What to take on a 100 mile ride?

#1
I'm planning on taking a 100 mile ride on my off-road mini this late spring early summer. ( 50 miles out and back) I plan on doing it on one long day. Dawn to Dusk.
The extra gear I was thinking of carrying would be:
Spare:
drive belt
drive chain
master links
spark plug
gas filter
Tools:
Metric as needed for normal repairs
Vice-Grips
Crescent wrench
Screw drivers as required.
Duct Tape
Air pump
Tire patches
Spool of bailing wire
Heavy duty cutters/pliers
Extra gas estimated for worst MPG @ 100 miles.
Engine oil
5-Minute oil proof Epoxy ( engine block cracks)
Safety:
Ten Amp Hour Emergency Cell Phone battery pack I made ( will run cell phone for three days in max power)
On board charger for Cell phone and back up 25 AH NiMh battery pack.
100 Watt LED armored Head light
Twin 25 Watt LED Red flashing warning lights
First Aid Kit
Flare Pistol
Signal Mirror.
Hand Held GPS
Bungee-cords
Space Blanket
Fire starter
For Me:
Gloves
Water for 48 hours ( two Gallons minimum)
Energy bars
Sun Screen
Pistol/extra ammo for signaling and defense.
There is a Prehistoric river bed that runs for a very long way in our high desert. I drove ten miles of it last summer and it looked to be a great ride into an area not traveled by most off-roaders up a canyon.
I will check in with the Rangers to let them know my plans and my guesstamated return time.
Off/On Cell service where I will be.
Bike is in tip-top shape and I have done several 25/50 mile runs in the mountains with no issues other than normal drive belt wear in the torque converter.
The engine is dead-stock and has had the oil changed every 25 miles off-road driving. Estimated mileage is about 800 now ( 8/10ths quart oil capacity; 6.5 Predator non-hemi)
The bikes engine sits between and above two frame members. Do you think I should make a Skid-Plate to protect the under side of the engine block?
Do you have any more items I should carry for this trip?
I have modified my bike ( see my post on this site) to carry a bunch of stuff. Everything listed so far fits safely/securely with no issues.
Thank you for any helpful tips/info.
 
#5
Only thing not on list is a riding buddy...
+1 on having a buddy, especially if this is the first time you're going to travel so far. Besides having someone to help if there are problems, you can split up the supplies between you and lighten your burden.

That' a heavy and bulky load. Hauling all of that stuff will reduce your fuel mileage and make you get tired more quickly. I know. I've been there. Think of ways that each item can be made to do multiple tasks as a way to lighten the load. Carry as little as possible on your body to reduce fatigue. Put everything that you can right on the bike.

Do you really need multiple screwdrivers? Or will one with changeable bits do the job? A gas filter? Has that been a problem before? A pistol and a flare gun might be overdoing it. Vice Grips® often have a wire cutter built into the jaws. Multiple pairs of pliers might be unnecessary. Does the spark plug require a dedicated wrench?

You listed tire patches and a pump. Are you equipped to get the tire off of the wheel? Be ready for multiple flats. When I ride with my buddy (always) we each just carry patches, a spare inner tube, and some of the little air bottles that they sell at the bicycle shop. We do not carry a tire pump. I has never been too much stuff. Think also about how far you can ride on a flat tire. I have gone a long way on a flat.

Sometimes when my pal and I ride in a remote area, we'll do a pre-ride partway in to hide a can of gas or other items behind a bush.

Think of the things that are most likely to be problems and address those. You're already thinking about the flat tire. What if you fall over and break off the brake lever or its perch? Can you repair it? Should you carry a spare? This is where the safety wire and zip ties are helpful.

Baling wire? A bit of actual stainless steel safety wire and a small roll of gorilla tape can be handy. I carry some zip ties. They weigh almost nothing.

A skid plate is generally a good thing to have.

If you're planning to do much of this activity, forget all of the guns and mirror, etc, and just get a spot locator. You'll be found quickly and you're not as likely to shoot your eye out. :p

Spot Beacon

I hope that you have a fun time, and I look forward to your report.
 
#9
Good idea on the spark plug wrench. I have one of the CHI-COM wrenches that is very compact. A spare brake lever is another thing to add.
I'll be traveling in the high desert mountains and believe it or not, Lions and Bears during the early morning hours and Coyotes at night can be a problem when by ones self.
We also have a problem with two legged vermin as well. No one goes anywhere in the desert without being armed.
I ride a lot. 99% of it is always in the mountains. I've been riding for 56 years now and have picked up a few things but love to learn more.
There are no friends to ride with as they are older like me but in bad health. If I could con someone into joining me I would. Safety in numbers and all that.
I ride during the week to avoid the Weekend Warriors.
Your point of the extra weight will be a concern. I will have to carry much more water and fuel than I have in the past.
I have enough junk laying around I may just build a single wheeled trailer for the gas and water. That will remove all the weight on the bikes balance point. I have all the equipment to build a nice one. The drag added is so slight it may just be worth the effort.
I have Ty-Raps already to keep my under tank electronics and batteries in place but serviceable.
My tires are flat proofed and so far have not failed me. I've pulled out some huge cactus thorns and the hole seals instantly. While not wanting to temp fate, so far after 800 miles I have had no flats. Maybe I'm just lucky.
There will be many boring photos of the ride. I can't afford the gyro-stabilized camera holder so no vids,sorry.
The problem out here is no cell service. Many of the GPS devices out here will see the satellites with no problems( if I'm not in a canyon,but I will be) ,but, you cannot transmit this info out to anyone. I wasted money on "All Trails" which stops functioning after a few minutes due to signal loss.
When I start the ride I will be 25 miles from the nearest town. When I reach the turn around point I will be 75 miles away from the same town.
There's no money in aiming a cell tower where there are no bill payers.
I plan to have all my ducks in a row long before I depart. Lots of time to make changes/additions.
I'm always open to helpful ideas.
 
#10
Im opting for a small single wheel trailer. I found I have 10" tired 1,000 pound capacity caster that should work very well. I'll use 1" electrical conduit with cross ties to keep the trailer light.
 
#11
I did 100 miles at the gambler enduro race without a single break down. If your bike is in tip top shape there’s no need for all the extra parts. I would carry spare chain, belt, one tire tube and maybe an air filter. As far as tools go I would go with a very small bag with a pair of pliers, crescent wrench, screwdriver and maybe a very minimal socket set. I don’t think there’s anything I couldn’t take apart and fix in a pinch with those tools. Be safe and have fun traveling light is much more enjoyable than having too much extra parts/tools
 
#12
Thanks to Goggle Maps and All Trails, I found out I will not be able to ride 50 miles up the river bed. Screenshot_2020-01-08 Gordy's Hill Riverbed.png
The river bed does climb a mountain and I would be climbing an additional 1,900 feet. The ride will be fun and cross some interesting terrain.
Screenshot_2020-01-08 Gordy's Hill Riverbed.jpg
 
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