I put 'gear' in a different category from 'bike' and I budget accordingly. When someone talks about getting a bike for touring like Bonthius' has, I take them at their word that they are looking for the bike. Now if Bonthius had asked about equipment for touring, that's a different kettle of fish.

The bike is tour ready once you can attach all the gear that you want to carry to it. Any extras that you want on the bike...fenders, front rack, computer, etc...are personal choices and don't really have much impact on the functioning of the bike. Yes, they add expense and add utility but they aren't necessary to the bike's operating as a vehicle for touring.

Ah, fenders. I hate them for all the reasons that you've listed...hassle for maintenance and hassles of getting them in a car...plus a whole host of others. They rattle. They can lead to toe overlap problems on the front wheel. They don't keep me particularly dry in a rain storm because the rain is falling out of the sky and I'm wearing a rain suit anyway. The stays can catch my expensive rain suit and rip it so that now I'll have water pouring into my socks. They have to be removed when I pack up the bike for shipping. Basically, I find that they have too many hassles and not much benefit. If I've got to huck anything around on tour, it's had better have more benefits than hassles.