Trouble?  Wave the Tool Kit Wand
(published Motorcycle Tour and Travel, Sept. 1996)		

	As a psychologist by trade, I find myself automatically analyzing the roots
of my present behavior and find rich material when I trace my motorcycle
interests.  When I was a kid, I rode a big heavy red bicycle with big fat tires
and a huge chrome spring on the front fork.  In those days, fuzzy raccoon tails
were an "in" decorative item and most of the guys sported a good luck charm as
well.  I had a lucky green rabbit's foot that I kept on a small chain that I
used to ward off all of the bad things that rode on to the center stage of my
life.  
	I am quite a bit bigger and questionably wiser  now, and I still find myself
riding a big bike with fat tires and a chrome spring on the front end.  Society
now heavily discourages mutilating rabbits and raccoons for decorative purposes,
but I still have my ace good luck charm: it has morphed into my handy-dandy long
distance travel tool kit.
	In my last column I suggested thinking about packing for motorcycle touring
in terms of living spaces, and used the theme of the bedroom as a way of
organizing the sleeping gear.  The tool box is a way of thinking about what to
take from the garage.  
	I tend to being overprepared, but this summer I am heading up for a six week
tour of the Yukon and Alaska, where the motorcycle shops are few and distant.  I
have had several bad experiences over the years, and have watched others have
even worse happen to them.   I plan to be prepared for the worst.
	For starters, The BMW R1100 GS  that I'll be riding has an excellent tool
kit.  I'll supplement it with a credit card-sized digital multimeter because
most of  the problems I've had with vehicles over the years have been 
electrical in nature.   I have studied a Radio Shack book on the use of a
multimeter, and will bring along the chapter I've torn out on automotive
diagnostics.  Rounding out the electrical supplies are mini-jumper cables, a
spare bulb kit (in bubble wrap and plastic box), electrical tape, plastic cable
ties, a few feet of insulated wire, extra fuses,  spare connectors for electric
vest and chaps, needle nose vise grips, small adjustable wrench, multiuse belt
tool and roll of duct tape.  I use Shoe Goo for all kinds of repairs: the stuff
can be molded and is an excellent repair agent.  I also have memorized the phone
number of my motorcycle mechanic.   All of the electrical gear fits into a flat
plastic pouch that can be stashed in my saddlebag.  If that won't get me going,
I'll have my nylon towing strap as a backup.  
	I'm grateful to my Internet buddies for the tune up manual that they have
put on-line for my use.  I'll print up the latest edition before I hit the road
and store it in a Ziplok bag along with the rather slim factory owner's
instruction book that came with my motorcycle. 
 	After my multiple flat tire misadventure on a desolate Quebec wilderness
island last summer, I have assembled an informed tire repair kit.  I'll take the
factory BMW tubeless patch kit, extra (non-BMW)  patch kit with string-type
plugs, extra tire plugs, digital tire gauge, set of CO2 canisters and a CO2 tire
inflator.  A collapsible mountain bike pump can put about 18 pounds of pressure
in my rear tire, enough to get me rolling to a real pump.  Vulcanizing patches
for an interior fix don't take up any real space and may also come in handy if
the tire has to be removed from the rim. A motorcycle tire bead breaker will
handle the task of breaking the bead from my tubeless rims.  Tire irons and a
small bottle of dishwashing detergent can serve double duty as a bead lubricant
as well as dish cleaner.  I have a few pair of rubber surgical gloves that I can
use when handling oily or greasy parts so I don't end up wiping my hands all
over my pants.  
	 In my tank bag go the BMW anonymous book and headlamp (for my head, not for
the bike).  The only things I'd like to add to this list are spare spark plugs, 
spare filter, quart of oil, and spare fuel filter.  An extra clutch cable curls
against the outside of the bottom of the tank bag.  For what it is worth I have
in my wallet a current Motorcycle Roadside Assistance Plan card and a clean
credit card with one of those golden glow limits.
	So that's the plan: one great big bunch of hopefully useless stuff that I'll
use to ward off the forces of entropy that are working their nefarious fingers
into the inner working of my trusted machine.  A parting word of caution to
those of you who brush your teeth before bed.  Make sure the Shoe Goo is stored
far away from the toothpaste.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it all works
out.