and what kind of riders there are doing this. On one end of the scale we found the innocent and naive, who just buys a bike and rides off into the sunset. Strange thing is that they seem to get away with it as well...

At the other end there is the extremely well prepared, almost professional, multi-competent biker who makes a carburetor out of a coke can in no time. Those people also get home, every time. Might take a bit longer though, as they gladly perform a full service at the side of the road first.

The rest of us fall somewhere in between. Myself I probably belong more to the prepared ones. There is a special kind of satisfaction in being able to sort out a problem by yourself, before getting back on the road again. I limit the things I undertake though and sometimes I do get really frustrated...

Taking this approach does require tools and spares, so next question is what to bring?

The workshop...

The answer I think lie in what I want to be able to do. My philosophy is I should "always" be able to repair enough to get myself to a workshop. Of course this is still limited to the most common troubles; flat tires, blown light bulbs, fuel pump problems, hoses, basic electrics, oil leaks etc. I will not bring stuff enough for full road side renovations...

As the trip is quite long, I will also have to have the bike serviced half way through. Do I want to do this myself, or do I leave the bike with a workshop?
To me the answer is obvious. I have a safe haven in Spain, I have the know how and I am dependent of the bike to the extent that I definitely want to know the exact status and what have been done to it. I do the service myself!

So, getting to it then; what do I bring?

Tools first

• Customized toolset, containing both some special things from the bikes original toolbox, but also some general tools
• Feeler gauges, for adjusting valves during mid-journey service
• A multimeter
• Tire bars
• A set of tie-down straps. Very important for ferrying by boat, but also useful for tying stuff down during service if needed
• The panniers! Heavy-duty type aluminium boxes that double as bike stand if required
• Air compressor, small and cheap 12V type
• Leatherman-type multi-tool (always carried on myself)
• Flashlight
• Funnel for oil change
• Plastic syringe with a piece of tube, for changing/adding hydraulic or brake fluid if required

There are other things packed which might come in handy for repairs as well. For instance I use a petrol stove, which easily heats till some 800-900 C.

Spares then

• Extra fuel filter
• Fuel pump gasket set
• Tube, 21" front only as this one will fit in the back as well, good enough to take me to a workshop
• Tube fixing set
• Clutch and brake levers. I don't bring extra gear-change or brake pedals though. Front brake will have to do if pedal is broken and gear changers usually don't brake fully
• Gas- and de-comp wires, clutch line (have hydraulic clutch, otherwise you'd like an extra wire for the clutch as well)
• Drive chain lock
• Spare bulbs
• Some extra fuel- and vacuum hoses, plus hose clamps
• Electric wire
• Chemical metal
• Gasket on tube
• Air duct-, electrical- and vulcanizing tapes
• Tie wraps
• Coffee filters, for cleaning of fuel or coolant water
• Generic wire set
• Pre-oiled air filter
• Wheel bearings (this is superfluous, but I already had them and they really don't take up much space or weight...)
• Extra spokes
• Valve caps gasket set. The LC4 engine must be one of the last ones not having o-ring type rubber gaskets. One of the few real misses by the KTM engineers!
• Oil filter and gasket set, to be able to do the planned mid-journey service
• Spark plug
• Engine oil
• WD40
• Chain lubricant
• Hydraulic fluid (for clutch)

One thing I don't bring, but maybe ought to, is a voltage regulator/rectifier. If that one blows I guess I'll just have to hitch a ride to wherever I can buy one...

I think that covers it! Quite a lot, but I do have the knowledge to use it and it actually doesn't take up as much space as you might first think. As I don't know where I'll find myself driving I better be prepared...

If you don't know how or have the experience of doing roadside emergency fixes you might as well save the space and weight though (on the other hand you then also better stick to civilized surroundings...)!