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Traveling toolkit? R1200RT
- Thread starter wbrownell9
- Start date
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
Lighten up.
It make no sense to carry tools for someone else to use to fix your bike.
A person who has the necessary, specific knowledge to troubleshoot an RT will have their own tools.
"Any nearby rider" who happens to have changed a tire sometime isn't likely to know the specifics of your bike and how to deal with the most frequent issues that could stop the bike on the road. Some of those are fairly obvious but at least as many are not. That's not even counting stuff which puts you SOL, like a failed final drive unit.
A person who is fully knowledgeable about how sensor controlled fuel injection ssytems work and understands how a computer-controlled CANbus electrical system operates is what you'll want if your bike drops dead. Such people are rare, even at more than a few bike shops.
FWIW, my traveling tool set for the RT is as follows
1) AdvDesign set supplemented with additional cutters, pliers, zip ties, duct tape, rescue tape, wire, etc
2) Tire inflator and string type plug kit
3) Flashlights (4 small LED ones)
4) GS-911 with factory shop manual loaded on a netbook. Netbook also has a wiring diagram and some other technical specifics on the drive.
5) VOM
6) Cord for fpc bypass
7) Spare EWS ring
8) Jumper cables
In addition, the bikes known design flaws that can create problems (eg the fuel pump female flange fitting) have been proactively addressed with needed improvments, some of which but not all were incorporated by BMW on later years
One can argue for more or less but this is generally adequate for anything I can fix roadside. Stuff beyond that will need assistance and may need parts that can't be improvised / bypassed. They are the same tools I use for routine bike maintenance so I know what's there at all times. Although tempted to use my better shop tools, I usually do most routine work on the bike with the travel set just for familiaity. Because I'm not a pro working on tight time limits to make a living, using manual tools rather than electric or air drivers doesn't matter much.
One can imagine stuff like tire holes too big for a plug but which might be internally patchable (for emergency use)- that needs a patch kit and tire irons which I don't usually carry on bikes with tubelss tires- but do have on bikes with tubed tires.
If you buy some tools maybe you'll get tempted to learn more about your bike and save some money in the process by doing your own routine maintenance.
One of the basic laws of the universe, is that if you're prepared, you're unlikely to havee problems. My 08 RT has so far only had an fpc die on the road, a relatively easy thing to handle if you're prepared.
A person who has the necessary, specific knowledge to troubleshoot an RT will have their own tools.
"Any nearby rider" who happens to have changed a tire sometime isn't likely to know the specifics of your bike and how to deal with the most frequent issues that could stop the bike on the road. Some of those are fairly obvious but at least as many are not. That's not even counting stuff which puts you SOL, like a failed final drive unit.
A person who is fully knowledgeable about how sensor controlled fuel injection ssytems work and understands how a computer-controlled CANbus electrical system operates is what you'll want if your bike drops dead. Such people are rare, even at more than a few bike shops.
FWIW, my traveling tool set for the RT is as follows
1) AdvDesign set supplemented with additional cutters, pliers, zip ties, duct tape, rescue tape, wire, etc
2) Tire inflator and string type plug kit
3) Flashlights (4 small LED ones)
4) GS-911 with factory shop manual loaded on a netbook. Netbook also has a wiring diagram and some other technical specifics on the drive.
5) VOM
6) Cord for fpc bypass
7) Spare EWS ring
8) Jumper cables
In addition, the bikes known design flaws that can create problems (eg the fuel pump female flange fitting) have been proactively addressed with needed improvments, some of which but not all were incorporated by BMW on later years
One can argue for more or less but this is generally adequate for anything I can fix roadside. Stuff beyond that will need assistance and may need parts that can't be improvised / bypassed. They are the same tools I use for routine bike maintenance so I know what's there at all times. Although tempted to use my better shop tools, I usually do most routine work on the bike with the travel set just for familiaity. Because I'm not a pro working on tight time limits to make a living, using manual tools rather than electric or air drivers doesn't matter much.
One can imagine stuff like tire holes too big for a plug but which might be internally patchable (for emergency use)- that needs a patch kit and tire irons which I don't usually carry on bikes with tubelss tires- but do have on bikes with tubed tires.
If you buy some tools maybe you'll get tempted to learn more about your bike and save some money in the process by doing your own routine maintenance.
One of the basic laws of the universe, is that if you're prepared, you're unlikely to havee problems. My 08 RT has so far only had an fpc die on the road, a relatively easy thing to handle if you're prepared.
ken e
Ken
local and long distance tool kits
After reading all this good info and carrying around a full (heavy) kit all the time, I think I'm going to work on putting together a lite local kit to always have and an extra pouch of the extra tools and spares ready to quickly add for the long distance tour.
Even though the "local" BMW dealer is 110 miles away, I can call on the wife or kids or friends to get the truck, ramp and tie downs.
So far, the worst thing that has happened to me was the clutch splines stripped out of the K75 (that was not a road side fix!), and a slow leak on the rear tire that was aired up for the 20 miles home from work.
After reading all this good info and carrying around a full (heavy) kit all the time, I think I'm going to work on putting together a lite local kit to always have and an extra pouch of the extra tools and spares ready to quickly add for the long distance tour.
Even though the "local" BMW dealer is 110 miles away, I can call on the wife or kids or friends to get the truck, ramp and tie downs.
So far, the worst thing that has happened to me was the clutch splines stripped out of the K75 (that was not a road side fix!), and a slow leak on the rear tire that was aired up for the 20 miles home from work.
