Motorcycle Explorer September 2016 Issue 13 | Page 72

Essentials: Julian challis
TRAIL RIDING TOOLKIT
ESSENTIALS
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE
If you intend to start trail riding, you are going to need a
toolkit packed with all the essentials. If you ride a road
bike, you may be vaguely aware that languishing under
your bike’s seat is an OEM toolkit. But because modern
bikes are so damn reliable, these kits rarely get used,
and are destined for a life gradually developing a dusty
white covering as the metal oxidises. And that’s no bad
thing – OEM toolkits are usually cheap and fairly nasty,
so not using them is just fine.
Faced with these inevitabilities, it’s your responsibility
to carry a decent enough toolkit to sort out any
problems you might have out on the trail. Don’t rely on
others having tools – that’s just bad etiquette as it’s not
others responsibility to sort your problems. OK so if they
are your mates, they will chip in and help, but usually
with mickey-taking and laughter rather than actual
practical help …
But trail riding is different to
road riding in three definite ways
You will fall off
You will break bits of
the bike
Those bits may need
mending to carry on