Recommendation: Never Leave Home Without?

[osprey86]

Most, if not all of this has been asked so apologies for redundancy. However, if this hasn't been addressed in the last 6 months....

Recently while traveling some less than normal traffic roads, and a difficult cell signal long ways from home, I was wondering:

What items are your "never leave home without ______."

I am particularly interested in learning about tire repair kits, tool kits, or other items you may have experience with for your day-plus trips.
My GS has abundant storage and I would like to make sure I have some of the essentials.

Thank you in advance for your recommended products and shared experience with these products.

Kind regards,
Osprey86

 

[Moretti]

First aid kit.

 

[lkraus]

Your wallet.

It's no fun to be 60 miles from home when distance to empty is 10 miles and you discover you left your wallet on the dresser.


Hid a twenty on the bike two years ago, but these days I suppose I should add another one.

 

[akbeemer]

Something for snake bites.

 

[ebell]

That push button key fob thingy (not left on the bench in the garage). A CyclePump, gauge, and tyre repair kit.

 

[strataj]

That push button key fob thingy (not left on the bench in the garage). A CyclePump, gauge, and tyre repair kit.

back up batteries for the fob

 

[PoorUB]

O goody, another what do you carry thread!

A cell phone and a credit card. I also have a tire plugger and a compressor and the only other tools I carry are what come with the motorcycle. In 200,000 miles of riding I have not needed one tool so they get left behind and the tire plugger and compressor might get left behind too.

Other than that, if going for a day ride, nothing, if for a few days then rain gear, heated jacket, clothes, toiletries.

 

[brownie0486]

O goody, another what do you carry thread!

A cell phone and a credit card. I also have a tire plugger and a compressor and the only other tools I carry are what come with the motorcycle. In 200,000 miles of riding I have not needed one tool so they get left behind and the tire plugger and compressor might get left behind too.

Other than that, if going for a day ride, nothing, if for a few days then rain gear, heated jacket, clothes, toiletries.

My brother doesn't carry tools and he's a mechanic [ not bike mechanic but he has taken his 07GT apart a few times ]. I bought him a tire plugger kit and compressor to keep on the bike which he does [ but he'd not have bought it himself ].

Two weeks ago, on a 5 state trip with him, his throttle return cable crapped out when getting ready to leave the motel that morning. He called his mechanic who knows he can wrench and explained how to take the switch apart, what to look for and a few options once inside it based on what he saw.

He needed two tools out of my own kit to take it apart for a look see on the chance he could get it back to operational. Without MY tools, he'd not have been able to do what the mechanic asked of him. I just bought him a Cruze set of tools for a Beemer made prior to 2018, it's on it's way to his place as I type this.

I won't ride without the tool kit, and I can't wrench anything. But if I'm on the side of the road and someone stops to help and could fix the problem if he has the right tools, well step right up, here they are, and thank you very much. I keep 14#'s of "kit" in each pannier full time.

The boy scouts taught me "be prepared", the Marines taught me to improvise, adapt, and overcome. A mentor taught me that forethought goes a long way.

 

[ebell]

back up batteries for the fob

Taped to the manual so it doesn’t wander off when needed.

 

[boborgail]

Make sure you have the BMW MOA Anonymous App on your phone.

 

[PoorUB]

The boy scouts taught me "be prepared", the Marines taught me to improvise, adapt, and overcome. A mentor taught me that forethought goes a long way.

That is why I carry a credit card.

The only time I have broke down on the road I would have needed way more tools than I could reasonably carry. My credit card worked very well to solve the issue.
I left the motorcycle at a dealer, rented a car to go home and the next weekend drove out with a trailer to put it up. I ended up trading it and riding a new motorcycle home.

 

[brownie0486]

That is why I carry a credit card.

The only time I have broke down on the road I would have needed way more tools than I could reasonably carry. My credit card worked very well to solve the issue.
I left the motorcycle at a dealer, rented a car to go home and the next weekend drove out with a trailer to put it up. I ended up trading it and riding a new motorcycle home.

Of course my brother could have walked to the local hardware store and bought the two tools he needed that morning as well with his c/c. But if they weren't open on Sunday, he could have spent another day at the motel and used his card for that also

Is one to assume you don't have panniers? And if you have panniers/use them on the motor, what are you carrying in them? Or are they empty, or do you take them off and not ride with them.

I've had motors with panniers for decades. They don't go unused, for if they did, I'd take them off and not use them. Inquiring minds want to know how a c/c is going to help you in a medical emergency on the road that an advanced med kit could address if one was in a pannier.

I carry c/c as well, but those panniers aren't there for looks, they're there to be used for carry supplies. In no way is my reply busting your chops about what you decide not to carry. I've found I never needed something until I needed it.

 

[t6pilot]

I used to carry a $20 dollar bill folded with my registration, now with crazy inflation I’am up to 3 twenties in case of needed gas

 

[Visian]

Leatherman Micra.

 

[ccolwell]

All of the above, tire kit, pump, pressure gauge, leatherman of some sort plus allen key set, torx set, extra ear plugs, visor cleaner, latex gloves, bottle of water. Rarely use most of it but I grew up riding airheads and less reliable bikes and cannot break the habit of carrying everything that fits.

 

[easy]

Don't forget your ICE information.

E.

 

[PoorUB]

Is one to assume you don't have panniers? And if you have panniers/use them on the motor, what are you carrying in them? Or are they empty, or do you take them off and not ride with them.

I've had motors with panniers for decades. They don't go unused, for if they did, I'd take them off and not use them. Inquiring minds want to know how a c/c is going to help you in a medical emergency on the road that an advanced med kit could address if one was in a pannier.

I carry c/c as well, but those panniers aren't there for looks, they're there to be used for carry supplies. In no way is my reply busting your chops about what you decide not to carry. I've found I never needed something until I needed it.

If I am traveling I usually have my wife with. I ride an RT with a top case. The panniers carry our clothing for the trip, top case has the extras, but stuff like rain gear and heated jacket liners for two people take up a huge amount of space. then the extras for traveling we tend to fill up the top case too.

I don't carry much more because I have never needed anything and I don't think one can carry enough to be prepared for all circumstance anyway, so why bother. First aid kit? Never needed one in all my years of riding/driving. If some crazy weird emergency comes up, cut up a t-shirt. Neither of us would know what to do medically any way beyond trying to stop the bleeding.

If you carry enough for all the possibilities you could fill up both panniers with stuff for just in case.

 

[Paul_F]

I won't ride without the tool kit, and I can't wrench anything. But if I'm on the side of the road and someone stops to help and could fix the problem if he has the right tools, well step right up, here they are, and thank you very much. I keep 14#'s of "kit" in each pannier full

Hey, that has been my philosophy. I can’t use the tools I carry, but someone might be able to use them to get my bike up and running again.

 

[RadioFlyer]

An e- copy of the service manual for the bike. Oh wait, BMW won't sell you one anymore. [emoji26]

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

 

[tepeterson7848]

I second the $20, the Leatherman, and the fob battery (I just added that one to my kit!).

I would add several zip ties of various sizes, some strong nylon cord, and a couple bungies.
Depending on your bike and its electronics, some spare fuses.

The tools and spares I carry on my bicycle and my motorcycle have helped others more often than me.