Today, we're continuing with this topic, but for when what's in that bag isn't enough. We're giving you some "tricks" for when something fails in the middle of a trail and there's no workshop, no assistance, and no coverage.
This isn't about "fine DIY," but about tricks proven by lifelong enduro and trail riders. Emergency solutions to get you out of trouble and back home.
Many things can happen on the field. These tricks can help you | Voge
Before starting, two obvious things that save bikes and days. First, keep calm and look around you. The best tool kit is inside your helmet, and it's your head.
Second, think about safety. Move the bike out of the way, get yourself to safety, turn off the ignition, and let anything that could burn cool down. Once that's done, let's get to the tricks.
Some locking links on the center bar of the handlebar help solve this | formulamoto
Double cables: The spare that takes up no space
If your bike still uses a clutch or throttle cable, this classic trick saves you trouble. This has been seen "forever," even in enduro events.
Install a second cable along the same route, inside its sheath, and secure it with zip ties or tape along the frame. At the ends, leave the sheath "in place" and the cable with its terminals disconnected.
If the cable in use breaks, just disconnect the old one and connect the twin at the grip or lever. One minute of work, zero swearing, and your ride is saved.
Why does something so old still work? Because the cable almost always fails in the same spot: at the end, due to fatigue or lack of lubrication.
Having the double ready saves you from digging through the tool kit, fighting with impossible guides, or taking off half the fairing in the middle of the woods.
It's cheap, unobtrusive, weightless, and saves space in the spare bag.
You won't have the best throttle feel, but you go off the track | formulamoto
Emergency throttle: When the throttle cable snaps
You didn't follow the previous advice, and the throttle cable has given up. Don't worry. Usually, it breaks right at the grip.
Remove the broken nipple, fray the end of the cable a bit and wrap it around a small improvised "handle": a thin screwdriver, a flat wrench, or even a stick.
With your hand resting on the end of the handlebar, pull the "handle" toward you to open the throttle.
It's not precision control, but it'll let you ride carefully until you reach a place where you can repair it.
Many trail bikes still use "the usual" cables | MM
Broken chain: How to reconnect what should never break
A transmission in good condition doesn't break... except when it does. Carrying a quick-release link tied to the handlebar with a zip tie is cheap insurance.
Even better, include two or three loose links of the same size as your chain. If the break takes out several links, you can cut out the damaged section and close the chain using two consecutive quick-release links. It's not ideal, but it works.
Pay attention to the direction: place the quick-release link's clip with the opening facing opposite to the chain's direction of travel. Tighten with pliers or with a wrench used as a press.
Once you're out of trouble, check the wheel alignment and chain tension. A break almost always has a cause.
I assure you: paprika is a good pore sealer | formulamoto
Radiator: Small leaks and the old paprika trick
Light impact, a "nick" on a radiator panel, and the dripping starts. If the leak is big, don't risk it: hang the tow strap you carry in your bag and arrange for a tow.
If it's a small leak, there are two field options. The first and healthiest is to keep topping up with water from your camelback or a bottle (which you'll also carry if you followed our advice in the first article) until you reach a gas station.
The second, a classic of popular mechanics, is to add one or two tablespoons of paprika to the radiator. Its particles will seal the microcrack from the inside. No, it doesn't matter if it's sweet or spicy.
It's not magic or a permanent fix, but sometimes it buys you the miles (km) you need to reach the pavement. As soon as you arrive, drain, clean, and repair it properly.
A fork protector can serve as a splint | formulamoto
Emergency splinting: When the priority is the person
Hopefully, you'll never need this. But it's good to know. A fork guard has the ideal shape to improvise a splint.
Combined with duct tape to secure and a strap to use as a sling, you can immobilize an arm or a collarbone until help arrives.
A piece of rope tied to you will give you a bit more traction | formulamoto
Emergency traction with rope on the rear wheel
Snow on a bike is no joke. If the forecast is bad, it's better to leave the bike at home.
Sometimes you get caught at altitude. Tying pieces of rope or strap around the rear tire creates temporary "lugs" that bite into snow or mud.
It's not a miracle, but it helps you get up a gentle slope or out of a flat road with a slick patch. Use your head: lower pressure, keep speed low and steady, and avoid sudden moves.
When the motorcycle is very "bottomed out," laying it down is the best solution | formulamoto
Getting out of the mud: Lay it down to break the vacuum
You've gotten into a "bottomless" puddle. The bike gets stuck, the sump creates a vacuum against the mud itself, and you can't go forward or backward. The key move is sideways.
Tilt decisively, laying the bike down so it breaks the vacuum with its own volume and gains a bit of space.
Then, turn the handlebar toward the high side, rock it, and repeat on the other side.
The rear wheel "bites" a bit, the skid plate lifts, and with luck, you get the millimeter (mm) you needed to get out. Patience and technique are worth more than throttle.
Hunger is a bad advisor when you have to think | formulamoto
The sausage: The trick that fixes nothing... but fixes everything
We read this once and found it funny, until we tried it. Carry something to eat among your spares. A sausage, some bars, whatever.
It won't get you out of the mud or weld anything. But it warms you up and lifts your spirits.
Plus, it gives you time to think clearly. Hunger and haste are the worst mechanical advisors.
Knowing some tricks also helps with that "lateral thinking" | Voge
Leaking hose: Patch with a bike tube
A cracked coolant hose can ruin your day. If there's no spare, cut a section from a bicycle tube or one of the grips.
Use it to cover the damaged area and secure it with two wide zip ties as clamps. It holds surprisingly well until you get home.
If the leak is in a thin hose, a piece of camelback drinking tube can serve as a bridge.
Loose exhaust: Can and wire to get you there
The exhaust has come loose in the midsection and vibrates like a castanet. Wrap the joint with a strip of soda can as a sleeve and reinforce it with wire, with zip ties, or with tape.
Don't expect a perfect seal, but it reduces leaks and, above all, vibrations enough to ride calmly. Avoid touching it when hot: gloves and common sense.
Wire and cable ties to improvise supports | formulamoto
Restore electricity with simple diagnostics
Before blaming the battery, check visible connectors. A bump can disconnect the terminal of the kickstand switch, clutch, or tip-over sensor.
Take it apart, clean with a bit of water, and blow it out. Reseat it. Sometimes the miracle is a loose ground: tighten the screw that secures the negative to the frame.
If the battery's dead, reduce consumption: cut everything nonessential, push, and start it the old-fashioned way. On small singles and twins, it works better in second gear than in first.
Broken lighting: DIY LED and tape
A turn signal or a loose headlight can get unruly.
Reposition mounts with zip ties and seal cracks with duct tape from the inside to keep out mud. If it's hanging, use an improvised rigid stick as an interior "beam."
The idea is to keep it from bouncing or breaking off completely from vibrations.
Pressures are key when it comes to getting better traction | FM
Pressures, that "click" that changes everything
It's not magic, it's basic physics. In sand and mud, lowering pressures increases grip. One notch less front and rear makes the difference to get out of a trap.
Remember to reinflate when returning to hard ground to avoid unseating or cutting the tire. Carrying a small gauge saves you from guessing by eye.
Stubborn fasteners: Fixings that won't budge
A stripped screw can bite if you "shim" it with a strand of copper wire or waxed dental floss before tightening.
It's unorthodox, but adds friction so it doesn't loosen over the next few miles (km).
"Lateral thinking": the best tool | formulamoto
Imagination: The tool you always wear
The best tool isn't in the bag, it's in the helmet. It's called "lateral thinking," and it's that way of looking at the problem from another angle.
I've seen someone carve a lost idle screw with a twig. Also improvise a clutch spacer with an oil can lid. Or shim a stubborn bearing with a strip of soda can.
State the problem, breathe, see what you have on hand, and be a craftsman. The goal isn't "to make it perfect," it's to get home.
Conclusion
The trail forgives those who are prepared and think.
The difference between getting back on your own or waiting for the tow truck often comes down to details. For example, a handful of zip ties, a yard (1 m) of hose, a chain link, and above all, keeping calm.
This collection of tricks doesn't aim to replace good maintenance or a workshop. It aims to give you resources when the mountain, mud, or snow put you to the test.
Head out with a clear mind, enjoy the journey, and come back home with a good story to tell. That's also trail riding.
formulamoto 
