Simple tip for long trip...
 

Pack or zip tie a spare set of sprockets to the frame of your bike. No need to carry a chain as you can get motorcycle chains virtually everywhere, but sprockets specific to your bike? Much harder.

Yup ! Great tip ! I'm struggling to find somewhere to ziptie my sprockets on my frame though. I might ziptie them to the plastic side panels.

Getting a 525 DID X-ring everywhere might not be so easy !

You can buy crappy chinese 520 chains everywhere which stretch and double the wear on your sprockets ;)

You mean like this:


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...k/IMG_0025.jpg


Loads of people have said to me "don't leave them there, they'll be stolen". That's why I put them on the panniers rather than on the bike. The panniers come off at night.

Better yet, fit a steel rear sprocket. Will outlast several alloy sprockets. A front sprocket is easy enough to carry.

Good tip beer

A friend of mine somehow managed to carry his spare chain and rear sprocket for his Tenere between the bash plate and engine, worked a treat.

This gap is usually left intentionally as a buffer in case your bike hits some stones, logs or something hard. The gap is the security to stop damage to the engine. If you take up the gap then in the even of an big knock to the bash plate then the sprokets or chain stored their will be the first thing to hit the engine rather than the flat bash plate.

If you don't hit anything or have a knock to the bash plate, then all is well.beer

Plus it would distribute the load/weight more evenly rather than storing them in the Panniers.

CORRECT! I cannot imagine the amount of JB Weld and beer cans you would need to fix that kinda damage at the side of the road.

crash bars make usefull tool mounts. the bash plate had a bunch of tire levers, some mole grips and an an adjustable spanner in and around - just not centre front. these all stayed on the bike with no theft problems

I ziptied sprockets to my frame. Now im in Capetown, they look like they came off the Titanic ! Rather rusted and ragged but they would polish up ok !

Ahh, now there's the rub!
The sprocket in the photo above was oiled, wrapped in old carrier bag plastic then the plastic was taped up with insulating and then gaffa tape. It came out like new!, same was done to my clutch plates etc and they were stashed somewhere (subframe?) with no problems

I put it low

http://kuvablogi.com/nayta/prev/img2594138.jpg

Good tips, but I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with point number 1 for some types of trip. You need to have a rough idea of where you are going but you can ruin a trip by having it all planned out - you start to feel you 'need' to be somewhere and that removes some of the freedom. I'd say try and stay as loose on plans as possible, that way you can't ever be late or behind schedule!

Obviously if you've booked a flight/visa etc that's a bit different.

In terms of weather you need to know whether roads will be shut due to snow or if you're going to be riding in 40 degree heat but on a long trip if it's going to rain it's going to rain, 'force majeur' as the French say!

IMO I'd use stainless hose clips instead of zip tys.....less chance of snapping off etc

:)

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Dunno about that. My tool tube was attached with three SS hose clamps. They stayed shiny, but all three broke, one at a time. After riding around for a bit with a bungie cord holding the tool tube, I installed three gigantic, fat, thick zipties in Curitiba, Brazil. 20,000 miles later all remained intact.