Topic: What tools do you carry?

[Rushoid]

Just wondering what I should carry with me. Thought about turning my tool chest into a trailer, but.....

Should I even worry about the original tool kit? Were they worth anything as far as roadside repairs?

[ProTeal55]

Cellphone with local towing service phone # ......
                                                                   

[dusterdude]

tools?,i ride with harley guys,there`s always enough tools to go around.

[nteek754]

Hey there I have a stock tool kit on board all my bikes with  maybe an extra piece needle nose pliers and allen wrench or two amazing what you can do  IF NEED BE ebay sells them Ive bought a few good luck seven fifty four ever

[paulages]

screwdriver, phillips and flathead. 10mm. needlenose plyers (in case of fuel line issues). maybe a 12v test light?

these are the essentials IMO. the others in the stock tool kit surely come in handy, but 90% of my roadside problems involve something simple that can be sorted out as long as i can get to everything.

[tsflstb]

I keep a cheap Leatherman mult-tool behind the seat.  It has pliers, screwdrivers, a couple of blades, corkscrew, etc...  A small adjustable wrench is handy too.  I also keep a few zip ties - you never know what those will fix.  I once did a complete tuneup on the side of the road using just those tools and the small intestine of a young goat. 

Seriously, it depends on how far you plan on being from help.  When I used to take longer tours, I carred a few sockets and wrenches and kept spare cables, fuses, tire plugs, and a small bicycle hand pump.

[STLrocker]

around town i just have the stock tool kit on one bike and nothing on the other one. if i go out of town i'll take some more stuff.

 on my recent trip i took 10mm,12mm, 14mm sockets, ratchet & 3" extention,10mm, 12mm, 14mm wrenches, phillips and flathead, a little wire and electrical tape, spark plug socket. it didnt take up much room with teh other gear i had. it would all fit in a normal tool bag, like what goes on the forks or something, but i think it would be a little much for around town.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

An assortment of all the mentioned tools PLUS a good credit card.

[Lumbee]

...I follow the rule my Drill Sergent gave me in basic...

"Locklear you G'Damn idiot..."

...no thats not it, sorry, force of habit...it was...

"Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it..."

[cbjunkie]

10,12,14,adjustable,+,-,spkplugtool,gaffertape,400grit,all wrapped in a rag and under the seat.

[Rushoid]

OK, those are pretty much what I was thinking. Hadn't thought about the corkscrew though. Could come in handy if I stumble upon a stray case of pinot noir.  Or if I have to disembowel a small farm animal.  I guess I was just wondering if my thinking was straight and if there was something I was forgetting.

Thanks all!
Lee

[jph550]

I include a tire guage with my wrag wrapped tool kit, kept under the seat. As well as extra plugs and fuses.

[Hondell]

Hi in addition to all that other stuff I carry a couple of sets of disposable surgical gloves in case of a chain or rear wheel problem.

[volz1fsu]

tools?,i ride with harley guys,there`s always enough tools to go around.

You got that one right! (Laughter!)
Seriously though, A spark plug wrench, spark plugs, pliers, a few screwdrivers, and a few metric open/box wrenches.  I like to bring a 10mm,12mm, and a 14mm.  If you cant fix it with those tools, make sure the cell phone is in your tool set.

[Bob Wessner]

And a small flashlight unless you are like me and only ride in daylight. 

[Mountainman]

Leatherman Wave. I carry it everywhere I go riding or not. I've had it so long now I don't know how I ever got along without it. 

[carsholduptraffic]

just take what you need.
you have to be able to, without assistance:
1. take the wheels off. either to fix a flat or to take the wheel to someone that can.
2. pull the plugs. never had to on the road. but makes tune up easier.
3. fix a cable. a snapped clutch cable in city traffic is no fun.
4. bypass wiring. if you haven't attended to that 34 year old wiring yet, you will. on the roadside. at night. in the rain. a bit of twin flex wire will get you going when you forget to turn the bike off.

carry enough kit to do this and you will go far.

i carry a 8" shifter (axle size, just), 10mm stubby combo spanner, folding allen keys, reversible screwdriver, test light, and feeler gauges .005 & .008. and a rag to wrap it all in. i carry a headlamp anyway, but you really need a light to fix stuff in the dark.

and always carry water. pushing a cb750 is thirsty work.

[cbjunkie]

where? where do you keep all that?

[DME]

I don´t carry any tools at all. My trust in my machine is 100 %!
Just as in my fiance.... before she dumped me on the second day of our four week vacation...
Hmm, maybe I should bring my toolbox on the next ride

[cbjunkie]

surely you have room in that tailpiece?

[Boomologist]

I carry 8, 10, 12 & 14 stubby combination open/box wrenches.
A spark plug wrench and spare plug.
A vice grip,
one allen wrench (all case screws have been changed to allen type).
A multi bit screwdriver.
Spare tail lamp. Spare fuses.
Small roll of electrical tape.
About 5 feet of electrical wire.
About 5 feet of tie wire.
A point file.
A lighter (in case all else fails I can push the bike in the ditch and set it a blaze to stay warm, ha,ha)  A flash light/radio that is the type you crank (no batteries)
And a "many metric" wrench (Crescent wrench).

All this is rolled up in a hand towel and fits nicely in the tool bag on the front of the bike, with room for bungee cords and anything else I feel is necessary. I also carry a good pocket knife in my pocket.

Notice there is no hammer? That's left out for safety's sake.

[jaknight]

Hey Rushoid,

     Boomologist mentioned it; I will try to emphasize it .........

     I carry the standard tool kit under my seat, but..... I have added 2 of each of the required fuses after having an adventure that involved blown fuses.  Those tiny little freaks control an awful lot of will do/will not do power over the motorcycle.

     I carry 2 of each because they are so small, they don't hog room and...... just in case you accidently leave the key on when installing the fuse and it gets fried.  You will then have one more chance to put it in correctly.

     Just a thought...... could save you a lot of walking on the road.....

     ~ ~ ~ jaknight ~ ~ ~

[Boomologist]

>>>I have added 2 of each of the required fuses after having an adventure that involved blown fuses. <<<

In a pinch I have taken the old fuse and wrapped it with a gum wrapper (aluminum side out).

[rt]

Hey all,

I prefer my good old Leatherman as mentioned before, as it helps you doing nearly everything you realistically would do as roadside job. Make sure though, it's the real thing! There are some poor quality Leatherman imitations around, which fall to bits on first use. A bit of automotive wire completes my tool set. That might come in handy in case of minor electrical faults as well as tying a lose exhaust to the frame or the like. At least it might allow you to limp home on own steam. I must say though, I don't use 'me old gal' (550K) on long hauls, most of the time I just use her for commuting to and fro work and in between different working arenas.

As for the Safety-First-Brigade amongst us, something a friend send me some time ago could be the solution.... Pic says it all.

Cheers...

[cbjunkie]

BHAHAHAHA!