When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I plan those things into a trip prior to leaving. Do your route planning knowing what's around you. I've even checked Craigslist for local guys along the route that do work on the side. Good luck on your trip. Actually she brought it up have her do it lol.
Do what I always do. Fix it. This is is almost 1600 miles from my garage full of tools.
The experience gained from straightening out mechanical issues on the road gives you the confidence to enjoy yourself without fretting. The best part is, you get to ride perfectly functional motorcycles bought for less than 50 cents on the dollar because someone was petrified to keep their bike that didn't have a warranty safety net.
My buddy had a cracked case that got worse the more we rode. He mistakenly removed a tapered tooling plug he thought was the oil drain and he over tightened when reinstalling. After loosing a quart of oil every 30 miles we pulled into Montgomery HD for a fix. No such luck, so he rented a bike. In hindsight he wished he had bought one because it would have been a lot less expensive. Dealer had offered him a great trade value on his blown bike and a big discount on a new softail.
I have roadside assistance (towing, etc) on my regular insurance for cars and my bike. I also have AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) coverage. for a serious breakdown. Other aspects follow:
>The network of Harley Davidson dealers is very extensive. In addition, there are independent shops all over. Stuff happens and no other motorcycle type has anywhere near the coverage or convenience as HD.
>I carry a set of tools with me. A simple kit for everyday riding and a more extensive one for a long trip.
>I also carry some basic repair parts when on a long trip such as fuses, a spare quart of oil that will work in any of my 2018 Heritage 114 motor, spare tubes for front and rear (mine are a bit unusual for the Heritage), tie wraps, tape...etc.
>I also do regular maintenance checks as well as my own service which ensures that the bike is as ready as it can be for a long trip. I also feel pretty capable about doing many repairs myself from my youthful training/experience as a well rounded auto mechanic (skills I have kept up on a bit over the years).
>"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
A header flange, on the pipe had come loose from a poor spot weld via Vance & Hines. The exhaust flange would draw the header flange into the head, but not the pipe. Riding an HD, or any motorcycle for that matter, is about thinking on your feet
Last edited by Campy Roadie; Jan 2, 2020 at 01:32 PM.
The best thing would be to have an extended warranty on your bike to cover the cost of the unexpected, but unless you're under a plan now at 10 years old that ship has sailed. A tire plug kit and a portable compressor in your saddlebag would be a good idea too. Beyond that get some towing coverage with someone in case of emergency and ride on. The good news is Harley has the most extensive dealer network in the industry and that includes Canada! I know it's hard but try not to overthink it. Yeah your bike is ten years old but it sounds like you've taken care of it.
A new bike doesn't make you bullet proof either. I traded by '11 with 75k miles on it a few years ago for a new '16 because I was headed on an epic road trip. My destination was Banff as well but taking the scenic route I rode nearly 5k miles before I got there. Early in my trip I went from Kentucky to L.A. and I had to get my compensator replaced, so you never know.
Last edited by KahunaJim; Jan 2, 2020 at 09:53 PM.
Some of you boys would have never survived the shovelhead days. I've changed a head gasket in a Mcdonald's parking lot, pulled an engine, broke it down and replaced a snapped pinion shaft on the flywheels and had the bike up, running with us at the bar 2 1/2 days after it broke while in Colorado Springs, this was my brothers bike he was from Maryland and rode it home afterward. Welded a broken backbone on a chopper frame in an old gas station garage just off the PA turnpike after a pothole busted up 2 bikes, rebuilt a 4 speed trans for a guy in a campground in Sturgis and these are just the more memorable ones, we could go on for a while with all the jury rigged minor stuff on road trips over the years I've helped with.
Like Nomadmax and few others have said, you just deal with what comes up as you can. With today's vast motorcycle support network and the overall complexity of the newer machines a cell phone and a credit card are a hell of a starting point. I still carry the old tool roll out of habit and I suggest most should carry basic stuff if you are traveling, screwdriver or a set of allen's can save the day.
I do a 10K service per shop manual before shoving off. Ive noted before that, IMO, 2 things have the highest probability of shutting you down. Flat tire and dead battery. So I carry a set of Cruz tools for my bike and a tire plug kit with Slime compressor. Since Im a HOG member I add that $20/ year roadside assistance deal that tows you to the nearest H-D dealer or its town in US or Canada with no out of pocket regardless of mileage. HOGs included $100 benefit wont get you far. My bike is 8 years old and I treat the battery as maintenance...replace it every 2 years. Try to make it less likely to give it up in Muddy Gap, Wyoming.
Stop & Go 1075 Tire Repair
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
