Motorcycles Equipment
In addition to the motorcycle driver’s personal protective gear such as a helmet, goggles, raincoat, gloves and shoes, each motorcycle should have a complete toolbox. The basic equipment in it will include, in the appropriate sizes, a box wrench or socket wrench, adjustable wrench, open wrench, pliers, long-nose pliers, chain adjuster, spark plug wrench, Allen screwdrivers, Philips and flathead screwdrivers, tire pressure gauge, an emergency tire tube repair kit, emergency foot pump for re-inflating a repaired tire, emergency lantern and optional strobe, spare spark plugs, spare headlamp bulbs, rags for wiping, etc. Ideally there should also be a fully charged spare battery. If you want to be easily located in case of an emergency, you should also have a supply of flares, a CB (citizens’ band) radio, a cellular phone, and a GPS (global positioning system) locator device so you can correctly give your coordinates anywhere in the world.
My bike kit...
A “touring” type of motorcycle has built-in baggage compartments, usually on the sides. Often these compartments are designed to accommodate extra clothing items and personal accessories or toiletry articles. They are usually motorcycles that have a low centre of gravity and allow for backrests, which are often optional, to ensure less tiring long-distance highway driving. You can, however, always use your own choice of saddlebags you may have purchased yourself.
Saddlebag in place
A dirt bike or motocross bike is designed for driving on rough roads and rural trails and should feature heavy-duty telescopic forks and shock absorbers. They often use mono-shock suspension for the rear wheel, which is generally regarded as superior to the conventional twin-shock absorber configuration. Twin shock absorbers are notorious for being susceptible to uneven wear and tear, resulting in an improper balance, skewing or tilting of the motorcycle body relative to the wheel in the long run.
Shock absorbers and other upgraded automobile parts shown at the North Star BMW CCA tech session at Orr Autosport
For motorcycle care, a car polish will work just as well for a motorcycle’s exterior surfaces. Note, however, that many of the motorcycle’s ornamental surfaces are made of plastic, unlike a car’s exterior parts, which are usually made of metal, glass and fibreglass. Choose a polish that can work also on painted or coated plastic surfaces without inflicting any harm.
Prepping to Polish the Frame
When travelling medium distances, one should also carry personal hygiene articles such as alcohol, hand sanitizer, water, soap, tissue paper, hand or face towel, deodorant, and, optionally, a compact mirror, powder, lipstick and blush-on for use after making an emergency repair on the road or upon arriving at one’s destination. (In the event of an accident, a lady driver or passenger should look nice and photogenic when interviewed by a news team on the site.)
Dressed up…. motorcycle equipment