A forum for owners of Yamaha TTR250 trail and enduro bikes!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Basic tool kit & spares. What to carry on a ride?


Newbie

Status: Offline
Posts: 2
Date:
Basic tool kit & spares. What to carry on a ride?
Permalink  
 


Years ago when I last went riding I used to fill up my backpack with all types of useless crap that was heavy and probably only usefull on everyone elses bikes.

What basic tools and spares specifically suited to a TTR should I carry as a minimum?  Generally we wouldn't venture anymore than about 100km's from the car/campsite.

 



__________________


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 75
Date:
Permalink  
 

Clip a spare split link onto your front brake hose, a couple of tyre levers and a front tube (if you're not happy riding it back flat), one of the handy double ended spanners from TotallyTTRs, phillips head screwdriver (opening airbox and draining float bowl when you get it under water!), 10mm spanner to take seat off, spare spark plug and spark plug spanner.



__________________

Current: Suzuki RG 125 Gamma, Armstrong MT500, MZ ETZ300, Triumph Tiger 885i, Kawasaki GTR1000, Kawasaki GPZ750, CZ175 Trial, Yamaha TTR250 Raid
Tomorrow's just another day.



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2608
Date:
Permalink  
 

Our TTR Guru, Brian, penned a wonderful post on another web site on this very topic - and more.

I have taken a copy and now show it here:-

 

Some Ideas on Preparing Your Bike for Trail Riding

One of the best ways to ensure you enjoy your trail riding is to make sure your bike is reliable when faced with the harsh environment which trail riding sometimes puts it through. Riding alone is not recommended, as this could endanger yourself if there was an accident on your ride.

Firstly members of the TRF must ride legal motorcycles on legal carriageways; this means your bike needs to be street legal. It has to have lights that work as well as brake lights, horn, legal number plate, legal exhaust, and a rear reflector and road legal tyres. (Note that a daytime MOT certificate will have different requirements).After the legalities have been attended to, check over the following:

Levers
Don't have them too tight on the handlebars they will snap off if you fall off. A good quality brush guard usually helps protect them in a fall. Carry spare levers. Cables Dirt and water gets into the clutch and throttle cables making them notchy and stiff. Work them whilst squirting in an appropriate cable lubricant. Light controls reduce fatigue.


Waterproof the sparkplug
If you don't know when it was last changed, fit a high quality new one. Fit a new waterproof sparkplug cap and seal all sparkplug lead joints with silicone sealant, i.e. the stuff that seals round the edge of your bath.

Wheel Bearings
Jack the wheels off the ground, grasp the wheel at the top and bottom and push and pull. If there is any free play replace the bearings and the seals. Bearings are only about £5 each, as are the seals.

Brake pads
Mud and water equals grinding paste, which wears out pads and discs quickly. Road pads are useless, fit sintered ones instead. Clean the brakes after every ride to prevent them from seizing.

Chain and Sprockets
Always keep them in good condition. A hooked sprocket will wear a chain very quickly.Apply oil to the chain after cleaning to prevent corrosion and to help preserve the o-rings.

Engine Oil
Change it as described in your bike manual or ask for advice on the forum.

Air Filter
Clean or renew regularly, you will be amazed at what finds its way into the air box.  Check and oil with the correct sticky filter oil.

Toolkit 
Include spanners to remove wheels and adjust chain etc, pliers and screwdrivers. Also carry tyre levers, valve key, puncture outfit or spare tubes and a bicycle pump. You could also carry items like spare chain joining links, plastic zip ties and a role of insulation tape. Always carry a spare spark plug for your bike and also the right spanner to fit it.

Protection
You must wear an approved crash helmet when riding. Suitable gloves, eye protection (goggles or visor), knee and elbow pads, and a good pair of MX-style riding boots are recommended.  Either wear clothing with built-in protection, or use a body armour undersuit.


This will all seem like common sense to most but it might give a few ideas to the novice trail rider.

Some more tips - preparing your bike properly has many benefits:

  • Improved life of your pride and joy
  • Better handling
  • Enhanced reliability
  • Also washing your bike after the ride has benefits, checking the machine is in good working order i.e.: no bolts undone, wear and tear of chain and also lubricating a clean one is better.  Remember that it is an offence to ride with a dirty number plate.

Punctures can be a problem but with the right preparation the risk of a puncture can be reduced. Doing the following will help:

Use heavy duty inner tubes
These will help to prevent punctures from hard impacts where the tube is pinched onto the rim or heads of spoke nipples. Using duct tape around the rim to cover the spoke nipples will also help. Don't run HD inner tubes at very low pressures as they will move within the tyre and rip out the valve stem. This is quite a common occurrence!

Enlarge valve hole
This will allow the valve to move giving some warning that the tyre is starting to rotate dragging the tube around with it. The inner tube can be realigned by letting the tyre down and rotating the wheel backwards until the valve is straight.

Good tyre security bolt
Vital for holding the tyre in position on the rim especially when running with low tyre pressure, without it the valve is likely to be ripped out of the tube if the tyre slips on the rim. 

Tyre pressure
Running the tyres with reduced pressure will improve the grip, but let the pressure go to low and you risk a compression puncture. Don't refit the retaining nut/ring on the rim of the wheel after changing tubes or keep it wound right up to the dust cap.

Chain and sprockets
Upping the size of both chain sprockets will help to reduce wear also make sure the closed end of the chain link clip is facing towards the direction of rotation.

Exhaust make as quiet as possible (road legal!) - repack if necessary.

Suspension
Lower ride height if need be and soften so that full travel is used.


Spares to Carry
Tube - 21" front if you can only carry one as this will do for the rear. 
Chain - short piece 2 to 3 links + joining link plus chain splitter.
Spare levers for your bike - clutch/front brake.
Tyre levers two minimum, decent spoon type.
Tools spark plug spanner, pump or CO2 cylinders, pliers, screwdriver (Pozidrive & plain), spanners to remove both wheels, tow rope, cable ties, some spare nuts and bolts with washers, spare inner cable kit to fit throttle and clutch & elastic bands (cut from old inner tube).
Spare Bulbs if travelling at night. 
Small first aid kit
.
Recovery Service - If your a member of a recovery service, it'd be handy to take your membership card with you on the trail.
Chocolate bar.
Wallet or some money.
Can of tyre inflater.
Mobile phone
.


Washing the bike after a ride. If using a power washer keep the lance away from the wheel bearings, suspension bushes and chain. It really helps to have some Pro-Clean to spray on before that final rinse to move any stubborn stains! If you can, take it for a ride after to help dry off and warm the chain. Lube the chain so it's ready for your next ride and won't go rusty. Spray the bike with Pro-Care, Duck Oil or WD40 to dispel any remaining water.  

 



__________________

You're never too old to learn something stupid

East Budleigh. Devon



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 625
Date:
Tools to carry.
Permalink  
 


My TTR didn't come with the original toolkit so i'm unsure as to what tools came with the TTR . I'm guessing it would be quite a basic selection like with most bikes. I plan to use a tool bag on the rear mudguard to carry the tools i'd need . Mainly it will be the tools to remove the wheels and tyres to repair a puncture.

What tools do you all carry ?

 



__________________

2004 TTR250. White Brothers E series exhaust, modded airbox, rejetted, 13/48 c&s & many more mods..



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8557
Date:
Permalink  
 

Hi Andy

This is what a complete TTR toolkit looks like including retaining rubber strap.

It's surprisingly useful except the wheel spanner is the wrong size. It is 24/22 and should be 24/17. I found this out a long time ago when I had a front wheel puncture and no way to undo the front axle no

Hence I got these made up wink

Brian

New toolkit.JPG



__________________

Exeter, Devon, UK

http://www.ttr250.com  - The one and only dedicated TTR250 FAQ! 
 

TIP: For easy viewing bookmark the "Recent Posts" view - http://ttr250.activeboard.com/p/recent/ 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 625
Date:
Permalink  
 

Do you have any of those toolboxes for sale Brian?

__________________

2004 TTR250. White Brothers E series exhaust, modded airbox, rejetted, 13/48 c&s & many more mods..



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 246
Date:
Permalink  
 

Mine is missing the plug key which is a pain, it's smaller than the Tuono plugs

__________________


Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8557
Date:
Permalink  
 

locky wrote:

Do you have any of those toolboxes for sale Brian?


They are pretty rare as they have been missing from almost all the TTRs I have broken for spares.

I did manage to make up a kit once from a local bike breaker. He had put all the tools and tool boxes in a crate and it was a case of going through and picking out the ones for the TTR toolbox. A lot of Yamahas use the same tools. If you try that then it's best to take along a spark plug to check you get the right spark plug spanner though!

The key parts are the box and strap! It's possible to obtain the tools relatively easily.

I will have a look in my spares box just in case and get back to you Locky.

Brian



__________________

Exeter, Devon, UK

http://www.ttr250.com  - The one and only dedicated TTR250 FAQ! 
 

TIP: For easy viewing bookmark the "Recent Posts" view - http://ttr250.activeboard.com/p/recent/ 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 625
Date:
Permalink  
 

Thanks Brian, i do have a spare Yamaha spark plug tool and could easily make the rest up. I'll just keep a eye out for a toolbox. I do plan on fitting some sort of tool bag to the rear fender for puncture tools.

__________________

2004 TTR250. White Brothers E series exhaust, modded airbox, rejetted, 13/48 c&s & many more mods..



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8557
Date:
Permalink  
 

locky wrote:

Thanks Brian, i do have a spare Yamaha spark plug tool and could easily make the rest up. I'll just keep a eye out for a toolbox. I do plan on fitting some sort of tool bag to the rear fender for puncture tools.


In the early days I used to use a rear fender bag but as the joints and muscles got less flexible I found myself catching my boot on it getting on and off and quite often ended up sprawling in the mud disbelief



__________________

Exeter, Devon, UK

http://www.ttr250.com  - The one and only dedicated TTR250 FAQ! 
 

TIP: For easy viewing bookmark the "Recent Posts" view - http://ttr250.activeboard.com/p/recent/ 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 625
Date:
Permalink  
 

Yes age does make the hobby a bit harder and i'm not as flexible as i was 10 years ago plus i have a back problem. But a bloke that rides with us on the odd occasion is 70, he's struggling but can still ride well, i hope i'm like him when i get to that age. Never to old :)

__________________

2004 TTR250. White Brothers E series exhaust, modded airbox, rejetted, 13/48 c&s & many more mods..



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8557
Date:
What to carry on a trail ride?
Permalink  
 


I am just going through old emails trying to reduce the size of my 5Gb Outlook .pst file (!!!) and came across this one I sent to dear Ed back in 2014. Might be useful to someone....

Brian

Regarding the tools you carry, my golden rule is to carry at least the tools that you use for regular maintenance in the garage. A good add-on to that is to use the tools you carry to actually do that maintenance so you find out for sure what fits, etc.

When trail riding I carry: 

  • ·         a spare 21" inner tube in a front mudguard bag (will replace a rear tube if need be and saves carrying both) along with a couple of tyre levers and a can of tyre sealer just in case a simple thorn puncture can be repaired with the goo and therefore a quick return to riding,
  • ·          a small 12V "Slime" air compressor in a headlight bag which allows me to check a tube without using an "air bomb" that I know lots of riders prefer,
  • ·         "diesel" gloves for working on muddy wheels etc. - keeps your glove insides clean - plus latex ones for longer jobs,
  • ·         length of webbing for pulling bikes out of holes/bogs and towing if need be,
  • ·         folding pruning saw which can help in removing quite large fallen trees plus cutting a length of branch to use as a stand for the bike when removing a wheel,
  • ·         spare length of chain and two spare split links to replace a damaged section if required,
  • ·         a bumbag of selected tools with the straps cut off so that it fits in my tank bag.

 If I was going away from home for a weekend or longer's trail riding then I would take a spare oil filter and can of oil.

If you are riding in dry dusty conditions it would be worth carrying a spare clean/oiled air filter in a sealed plastic bag (freezer bag).

A spare bulb set would be useful to include tail/brake light and indicator bulbs. 

If you are doing a big mileage then think carefully about the condition of your sprockets - particularly the front one. I have lost all the teeth on one during a trail riding in Wales

Same with brake pads - carry spares if need be. 

 

So many difficulties can be overcome by good preparation e.g. make sure your axles are clean and greased and slide out through the spacers easily, check you can undo the float bowl drain screw in case you get water in the carb - they are often seized, check all the rollers on the chain are good and it's not stretched before you start out (i.e. pulls away from the teeth on the rear sprocket) etc., etc.



__________________

Exeter, Devon, UK

http://www.ttr250.com  - The one and only dedicated TTR250 FAQ! 
 

TIP: For easy viewing bookmark the "Recent Posts" view - http://ttr250.activeboard.com/p/recent/ 



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8557
Date:
Permalink  
 

Some extra advice given to an owner who had entered his TTR in the MCC Lands End LDT:

  • ·         Go through the TTR before the event and make sure all the engine, exhaust, etc. bolts and screws are tight. Amazing what can work loose or drop off in a long event!
  • ·         If you don't double up on cables (running a new spare cable parallel to the existing so it's an easy side of the road swap if you have problems) then carry a cable kit with the right wire and screw on nipples (the kit in the little round tin) and put a good selection of 6/8/10mm bolts, washers and nuts in with it.
  • ·         If you haven't got heated grips then consider fitting them. It can get very cold on Exmoor in the wee small hours!

 



__________________

Exeter, Devon, UK

http://www.ttr250.com  - The one and only dedicated TTR250 FAQ! 
 

TIP: For easy viewing bookmark the "Recent Posts" view - http://ttr250.activeboard.com/p/recent/ 



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1516
Date:
Permalink  
 

When we take the TTR's up to the Flinders ranges we trailer them up but complete 800-1000kms on station tracks, twin track & gravel roads we don't bother with oil, filters or sprockets.

If the bike is in good condition as mine is I take spare levers, 18" & 21"tubes & a selection of hand tools & tie straps, I do have a spare spark plug & chain link just in case.

Most of my day rides would be around 200kms ( last 3 rides 210, 230 & 173kms ) never had a problem.

I don't bother taking spares on the day rides & only on our trips up North ( 500kms away ) the TTR & WRR have never let me down.

Just saying it is possible to get by without carting a truck load of spares

Terry

__________________

TT-R250 & WR250R for dirty fun

Triumph Thruxton for the twisties SOLD

Triumph Scrambler for fun

 YOUTUBE channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSstOEnd2NSu0Va6kt2ySg



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8557
Date:
Permalink  
 

I agree with you Terry but I am pretty sure that your TTR, like mine, is well maintained so rarely will issues arise but the list may help riders who like to ride but may not be so mechanically sympathetic wink

My tools are mainly used to help my riding companions some of whom don't carry even simple tools like an axle wrench.........   

Brian

PS It is surprising how much can be done with the tools in the standard TTR toolbox!



__________________

Exeter, Devon, UK

http://www.ttr250.com  - The one and only dedicated TTR250 FAQ! 
 

TIP: For easy viewing bookmark the "Recent Posts" view - http://ttr250.activeboard.com/p/recent/ 



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1065
Date:
Permalink  
 

GOOD ON Y BRIAN PREVENTIVE MANTANANCE US OLDIES THINK OF THIS MY SON DOESENT THINK OF THESE THINGS

__________________


Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1516
Date:
Permalink  
 

TTRfan wrote:

I agree with you Terry but I am pretty sure that your TTR, like mine, is well maintained so rarely will issues arise but the list may help riders who like to ride but may not be so mechanically sympathetic wink

My tools are mainly used to help my riding companions some of whom don't carry even simple tools like an axle wrench.........   

Brian

PS It is surprising how much can be done with the tools in the standard TTR toolbox!


 Agreed Brian, I've had the TTR since new & it is in good shape, I'm a mechanic by trade ( service manager now ) so yes it is maintained & it always seems to be others that have issues.

PM or preventive maintainance works wonders, all four of my bikes get loving care LOL, ridden hard but not trashed.

 

Terry



__________________

TT-R250 & WR250R for dirty fun

Triumph Thruxton for the twisties SOLD

Triumph Scrambler for fun

 YOUTUBE channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSstOEnd2NSu0Va6kt2ySg



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8557
Date:
Basic tool kit & spares. What to carry on a ride?
Permalink  
 


Just had the latest national TRF emal newsletter and it had the following link which shows photos of what tools a few trail riders carry and lists them below the photos.

It might help someone new to trail riding wink

See http://www.trf.org.uk/easy-fix/

Brian

PS I see Steve has a TTR250 toolbox and contents in the shop - they don't come up for sale very often!  See http://totallyttrs.com/epages/699105d9-e4cc-4b32-b236-84e72cd67f84.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=9600254

Toolkit 1 TTR-0705.jpg



__________________

Exeter, Devon, UK

http://www.ttr250.com  - The one and only dedicated TTR250 FAQ! 
 

TIP: For easy viewing bookmark the "Recent Posts" view - http://ttr250.activeboard.com/p/recent/ 



Super Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1516
Date:
Permalink  
 

Here is a tool kit I take if out of the way, I bought the basic from Ballards & added to it

IMG_1538.JPG

Cheers Terry

 



Attachments
__________________

TT-R250 & WR250R for dirty fun

Triumph Thruxton for the twisties SOLD

Triumph Scrambler for fun

 YOUTUBE channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSstOEnd2NSu0Va6kt2ySg

Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.



Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard