[chrissprecher]

Hello. I have 400 miles on my 2012 TW 200. I am being careful to break it in properly. It's my very first motorcycle, and I love it! I have been lurking around this forum to find lots of great advice on changing the oil, luggage racks, and getting ideas for personal tweaks I would like to add. I live in Salt Lake City, so I anticipate keeping it stored from mid Dec to Feb, so I have a battery tender on the way. Thanks to all.



Now, what do you recommend carrying as a small but essential repair kit?



I took it for a short trail ride around a big hill, a loop ride totaling about 20 miles. The trail conditions changed drastically as I progressed. What began as smooth and dusty on top of hard packed clay quickly turned to desert pavement, and then to sharp shale rocks and boulders as the trail climbed out of the flats. I was grateful the motorcycle didn't suffer a punctured tire. It could have been a long walk back to the truck. I came away with a new desire to find a good light weight pump, some CO2, tube patch kit, extra tubes . . . that sort of thing. I also began wondering if there is something else that is typically vulnerable to breakage, like the chain or cables. Any recommendations? Am I over thinking this (as in I really shouldn't be worrying about that 'cus they never break down)?



Also, if I store it, should I add a fuel stabilizer? Full tank of gas or almost empty?

 

[old mad max]

Welcome..............



You will get as many answers to this as there are people responding (o;.

I fill the tank so it won't rust... Put in one oz. of star tron gas treatment... Then shut of the petcock and run it until it empties the carb... Leave the valve closed during storage..If you like take the plug out and squirt some oil in the cylinder....Make sure the bike is washed good and waxed... Tri-flow all exposed metals. Some guys lower the tire pressure... Cover with a breathable material..



As far as the tools etc. for trips.. Well. Tire irons,some guys use slime. Extra tube if you are really going someplace hostile... "GPS" Have fun.. OMM.

 

[rm_hm]

There are a bunch of threads in here asking that question....



Here is the last one



http://tw200forum.co...h__1#entry54567



How much real estate are you willing to give up for tools??



Have a look at the ADVRIDER Tool Kit thread. http://www.advrider....ad.php?t=262998



1300 messages long

 

[chrissprecher]

Welcome..............



You will get as many answers to this as there are people responding (o;.

I fill the tank so it won't rust... Put in one oz. of star tron gas treatment... Then shut of the petcock and run it until it empties the carb... Leave the valve closed during storage..If you like take the plug out and squirt some oil in the cylinder....Make sure the bike is washed good and waxed... Tri-flow all exposed metals. Some guys lower the tire pressure... Cover with a breathable material..



As far as the tools etc. for trips.. Well. Tire irons,some guys use slime. Extra tube if you are really going someplace hostile... "GPS" Have fun.. OMM.

Fantastic, thanks. I'll take your advice.

 

[chrissprecher]

There are a bunch of threads in here asking that question....



Here is the last one



http://tw200forum.co...h__1#entry54567

Thanks for the links. I surfed around here for a while before I asked. I found "this and that", but nothing really solid on what people need out there. I take that as a good thing. If there were tools that every TW owner must have along on rides, it would seem to me that might indicate a problem with the machine that frequently requires attention. Since there isn't really any insistence on particular tools in the kit, it seems to me that most of you are not having problems. Perhaps the kit is more for "piece of mind" and confidence, than for work.

Thanks again

 

[losttourist]

Just want to welcome another fellow tdubber hi there!

 

[iowatdub]

I agree.....the more tools you have to have. The less you can trust your bike. I used mine for work travel the other day and put well over 150 miles on mine with nothing more than a leatherman and the included tool kit. If i would have had a flat i would have been calling for a ride, but other than that i trusted to bike to do what i needed. And it did it well.

 

[old mad max]

There are a bunch of threads in here asking that question....



Here is the last one



http://tw200forum.co...h__1#entry54567



How much real estate are you willing to give up for tools??



Have a look at the ADVRIDER Tool Kit thread. http://www.advrider....ad.php?t=262998



1300 messages long

Heads up... NASA just called looking for the shuttles tool kit. WOW.. Now that's some heavy duty planning. OMM.

 

[mrbracket]

Just remember... If you take tools, you won't need them.. It's the times I head off thinking "it'll just be a short ride, I don't need to bring any tools" those are the times I need them!! LOL..

 

[Klxelic]

A little note on pumps: I have had the small co2 pumps crap out on me. I now just use a small compact hand pump for bicycles. Similar to this: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31bYQ4Zk3tL._SL500_AA300_.jpg



I just attach it to my crossbar with re-usable ty-wraps. Mine is all plastic, so no worries about rusting. I can pump up an 18 tire to 20 psi around 3 minutes.