BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Like many others I carry a very basic toolkit with me at the bottom of my pannier. It's only enough to tighten or adjust something that might need it, a few cable ties, a mini roll of tape and what seems like nowadays the obligatory tubeless puncture repair kit & inflator, but why? A knackered battery from standing unattended aside when I first bought the bike, it's been 100% reliable, (as was its predecessor, and thats predecessor etc), and as well maintained top of the range BMW, I expect it to be so. So why do I carry tools? I don't carry any on my car, but I kind of feel it need to on a motorcycle, albeit in a minimalistic form.

I guess part of the answer for me came from when I was a skint & callow youth with nth hand, self maintained and let's be honest, some less than reliable 70s & 80s motorcycles. They were necessary to cart around back then and I guess the habit has just stuck.

Am I an old school dinosaur for taking what I do with me and what do the younger riders of today brought up on a couple of decades worth of much more reliable bikes carry around with them, if at all?

I have 5kg of tools ect ect ect in each pannier. I also have brakedown cover.
But i carry the repair kits because if its something simple i will fix it so i dont end up waiting around.
My kit covers the wife bike as well when we are out.
Will also keep my GS-911 with me to when out.