I've been contemplating taking my hobbit on a 200+/- (round trip) mile weekend journey of sorts to a state park (camping etc)
What has been your experience and what extra's/tools would you bring?
I just some saddle bags and a 1.5l fuel bottle to store fuel/extras.
Good to see I'm not the only one wanting to do this! I just got some saddle bags to use on my ET4 and Urban Express. I plan on making some scamping videos once I get the set up complete. Curious to see the suggestions as to what might be good to bring along.
Charged cell phone and a high limit credit card . ;)
Bring lawyers guns and money.... :)
Seriously though, would bring tubes (2) tire irons, if you have the stock bike tool kit you should be able to deal with most issues, but maybe a ratchet and a few common sockets, one of those painfully bright Cobb led light sticks, spendy but SO worth it on a dark night. Put on a fresh fuel filter, bring and least 2 tanks worth of oil, and I would go with a larger gas can. At least one new plug, pre-gapped, if you have room a spare tire. Check your insurance, I just found out that mine offers towing! :) Who knew? Phone charger and also one of those batteries that can charge your phone. Rain gear, for the Record Hobbits hate down pours so you might have some issues there, but at least have one of those disposable rain poncho things, a few band-aids never hurt. Gloves. Don't laugh, but TP.
Good walking shoes.
Plus or Platinum AAA club (if available in your area) with RV add on, when you add RV to AAA not only will they be able to tow any RV you are riding in or own but free towing 200 mi (if platinum) any motorbike like many RVโs carry on the back of a RV,
Take a CO2 inflater with several CO2 cartridges. Extra trans oil. Extra chain. Extra spark plug and light bulbs,headlight,taillight and brake light. I carry what I call an escape bottle of pre-mixed fuel,maybe 16 0z. to get you to the next house or station......CELL PHONE!
100 LB sac of rice !
CO2 inflator is a must, forgot that. Bulbs could not hurt either, but I still have the og bulbs in my Hobbit, 42 yrs...wow.
Plug, chain, tube, extra 2 stroke oil, trans fluid, gasket material + razor, flywheel key, throttle cable, bulbs, jb weld, two adjustable wrenches, and some wire. Along with all of the tools youโd need to pull most parts of your bike off (pipe/carb/headlight/whatever).
Maybe I overpack?
But why do when you can overdo?
I was thinking C02 saw that on Amazon but I got a mid-sized frame mount air pump.
So far I also got:
-front and rear tubes
-couple of 10" tire spoons
-extra belt (belt snapped= left me stranded)
-extra clutch (1x arm c-clips came off=stranded . 1x Center spot welds sheared= left me stranded)
-extra pulley (broken spot welds before= left me stranded)
-2.4 gallon fuel tank and 1.5L reserve fuel bottle
I also been using thread locker/ Lock-Tite on every bolt I can get to. The vibrations have loosened the wheel bolts and nuts before.
Engine is water cooled and is pretty solid/tuned. Can cruise at 55-60 non tucked for those pesky 55 MPH zones. (non windy days hehe)(edited)
^ Sounds like a hot bike, I was thinking it was a stocker...bring a light though, so invaluable. Tell of the air pump you got? Pic?
I would say, instead of cruising at 55-60, do 45-50 and that may add to longevity. Tell someone your route and maybe even try to look up any moped/motorbike/cycle repair shops that are enroute and write down their number.
> Stephen Keller Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> ^ Sounds like a hot bike, I was thinking it was a stocker...bring a
> light though, so invaluable. Tell of the air pump you got? Pic?
> Ryan Graeme Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> I would say, instead of cruising at 55-60, do 45-50 and that may add to
> longevity. Tell someone your route and maybe even try to look up any
> moped/motorbike/cycle repair shops that are enroute and write down their
> number.
Yea, I might adjust for more torque vs more rpms. I.e go heavier on the variator and tighter belt. Got to find the medium to reduce strain on the crank/gearbox with the added weight.
> Roger Suarez Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > Stephen Keller Wrote:
>
> > -------------------------------------------------------
>
> > ^ Sounds like a hot bike, I was thinking it was a stocker...bring a
>
> > light though, so invaluable. Tell of the air pump you got? Pic?
>
>
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015FZUAIG/
Ahh, a manual pump, was thinking electric, good score. As mentioned above running the bike slower would help with durability, I have never kitted a moped, much less built one to the specs you have, good work BTW, but I have decided to upgrade to faster bikes for travel, as a built bike is always stressing the rest of it. Don't let my old man thoughts dissuade you from doing this, believing you can, makes you able to do it. Have fun, and just be safe. Post Pics, I'm (crossing my fingers) coming into a Honda Helix this spring, on this I can take trips like you are planning in total comfort, at about the same expense of what you have put into your Hobbit. Be careful and have a blast!
Your wife driving a f 250 with a bumper pull so you can put the Hobbit in the truck bed?? Just joking ....good luck.
green slime.
Bring some wet wipes or similar. Those gas station rest rooms can be pretty nasty! Also one of those portable cell chargers if you are nowhere near a power plug. I have a solar one.
Bring some comfortable walking/pushing shoes.
Keep in mind that a 200 mile trip is same as a 10 mile commute to work for two weeks - just as perspective for the expected wear and tear on your cycle
Not really, shure tire wear is the same but an engine running for 8 hours will break down easier than an engine running for 1 hour 8 times.
Stock bike speeds can be dangerous especially with impatient or distracted drivers. I started out stock but keeping up with traffic became a goal.
I did 150 miles on a ported Moby a few years ago. My headgasket split. I think it was because I didnt torque things down.
So ya, my lesson was that preparation is the most important. Temp might be for you. Running higher octane might help.
When I hiked the Appalacian trail I stopped at the first post office I could find and mailed home half of the stuff I packed. Keep the tools and spares weight 5 lb max.
Id recommend you bring a tool kit that has just enough to do about anything your moped will require. Spare spark plugs, spare oil, small gas can, rain gear (Frogg Togg is good stuff), flash light, lighter/ matches, a spare portable battery charger for your phone, etc...
I started scouring yardsales, flea markets, and swap meets building my travel tool kit. My goal was to find wrenches that had the least amount of weight and length. I found the hunt kind of fun really, my tool kit actually has quite a bit to it and still doesn't weigh much. I can do considerably more than just change a tire or spark plug now on the side of the road.
> Roger Suarez Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Stock bike speeds can be dangerous especially with impatient or
> distracted drivers. I started out stock but keeping up with traffic
> became a goal.
Absolutely the truth, more now then ever, if you canโt keep with traffic on a certain road you have no Business being on that road unless you want to be hit or cause an accident,
Electric turn signals are plus on little bike and put them on/get them flashing well before the turn,
I start tapping the brakes to get a brake light to flash well before I stop also, you got to get these distracted drivers attention a lot sooner nowadays.
2 schools of thought, bring everything to fix anything, or bring nothing and hope for the best. Tbh I dont expect my bike to break down in the next 200 miles, whether its continuous or short trips. But I still usually carry a lock and a phone, and basic tool set to adjust or clean carb, swap plugs, and maybe even replace a cable. I've definitely buffed sachs clutches on a sidewalk with little more than a leatherman, a screwdriver and a cheapo double ended spark plug socket.
How much do you trust yourself and or your bike and at what point is it over? Lock it up and call a cab oclock.
I've done a lotta 100-250 miles trips sometimes in a day, and never broken down, but I've also had to lock up and walk miles to show up late for work.
Go up Autozone a set of alunimum renches and socksets
Ask anyone who's done pinball/Baker's ;)
Want to post in this forum? We'd love to have you join the discussion, but first: