What tools should I carry?
#21
05-26-2018, 08:23 AM
I get told that I should carry tire irons and a spare tube for my tube-type tires (old-school spoked wheels). Unfortunately, unless I can also carry some sort of lift to get the rear of a Heritage Softail in the air to remove the rear wheel, it's useless to carry tire tools for my bike. I miss the days when my bikes had a center stand. In 37 years/340,000 miles of riding, I've had only one flat tire. In that case, I recommend a cell phone and road service.
In short, be realistic about what you can repair on the side of the road. No use carrying a bunch of tools to do a job you aren't up to tackling on the side of the road or a parking lot.
p.
In short, be realistic about what you can repair on the side of the road. No use carrying a bunch of tools to do a job you aren't up to tackling on the side of the road or a parking lot.
p.
What is the difference between side of the road and parking lot? In area, I would probably try and get a tow for a clutch or starter. On the road I might do it.
People seem to have this notion, that these bikes are not shovel heads that they heard of years ago and nothing can come loose. I have had stuff come loose on a honda. It happens if you ride much. I call BS if you check every nut regularly.
Lot of Harley riders are chics, but I wouldn't brag about being one.
Personally I think you are a fool. I have tightened things. You want to wait on side of the road for hours for a tow? If you have had a couple beers do you want to do that too?
BTW where I am from, being a chic is pretty bad.
Harely doesn't make a emergency belt for 6 speeds that I know about. To bad, blame you guys
I carry 1/4 ratchet, not much bigger than a reducer. Gets in by heads nice.
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 05-26-2018 at 07:46 PM.
#23
05-26-2018, 11:19 AM
Tourer
I end up doing any maintenance needed on bikes for the group I run with. The nice thing about Harley’s is that the MOCO doesn’t use a lot of different fasteners and I am not tearing the engine down on the road.
My kit Includes
Male torx sockets - T27 most important (I carry two of them)
Allen sockets - 1/4 most important
12 point sockets - 3/8 and 1/4 for brake work (I actually use Kolbalt extreme access sockets)
3/8 ratchet with 1/4 reducer (1/4 ratchet is prone to fail under torque)
1/4 inch set of deep sockets
medium adjustable wrench
screwdriver with reversible tip
wire cutters
zip ties
i do not carry a spark plug wrench - and have never missed it.
We do big trips with lots of miles... I am always tweaking something, on somebody’s bike before the end of the trip.
We did tail of the dragon / Smokey mountains a couple years ago. I ended up changing out the front brake pads on a Street Glide (that really should have been done before we left) in a motel parking lot.
In the mountains of Colorado, we fixed a electrical short on a Sportster that was caused by a poorly installed power port.
But... After I got a flat on my Road King, the only answer was a cell phone and a credit card!
. It is all part of the fun of a trip!
My kit Includes
Male torx sockets - T27 most important (I carry two of them)
Allen sockets - 1/4 most important
12 point sockets - 3/8 and 1/4 for brake work (I actually use Kolbalt extreme access sockets)
3/8 ratchet with 1/4 reducer (1/4 ratchet is prone to fail under torque)
1/4 inch set of deep sockets
medium adjustable wrench
screwdriver with reversible tip
wire cutters
zip ties
i do not carry a spark plug wrench - and have never missed it.
We do big trips with lots of miles... I am always tweaking something, on somebody’s bike before the end of the trip.
We did tail of the dragon / Smokey mountains a couple years ago. I ended up changing out the front brake pads on a Street Glide (that really should have been done before we left) in a motel parking lot.
In the mountains of Colorado, we fixed a electrical short on a Sportster that was caused by a poorly installed power port.
But... After I got a flat on my Road King, the only answer was a cell phone and a credit card!
. It is all part of the fun of a trip!Last edited by bradleys; 05-26-2018 at 12:10 PM.
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AKJames (05-27-2018)
#24
05-26-2018, 12:52 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
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#25
05-26-2018, 12:54 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
As I've stated any times in these type of threads, due to my "Shovelhead" history, I carry more tools than I (will hopefully) never need but I have needed them at one time for myself, or in order for me to help someone else.
I once "rescued" a little lady on the BRP when her little "scooter" (seriously, it was a scooter with 25,000 miles on the odometer) had practically ran dry of oil.
I jokingly told her that the quart of H-D that I gave her had "doubled" the value of her scooter!
Zip ties, electrical tape, a siphon hose, a mini-compressor, a tubeless tire plug repair kit, a can of tire/tube sealant, an extra quart of oil, a mini-flashlight, along with folding hex and torx tools and "basic" tool kit can get most anyone going unless there are serious issues with a bike.
If these things don't do the job, a major credit card and a cell phone are the ultimate "get it done" tools.
I once "rescued" a little lady on the BRP when her little "scooter" (seriously, it was a scooter with 25,000 miles on the odometer) had practically ran dry of oil.
I jokingly told her that the quart of H-D that I gave her had "doubled" the value of her scooter!
Zip ties, electrical tape, a siphon hose, a mini-compressor, a tubeless tire plug repair kit, a can of tire/tube sealant, an extra quart of oil, a mini-flashlight, along with folding hex and torx tools and "basic" tool kit can get most anyone going unless there are serious issues with a bike.
If these things don't do the job, a major credit card and a cell phone are the ultimate "get it done" tools.
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AKJames (05-27-2018)
#26
05-26-2018, 02:26 PM
Grand HDF Member
1/4" long shaft Allen wrench and a 1/4 x 20 x 1-1/4" hardened Allen head bolt.
Trust me.
Holds shifter lever onto tranny behind primary. I carry a spare bolt. The last spare I carried I used to help someone by the side on the road in the desert, 110F, his shift pedal laying down, loose and useless. If yours lever is loose, replace the bolt and tighten. Oh, I learned this on my way to Sturgis years ago, in someplace they have since removed from the map.
PS, from experience, this lever works loose and falls off in the middle of nowhere. No cel, no traffic. If you do not have the above tools, hold the lever on the shaft, shift into third and limp into the nearest place where you can get these two items.
Trust me.
Holds shifter lever onto tranny behind primary. I carry a spare bolt. The last spare I carried I used to help someone by the side on the road in the desert, 110F, his shift pedal laying down, loose and useless. If yours lever is loose, replace the bolt and tighten. Oh, I learned this on my way to Sturgis years ago, in someplace they have since removed from the map.
PS, from experience, this lever works loose and falls off in the middle of nowhere. No cel, no traffic. If you do not have the above tools, hold the lever on the shaft, shift into third and limp into the nearest place where you can get these two items.
#27
05-26-2018, 02:37 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
1/4" long shaft Allen wrench and a 1/4 x 20 x 1-1/4" hardened Allen head bolt.
Trust me.
Holds shifter lever onto tranny behind primary. I carry a spare bolt. The last spare I carried I used to help someone by the side on the road in the desert, 110F, his shift pedal laying down, loose and useless. If yours lever is loose, replace the bolt and tighten. Oh, I learned this on my way to Sturgis years ago, in someplace they have since removed from the map.
PS, from experience, this lever works loose and falls off in the middle of nowhere. No cel, no traffic. If you do not have the above tools, hold the lever on the shaft, shift into third and limp into the nearest place where you can get these two items.
Trust me.
Holds shifter lever onto tranny behind primary. I carry a spare bolt. The last spare I carried I used to help someone by the side on the road in the desert, 110F, his shift pedal laying down, loose and useless. If yours lever is loose, replace the bolt and tighten. Oh, I learned this on my way to Sturgis years ago, in someplace they have since removed from the map.
PS, from experience, this lever works loose and falls off in the middle of nowhere. No cel, no traffic. If you do not have the above tools, hold the lever on the shaft, shift into third and limp into the nearest place where you can get these two items.
He was with a group and someone had told him that there as a guy in town that could repair his bikes so he did have far to go.
Worked like a "charm" as far as I know.
Just remembered that my cousin was having big issues with his inner primary ('82 Low Rider) and chain adjuster on a trip years ago out west.
We had the outer primary off twice and finally did a good "temporary fix" on the chain adjuster issue but obviously we didn't properly torque the shifter linkage bolt and he lost his shifter somewhere in Iowa!
"Robbed" the heel shifter from my Ultra (not a good fit) and secured it to the bike with larger plastic zip ties and we successfully made it home!
Later that same day (Sunday) the luggage rack that supports the Tour Pack on my then-new 2000 Ultra Classic broke and we used every bungee cord that we had between us to secure the Tour Pack in order to keep riding!
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 05-26-2018 at 07:47 PM.
#28
05-26-2018, 02:56 PM
Stellar HDF Member
I end up doing any maintenance needed on bikes for the group I run with. The nice thing about Harley’s is that the MOCO doesn’t use a lot of different fasteners and I am not tearing the engine down on the road.
My kit Includes
Male torx sockets - T27 most important (I carry two of them)
Allen sockets - 1/4 most important
12 point sockets - 3/8 and 1/4 for brake work (I actually use Kolbalt extreme access sockets)
3/8 ratchet with 1/4 reducer (1/4 ratchet is prone to fail under torque)
1/4 inch set of deep sockets
medium adjustable wrench
screwdriver with reversible tip
wire cutters
zip ties
i do not carry a spark plug wrench - and have never missed it.
We do big trips with lots of miles... I am always tweaking something, on somebody’s bike before the end of the trip.
We did tail of the dragon / Smokey mountains a couple years ago. I ended up changing out the front brake pads on a Street Glide (that really should have been done before we left) in a motel parking lot.
In the mountains of Colorado, we fixed a electrical short on a Sportster that was caused by a poorly installed power port.
But... After I got a flat on my Road King, the only answer was a cell phone and a credit card!. It is all part of the fun of a trip!
My kit Includes
Male torx sockets - T27 most important (I carry two of them)
Allen sockets - 1/4 most important
12 point sockets - 3/8 and 1/4 for brake work (I actually use Kolbalt extreme access sockets)
3/8 ratchet with 1/4 reducer (1/4 ratchet is prone to fail under torque)
1/4 inch set of deep sockets
medium adjustable wrench
screwdriver with reversible tip
wire cutters
zip ties
i do not carry a spark plug wrench - and have never missed it.
We do big trips with lots of miles... I am always tweaking something, on somebody’s bike before the end of the trip.
We did tail of the dragon / Smokey mountains a couple years ago. I ended up changing out the front brake pads on a Street Glide (that really should have been done before we left) in a motel parking lot.
In the mountains of Colorado, we fixed a electrical short on a Sportster that was caused by a poorly installed power port.
But... After I got a flat on my Road King, the only answer was a cell phone and a credit card!
. It is all part of the fun of a trip!
The following users liked this post:
GREENOHAWK69 (06-06-2018)
#29
05-26-2018, 07:27 PM
Tourer
I have never had a Snap-on fail in the same way the Craftsman ratchets tended to do, but I like the leverage I get out of a 3/8’s drive versus the 1/4 inch
#30
05-26-2018, 08:25 PM