What's the most useful item you have taken on a trip.

[Leiba]

You won't need your tax discs anymore.

[ericry]

We still need them over here (Ireland) !

Eric.

[Newtsalad]

leaving aside the obvious......

When I went to Spain on a bike.....

I took a foil, windscreen frost protector. No joke.

WHen you stop, put your bike jacket gloves helmet etc on your seat, and cover the lot with the windshield protector. It will keep you kit and your seat, cool. You will be very thankful of it!

Also, it makes a really useful entrance mat, to your tent. Especially if it's dusty, or damp. Nice to kneel on (Most are foil on foam) and stops your trousers/knees getting dirty. Can also be used as extra groundsheet for putting kit on, preventing it from getting damp.

Also useful as a mat, if you need to stop for a repair.

They are light, roll up, and easily tucked away. Pound shop bargain. best thing since sliced bread.

[buzz500]

The most useful item to take is..................
A reliable bike
Buzz

[Bogger]

Good mates. The type that won't leave you behind when you break down

Bogger.........sorry Pete

[Mark112233]

This is great thanks, my kit list is coming on nicely.

[BenB]

10 of us rode to Cannes a while back on 90s. I'd agree with most of the points made so far and the items mentioned.

Our trip went almost without incident. Minor issues mainly. EXCEPT.........! We had TWO broken exhausts. Many things can be bodged on the side of the road. Most things can be sorted in a local town. Exhausts are a pain. They tend to split as the leave the head, giving little or no room to splint the pipe properly. Luckily we made one bodge which did last, and we got a spare from Davebike as we passed London on day 1. I'd suggest you check all of the exhausts pretty closely before departure.

I know that we were unlucky on this front and it's an unlikely scenario, but still worth a few minutes.

Good luck with the trip!

[Mark112233]

Good Tip Thanks benB

[ericry]

A bit of wire (2ft) or so is useful too - the stuff farmers use for electric fences, about 2mm diameter - useful for tying on hot things that break - like exhausts and exhaust brackets etc.

The tin opener on the leatherman is useful here too - buy any old tin of beans or peas and use the cut up tin to mend a knackered exhaust.

A bad exhaust should be spotted well before you leave for your trip - they dont typically give up quickly, there is usually lots of notice with rust and cracks and holes etc. If there is stuff rattling around inside of your exhaust then chances are its seem better days and is falling apart from the inside out !!

Eric.

[BenB]

A bad exhaust should be spotted well before you leave for your trip - they dont typically give up quickly, there is usually lots of notice with rust and cracks and holes etc. If there is stuff rattling around inside of your exhaust then chances are its seem better days and is falling apart from the inside out !!

I don't agree with that.... Not where the header pipe is concerned.

Maybe these issues could have been noticed before our trip, but when the exhaust is otherwise in good nick and not blowing, how many of us would assume it's on the way out soon? My point is to make sure that, despite it looking ok and not blowing, exhausts are scrutinised.