Equipment Lists.

Bike Equipment

No ‘rocket science’ here, just common sense! The Spare parts and tools we take, will take up a lot of space and are relatively heavy, however, they will, we hope, give us more chance to help ourselves if, or when we break down.

Spares

• Bulbs, sparkplugs, fuses
• Electrical cables and connectors
• Small sheet each of rubber and aluminium
• Tubes for tyres, valves
• Throttle and clutch cable, for both bikes
• Assorted nuts and bolts and washers
• Litre of engine oil, grease, aluminium paste, copper paste
• Oil & Air filters
• Sealing paste
• Fibreglass repair kit,
• Clutch and brake levers
• Cylinder head cover (BMW)
• Black box (XT)
• Ignition coil (XT)
• Chain & Sprocket set & spare links(XT)
• Distributor (XT)

Tools

• BMW toolkit plus - file, metal saw, 12mm allen key nut for shaft, sandpaper
• XT toolkit plus - decent pair of pliers, spanners and screwdrivers
• Bit set
• Various sorts of tape
• Tyre levers and puncture repair kit
• Pump
• Handbooks for both bikes (not the minimalist ones you get with the bike)

These are all the spares that will be going Arno’s pannier.

Camping Equipment

• Tent
• Sleeping bags and liners
• Sleeping mats (Thermarest)
• Mosquito net
• Cooker
• Pots, pans, utensils and mugs
• Water sacks
• Head Torch (thanks Biljana)
• Torch
• Folding sink (Not from the kitchen though!)

This is everything that will be going into Sian’s panniers, apart from the red rucksack (which has changed to blue) and will be strapped onto the back of the bike. All those packages are not presents, but spare parts, wrapped so they stay dry even if I drop my bike in a very big puddle!

Riding Equipment

• Helmets, boots gloves, scarves
• Cordura type riding jackets and trousers with removable waterproof liners.
• Glasses and sunglasses
• Kidney belts
• Earplugs
• Thermal underwear
• Walkie talkies & accessories
• Multi charger 12V
• Lots of spare keys for everything!!

This is some of the stuff that will be going into Arno’s panniers. The tent will ride on the back of the bike.

Clothes and Stuff

As far as clothing goes, we are not going to list every pair of pants and socks!! We will take what we normally take for a week or so away, the only question that is yet to be answered is do we take a pair of hiking boots or a pair of trainers??
A washing kit each, a first aid kit plus a day pack, round it off.

SHOE UPDATE Well we have gone for the middle road, a pair of light mid height, walking boots, as we won’t be doing any extreme hiking with heavy rucksacks, just the odd day here and there. Still not sure if we will be treading where the Incas trod, I think we will see what the oxygen situation is like when we get there :-)

Our clothes and personal stuff will be transported in rucksacks, that will stay with us, while the bikes (together with Alu boxes etc) are being shipped. We have big Ortlieb sacks to put the rucksacks in and these will be strapped onto the back rack when riding.

A Mountain of Paper

I am sure that this will end up weighing much more than the tools, but it is all just as necessary.
We have with us copies, colour and B&W of all original documents.

• Passport and identity cards.
• National driving licences.
• International driving licences.
• Bike ownership and registration papers.
• Health insurance documentation.
• Letter of introduction in 3 languages.
• Lots of spare passport pictures.
• International student cards.
• Address books
• Journals
• Book to read (only one!)
• Small amount of writing paper and envelopes
• Guide Books – with lots of notes already written inside:
  • Lonely Planet Mexico (from my last trip)
  • Footprint Central America
  • Footprint South America
• Maps: (so far, still more to buy!)
  • Mexico, Central America 1:2.5m
  • South America - North 1:4m
  • South America – South 1:4m
  • Copper Canyon
  • Central America 1:1.7m
  • Peru, Equador 1:2.5m
  • N.Argentina 1:2.5
  • Chile 1:2.5m

This list is not yet complete I am still working on it. Is there anything we have forgotten? Send us an email with ideas or comments