Hey guys I used to make fun of my wife as she over packs to the max when we travel. I realized I too take way to many tools and the only one I have ever used was a plug kit that I used once on a different Harley. I'm curious what tools and or specific "tool kits" some of you use??

 

If i have to start carrying tools then the damn,d bike can go....i paid a lot off money for this bike i i expect it too do what Harley tells me it will do.....mind you i have breakdown cover !

 

I always carry a full set of metric tools in case I come across a broken down rice burner...:>)

 

none on my newer bikes except a cell phone and 9mm......but thats just me....

 

Cell phone and a credit card. I admit I had wished to have some tools when I came across another biker broken down and the road...but I did let him use my phone.

 

Allen set, pliers, crescent, cotter pics, zip ties, and screwdriver/phillips in my tool box:

 

My bike came with a small tool kit. "very small". I added zip ties, a pair of channellocks, cresent wrench and a roll of electrical tape.

edit...I also keep a air compressor/slime kit I got from target.

 

I guess I must be showing my age, lol, I have a deluxe cruz tool set, tire patch kit with inflator, spare plugs, and 2 quarts of oil in my left saddlebag. I use my bike alot and you never know sometimes you meet people that needs help, oh and extra fuel hose.

 

This is really a good question and I’m going to answer it hopefully so that I’ll listen to my own advice. First off, I pack way too many tools. I don’t even want to try to list them. Let’s just say the last time I weighed the tools I brought on a 5 day rode trip, they weighed in at about 15 pounds. Tools ranged from zip ties, electrical and duct tape, extra wire, jumper cables, home made electrical continuity tester and then the whole assortment of hand tool, everything but a torque wrench and I thought about bringing that too.

But if I think about it, if anything goes wrong with the internal workings of the motor or tranny or drive belt, I’m not going to be able to fix it on the road, nor am I going to want to fix it. So that eliminates a lot of Allen and Torx sockets and ratchet wrench etc.

So what kid of things can go wrong that I would want to fix on the road compared to calling AAA on my cell?

Clutch cable – unless I’m carrying an extra clutch cable, I can’t fix this and even if I was carrying a clutch cable, would I want to change it out on the road? Changing a clutch cable on a V Twin is a PITA. Pipes have to come off, tranny side cover has to come off, you’re going to loose a little tranny oil too. However, this is doable.

Ditto goes for a throttle cable. First you have to be carrying an extra. Although I’m sure you could use the idle cable. So this might be plausible to fix on the road.

So realistically, (now listen to yourself Jack), it seems you only need a small set of tools to tighten or to re-adjust something. Bringing jumper cables is a good idea and of course a tire patch kit including a way to pump up the tire.

But still, AAA and a cell phone and plenty of what ever vice (cigars) you have to keep you busy while you wait for the tow truck seem to be the highest priority tools. Oh and maybe a cell phone charger adapter for your bike might be a good thing to have in case you break down but have no cell juice.

OK, so on my next trip, I’ll bring:
My screw driver with multiple bits that includes torx and allen
Pliers, small channel locks, small crescent wrench
10mm wrench for the battery terminals
Jumper cables
Electrical and duct tape. (I wrap a small amount around a popsicle)
Tire patch kit and pump, tire pressure gauge
Small flash light
I always carry a knife
Cell phone
Cell phone adapter for the battery pig tail
Extra cigars
Should weigh less then 5 lbs

 

I've got a chrome toolbox...inside it I keep a leatherman tool (it has pliers, flat and philips drivers, and a knife)...an allen key to take my seat off in case I need to get to the battery, and that's about it.