So you’re ready to begin your motorcycle road trip, right? You’ve got your bike, got your friends, got your safety gear and your helmet, so you must be all ready to go. Before you hit the road, though, make sure that you are prepared for every eventuality. Your helmet protects your head, and your safety gear has most of the rest of you covered, but the fact is that you can never be too ready for what may happen out there, and this type of preparation involves a basic motorcycle repair toolkit, which should contain tools and motorcycle tie down straps, as well as a first aid kit. Read on to find out more about the items that these kits should contain.

Motorcycle Repair Toolkit
Many new, and some used bikes, actually come with toolkits, but you’ll want to make sure that you have one equipped with pliers, wire cutters, and various wrenches, (Including Allen wrenches.) as well as the proper types of motorcycle tie down straps in the event that you will need to tow your motorcycle.

Key Mechanical Spares & Lubes
Bringing along extra fuses, bulbs, spark plugs, and chain oil can help to make the difference between traveling securely and having to throw yourself on the mercy of the nearest overpriced service station.

Flashlight
Do you need a flashlight? Yes. It may seem like a silly thing to think about, but you’ll look even sillier when you’re trying to find your way in the pitch darkness using only the glare of your brightly colored Scorpion helmet as a light source.

Tire Repair Kit
Like it or not, blowouts are an all-too-common occurrence, and a flat kit which includes C02 cartridges for tire inflation, patches, and tools will help to get you on the road again.

Duct Tape
Unexpected mechanical failures or breaks can sometimes be held together with duct tape, providing a low-tech solution for potentially crippling problems.

First Aid Kit
A first aid kit is something you never want to be withoutРwhether its poison ivy or an ankle burn from an exhaust pipe, the clich̩ about an ounce of prevention is absolutely true. Rather than assembling your own supplies, an easier and more thorough solution is to purchase a pre-assembled kit, which will ensure that key items are not missing.

Adhesive bandages of various sizes

Triple-antibiotic ointment

Sunscreen

Lip salve

Antiseptic hand wipes or soap

Moleskin for blisters

Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or meclizine for nausea

Ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief

Diphenhydramine or fexofenadine for allergies

Moist towellettes for cleaning hands when restrooms aren’t available

Riding smart is more than choosing the right safety gear,it’s also about being prepared for every eventuality, and using these tips will ensure that you are.

This entry was posted on January 7, 2008 at 3:08 am and is filed under Repairs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.