Four Tips to Prepare Your Motorcycle for an Emergency

If the worst happens and a catastrophic emergency takes place, you want both your home and your mode of transportation to be fully prepared. For people who own motorcycles, there are a number of emergency prepping steps to take that will help your bike become a two-wheeled survival machine.

The following four tips can help motorcycle owners get their bike ready and able to take on any emergency:

Think lubrication

As Prepper Link notes, keeping a high revving vehicle like a motorcycle properly lubed is paramount. If and when an emergency takes place, you want to be sure your motorbike is ready to go at all times. Be sure to consult your owner’s manual for the correct type of motor oil to use and change it religiously; this alone can help make sure your motorcycle will run fast and smoothly for a really long time.

Think fuel

After the lubrication system, the second most common source of serious problems on a motorcycle is the fuel system. Any type of blockage in the air or fuel system will cause the bike to break down, which can be life threatening in the case of an emergency. Clean the air and oil filters regularly to make sure they are working properly. If your motorcycle uses fuel injection, purchase a special cleaner that goes directly into the gas tank. Older bikes that feature carburetors can also be cleaned with a liquid cleaner that also goes in the tank or by taking it apart and giving it a thorough washing. When the end of the world or other catastrophe is happening, you want to be able to hop on your motorcycle and get away fast, so being proactive with fuel maintenance can make the difference between life and death.

Think EDC

EDC, or Everyday Carry, kits are essential for surviving an emergency while on a motorcycle. EDC kits usually include tools and other needed items for both the bike and the rider. As Gray Wolf Survival notes, in the midst of chaos you won’t have time to run into the sporting goods or hardware store to grab some essential survival tools, you must have them ready to go ahead of time. Items that every EDC should have include a bottle opener and can opener, which you can even attach right to the front fork of your bike. On the handlebars, consider attaching a rolled up military-issue poncho and a heavy blanket. To give you extra protection, roll up a small tarp inside the blanket and secure them to the bike. You’ll also want your EDC kit to include a set of tools that you can use to fix your motorcycle along the way if need be; an online motorcross store like MotoSport offers a great selection of tools and accessories at reasonable prices.

Think safe drinking water

To survive in an emergency you’ll have to make sure your motorcycle can carry a decent supply of water. A Klean Kanteen attached to the bike or added into a pack will give you a nice amount of water without adding too much extra weight to the bike. To be sure any river or lake water you find is safe to drink, consider packing a 2 percent tincture of iodine into your EDC. As Ride Apart notes, just two drops added to a water bottle should make the H2O safe to drink.

This was a guest post.

This article first appeared on Ed That Matters.

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