Preparing '20 900GT for longer tour. What do I need?

[Jayzonk]

I'm writing off the phone mount as I think the phone is just too distracting.  

Can a heated vest run off the DC socket?

[Lone Wolf]

34 minutes ago, Jayzonk said:

Can a heated vest run off the DC socket?

I blew a fuse on the factory DC socket with heated vest. It's a very low amp circuit, I think 3 amps intended for charging data devices like GPS or phone. Fuse is behind front fairing, not under the seat.

Here's a thread where someone blew that fuse trying to run a small compressor, and the solution is to hard wire an SAE connection such as battery tender (or Optima)

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Lone Wolf

[kingfisher]

1 hour ago, Jayzonk said:

I'm writing off the phone mount as I think the phone is just too distracting.  

Can a heated vest run off the DC socket?

No, your DC socket fuse will blow if you run a compressor or heated vest from it. A simple solution that I use is to connect a heated gear line directly to the battery. These typically have a 15 Amp fuse that will easily handle a compressor or your heated gear. These have a coaxial connector on the end to plug into your heated jacket. If you buy a a short coax to SAE adapter, to put on the SAE connector of your typical small compressor, you can plug into the heated gear line to use it. I also put a SAE to coax adapter on my battery tender, so I can charge the battery through the line too. I just simply run the heated gear line to the front of the seat for easy access. 

[DavidS]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:30 PM, Jayzonk said:

Good idea.  It would also be a good idea to know where the motorcycle tow truck guys might be so I can access them.  

Yep, it would be ideal if you had a motorcycle specific tow, although the regular auto tow vehicles can also handle motorcycles. Get an AMA membership, and they will send someone out to pickup you, and your motorcycle up. But don't wait until you have the need, there is a 72 hour wait period from when you sign/up and pay before you can use this service. 

[betoney]

5 hours ago, Jayzonk said:

I'm writing off the phone mount as I think the phone is just too distracting.  

Can a heated vest run off the DC socket?

Wire it direct to the battery. 

[betoney]

6 hours ago, OldBikers said:

About the tire pump, if you use the existing DC socket you will blow the 2A fuse.  Best to get one that is wireless, one charge will last a long time topping off the PSI in the tires.  Amazon has them from $40 on up.

Or you can use the quick disconnect SAE connector for the battery tender, they are always connected and ready to go. 

[Wintersdark]

Tires: on a long trip, mount new rubber first.  If your old tires still have a reasonable amount of life left, just keep them and throw them back on in the future, but DO NOT risk needing new tires on a trip.  As others have said, you never know what availability will be like when you suddenly find yourself needing new tires mid-trip.  Get high mileage sport touring rubber (Michelin Road 6, T32's, etc) so it's definitely not an issue and you know you'll have good performance in inclement weather. 

Ergonomics: Don't change anything before a trip.  Keep stuff you're used to, it'll be fine.  Last thing you want is to find out that new windscreen hurts your neck due to wierd buffeting once your hundreds of kilometers from home.

Tools: as others said, bring what you need to take the wheels off and the plastics.  That's a small kit, but you're probably going to need to for example adjust your chain.

General Packing: Go light.  Don't try to solve every potential issue before you leave because you'll weigh the bike down a ton and it'll ride terribly. Particularly on the tail bag! Keep as little weight in it as possible. Think hard about whether you're better off bringing a thing, or bringing a credit card and just buying a thing if you need it.  Every single thing you bring with you comes at a cost in decreased riding fun, fuel economy, and simply space for something else.  Remember, you can wash clothes on the way.  Definitely bring clothes that are comfortable to spend a day riding in. For me, that's typically a sweatshirt and sweatpants that'll be under my gear.  I may look silly, but people only see the riding gear anyways and I'm extremely comfortable.

[1moreroad]

On 4/26/2023 at 9:59 AM, DavidS said:

Get an AMA membership, and they will send someone out to pickup you, and your motorcycle up.

I sh** you not, when I tried to use my AMA membership for a tow after a flat, the company that AMA contracted with only towed new cars. 

That was the last straw and I dropped my membership after 15+ years. 

[TomTracer]

What did AMA say about it?

[betoney]

2 hours ago, 1moreroad said:

I sh** you not, when I tried to use my AMA membership for a tow after a flat, the company that AMA contracted with only towed new cars. 

That was the last straw and I dropped my membership after 15+ years. 

My towing coverage through my insurance coverage isn't much better.  Last year I needed assistance and called my insurance, they connected me in a 3-way call with a tow company, they said towing was covered but they would only tow me to the closest bike shop even though it was a different brand shop than I owned and was even further away from home than my current location.  I was about 80 miles from home, I asked them how much to just tow me home, she asked my zip code and quoted me just under $900. 😳

[OldBikers]

13 hours ago, betoney said:

My towing coverage through my insurance coverage isn't much better.  Last year I needed assistance and called my insurance, they connected me in a 3-way call with a tow company, they said towing was covered but they would only tow me to the closest bike shop even though it was a different brand shop than I owned and was even further away from home than my current location.  I was about 80 miles from home, I asked them how much to just tow me home, she asked my zip code and quoted me just under $900. 😳

Wow!  $900 Oh boy!  Three years ago I had a front flat on my FZ-01, we couldn't find where it was on the tire so I called my insurance Co. and arranged a tow.  The flat bed came out and towed the bike 130 miles to my mechanic's it cost me $475.

Funny thing was that it was a failed valve which was only $20 to replace.

Edited April 28, 2023 by OldBikers

[1moreroad]

16 hours ago, TomTracer said:

What did AMA say about it?

They were extremely apologetic. They said it wouldn't happen again. My son got my pickup and drove 2.5 hours on a school night round trip to pick me up. 

So in 20 years of riding I only needed a tow truck twice in 2020 and 2021. The 2nd time was 30 miles from the 1st site. Called AAA this time. Tow truck accepted but cancelled 2 hours later because it was too far. AAA didn't have a closer towing company. Just don't accept the job. 

And don't have a mechanical in the Mississippi Delta because you're on your own. 

[Heli ATP]

On 4/25/2023 at 7:04 PM, PhotoAl said:

Good call on the dog tags,

mydogtag.com -  inexpensive and quick turn around with many options...

 

[Jayzonk]

On 4/27/2023 at 7:25 PM, betoney said:

My towing coverage through my insurance coverage isn't much better.  Last year I needed assistance and called my insurance, they connected me in a 3-way call with a tow company, they said towing was covered but they would only tow me to the closest bike shop even though it was a different brand shop than I owned and was even further away from home than my current location.  I was about 80 miles from home, I asked them how much to just tow me home, she asked my zip code and quoted me just under $900. 😳

You know, of all the ridiculous apps that are out there, I think an app that pinpointed all of the motorcycle-capable towing companies across the world would be really useful.  Because it's so useful, it probably doesn't exist lol.  

[Jayzonk]

On 4/29/2023 at 2:57 PM, Heli ATP said:

mydogtag.com -  inexpensive and quick turn around with many options...

 

A little morbid, but a good idea.  Have you considered getting them for your kids?  I'm thinking about it.