What to carry?

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Sounds like you've done a lot of work on the bike. How many miles have you put on it since then? The conventional wisdom is to avoid long trips far from home right after maintenance or rebuilds. Nortons add a whole new meaning to the phrase "Shake Down" runs, and shaking out bugs. One area you will need to be equipped to deal with is lubing and adjusting the chain if it's not an o-ring. Aerostitch lists a nice compact siphoning kit that might be good to have. Ludwig is right in that 75% of the problems on the road are electrical. They are also about 90% of the things that can go wrong that you can actually do something about on the side of the road out in the middle of nowhere. So an electrical first aid kit is a good idea. I can't overstate the importance of bringing good riding gear. I live on the coast in Eureka. I can look out my window, when it's not raining, and see snow in the local foothills. That said, it's also my favorite time of the year for a road trip. Everything is green and anything with a bloom is popping, and the tourist traffic is light. Let me know if you come by Humboldt.
 
Have done 42,000kms in 5 years on my '73 Mk2 Roadster, almost all country touring on my own, I have only had 2 incidents - A clutch cable broke 2Kms from home and a bolt went on one side of the centre stand which was hitched up with 12" of fencing wire at a rural gas station. If you have Amals, the float bowl screws can unwind, the best quick fix is still fencing wire. If your electrics are good then you should be able to comfortably and confidently ride anywhere. Mechanical things don't break in a hurry, they tend to give plenty of notice. The 850's are a dependable machine,enjoy it.

Mick
 
ML said:
Have done 42,000kms in 5 years on my '73 Mk2 Roadster, almost all country touring on my own
Mick
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You must be an anti-social narrow minded bastard like myself, how the hell do you clock up that milage on a roadster tank?
 
Thanks for all the great ideas. In the last week I have used only the tools in my onboard kit to work on the bike. This practice identified a few things that I was missing. Probably the most important was the bolt used to free the Trispak rotor. That would have been a bummer. I am also looking for a compact stobe timing light to carry since I am now strobe certified! I think I have a tool roll that has everything I might need for on the spot repairs.
 
Well if we're ever riding in a group together, it will be nice to know your behind me.
 
Commando75 said:
Thanks for all the great ideas. In the last week I have used only the tools in my onboard kit to work on the bike. This practice identified a few things that I was missing. Probably the most important was the bolt used to free the Trispak rotor. That would have been a bummer. I am also looking for a compact stobe timing light to carry since I am now strobe certified! I think I have a tool roll that has everything I might need for on the spot repairs.
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Why should you ever have to touch the Trispark rotor? Or the timing?
 
Jeandr said:
What's wong with blissfull ignorance :?: When I was young and foolish, the most exotic thing I carried besides the stock toolkit was a spare fuse and cell phones were not even a dream. Why did we become so afraid of everything :?: What happens is part of the adventure isn't it :?:

Jean
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yes!

when i was a young(er) lad i drove my 850 from san jose calif to key west Florida - w/ just spare plugs and cables in the side covers - the only thing i ended up needing was some $ from mom after i spent all mine in Florida on booze and women (back then a few hundred went far) - on the way back home it broke the clutch cable, but since i was only about 4 blocks from my parents place in san jose I pushed it there for the repair

i'd never do it now - not that i don't trust the bike, but after 4-5 hr on it i'm done
 
"Why should you ever have to touch the Trispark rotor? Or the timing?"


Dave, So when you RMA cam tension device breaks you can pull the cover to pick up the pieces and go home. With a bike that will run, kind of.
 
I had a lot of stuff when I came here from Maine, but what I used constantly was the spare gallon of gas. also oil, chain lube, the chain adjustment tools a few times. I seem to recall needing a new chain when I hit SF.
 
splatt said:
ML said:
Have done 42,000kms in 5 years on my '73 Mk2 Roadster, almost all country touring on my own
Mick
Click to expand...


You must be an anti-social narrow minded bastard like myself, how the hell do you clock up that milage on a roadster tank?
Click to expand...

Yes, I don't bother asking friends to come out, I just go every weekend if I can. They know that and can join in if they wish. Riding in a bunch means you are inevitably waiting up for the slowest rider or the one that took the wrong turn. At best I ride with one or two others who can keep up a good pace and don't have to stop every hour for coffee. I try to get 400 to 500Kms in on a Sunday, 950Kms was my best one day. Breakfast in some rural caff and back by beer o'clock.

The biggest hassle on the Roadster is the tank capacity. 11 litres is just about done at 200Kms. There's great riding country in parts of Aus, but not much by way of gas stations and I've come bloody close to running out on more than a few occassions. I like the looks of the Roadster, but I'd really appreciate a couple more litres in the tank. Swappping for bigger tanks is easy, but the seat has too as well, that adds up on the expense.

Mick

Mick
 
Hey! I'm over here in Hollister and there's a couple other Norton riders in town! Just too far south for the bay area Norton club.

I just don't have a desire to go touring on my Norton after having done couple hundred thousand miles on modern bikes. So I keep my rides around 200 miles. That gives me Highway 25 to Coalinga and back or Carmel Valley Road loop. Those aren't back roads!

Length of Duct tape stuck to fender, bailing wire wrapped on frame and a water bottle to beg gas from passing motorcyclist!
 
Mike Corbin Road a Triumph from the East Coast to California looking for work as a electrical engineer and when asked what his qualifications were, he said " I road a Triumph from the East Coast to here"! He got the job!
 
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