what tools do you take?

[Dr. Strangelove]

Getting ready for a solo trip to Colorado and would like opinions on what tools I should take. I will have the OEM tool kit and a flat repair kit and pump.

I will also have a couple of hose clamps, and a folding set of hex and torx wrenches.

sockets? box wrenches?

tia

John

[Airman]

Here's some of my additions:

Helen2wheels expanded tool pouch
6" vice grips
8" crescent wrench
feeler gage set
Metric Bundhaus ball ended allen wrenches
digital tire gage
air compressor
old fuel disconnects for draining tank, or for starting fires or something ?
FI clamps,
oops, some of this stuff isn't tools is it?

[Dr. Strangelove]

Here's some of my additions:

Helen2wheels expanded tool pouch

Is that just a bare pouch to hold the other stuff--don't see it on a google search

8" crescent, hunh? in lieu of sockets?

6" vice grip--good idea

thanks

[Dr. Strangelove]

PS--6" vice grips--needle point or regular jaws?

[Dr. Strangelove]

sorry to be piece-mealing this

what about a trickle charger if I have room? Battery has been performing fine--1.5 year old odyssey. Temps will likely be close to freezing in am.

[VintageDirt]

Don't forget a church key.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Don't forget a church key.

I take that to mean I have enough stuff

actually the Macallan's is being picked up tomorrow

[Airman]

Here's some of my additions:

Helen2wheels expanded tool pouch

Is that just a bare pouch to hold the other stuff--don't see it on a google search

8" crescent, hunh? in lieu of sockets?

6" vice grip--good idea

thanks

The H2W tool pouch is a lot bigger than the stock one. You can actually buy them from various sources. I stuff it full and it still fits under the seat with the stock tire repair kit. The way I organize the rest of it is to use one of those small military tool bags for stuff like the air compressor, etc. throw it in the side case.
I like the standard 6" vice grips better because you can really crush something with them. The needle nose ones have a lot of flex in that narrow snout. Those would be handy for holding something like a nut you had put down in a bad place. I would not discount them.
The crescent wrench has a lot of uses, not the least of which is that you can bash reluctant bike parts with it.
Sockets might be a good idea. I haven't thought that through yet. I've been rethinking my priorites based on some of the things I've learned from other riders. One thing is that whereas you can go into the next town and buy a socket set, you probably won't be able to find anyone with the alternator belt you broke. So I am looking at carrying a few spare parts. So far I'm up to the belt, a spare Phillips H4, and a couple FI clamps. Maybe some fuses. It could be a real irritation to have your lighting fuse burn out on a dark and rainy night.
I should probably buy a decent Torx set. The bike has a lot of those and the allen keys really don't work quite right on them.
I'll think of some other things no doubt.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I have the torx--you can get them in a set that folds like a pocket knife. I have two hose clamps for dealing with the fuel lines--ava at pep boys. I changed my alternator belt a coulpe of thousand miles ago and saved the old one, so that will come along. I picked up a pair of the regular jaws 6" vise grip. Have extra fuses, just changed the headlight bulb so have an extra. have a little mag lite flashlight and one of those light stiks that glow for 5 hours to alert oncoming drivers
Re sockets--if you go that way you need the ratchet to go with it, and then do you take the torx bits also? Maybe a couple, like the 25 and the ones that fit the brake calipers mounts--have had that come loose.

oh and a definite--some latex gloves to keep your hands clean or even some leather garden gloves to protect your hands--they double as winter gloves with a liner.

oh-and a part I am seriously considering is an extra oil filler cap--small cheap and if you lose yours you are seriously disabled

I think I will draw the line at a torque wrench

[Airman]

sorry to be piece-mealing this

what about a trickle charger if I have room? Battery has been performing fine--1.5 year old odyssey. Temps will likely be close to freezing in am.

The only way I'd do a charger would be to wire in one of those thumbsized trickle chargers. But, I don't really think you'll need it.

[omg1010]

I will start on Sunday from Germany to the Pyrenees and my extra goodies include

- zipties (various sizes)
- a tiny ratchet kit (boxed) with various bits and nuts
- spare headlamp and tail bulb

Regards
Oliver

[Dr. Strangelove]

have zipties; considered the ratchet wrench and decided against

will have 8" crescent and hex and torx

[Airman]

have zipties; considered the ratchet wrench and decided against

will have 8" crescent and hex and torx

On the subject of gloves, I followed an interesting thread over at ADVRider about gloves. They favor the heavy Nitrile gloves fro working with chemicals, oil and the like. None was very happy about the thin latex gloves that I have used at work for that sort of thing, but work provided the latex gloves and nothing better. (This was an el cheapo employer) The ADv guys seemed reluctant to buy the Mechanix Wear gloves I am now favoring for maintnenance. For dealing with spills, I've used a heavy duty green latex which works ok. For things that may cause skin damage, like wrestling off a rear wheel rusted to the hub, that sort of thing, I like the mechanix gloves. Now they make more than one kind. The ones you see at Sears and other places are basically just a thin synthetic fabric shell. The ones I use have padded leather palms with leather reinforced thumb and index finger. On the back they have rubber stips that protect the backs of my hands, in case I....drop something heavy on them. When these gloves get dirty I just put them on, put my hands under the running water and soap them up like I was washing my hands. Rinse them off and air dry. Doesn't seem to hurt them and keeps them nice enough to keep in the tank bag.
They're expensive if you buy them from retailers though. Look for on online deal on them.

[Dr. Strangelove]

We have the nitrile glove in the OR also and they are nice, but they are much more expensive than latex and do not stretch as well. Feel is about the same. The latex work fine for me and I do not find them too flimsy when dealing with liquids

when I am doing heavy possible hand injuring things as you describe, I use leather garden gloves which work fine.

John

[Airman]

We have the nitrile glove in the OR also and they are nice, but they are much more expensive than latex and do not stretch as well. Feel is about the same. The latex work fine for me and I do not find them too flimsy when dealing with liquids

when I am doing heavy possible hand injuring things as you describe, I use leather garden gloves which work fine.

John

I find leather gloves too inflexable sometimes. I use these:



Here are a couple of types, the one on the right has a little longer cuff on it, but they're essentially the same. My experience with the latex is that they hold up pretty well unless you get into solvents. I use them mainly to keep from having to use Scotchbrite to get my hands clean after a job. And on that line, I always carry a few packs of those "towelettes" for cleanup after a roadside repair.

[indigoid]

Haven't got an R-bike yet but on my Dakar I carry the below on long trips:

drivers
- 3/8" drive ratchet
- 1/4" drive ratchet
- 3/8" to 1/4" drive adapter
- 3/8" drive long and short extension bars
- 1/4" drive long and short extension bars
- 1/4" drive universal joint
- 1/2" drive torque wrench
- 1/2" to 3/8" drive adapter
- screwdriver that takes interchangeable bits, has telescoping magnetic tip

for use with above drivers
- 10mm 1/4" drive socket (front and rear ABS sensor bolts)
- lots of 3/8"- and 1/4"-drive Torx-bit sockets (covers nearly everything on the bike)
- a few 3/8"- and 1/4"-drive hex-bit sockets (front axle, windscreen bolts, a few others)
- 1/2"- and 3/8"-drive sockets for the rear axle
- various bits for the screwdriver (Torx, hex, big+small Phillips, slotted)

All of this stuff (except torque wrench and screwdriver) fits in a little tube that originally held a car chamois. Surprisingly compact, but to find anything you have to dump the lot on the ground. Torque wrench gets ziptied to the luggage rack.

misc other stuff
- pliers
- sidecutters
- zipties
- disposable rags for wiping stuff clean
- fuses

For some reason I don't have spare tubes or tyre irons yet, and though I do know approximately how to change a tyre/tube I've only ever done it on bicycles, not motorbikes.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Just a little follow-up. 15 days >4700 miles and NO need for any tools.

Man this bike is fine!

Ride report to follow--it was great.

John