One of the problems with using an old 2-stroke for long-distance trials is that you need so much stuff. Higher fuel consumption and the need for pre-mix oil means you have to find room for three litres of various petrochemical fluids before you start stashing the tools, tyre levers and spare inner tubes that everyone else takes as well.
Off-the-shelf green-laning tool bags aren’t really big enough for all my stuff, and bitter experience prevents me from leaving anything smaller than a lathe behind. In previous years I’ve strapped it all on top of the rear mudguard. This has proved perfectly secure but made life quite complicated at fuel stops, never mind when I descended into puncture hell during the 2012 event.
No more. This is a small Kodak camera bag bought cheap of eBay, embellished with a rather lovely Laverda badge (NB black background – thank you wolfman570_0) bought from the same place. It took me ages to track one down that was suitably sized for the new rack and just the right dimensions to accommodate two bottles of 2T with room to spare. The side pockets – one of which is detachable – hold inner tubes and suchlike snugly. The rear external pocket holds a 2T bottle perfectly – fate!
I am also on the trail of a slightly larger tank-mounted back. The leather original looks very elegant perched on the tank, but there is room for something with a sightly larger footprint and a little extra capacity might render my bum-bag all but redundant. Another small camera bag should do the job.
