What tools do you carry on your bike?
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 476
Likes: 90
From: Westchester, NY
i guess the more comfortable you are with working on your bike, the more tools you might be inclined to carry! If I could carry spare parts like an extra tire, rubber hoses, spare battery and a hydraulic lift, I might just do that!
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 759
Likes: 75
From: Vegas Baby!!
That's pretty near what I carry you need a pair of vise-grips in there somewhere). I'm the independant type and won't call for a tow if I don't absolutely have to. I have had to use my tool kit a time or two during my travels; thankfully nothing real serious though.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 476
Likes: 90
From: Westchester, NY
The easiest way to validate what tools to carry is to ask yourself what possible things could go wrong in a long trip. Things you believe you will be able to address on the fly. Things like cracked hoses, blown fuses, flat tire, burned light bulbs, missing bolts, loose screws, broken clutch cable, or broken clutch lever if you low side on gravel, etc. If you break the right lever you can still use the rear brakes to get home. Think of the things that you should be able to tape up, clamp down, splice, re-tighten, replace, or inflate, and bring those items. (Electrical tape, swiss army knife, and flashlight are also mandatory)
Anything heavier, just have it towed.
so, my tool bag isn't a tool kit from any store. it's a small bag full of misc items that help me to become the Macgyver of motorcycling whenever i'm in trouble.
Anything heavier, just have it towed.
so, my tool bag isn't a tool kit from any store. it's a small bag full of misc items that help me to become the Macgyver of motorcycling whenever i'm in trouble.
Last edited by Drodrigueznyc; Dec 27, 2016 at 07:22 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 23,003
Likes: 11,441
Sense 2007 I have down sized , just never really need much for tools on the road. All I carry is this one and my HOG card witch I have never had to use yet. 5,000 mile ride with wife is just not a big deal anymore. The few times I used my little kit it was to help someone else.
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Joe Kucinski
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 6,090
Likes: 6,451
From: East TN
Since 2009 I have been averaging 24,xxx miles a year on my bike's. At least one 5k trip and a couple 2~3K trips.
I carry the fold up tool Kit that comes with CVO's, which is not much. A tire pressure gage, spare FOB battery, HOG card, Credit cards and a cell.
So far I have broke down twice on the road. Both times all the tools in the world would not have got me home. Once was on my way home from a trip, 50 miles from the house the ECM failed. Once was on my way to AR for Bike Blues and BBQ, and my 2 year, 10 day old bike with 43K on it had a catastrophic engine failure. Had it towed home, my local dealer worked with HD and the engine was replaced.
The third failure was after a ride we stopped at dealership to have a beer and cigar. When I went to leave the hydraulic clutch failed.
So on all three, the best tool set would not have helped.
I did have one failure on the road where the basic tool set kept me going, but it was more having another touring bike with me.
The regulator went out on my 12 when traveling to MI. Sunday in farmland Indiana no dealers open. The basic tool kit enabled me to take the battery out of my wife's bike and get it started. Put my battery in her bike, and three of us pushed it to a start. Rode 90 minutes, stopped and switched batteries. Repeated twice to make it to our destination dads house.
I carry the fold up tool Kit that comes with CVO's, which is not much. A tire pressure gage, spare FOB battery, HOG card, Credit cards and a cell.
So far I have broke down twice on the road. Both times all the tools in the world would not have got me home. Once was on my way home from a trip, 50 miles from the house the ECM failed. Once was on my way to AR for Bike Blues and BBQ, and my 2 year, 10 day old bike with 43K on it had a catastrophic engine failure. Had it towed home, my local dealer worked with HD and the engine was replaced.
The third failure was after a ride we stopped at dealership to have a beer and cigar. When I went to leave the hydraulic clutch failed.
So on all three, the best tool set would not have helped.
I did have one failure on the road where the basic tool set kept me going, but it was more having another touring bike with me.
The regulator went out on my 12 when traveling to MI. Sunday in farmland Indiana no dealers open. The basic tool kit enabled me to take the battery out of my wife's bike and get it started. Put my battery in her bike, and three of us pushed it to a start. Rode 90 minutes, stopped and switched batteries. Repeated twice to make it to our destination dads house.