Tool kit for the road

[Toothy]

Hi all,
I did do a search but couldn’t find what I was looking for. If you know of a thread I would appreciate it. After having my first break down the other day I need to put some basic tools together in a kit. I was wondering what you would recommend that has been of the most use. I would have needed my set of Allen wrenches and my spark plug key to unjam my chain after it got bound up around the drive sprocket. Heck I don’t even have my flat tire basic’s put together….too eager to get on the road I guess.
Toothy

 

[2door]

Here's a search result.

http://www.google.com/cse?cx=partne...5j17#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=your tool kit&gsc.page=1

You'll get lots of replys here with many opinions. I carry a small pair of vice grips, a couple of nylon tie wraps, (zip ties) a pocket knife and a roll of vinyl electrical tape. I always carry my cell phone but that's all. It all fits in a small pouch of a back pack that I carry bottled water and my camera in. I travel light.

Tom

 

[Toothy]

Thanks.....lot of reading there.

 

[maniac57]

8 and 10mm wrenches, phillips and flat screwdrivers, small visegrips, small crescent wrench, allen key set, patch kit, portable hand pump, spare tube, spare sparkplug, flashlight, cellphone.
_On extra long trips I also carry a ratchet and 14mm socket for head bolts)

 

[Toothy]

8 and 10mm wrenches, phillips and flat screwdrivers, small visegrips, small crescent wrench, allen key set, patch kit, portable hand pump, spare tube, spare sparkplug, flashlight, cellphone.
_On extra long trips I also carry a ratchet and 14mm socket for head bolts)

Thanks.....great set of tools to have

 

[massdrive]

Her is some good advise... only carry the tools you need. Instead of carrying a set of allen wrench's carry only the couple allen wrenches you really use. No need to carry a heavy bag of tools to tear down your engine because unless you carry spare engine parts too it won't do any good anyway. An extra 25 lbs. of tools is dead weight and the heavier your tool bag the more difficult it is to keep it on the bike. Just carry what you need, nor more no less.

 

[Toothy]

Thats what I figured. Just tools to tighten stuff up. Not like you can fix a catastrophic failure anyway.

 

[Russ McClay]

Since I travel in the remote high mountains of Taiwan, I bring all of this:

https://flic.kr/p/ekyLQG

-r

 

[Toothy]

Wow.....I guess you have to have a tool for any situation on a trip like that. What do you use the rubber mallet for?

 

[Russ McClay]

Wow.....I guess you have to have a tool for any situation on a trip like that. What do you use the rubber mallet for?

The mallet is to adjust the chain tensioner. I cut a small piece of an old handlebar grip and wrapped that around the chainstay over which I clamped the tensioner, the logic being that handlebar grips are notoriously sticky, so that would eliminate the tensioner moving left or right. When I adjust the tensioner I just loosen the bolts enough so that a little whack with the mallet can move it with microadjustment.

Anyhow...I hardly ever adjust the chain anymore...but keep the mallet just in case.

 

[CTripps]

I don't think my list has changed much.. here's a link to an older thread where I posted a pic and a list.

Here's a pic of the contents of my tool bag (actually a pencil case reinforced with real (3M Brand) duct tape.

 

[Dan]

I always carry, at the very least a leatherman knock off multy-tool.

Man, that would make a great product. A MB specific one.

With China girls though, I carry every thing it would take to build one. Is really not that much if ya stick to the esentuals and not bother with any thing fancy or labor saving.

Also always cary one of those pocket bike tool things like a Swiss army Knife. Cheap and really handy.

 

[sboricic123]

I carry 8, 10and 14 mm wrenches, a flat and phillips screwdriver, spark plug wrench and extra plug, zip ties, electrical tape, pliers and needle nose, a couple allen keys, loc-tite thread sealant and a small bottle of Opti2 oil in case I need it.

 

[maniac57]

Her is some good advise... only carry the tools you need. Instead of carrying a set of allen wrench's carry only the couple allen wrenches you really use. No need to carry a heavy bag of tools to tear down your engine because unless you carry spare engine parts too it won't do any good anyway. An extra 25 lbs. of tools is dead weight and the heavier your tool bag the more difficult it is to keep it on the bike. Just carry what you need, nor more no less.

This is well said. The ht's require very few tools even for catastrophic problems...I don't carry the entire socket set, just the 8,10.12.14.17mm
I also have a flipflop screwdriver for all the bits. I also carry one of the stamped plug wrenches from the kits since they are so light. Works on drive sprocket and clutch plate in a pinch too but be careful.
If you run lots of miles, you may find wear becomes a problem from tools. I lined my pack with old leather but they still rub through the sides every 3 or 4k miles. But backpacks are cheap.

 

[Sgt. Howard]

Whatever happened to those cheap, stamped steel multi wrenches? Two of those and a four-way screwdriver used to cover everything beyond the tire patch kit... but I haven't seen one since the 1980s...