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What To Do When Bike Gets Damaged While Around a Remote Area

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vkemmings

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Hi all!

While out riding this weekend, I saw many disabled cars on the side of the roads and at least disabled 1 bike (turns out, they were waiting on someone).
I was just wondering: when you're out riding, say in a remote part where the nearest town is far away, what is y'alls "standard operating procedure"? Who do you call? What do you do?
I know planning is important and we should all have this thought out before going out, but I can't help but wonder what I would do (not having much riding experience) when or if my bike gets a flat, for example, in the middle of nowhere.

Curious what y'alls thoughts are on this and care to share any of your stories?

thanks.
 
I carry the tools and knowledge to get me out of anything this side a major engine failure.

I do all my own tires, repairs, and rebuilds. I almost always use the tool roll I carry with me while I'm riding. It doesn't take a lot to tear down most bikes, but you have to know what tools to carry.

Spare tubes, a patch kit, tire irons, a hand pump, spit, and the right tools to remove your axles can get you back on the road if you have a flat. Oh yeah, practice.

A flat tire should not take more than 30 min to repair if you have a tube with you.
 
I carry a pretty extensive toolkit and decent mechanical knowledge. My first plan is to fix it. This worked out good one day when @my6 had a high pressure fuel line crack on his 990. A tube patch, duct tape, and a couple of zip ties later and it was fixed. For him through the rest of the ride and home without incident.

As for unfixable things, I have a cell phone and my boots are pretty comfortable to walk in. Fortunately the I've done I got stranded (flat tire I couldn't fix, early in my riding career, before extensive toolkit) I was in cell coverage and called a friend with a truck and ramp.
 
Interesting.
Thanks for sharing guys!
Need to lookup videos on changing spare tires šŸ˜…
I have bought a tool kit and carry a backpack with lots of extra stuff should something happen, but I've never thought of the tools @RollingJ 's mentioned.
Thanks!
 
Basic tool kit on the bike under the seat. Enough to get the rear wheel off and adjust/service the chain. A somewhat more extensive tool kit in my backpack which includes rope plug kit and a hand pump for re-inflating tires. I've plugged a rear tire before and have confidence in the rope plugs as long as the puncture is uniform and smaller than the plug itself.

The problem with tools for me is always weight. I don't want 20lbs of tools bouncing around on my shoulders so I try and get the most versatile set I can that is trustworthy but lightweight. Overpacking is always my weakness. For a while I carried a 11" laptop and ECU cables so I could modify my fuel maps on the fly and then I realized I'd almost never need to do this anywhere but at the shop or at the track! Those stay at home now lol
 
RollingJ said:
I carry the tools and knowledge to get me out of anything this side a major engine failure.

I do all my own tires, repairs, and rebuilds. I almost always use the tool roll I carry with me while I'm riding. It doesn't take a lot to tear down most bikes, but you have to know what tools to carry.

Spare tubes, a patch kit, tire irons, a hand pump, spit, and the right tools to remove your axles can get you back on the road if you have a flat. Oh yeah, practice.

A flat tire should not take more than 30 min to repair if you have a tube with you.
Click to expand...
I guess it's no excuse but everyone not blessed with being a mechanic! I can do the tire things and some other stuff, but at some point I'd be stumped. Plus working on the side of the road has no appeal to me. Thus I haven't ventured to Big Bend or Mexico. But it sure is nice to be able to do as much as you can yourself!
 
I carry tire plugs and I have a rudimentary knowledge of how to use them. Aside from that, a cell phone and a credit card and a towing package from the AMA. If there's no cell phone coverage (possible but unlikely) I have a satellite tracker with emergency texting capability that I can ask to send a tow truck. And I *always* carry at least 2L of drinking water. My full size bike cover can be used as a shelter from the sun because here in the desert we don't have a lot of shade trees to sit under while waiting for a tow.
 
First, assume a catastrophic failure and work from there. Do you take that single track alone? Have enough supplies to navigate (compass) and drink (camelback)?

I always travel with at least one other rider. The decent compass is always in my vest. Twice the water I need is in the panniers. So is a survival blanket.

I'm most worried about getting me out, less so about the bike.
 
Everything said is all good info. As mentioned in warmer weather I always have a container of water and some type of Kool-aid single additive. Makes waiting for help or working on the bike a little more tolerable. Nothing worse then being thirsty on a deserted back road and having bike problems. kenray in katy
 
Thank you all for the most helpful replies!
All this I'm taking note for future rides.
I did get myself a tire plug kit and have seen a few videos on how to plug up a tire.
Now that I have more info on what to do and what to have, I'm more confident while out riding.
 
90% of the time I ride solo in (usually) remote areas (think Big Bend) so my plan is as follows:

Preparation:
1 - I carry a good set of tools and spares (inner tube/patch kit/duct tape/bailing wire/jb weld......)
2 - when I get a new bike, I partially dis-assemble it in my garage, just so I can do it in the field and
get to know where everything is - like the fuse block)
3 - I'm pretty good mechanically and youtube is your friend if you need to increase you knowledge
4 - if I need to work on my bike I ONLY use the tools that I carry - helps to know which tools to carry.
5 - carry a cell phone and a GPS with updated maps
6 - carry an InReach for the real emergencies.
7 - breakdown service

So if I break down -
1 - i assess the situation and try to fix the problem; if that does not work then
get out a map and figure out where the nearest help can be found, it may be
within walking distance.
2 - If possible - flag down a passing motorist and they may be able to help (it happened once - I needed
a hammer to unbend a rim with a tubeless tire on a friends bike)
3 - if 1 and 2 don't work - I carry AAA and Good Sam and call them
- send out a Help request on this webpage or ADVRider (i've seen this several times with good results)
4 - Use the InReach if all else fails and things are not looking good
5A - carry a lighter so you can set a fire to attract attention
5B - Set the bike on fire to get someones attention (don't laugh - this may be your last resort if you are in
real deep trouble)

6 - and as some said when I asked the same question - BRING A PAIR OF GOOD WALKING SHOES.

The one time I drowned my bike, I walked out (2? miles) when a Park Ranger found me and took
me to the nearest town which I bummed a ride back to my van. All the other times I have managed
to fix and get back on the road.

I hope I have not jinxed myself by writing this !!!!
 
Iā€™m 100% solo now since wife can no longer pillion. I carry a rope tire plug kit, a Mimi compressor, a couple bottles of water, and a small snack if Iā€™m going very far. With my aging battery, Iā€™ve also started carrying a jumper pack. I have no interest in attempting any type of mechanical repairs on the side of the road during the summer heat, so thatā€™s where my cell phone and credit card come in.

If Iā€™m dual sporting, itā€™s usually on gravel roads in the country. I carry a one gallon Rotopax gas can, three bottled waters, a sack lunch, and a spare clutch cable. If I need more than than that, I can use my credit card and phone or walk to a house if I need help.
 
I guess the only hole in what we have already mentioned is the basic med kit. I'd look for a thread here on what to put in it and then customize it with meds you need. Don't trust small med kits from Walmart without opening them and thinking thru what you might need. Worst case for me was a riding buddy who fell and lost some skin. We had band aids, tape and gauze from Walmart kit but no way to clean the wound or any Neosporin type cream. He ended up with an infection and doctor bills.
 
I can do tires, which is the most common repair. However, sometimes stuff happens. It happened to me once in Colorado, I hit the SOS button on my Spot tracker, set up my hammock, and took a nap until help arrived.
 
MISTERK: "I hit the SOS button on my Spot tracker, set up my hammock, and took a nap until help arrived"

can you elaborate please? I have an Inreach and would like to understand the details once you hit the SOS button
thanks
 
FitzPA said:
MISTERK: "I hit the SOS button on my Spot tracker, set up my hammock, and took a nap until help arrived"

can you elaborate please? I have an Inreach and would like to understand the details once you hit the SOS button
thanks
Click to expand...
sure, the SPOT service costs $20 per month. There are two buttons, one is SOS the other is SOL :eek2:. If you hit the SOS your basically telling them to send a tow truck. If you hit the "other" button search and rescue will be notified and the calvary is coming.

I like what Jim Hyde at Rawhyde Training School emphasizes...."Never ride in the wilderness alone." At least with a satellite communicator, you are really never alone.

When you hit the SOS button, depending on location, it may take several hours for them to arrive, so be prepared. The nice thing about the inreach is you can text back and forth with help.
 
SL350 said:
I guess the only hole in what we have already mentioned is the basic med kit. I'd look for a thread here on what to put in it and then customize it with meds you need. Don't trust small med kits from Walmart without opening them and thinking thru what you might need. Worst case for me was a riding buddy who fell and lost some skin. We had band aids, tape and gauze from Walmart kit but no way to clean the wound or any Neosporin type cream. He ended up with an infection and doctor bills.
Click to expand...
SL350 said:
I guess the only hole in what we have already mentioned is the basic med kit. I'd look for a thread here on what to put in it and then customize it with meds you need. Don't trust small med kits from Walmart without opening them and thinking thru what you might need. Worst case for me was a riding buddy who fell and lost some skin. We had band aids, tape and gauze from Walmart kit but no way to clean the wound or any Neosporin type cream. He ended up with an infection and doctor bills.
Click to expand...
SL350 said:
I guess the only hole in what we have already mentioned is the basic med kit. I'd look for a thread here on what to put in it and then customize it with meds you need. Don't trust small med kits from Walmart without opening them and thinking thru what you might need. Worst case for me was a riding buddy who fell and lost some skin. We had band aids, tape and gauze from Walmart kit but no way to clean the wound or any Neosporin type cream. He ended up with an infection and doctor bills.
Click to expand...
 
mymedic.com

Moto Medic

The Moto Medic is the best first aid kit for motorcycle riders and adventurers alike. Packed with vital life-saving supplies, the Moto Medic is your go-to motorcycle trauma kit.
mymedic.com mymedic.com
Probably the best available premade kit available. The things you could carry are unlimited based on training and experience. You need what is necessary to save or prolong life in an emergency situation. The potential for trauma riding a motorcycle is significant.
 
www.twtex.com

2014 Around the Bend - a "Super" Ride in Big Bend

Although not TWTourist, I also hung back for most of the morning to help a guy attempting the Challenge on a DL-1000 with street tires. He probably dropped the bike at least 20 times on River Road, once even on a hill, straight into the rock garden, after which I had to ride it out for him. He...
www.twtex.com www.twtex.com

Quicksteel is the stuff!
 
I've had two roadside fails from rear tires in my life. One 30 miles from home and one 170 miles, that needed hauling. The one 170 miles from home this spring required a towtruck for 20 miles and hotel overnight. I could put three fingers through my tire. When a tire is really blown out and shot, its best to call mama with the trailer to come get ya, and 170 miles was pushing my luck. Now I have a $30 TPM system from amazon hooked up that works great. In all the really long tours we've done from 3k-8.5k miles, we never had a problem we could not address (light bulbs, tire plugging twice, electric vest stopped working on the icefield parkway up in Canada due to wiring short, and it was very cold ). Not bad in 825k miles if I include my miles with mine for on road travel. I don't know what you do on a 1000 pound HD Ultra when you have any flat. I think it's time to find a tow truck and dealership for the repair, or at least that's what my HD riding friends tell me. No center stands on them. I just carry a pretty good basic tool kit with a few extra things for helping out, and a good medical kit.
 

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Boulder Ed said:
I don't know what you do on a 1000 pound HD Ultra when you have any flat. I think it's time to find a tow truck and dealership for the repair, or at least that's what my HD riding friends tell me. No center stands on them.
Click to expand...

You get a Goldwing instead. It has a center stand and tubeless tires. I carry a compressor and sticky strings on it. I have yet to need them, knock on wood.
 
I carry a SPOT on me for if and when needed. Also a good way to check in with the wife when the is no cell service. BTW - my SPOT has three buttons. One for a medical emergency, another for mechanical assistance and the third is a check in "OK" button. Otherwise, spoons, basic tools, a tube for the KLR, plugs for the KLX (Tubliss) and a small air pump are always on board my dual sport(s). Food/water and a small medical kit are packed prior to venturing out, even on my woods bike.
 
SL350 said:
I guess the only hole in what we have already mentioned is the basic med kit. I'd look for a thread here on what to put in it and then customize it with meds you need. Don't trust small med kits from Walmart without opening them and thinking thru what you might need. Worst case for me was a riding buddy who fell and lost some skin. We had band aids, tape and gauze from Walmart kit but no way to clean the wound or any Neosporin type cream. He ended up with an infection and doctor bills.
Click to expand...
Wow sorry about your buddy.
I did think about this and have been riding with a small 1-day first-aid kit I bought for hiking.
I haven't used it since, but it has a good amount of things for those just-in-case scenarios.
 
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