Advice for touring solo

[okatrider]

I'm planning some weekend rides, likely solo into some areas of eastern oregon (rural to the max). Any suggestions on what to bring? Spare parts, tools, etc....

[thetable]

Spot Tracker, compressor, tire plug kit, stock tool kit, zip ties, and duct tape, leatherman. That is my usual kit. Much more involved than that, I don't really feel like fixing by the side of the road.

[Slofuze]

Cell....... card....... it's all good. go!

[niqbales]

Take your bike apart and take everything you used to put it back together... There's a lot of lists on here...

[Psycho1]

I'm planning some weekend rides, likely solo into some areas of eastern oregon (rural to the max). Any suggestions on what to bring? Spare parts, tools, etc....

There's a lot of areas in Eastern Oregon that don't recieve relable cell service, but take one along anyways . Most common tools you would expect to be using (stuff for chain adjustment, or roadside flat repairs mainly). Depending on where your route takes you, you will want to also make sure you check Googlemaps or Mapquest (googlemaps is much more reliable in eastern OR) to see how far away your next gas stops might be.

Plan your route ahead of time, and leave a copy of the route with a family member or a good friend, with instructions to call or come looking for you if you don't contact them to let them know you made it home safe by a designated time. After handing the route map over, STICK TO THE ROUTE!!!!, unless there is a plainly posted detour due to road closures. Try to avoid unplanned sight seeing detours, unless they are within visual range of your intended route. Watch for deer and antelope during the day, and if you get stuck out on the road at night there's usually tons of rabbits on the roads between Burns and Lakeview. Also most roads on the east side (especially when you get down below Brns) are dirt once you leave any of the main highways

You might find that riding on the east side is pretty boring when riding solo, it's much more enjoyable when you have a friend riding along. With how long and straight most of the far eastern roads were, along with the mainly boring high desert scenery, I rarely headed east when I lived there. I had much more fun heading west and riding all the great roads up in the Casades, criss-crossing between 97 and I-5. If you haven't found it yet, sign up on http://www.pnwriders.com . They have sections for a lot of different areas in OR and WA where you can meet lots of local riders and arrange rides. If you're close to Klamath Falls, the riders in that area on the site are a great group of people to ride with. Hope this helps.

[Wild-Bill]

Take your bike apart and take everything you used to put it back together... There's a lot of lists on here...

Good grief! Do you really need to adjust your chain in the middle of a one or two day ride?! A couple feet of safety wire and some duct tape cover about anything you really need to repair. a tire patch kit will get you home and the OEM tool kit and a leatherman pretty well covers all the tools you really need. Add a short multi-point screwdriver with some allen head driver bits for the fairing (3mm , 4mm, 5mm and 6mm) and it's a lot more convenient to pull the fairing. A flashlight somewhere you can find it in the dark is never a bad thing.

Mind you, if you do a good job of maintaining your bike you'll probably never use most of what's in your mobile toolkit. Most useful things I take when I'm out by myself are the cellphone and a spare key.

[MrBrant]

If you haven't already - read Cyber's trips for the road (stickie in this touring forum)

[niqbales]

Good grief! Do you really need to adjust your chain in the middle of a one or two day ride?! A couple feet of safety wire and some duct tape cover about anything you really need to repair. a tire patch kit will get you home and the OEM tool kit and a leatherman pretty well covers all the tools you really need. Add a short multi-point screwdriver with some allen head driver bits for the fairing (3mm , 4mm, 5mm and 6mm) and it's a lot more convenient to pull the fairing. A flashlight somewhere you can find it in the dark is never a bad thing.

Mind you, if you do a good job of maintaining your bike you'll probably never use most of what's in your mobile toolkit. Most useful things I take when I'm out by myself are the cellphone and a spare key.

True true...
If I'm goin for a couple day ride I'm packing gear anyways so I might as well pack some tools... I'd rather have tools I don't use then not have the tools Ineed to use...

[kat_kitten]

Good grief! Do you really need to adjust your chain in the middle of a one or two day ride?!

I've had to - multiple adjustments in a single day... depends on the current wear of the chain.

Most useful things I take when I'm out by myself are the cellphone and a spare key.

truth.

I also have learned to keep some zipties and duct tape with me - I've needed both. And a couple of extra fuses. Just in case (and I've needed a bunch of those too).

Might also be good to keep a list of shops around your route in case something happens, or you need to pick up some lube.

[niqbales]

I'm planning some weekend rides, likely solo into some areas of eastern oregon (rural to the max). Any suggestions on what to bring? Spare parts, tools, etc....

What part of Oregon you in? I can't go for 2-3 day rides but I'd get away on Saturday for some riding if you're down...

[yngveny]

.... or you need to pick up some lube.

Yeah, you never know when you might get lucky

[zuma]

And as basic as this sounds, at least around here it is important to keep in mind at all times the distance between towns and amount of fuel you have in the tank at any given time. I doubt that I'm the only one here who has had to lean forward on his tank in hopes that the bike will coast in to the next town.

[Psycho1]

Might also be good to keep a list of shops around your route in case something happens, or you need to pick up some lube.

The area he's talking about going riding in is pretty easy to keep track of when it comes to dealerships. There's one in Bend, one in Klamath Falls, and I believe one in John Day. Not many dealerships at all in eastern Oregon, and the few that are there are small and have nothing in stock on the shelfs for street bikes (especially Kats). Dealerships are typically spaced 150-200 miles minimum away from each other out there.

[mammut89]

I dont know how many miles youre planning to cover but I dont bring more than I always have for a weekend ride. which is the original took kit, tire plug kit, chain lock, zip ties, yellow reflective vest, small first aid kit , mobile phone fully charged and duckt tape.

[okatrider]

Thanks for all the suggestions...