What tools & equipment should you take on an overland trip?
We all take far too much clobber on our first few trips. I have been refining and revising a couple of lists for 20 years now. Tools. Spares. *Please email me for the latest versions – I have specific lists for individual bikes*
The first thing I suggest you do is get on Ebay and buy a couple of ‘CK Magma MA2718’ tool rolls. It has taken me years to find these and they’re a work of art! At last a decent size tool roll. 31 pockets and 2 decent straps to hold it all rolled tight. Tool boxes are useless on a bike; everything constantly jangles about and gets rubbed together, wrecking everything. Tool rolls protect everything in a nice compact lump.
Next, do all your prep’ and servicing during the 6 months before you depart on your trip using only the tools you plan to take; that way you’ll find out what you do and don’t need. Do you need that 11mm/15mm/16mm spanner/socket? Why are you taking Pozidrive screwdrivers, shouldn’t they be Phillips? Is there one spanner that will suit both wheel spindles? Why take 30 feeler gauges when you only need 2? Have you tried your spoke spanner? Do you need those long socket extensions? Have you done the right thing and ditched your original OE tool kit? Have you learned how to use a cheap £5, but perfectly adequate, Ebay multimeter? Do you know that if a 12v lead-acid battery reads 12v it is almost flat? Out of interest, 12.8v = fully charged.
More soon…Lists soon…Photos soon.
