ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Energica => Topic started by: Motoproponent on August 18, 2023, 03:11:05 AM
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I'm putting together get me back home tool kit. I'm pretty experienced with being able to get myself, or another stranded biker, back on the road. Some things like tire, battery, fuse, or chain problems are pretty universal. On my KTM I never went anywhere without a spare gallon of gas, a lithium jump pack, tire plugs and an air source, and tools to do basic repair and troubleshooting. Granted there were no feeler gauges as I wasnt going to do a valve adjustment on the roadside (i didnt even do those at home).
Looking at the Experia, my current tool kit is a roadside assistance number written on a post it note stuck to the back of my credit card.
As I do more and more long trips there are a few things that I am taking with me to keep a sudden end of the trip at bay. I no longer carry spare fuel, but I do take the jump pack as it doesnt take up that much space and I have used it to get other bikes and stalled cars back on the road.
Currently the Experia tool kit has:
Tire Plugs
Fantik X8 compressor
Allen keys that fit the fairing fasteners
compact analog multimeter
zip ties
duct tape
assorted blade fuses
small first aid kit (Band-Aids and bug bite remedies)
When I'm on a road trip I also have:
Snapjack V2
Chain lube
7oz can Plexus
microfiber cloth
3.5 oz can WD40
Is there anything I'm missing?
Anything I'm carrying that I'll never use?
The regular tool kit fits in the Rabbit Pouch of my riding jacket except the first aid kit that lives in the "Fr'ank". The road trip expansion occupies a small portion of the topcase. (I use the one of the side cases as the topcase)
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I carried this toolkit on my Ribelle and my BMW (I kept one to use on my new Spyder) mainly for the pliers and wire cutters:
Oxford unisex adult - Oxford Tool Kit Pro, Black, Pro 27 Piece Premium US https://a.co/d/hofSJJY
The size wasn’t too big…not much bigger than my flat tire plug kit.
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Currently the Experia tool kit has:
Tire Plugs
Fantik X8 compressor
Allen keys that fit the fairing fasteners
compact analog multimeter
zip ties
duct tape
assorted blade fuses
small first aid kit (Band-Aids and bug bite remedies)
When I'm on a road trip I also have:
Snapjack V2
Chain lube
7oz can Plexus
microfiber cloth
3.5 oz can WD40
Is there anything I'm missing?
Sounds complete 'cept for the following maybe...
Velcro Tie, to actuate brake lever if you don't have a stop mechanism for parking on a street slope...
Side Stand Pad, plate aluminum thingy in case you stop on spungy ground...
Bulk Bungy Cord, 2-3 meters, no clips or hooks and a BIC cigarette lighter to fuse the ends from fraying - good for controlling (unexcpected) loads as you travel...e.g. bought something now sending it home but need to transport it to shipper if bag limits are exceeded...
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Wow, that's an impressive list. I guess all that's necessary when you are going around in low population areas...
No weapons to ward off wolves and coyotes? ;D
I just have a thin nylon rainjacket, sunglasses, some nose wipes and a helmet lock in a small bag strapped to the backseat of my Ribelle.
Looking at the complexity of the bike and my abilities, I do not think I could make any meaningful repairs on the run. ::)
Thus, I have to rely on roadside assistance service.
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I carry a 13mm spanner to tighten mirror nuts when they would become loose.
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Velcro Tie, to actuate brake lever if you don't have a stop mechanism for parking on a street slope...
Side Stand Pad, plate aluminum thingy in case you stop on spungy ground...
Bulk Bungy Cord, 2-3 meters, no clips or hooks and a BIC cigarette lighter to fuse the ends from fraying - good for controlling (unexcpected) loads as you travel...e.g. bought something now sending it home but need to transport it to shipper if bag limits are exceeded...
I have a little Velcro tie that lives wrapped around the handlebar and the Snapjack comes with one. So I'm covered there. I have a small set of Rock Straps that will be perfect to cover unexpected tie downs. I prefer them to bungee cords. Great suggestion.
The sidestand plate is a good one, too. I've been riding a KTM with the aftermarket Camel Toe for so long I forgot those were a thing. I no longer carry those side stand plates. I hope I still have some somewhere. It will kill me to buy a new one.
I carry a 13mm spanner to tighten mirror nuts when they would become loose.
Good one, that's going in the kit.
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I see a lot off tool on you list, almost everyone, I did never have to use in the 30K I have driven so far.
On hollyday's I only use chainlube, if you at home adjust you chain, and it is in good condition you can run a lot of km's before you need to adjust it. If in any case I need to adjust it, I look for a garage, even carworkshop will have those tools..
But I mis one important one, but I do not know if the experia has a small 300mA glass-fuse, but on the Ribelle that one sometimes gives up. And the bike is completely dead.
Another question, are you all right with range anxiety, you seem to worry a lot.
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But I mis one important one, but I do not know if the experia has a small 300mA glass-fuse, but on the Ribelle that one sometimes gives up. And the bike is completely dead.
I wondered that also, a 315 ma fuse. See my thread here. (https://www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=12287.0)
-Don- Auburn, CA
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How is wanting to be prepared, worrying a lot? Kind of an odd statement to make.
The air compressor is a life saver, mine saved my ass a few times now already.
If you have any of the glass fuses you are probably going to want a little setof fuse pullers to grab them with. Sometimes getting them out with our fingers can be a real bear.
Electrical tape.
Male/female velcro strips.
If you don't have one on your tire pump kit, a tiny flashlight.
A flatblade and phillips screwdriver (actually I think the correct one is a reeds / barton, the sharp pointy one,NOT the flattend off top one.)
A few small ziplock baggies. That way if you do have to remove some screws or small stuffs, you have something to put them in and they don't get kicked into the dirt or thru a bridge grating or something
A small needle nosed pliers BUT get the ones that are bent at a 90 degree angle. They are excellent for when you have to reach down into something somewhee
I think that about does it, your list was pretty comprehensive.
Aaron
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Another question, are you all right with range anxiety, you seem to worry a lot.
I'm getting better with range anxiety the more miles I put on it.
I do worry a lot, mainly because I broke one of my own rules to be an early adopter. I don't buy new motorcycles. The last new bike I bought was a 2010 KTM 990 SMT. I paid $14,000 for it in 2010. When I sold it in 2018, with 90,000 miles on it, I was lucky to get $1200 for it. No one wants to pay a premium to be the person to take a used LC8 over 100,000 miles. I also stay away from new models or "total redesigns" of updated models after I got a new 2001 Bandit 1200 with the leaking piston ring issue.
By having the ability to at least somewhat self sufficient, I feel more comfortable riding this brand new , new platform into the out-of-the-way places I like to road trip to. I'm (and my wife) prepared for the financial loss due to depreciation. I plan to ride the wheels off this thing. I'm just preparing for the unknown things that will eventually become a "known issue with that model". Like the KLR doohicky, BMW F-series steering bearings, and Bandits that burn oil.
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I wondered that also, a 315 ma fuse.
Can you just go to an AutoZone or something and pick one of those up or is that a special order?
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I carry a 13mm spanner to tighten mirror nuts when they would become loose.
Good one, that's going in the kit.
I know, only the most self important douche bags quote themselves...but...
I needed this 13mm spanner this weekend as my mirror came loose. It really saved my bacon.
Just popping in to say thanks for the tip.
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Haha, you're welcome, thanks for letting us know. I myself have the mirrors always quite tight, but I remember the demos or loaners from the dealer always had mirrors becoming loose during driving, actually my first quick test ride in 2017 was on a green EVA with a loose mirror.
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You need to bang your bike up against something a few times, maybe even tip it over to bend those mirror posts, that way they won't get loose EVER again on you! :D
Why is it though that the damned things DO always come loose, even when you lock the nuts down?
Aaron
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Why is it though that the damned things DO always come loose, even when you lock the nuts down?
Aaron
It looks to me like the mirrors are directional. One has regular and the other has left hand threads. The force the wind exerts on the mirror body seems to be in the direction that loosens the mirror. I can only imagine this is so any impact to the mirror in the direction of travel, like if you were splitting lanes and hit a car's mirror with your mirror, would loosen the mirror instead of transmitting unintended steering input to the bars.
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Moto, that is a very good hypothesis, BUT, the torque you need to tighten the bastards down so they don't do that with a 100 MPH wind on them, to break them free on an impact, you are putting an input into the bike. Squeeze the tank / body with your legs to help mitigate that is what I do. NO I don't lane split on the highways, I just always (at least for now) find it to be too dangerous for the gain, especially since it's illegal out here and people would slide over to pinch you if they seen you coming up doing that in these aprts of town...but can see them getting hit by tree branches and crap too occasionally.
Aaron
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Well I rarely go 100mph so I can't say my mirrors are snugged down tight enough to withstand the steady push at that kind of sustained speed.
But I split lanes daily and have had some mirror to mirror contact more often than I would care to admit. A light tap will knock the mirror out of alignment, but anything more will spin the post with little more than an audible clap. It really does not provide a control input at all. I was guessing (my hypothesis) as to whether that's the reason the mirrors are engineered to loosen in the direction that they do. It is obviously intentional since the mirrors are right or left hand threaded. And they are that way on every motorcycle I've ever had with bar mounted mirrors posts. Almost all other motorcycle markets have lane splitting, so I imagine that is an actuality that engineers consider when figuring out a bike.
Also because lane splitting feels normal I will often forget it's illegal when I'm riding in other states. I've never had someone in another state try to pinch me in the split. I've never split lanes in Florida though. "Florida Man" is a different breed altogether, lol
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Ive seen these inbred mother fuckers open the door up when they see a bike coming, claiming, I was just spitting my tobacco juice officer. the biker gets the ticket because lane splitting is illegal. I get it, the biker should not be doing that shit, as a driver yes it can piss you off but to intentionally try to hurt someone / damage their stuff like that, you need an ass beating.
My Ribelle has opposing mirrors as well. I would think that the ideal way would be for the wind pushing would tighten them but it does not. Even if you really thunked the mirror I can't see it making THAT much input on the handle bar, I mean unless you hit the handle bar too, in which point, you are getting ready to have a very bad day im betting. The mirrors are on a ball mount anyways to adjust them so i can't really see any mirror impact not just twist them around anyways, w/o having to have a break away.
That is strange now that I am thinking on it.
Aaron
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Every bike I have owned with bar mounted mirrors have one standard threaded and one reverse threaded like those on the EVA and EsseEsse9. Not sure of the exact reason for this but reducing damage in the event of an impact makes sense.
The threaded portion of the mirrors is separate from the mirror body. They thread into the legs of the mirror using a fixed 13mm nut and are tightened to the bar mounts using a second (free spinning) 13mm nut. If you run into issues with your bikes mirrors coming loose you might want to remove them. Loosen the fixed 13mm nut and apply blue loctight to the threads before tightening them back into the body of the mirror. Use the loose 13mm nut to lock the mirrors in position. There should be 1-2 exposed threads between the 2 nuts. If the gap is smaller than that it will be hard to tighten only the lower nut, if the gap is larger too few threads are securing the mirror to the mount.
You can also adjust the tension of the ball joint with a 2.5mm allen wrench. If this is too tight you can crack the glass when trying to adjust the mirror.
Also note that the Experia does not use a 315mA glass fuse.
Regarding other tool suggestions for your kit:
Small section of wire (~18g) - Can be helpful for testing circuits with a multimeter or other electrical situations (kickstand switch bypass etc.).
Tire plug kit - In all my travels carrying a plug kit and air compressor almost guarantees you will not have a flat tire but will forever be stopping to help other riders fix their punctures.
T15 and T25 (security) bits or keys - T25 for the throttle, T15 for various fairing fasteners.
32mm socket - To allow chain adjustments (along with the 13mm wrench), will require tracking down someone with a 1/2 breaker bar.
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Ive seen these inbred mother fuckers open the door up when they see a bike coming, claiming, I was just spitting my tobacco juice officer. the biker gets the ticket because lane splitting is illegal. I get it, the biker should not be doing that shit, as a driver yes it can piss you off but to intentionally try to hurt someone / damage their stuff like that, you need an ass beating.
My Ribelle has opposing mirrors as well. I would think that the ideal way would be for the wind pushing would tighten them but it does not. Even if you really thunked the mirror I can't see it making THAT much input on the handle bar, I mean unless you hit the handle bar too, in which point, you are getting ready to have a very bad day im betting. The mirrors are on a ball mount anyways to adjust them so i can't really see any mirror impact not just twist them around anyways, w/o having to have a break away.
That is strange now that I am thinking on it.
Aaron
About 25 years ago I was on jury duty in a San Mateo, CA, courtroom. As I was being interviewed by the judge, he saw my helmet and commented that he hated being passed by a motorcycle splitting lanes while he was stopped due to a traffic jam on the freeway. He said that one of these days he was going to open up his door as a motorcycle was passing by and teach the rider a lesson. Needless to say, I was not picked as a juror for that trial. Hopefully that judge never actually did that and has retired by now.
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A judge saying something like that out loud, to basically a stranger, while acting in the capacity of a judge. Should NOT be a judge period!
What happens when YOU are in front of him for something? Oh another biker POS, GUILTY !!! Next !!!
I wonder how the good judge would react if someone said something along the lines of, I wish they'd start blowing away these judges who let criminals back on the streets. Would he lash out, or keep his mouth shut as he expects others to do while he hides behind his robe and says similar things.
Sadly there are way too many of these types in positions of power who do NOT need to be there.
Aaron
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About 25 years ago I was on jury duty in a San Mateo, CA, courtroom. As I was being interviewed by the judge, he saw my helmet and commented that he hated being passed by a motorcycle splitting lanes while he was stopped due to a traffic jam on the freeway. He said that one of these days he was going to open up his door as a motorcycle was passing by and teach the rider a lesson.
I cannot believe a judge would say anything so stupid.
BTW, I sometimes lane split in CA on I-80 when the traffic is near a complete stop. I have seen cars move more over to the side for me to give me more space when they see me coming.
FWIW, I am usually going around 15 MPH when I am lane-splitting in traffic that is at a complete stop. The big problem on I-80 are the trucks side by side not leaving enough room for motorcycles to lane split, so I often cannot get far.
-Don- Flagstaff, CA
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When I split lanes nowadays, almost everyone moves over for me if they see me. I guess they learned to do that so that their expensive mirrors will not be damaged if they get hit by a passing motorcycle's mirrors.
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All it takes is some retard texting and wanders over and taps you, or squishes you between two vehicles. Just that little contact making inputs to your bike and you are done. You go down between two cars because your foot pegs or handlebars got grabbed or slammed by a car part.
I see these idiots all the time on their phones weaving all over the place, off the road, half into the other lane,and always the sudden abrupt and almost over compensated corrections in direction.
TBH Id rather be on the road with a drunk driver than some asshole on their phone texting.
At least the drunk is trying to stop.
At least the drunk is trying to dodge the impending wreck.
At least the drunk is trying to move over
The clown on their phone updating their fakebook status has no clue what's going on around them, they are not even looking. A train could have jumped the track and heading straight for them, but nope, they are zombies staring at their phones.
Aaron
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I only split lanes when the traffic is stopped and it is difficult for anyone to move their car sideways because there is another vehicle blocking that movement. I have been splitting lanes for 30 years without an issue. However, several times a year I have a car (more likely a pickup) pass me in my lane what I am going at the speed limit on the freeway.
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I only split lanes when the traffic is stopped and it is difficult for anyone to move their car sideways because there is another vehicle blocking that movement. I have been splitting lanes for 30 years without an issue. However, several times a year I have a car (more likely a pickup) pass me in my lane what I am going at the speed limit on the freeway.
Lane splitting is legal here in Australia....but we still get car drivers who get angry at us.
Smithy.
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Richard I had that happen to me already, we were on a bridge, already going the ... Ill say... rate of traffic, everyone speeds on 295 and for some reason everyone loves to race up the dames point bridge and they all start bobbing back and forth like idiots trying to get in front of each other, pass each other, only to jam up on the other side of the bridge. I never understood this, just WHY??
I usually try to stay out of that crap, but sure nuff, one clown wants to come in my lane, I have NOWHERE to go on the right, there's a big ass truck there and I can't even sprint in front of it, the car in front of me is making that stunt about impossible with his position. Im yelling at them, beeping my horn, they don't hear so I smack on her side window hoping to get some attention, YO !!! STOP!!! WTF!!!!
she stops moving over for a few seconds, im thinking ok good she seen me, then she starts coming over again. This time I swing harder to bang harder, I had my brand new track gloves on, was trying to break them in, as new gloves always give me grief with my hands falling asleep until I get them worn in for about 3 or 4 months. I didn't think I swung THAT hard, I was not intending to as I didn't want a huge repulsing input into the bike possibly lurching my handlebars in those close quarters. Well those titanium knuckles shattered the entire window. I mean this thing just CRASH into 1000 little squares. She lurched back over into her lane and almost took out the person on the other side of her she over corrected so far and just slowed WAY down almost getting piled into by the people behind her. I just kept going, there is nowhere to pull over for a few miles up there and I really did not care at that point TBH.
Sadly in Jax, people drive stupid as it is already, and lane splitting between 2 cars in one of their lanes, is just BEGGING to get smooshed. If she would have hit me and put me down, Id have been run over by probably 10 to 15 cars before folks started stopping....game over.
Occasionally you get the squid missiles who want to dodge and scream between traffic, doing really stupid stunts, but otherwise Id have to say you will almost never see lane splitting here. I would see it coming out of the Navy base at knockoff time, as traffic from Navsta Maport to Atlantic AVe,which is about 5 miles, is a road block that can easily take an hour or more to travel. (and since there are no longer drive thru liquor stores, a lot less fun :P ) and the ones on the bikes would play the game of wiggle thru traffic, trying to outrun / outsmart the cops who'd be waiting for them at intervals. It was entertaining to watch but lil ole squidly would almost always get caught when the sheriff strategically poised a block or two up would jump out of his car, hand on his gun, point at squid missile and say YOU, over there, NOW !! Those of us stuck in the 4 wheelers would drive by, honk and taunt the dumb kids as we drove by :) Oh the days !! The cops would make them get off their bikes and stand there baking in the hot sun as well, which being military, they ARE in full gear, plus a bright orange vest like you'd see a construction highway worker wear.
Now that I ride a bike, I really wish it WAS legal, I don't know how many times im stuck in traffic and you get MULTIPLE light cycles before you get thru because every fucking idiot is on their god damned phones and NOT paying attention and only 3 or 4 of the fuck wads make it through the light instead of maybe 10 because they are not moving in time and taking 15 seconds to finally start up. Being on a bike and being able to get up front, and when the light changes, yah Ill be through the intersection before you even get started, would be awesome.
The interesting thing though, if you got a group of bikes, people ARE respectful then and let you do your thing. if you are going thru a light and it turns, they'll generally wait until the entire pack is thru before them starting to move. At times we'll send guards up to block cross traffic until the whole pack makes it thru and rarely if ever do the ones waiting get angry. The police are not really pissy about it either, so that's a plus for bikes out here.
Aaron
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Ok....if I can get us back on to the tool kit discussion....
The Snap Jack works pretty great. It's my interim solution for chain maintenance until the center stand is available. IIRC, I saw someone with a Ribelle mention that they tried to move the bike while charging to lube the chain and it bricked the bike. Don't know how far it moved or if it put tension on the charge cable, or if there was some other thing that may have happened. I've been tempted to put the bike up on the Snap Jack and lube the chain while it's charging when I'm on longer trips, but didn't just in case.
Is there really a risk of faulting the bike by spinning the rear wheel while it's on the charger? Has anyone done it?
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I can't see how moving the bike would brick the bike. Sometimes charging gets quirky if you do dumb shit to it, like wiggle the cable, it may lock the screen or something, but holding the start button down for like 30 seconds should force it to cycle out of pretty much any issue you created.
Ive had it go into a startup w/o the fob and hang there, immediately after a charge, not sure if it was me wiggling the cord, or a software bug or what, but the screen all lit up and froze there. I just held the start button down for about 20 to 30 seconds and it forced a restart and all was fina afterwards.
I just can't see how it'd brick the bike, unless you draw an arc or something, which is pretty hard to do given it's safety switch to not do that. There always is the factory reset sequence too.
What did Energica say about that? Was it fixed under warranty or something? Id like to learn more about this!
Aaron