Top 10 Tools to Take Touring

8. Baling Wire/Zip Ties

Sitting on the side of the road in Meridian, MS, I puzzled how I was going to get my brake pedal to stay in a usable position after my low-speed tip-over had broken off the adjuster. Yeah, I could have just ridden on to the campground, lifting my foot two inches off the peg every time I need to use the brake, but I needed the place to focus my anger at my stupidity for crashing. (I blame the delectable catfish dinner and way too much iced tea, but I digress.) Ten minutes later, the pedal was in almost the right position, and I was repacking my tool kit – all thanks to the baling wire I’d been carrying. I’d even almost forgotten what an idiot I was for not noticing the bit of sand at the intersection that put me on the ground. Since that time, I’ve also added zip ties to the pocket that carries my baling wire. The two are an almost unstoppable combination for jury-rigged roadside repairs.