I can change a tyre on my 4x4, change an fuel filtre or something similar, but not much more. I know that I need help if something happens.

I can live with that. I need also help when I need a doctor. At home I also need help when something in my flat is broken.

I can`t repair my washing machine, my dishwasher, can not fix my toilet flushing, cannot fix my heater, i cannot fix my TV. In my daily live I regulary need help if something goes wrong.

I drive a new car with much electronic stuff. I know that I have to get the car to a capital, if something is wrong abroad.

When we read some travelblogs, we see too these older less electronical cars who needs to be carried away.

For shure it is good when you know that you can fix some issues by yourself. Too it is helpful when also the guys in the smaller towns are able to repair your vehicle. But it is not required for travelling.

Go out and enjoy.


Surfy

__________________
About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

You're right mollydog but I'm just saying its not at all likely something will go wrong with a well prepped bike and that can be done by any cherry picked mechanic. That's going to negate all little problems like cables, bearing and chain issues.

Then the guy can change oil which is pretty good so presumably he knows how to swap a fuse (although I've never ever had a fuse blow on anything I've been riding ever).

The only thing worth learning if he has a tubeless bike (many aren't) is to take off and on the tyre and patch it.

I just don't know where this whole if you want to be a biker or tour you need to learn mechanics thing came from. If you know some REAL basics you're good. And even if you don't you'll be fine and someone will always help out of the goodness of their heart or for cash

Of course if you're a cheapskate (no judgement wife's Scottish) or like fiddling with things or are going to be riding to the north pole off road where your only option is to fix it yourself then learn everything and take a trailer full of spares.

These kinds of posts always end up with a bunch of time served road warriors with wrenches for fingers arguing about the number of breakdowns you can fit on the head of a pin while the o.p. hides under a blanket somewhere.

Anyone who's read ZAMM will know that part of it is about whether you should DIY intervene to keep a bike running at its peak or trust that the manufacturers service schedules, carried out correctly by qualified professional service "technicians" is all that's necessary. In the book BMW is German for leave it alone.

In reality the o.p. can trade off time and / or money against knowledge - as long as he's sticking to what you'd loosely call the 1st world (NA, EU, Oz, etc). If the bike stops (and it isn't fuel) call a rescue service. They'll arrive (eventually) and once they've stopped laughing they'll either fix the problem or take the bike somewhere where it can be fixed. People do this in cars all the time.

If the o.p's. trip is under 500km - knowing how to put fuel in is all you need (IMHO).

500 - 2000km? - work out how to check your oil / where to put the new stuff if necessary.

2000- 5000km? - add checking tyres and coolant (if it's a w/c engine) + how to check chain tension. If any of these need adjusting, find a dealer.

If it's over 5K km or it's to some of the more interesting parts of the planet then, yes, some ability to intervene would be desirable, but a different mindset rather than specific wrenching skills is probably the most important change needed.

Bikes are essentially simple mechanisms and there will be almost always someone around who can fix whatever goes wrong. Ignorance isn't quite bliss but better than than worrying yourself to a standstill and not going at all.

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions.
The reason I love here is the people are always willing to teach and share.

I think I'll delay my trip a little bit since I'm underprepared and have to look for some training in bike maintenance. I attended a knowledge class organized by a bike shop a month ago. The content was useful however limited to basic theory only. Zero hands-on experience. I was shown the dissembled engine, transmission etc., and learned some basic fault & wear diagnosis.

What I need most is practice. Hopefully I can find somebody helping me.

Buy a DRZ as the only maintenance they need is a oil change

You could say that about any bike......especially if you don't care for it much. All modern bikes have about the same attrition rate...........all have weak areas that need addressing. All need more than an oil change.
Do a few thousand miles on dirt roads and you'll wish you did more than change the oil. Don't listen to him Kei, you learn all you can.

I dont think they do have the same "attrition rate" if i am comparing with other makes of bikes from the guys who i go green lanning with.

As for weak areas that need addressing that is part of the research when picking the right bike

I never changed a tire or did a oil change before i set off on my trip last year and yes " I did a few thousand miles on dirt roads "

Its no black art learning as you go, the main thing is to just GO!

I agree ... over some years and many bikes one may learn a few things about which bikes tend to be solid ... or not. At some point it's personal opinion ... but certain FACTS tend to prove which bikes are best and survive abuse over the long term.

If I were British I guess I'd wonder why the whole world isn't riding old CX500 Honda messenger bikes!

But how does a total NOOB pick the right bike? If you read ADV Rider on the GS forums ... you'd swear the new BMW R1200GSadv is THE best bike in the world for overland travel. So depends who's advice the novice rider listens to. So many go with BIG, Expensive BMW's ... maybe that's why BMW sales are off the charts? But many sell those bikes off after a tour or two.

I agree with the "Just Go" part ... but feel that it's ALWAYS better to have some knowledge in your pocket in case you need it. No, it's not a Black Art, but we DO SEE many novices screw up simple things, ruin their bike, end their trip. Also, some have a knack for mechanics, others are "slow learners". A bit of training never hurt anyone. Knowing a few simple things can ease a lot of needless suffering, expense and massive time wasting. (Been through all that as a kid ... would not want to repeat it.)

So get some training if you have time and motivation.
Would I postpone a departure date due to lack of training? NO WAY!
GO GO GO !!!

Simple really.

Buy a simple bike with low mileage and which has been well maintained. Then have it checked by a GOOD mechanic.

Learn how to do simple repairs and simple maintenance. Just the obvious ones. It's really not that hard at all to check your oil, chain etc and learn how fix a puncture. I am CERTAIN that 90% of all breakdowns are people letting their bikes run low on oil, really stretching maintenance out far too long or when it actually matters, really having no idea how to change a puncture.

I blame a lot of this on the whole "That bike's bulletproof" forum and media chatter. It makes many folk totally nonchalant..... Blasé. It's a machine with a million working parts. Things need maintaining. No matter how "Bullet Proof" it's claimed to be.

Check these boxes and then you'd have to be really unlucky to be stuck anywhere. And if you have a simple bike, A LOT more people can help you fix it if you can't do it yourself.

This is why the big, expensive exotic bikes loaded with gadgets and electronics are the WORST bikes to go long distance travelling on. Unless of course you can just throw ridiculous amounts of cash a problem that you can't solve yourself.

And that's why so many BMW's make it around the world. With enough money, you can be rescued from anywhere. Almost.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

A TTR or XR?

Kei,

I started my trip without the faintest idea of how to change a tire, why your bike won't start after you drop it, no spanish beyond una cerveza gracias and well, only the vaguest idea of how to put my tent up. Seven months, three countries and 12,000k later me and my Japanese 250 Enduro are going better than ever, I speak competent Spanish for my needs, and largely thanks to this website and YouTube, can have my wheels off in a few minutes, do basic maintenance myself and feel pretty confident riding finding my way around whatever the road conditions. Not saying I'm great or anything - still a n00b to all this but it can be done, even by me who is certainly not the sort of person that fancies himself as the practical, hands-on type at all - throw caution to the wind a bit but plan to the best of your ability nevertheless - but most of all just get out here and do it. I've learnt so many useful skills in the past several months and have had a great time too

Good post but again since when is Japanese 250 enduro a way to refer to what bike you have !

I was just making a reference the OP as he/she also referred that they wished to make the trip on a 'Japanese 250 Enduro' otherwise I would have just said XR250 or something like that

Oh ya I'm riding a Honda SL230 (2002) currently, but I'm also interested in XR250. Will have a try if possible. They differ in a little power and seat height.
And SL230 doesn't need an oil filter.

Hi,
We all started with no knowledge.
So .. what basics are good to start your trip with?

A first aid course - for yourself!

Fix a flat tyre .. probably more frequent than the oil change But it will also let you change tyres.
Oil change .. which you have
Air filter - clean and change
Valve setting
Change clutch cable (with this you'll also be able to change the accelerator cable/s)
Change battery
Change rear shock

Those would be a reasonable minimum .. you can learn on the road .. others have .. some have not and had to rely on locals... sometimes good .. sometimes bad. They all survived so it does not really truly matter. The first aid course is probably more important to your well being .. So the really important thing
Just GO! Even on the SL .. people ride bicycles around the world ..