Rider school teaches the fundamentals—clutch control, shifting, braking, turning, maybe oil changes and chain adjustments. Great start. But once you’re deep in the backcountry, the classroom stuff doesn’t cut it.
Adventure riding punishes bikes in ways the manuals don’t cover, and knowing a few smart hacks can mean the difference between finishing the ride or hiking out.
Here are the tricks every ADV rider should have up their sleeve.
Fairing cracked? Need to install a new tire without spoons? Bag mount bent? Zip ties can hold it all together long enough to get you home.
Keep a few long, heavy-duty ones in your kit. Bonus trick: daisy-chain them for longer reaches.
When changing or patching a tube, dust it with baby powder before reinstalling.
It reduces friction, helps the tube seat better, and prevents pinch flats. Old-school dirt riders swear by it, and ADV riders should too.
READ: No BS Guide on Lubing Your Motorcycle Chain
Nothing sucks more than dropping your only tire iron in the dirt or realizing your hex key doesn’t fit your crash bar bolts.
Carry duplicates of the tools that matter most for your bike. Lightweight, but saves your sanity when you’re elbow-deep in a trailside fix.
A small tube of JB Weld can be a lifesaver when metal parts take a hit out on the trail. Crack a clutch cover on a hidden rock or punch a hole in your case and you’re done riding—unless you’ve got JB Weld.
Mix it up, smear it over the damage, let it cure, and you’ve got a patch tough enough to hold oil and get you back to civilization.
It’s not a permanent fix, but plenty of riders have limped their bikes out of the backcountry thanks to a five-dollar packet of epoxy.
ADV bikes shake. Stuff falls off. That one unique bolt for your skid plate or subframe? You won’t find it in the middle of nowhere.
A tiny bag of spares for your specific bike model can save a trip. Ask any seasoned rider—they’ve all had something rattle loose.
Check out our motorcycle tours in COLOMBIA!
Duct tape is a classic, but safety wire is the unsung hero. It can hold exhausts, luggage racks, or even busted levers in place when tape melts or slips. If you’ve got pliers, a little wire goes a long way in emergencies.
Bent lever? Instead of snapping it off, loosen the perch and rotate it out of the way so you can still ride.
Same with mirrors—loosen them so they rotate on impact instead of breaking. Small adjustments keep you moving.
A clogged air filter kills performance fast. If you’re out there without spares, use what’s around—shake it out, tap it against your boot, or rinse it with clean water and let it dry in the sun.
Not perfect, but way better than starving your engine of air.
Check out our motorcycle tours in BAJA!
No lube? No problem—at least temporarily. A splash of engine oil, WD-40, or even cooking spray from your camp kit works in a pinch.
It won’t last forever, but it’ll get you back to civilization without thrashing your chain.
When adjusting suspension, chain slack, or controls, mark the bolts with a Sharpie or paint pen.
That way, you know if something is loosening mid-ride—and you won’t lose your baseline if you need to tweak it on the trail.
Conclusion:
Rider school gave you the basics. The trail gives you reality. Knowing how to improvise with zip ties, safety wire, and baby powder isn’t just clever—it’s what keeps you rolling when others are stuck.
These aren’t glamorous tricks, but they’re the kind that save your ride, your wallet, and maybe your hide.
READ MORE→
Motorcycle Travel Fundamentals, According to the Pros
How To Plan a BDR Without Overplanning it
The Best Offroad GPS Options for Motorcyclists & Overlanders