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MOTOBRICK RIDING => Photographic Ride Reports => Topic started by: pinhead on July 09, 2016, 03:16:45 PM

Title: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: pinhead on July 09, 2016, 03:16:45 PM
I am thinking about going on a long tour from Sacramento, CA up to Washington and maybe Canada.  I was wondering if anyone has ever composed service and repair shops for people who tour if they get into mechanical trouble.  I like touring long distance but the question of what I would do if I ever broke down nags me.  It would be nice to have a list of shops that work on these bikes in case I had trouble and no tools to do repairs.  Anyone know of anything like that?
Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: The Dude on July 09, 2016, 04:12:38 PM
I like touring long distance but the question of what I would do if I ever broke down nags me. 
Since I have never broken down in a quarter of a million kms,my concerns focus on not crashing.This is the most likely failure mode after you've done your due dilligence.Get breakdown insurance with a transport home policy,maybe?Take puncture repair system and a  way of securing the bike whilst you go off for "help".Wing the rest as part of the adventure.Nagging like yours takes the freedom away.Enjoy the ride. :riding:
Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: Laitch on July 09, 2016, 05:15:56 PM
Anyone know of anything like that?
The Dude's breakdown insurance policy suggestion is a good one, pinhead. Also, this benefit of BMW MOA (http://www.bmwmoa.org/?page=abook) may interest you. Maybe someone here has an anecdote to offer about that benefit.
Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: Martin on July 09, 2016, 05:38:52 PM
Emergency essentials beside breakdown insurance and a tyre kit and some spares, a credit/debit  card & cash hidden on the bike. A good mate with a trailer who will recover you. And the best one is a friendly polite attitude . I've had a farm couple keep a mates bike in a shed for a week while he chased parts. Another mate had an over night stay with a farmer, help repair his car with parts supplied from a wreck the farmer had. And was told to come back and help himself to the whole wreck. This is just a couple of incidents of many. By the same token be prepared to help others, what goes around comes around. :clap:
Regards Martin.
Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: The Dude on July 09, 2016, 06:27:53 PM
By the same token be prepared to help others, what goes around comes around.
Regards Martin.
For sure.The adventure can really take off with this approach.Just be alert.
Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: Martin on July 09, 2016, 06:29:57 PM
Be a lert the world needs lerts.
Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: Quiltzig on July 14, 2016, 09:31:38 PM
Emergency essentials beside breakdown insurance and a tyre kit and some spares, a credit/debit  card & cash hidden on the bike. A good mate with a trailer who will recover you. And the best one is a friendly polite attitude . I've had a farm couple keep a mates bike in a shed for a week while he chased parts. Another mate had an over night stay with a farmer, help repair his car with parts supplied from a wreck the farmer had. And was told to come back and help himself to the whole wreck. This is just a couple of incidents of many. By the same token be prepared to help others, what goes around comes around. :clap:
Regards Martin.

Good advice from our mate across the ditch !!

we have found people to generally be extremely helpful. One tour that we did last year a couple loaned us their car to go get groceries in town because the weather was so bad and we were on a bike (and we are not fair weather bikers - we have all the wet weather gear) - there are just a lot of great people out there!
Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: beemrdon on July 14, 2016, 10:38:58 PM
I pulled this off of a Riders Warehouse ad because of the K LT.  :2thumbup:

Get the idea?

Title: Re: Touring with a brick and service/repair shops on the way
Post by: stokester on July 15, 2016, 09:11:21 PM
I am thinking about going on a long tour from Sacramento, CA up to Washington and maybe Canada.  I was wondering if anyone has ever composed service and repair shops for people who tour if they get into mechanical trouble.  I like touring long distance but the question of what I would do if I ever broke down nags me.  It would be nice to have a list of shops that work on these bikes in case I had trouble and no tools to do repairs.  Anyone know of anything like that?
I've taken a couple of summer trips on my K-75S without incident...  well, except for one.  The clutch cable broke on me not but 10 miles from the house after a 4500 mile trip.  I had one with me and was back on the road in less than an hour.  I carry along with the factory tool kit; a jump pack, spare clutch cable, light bulb kit, tire plugger with inflator, tie-down straps, numbers for AMA towing and my MOA Anonymous Book along with the Airhead directory.

I've found that knowing how my brick works and keeping it well-maintained has given me many thousands of mile of trouble-free travel.