| Author | Message | ||
     Dustyjacket |
I am planning to start spreading my wings. I am going to do some day-long trips, out in the boonies, where the only help will be me. What should I pack along in my really small saddlebags? I have: jacket & pants waterproof liners. kickstand "coaster". Disk and cable locks. Tools Tire plug/inflator kit. Spare headlight, taillight, trun-signal bulbs. Spare filter and oil. Zip ties. Flashlight. cell phone. I don't think my service manual will fit. I am ordering: Spare sparkplug. Spare sparkplug wire. Spare intake "boot". Wire, electrical tape. What else? | ||
| Jprovo |
Sounds like you have it more than covered. I took a Cali to Wisconsin trip with: waterproof jacket & pants. Tools Tire plug/inflator kit. Oil. Zip ties. Flashlight. cell phone. Sparkplug. Electrical Tape. Tire Pressure Gauge. Funnel. And I only used the oil, Funnel, tire pressure gauge, and air pump. James | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
I would forget: the light bulbs. They'll only break during on-bike storage, are easy to buy and I've never had both a high beam & low beam go at the same time on the road. Oil filter. I've never had one go bad, ever and only heard of one freak accident involving one. I prefer a one piece rainsuit as it keeps the rain out better and can double as insulation if you get caught in unexpected cold weather.They arent expensive either. I make a habit of every time I work on the bike to put a spare of whatever I used in the tool kit. I've found you really dont need that many tools for the Blast. Vise grips and an adjustable (crescent) wrench is sufficient for a few of the needed tools and will take up less space. Other tools that may be needed would be impractical for a roadside fix. You also shouldnt need much if your bike is stock and low mileage. | ||
| Packnrat |
for a long trip would it be wrong to have a spare drive belt (posted aug 2011. as local dealer (did have buell's at one time on the sales floor), and still has a stable of them for a class, they needed to order a drive belt for me. | ||
| Titusand |
It seems to me, about the drive belt, that I have not heard anyone have a belt break below 10,000 miles, but i have heard on this forum from one person whose belt broke at 13,000 miles or so. What does the panel here think about the belt being changed at every 10,000, to be 100% sure it will not fail on the road due to ordinary wear? Of course that leaves you still with the question: does one take one for extraordinary circumstances? (Message edited by titusand on February 26, 2012) | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
There's no reason you cant except for the expense. When coiled carefully, the old belt will fit under the seat or in a small bag, etc. It is literally a 5 minute belt change using a torx 27 screwdriver (unless you have rearsets). | ||
| Titusand |
There is this video now on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkimpsMpJVU | ||
| Jprovo |
I change my belts when they break. I have over 55,000 miles on my bike and I've replaced two belts. Lifespan seems to be about 25000 miles. If you're really concerned about belt failure, put a new one on the bike, pack the old one in the box the new one came in and put it in a spot that someone can get to to send it to you it by some rare chance, you break one on the road. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
...and that, my friends, is from a guy who knows how to ride a Blast hard! (or I concur) As far as that video, its WRONG and incomplete. Slipping it over the belt guard will increase your chance of belt failure. The belt actually slides in from the inside of the 'sprocket'. At what percent does running over the harsh edge increase your chance of failure, I dont know, but its just as or easier to do it the right way. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Though that video is a lot better than the other eight minute video where the bike is strung up, the wheel is off and the guy lays down on the floor to get the belt on. I was gonna post a comment, but i have a feeling I'd be on you tube all day. LOL It really is a 5 minute roadside repair. I apologize if either video is from a Badweb member. No offense intended, but it is what it is.  | ||
| Titusand |
As for the spare spark plug, well, at least coming from a car repair point of view, plugs fail only exceedingly rarely. Of course one plug is small and so is the socket and handle to change it, and its a very simple repair, but realistically, is there any need to bring a plug and its tools at all, if you change it on schedule? | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
No. I dont see any point to it either. Old bikes, yes. The Blast, no. | ||
| Titusand |
The official manual says you need to raise the bike, and from its explanation, that would be required. The video above has a very clever way of rolling the belt over the guard, but if you is not not roll it over the guard, how can it be changed on the roadside? | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
You only have to raise the bike to rotate the rear wheel. As the video shows you can just roll the bike instead. Raised is easier, but troublesome if you're stuck on the side of the road. The video is not so clever, its just doing what the manual says to do, just from the wrong side of the rear sprocket. The manual says to "rest belt on sprocket inboard of the teeth". Its much gentler just than going over the belt guard and its no more difficult to put it inboard than outboard. Place belt Inboard of the rear sprocket first, then over the front sprocket, then roll the belt on. Perhaps you're missing the point that the belt is installed after the rear axle is tightened down. There is no adjustment of the rear wheel/axle. Traditionally, you'd put the chain or belt on, then adjust the rear wheel and tighten down the axle. | ||
| Titusand |
Ahh, excellent info, thanks. I am making a little handbook of repairs for the bike, this thread is going into it. | ||
| Ezblast |
Don't forget fuses! EZ |
