Reccomend a good set of tools to carry with you on a bike?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 16, 2003
Messages
3,690
Location
Colorado
I'm new to motorcycles and I'd like to put together a basic tool kit to carry in my saddle bag on my Harley Davidson. What common tools might I need if I break down. I can't carry many tools because my bag size not huge.

Can you reccomend a good (smallish) set to that should get me out of a jam if need be(I'll probibly buy Sears Craftsmen tools to make up the kit)? Thank you for any help!!!!
 
You may want to give this company a try Cruz Tools They make specific tool kits for Harley Davidson. Popular and expensive, the tool kits that is...
grin.gif
.

Ride Safe.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Steve128:
You may want to give this company a try Cruz Tools They make specific tool kits for Harley Davidson. Popular and expensive, the tool kits that is...
grin.gif
.

Ride Safe.


That is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you very much! Now which kit do I need?
cheers.gif
 
Besides tools I like to carry some mcguiver stuff too. Some wraps of duct tape around a wrench handle, and some safety wire wrapped around another tool doesn't take up any space. A few small bolts, screws,nuts common to your bike can be dropped in the kit without taking up any space. Guess it all depends on how far off the beaten track you travel? Touring I carry a bunch of stuff that rarely gets used, when it has it's been to help someone else out so it's nice to have some stuff thats not "my bike" specific.
 
Get the largest kit you can afford.
Harleys don't come with a tool kit, never did,IIRC.
Add extras according to your skill and possible needs.
A Hog or H-D dealer directory is a good addition too.

Of course, some are like Todd above; only need a cell phone and a credit card.
 
A bud that does long distant tours in his street rods once told me "breaking down is just an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends". He has plenty of experience to back it up and it's a great attitude IMO.
 
Motion pro makes some good stuff,but I gotta be honest with you.A good set from harbor freight is cheaper and when they get lost or stolen you wont be nearly as mad.I use a harbor freight mini ratchet,a couple of 1/4 extensions welded together as a t and a set of craftsman sockets,with a clutch type screwdriver with many bits.Total investment around 35 bucks.They may not match your harley accesories,but they do manage to tighten up my occasional loose japanese bolts.
 
Phone, emergency "foil" blanket (they're about the size of two packs of cig's) 1st aid, flat repair with gas (again, very small) and quality replacements for the cheez that comes in the OEM pouch.
I also carry an extra spark plug, and if you have a more common bike, it may help someone else out
smile.gif


Scott
 
I made my own kit using a tool roll/pouch from Roadgear and Craftsman wrenchs/sockets, mutli-purpose screwdriver, allen wrenchs when they had their 1/2 price sale. I only included the sizes I need for the bike (matching sizes from junky OEM kit- which I still keep under the seat). The tool roll was about $20 7 years ago (now $25) and I think I spent about $40 in tools. So far I only had to use them once on someone else's bike. I also carry along a small multimeter, zip ties, electrical tape, that sort of thing.
 
If you have a friend with a Beemer, look at his factory tool kit and it will give you an idea of what to look for.
 
My recommendation is to not skimp on the quality of the tools that you take with you on the road. Here's my reasoning: When you're far from home, working in the hot sun or cold rain, cars whizzing past (or only the sound of crickets to keep you company), the last thing you want to be struggling with is a ****** screwdriver that's stripping the heads of your fasteners, or a multi-tool that doesn't really reach the part you're trying to remove, etc.

What tools do you need? Keep track of the tools you use while doing routine maintenance on your bike; that'll give you a great idea of what the most common size your fasteners are, and tools that are best at getting at those parts and fasteners.
 
More good advice! My Bike is a 2006 1200 HD Sprotster. Does any one know what would be a wise list of tools to carry on my bike?
 
Chris. Most of the obvious stuff has been mentioned but here goes my list: cell phone, because some things just can't be repaired with a tool kit i.e. alternator rotor, unless you've got a lot of time and access to a parts store. The Harley/HOG atlas that gets mailed to you after the purchase of every new bike-it not only has maps of each state but it shows where every HD dealer is. Two spark plugs and a plug wrench-I found a cheap one at J&P for about $7 which will work in a pinch. A full set of English allen wrenchs, a pliers, an adjustable wrench, a knife, some tape, and any sockets/socket wrench that you can fit, normally 3/8" drive with the commonly used sizes: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8 and some combo wrenches, same sizes as above.

You should be able to fit all that stuff in a relatively small area. I know you have Sporty bags but when I went to Sturgis I brought all of the above plus a full socket set with every Metric and English size in both 6pt and 12pt (about 50 sockets), tire psi gauge, etc. and it took up very little space, although it was heavy. While I have never fouled plugs enough so the bike wouldn't start, I figured for Sturgis I better bring some plugs.

Some stuff, like the phone and knife I wear on me so no bag space gets taken up. The atlas and all the tools I listed should only take up about 10-15% of one bag. I always carry a rag and, for long trips, one bottle of water. Hope that helps. Luckily, the one time I was far from home and my Sporty died, I had what I needed to replace the battery. I made it home and a couple of days later found out it was the alternator that was really bad but I got to replace it in the comfort of my own garage.

My other suggestion is to do most of the maintenance and repair work yourself so you will get a feel for what you need in case of a breakdown. My list above comes from 10 years of working on my 96 Sporty. If you haven't already, buy the repair manual, it is worth its cost after just the first time you can avoid a trip to the dealership.
 
quote:

Originally posted by ScottB:
Phone, emergency "foil" blanket (they're about the size of two packs of cig's) 1st aid, flat repair with gas (again, very small) and quality replacements for the cheez that comes in the OEM pouch.
I also carry an extra spark plug, and if you have a more common bike, it may help someone else out
smile.gif


Scott


The spark plug idea is a good one. You can protect one in a plug holder- Acerbis makes one that I love. It's a plastic, snap-closure deal that protects the porcelain from impacts. You could probably drop one off the roof of your house and the plug would still be OK.

That, and a flat sheet of hard plastic to put your kickstand on if you have to stop on sand or really soft pavement (hot day.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top