When I take my motorcycle out, regardless if it is for touring, dual sport, or just to go for a city stroll, I always like to carry tools with me, so today, I want to give you an overview of my motorcycle tool kit.
Over the years I’ve seen all kinds of tool kits, from the extremely simple that come stock with the bikes, and that lets face it, allow you to do basically nothing, to the ones - like mine - over the top that allows you to pretty much take the bike apart from one end to the other.
When I started planning all of this, I wanted to create a tool kit that would allow me to take the bike apart but would be extremely simple. That meant, replacing all the bolts and screws for the most similar ones possible. Needless to say, not as easy said as done, and a lot worst, when last minute a second and completely different bike came into play.
As I had already more or less the tools I wanted to take for my bike, it was time to choose the ones for Charlottes XT660, and add those last minutes ones I was sure I had left behind for my bike.
Amongst the must-haves, are the tools needed to change both wheels, tension the chain, get access to the air filter and change spark plugs. All of those I deem mandatory for any long-term adventure rider. On top of that, we added tools to change the brake pads, tighten those screws that regardless of how much glue you put, tend to move out of position, and take care of some other small stuff that we tend to forget until we actually need. Loose mirrors, crash damaged bar ends and bark busters and access to lightbulbs are amongst those little details that in some cases require tools, and we only remember them when we are in need and no one in the radius of anywhere can help.
As we do not know how and when maintenances can be done, we always also carry with us the tools needed for oil changes, 5 liters of oil, as the bikes do consume it - almost nothing but better safe than sorry - and brake oil. I know one is not supposed to add brake oil, but on the 800GS, the LHRD system we installed has a very small oil reservoir, so I do indeed need to add oil if I want to continue to brake.
On top of all of that, we decided that regardless of how simple the electronics on the bikes may be, they exist, so it was needed to have a way to fix electrical problems. Tap, shrink tape and some electrical connectors will do the trick. It's not welding, but there is a limit to my madness when it comes to field mechanics.
A compressor for the tires, tube repair patches, a clear tube for fuel and some other small bites and details like gloves and a small tape, together with some spare parts like spark plugs and light bulbs close the package with 4 bags of tools that regardless of how heavy they are, allow us to solve almost all possible problems, and make us mechanically self-sufficient in more than most cases.
What do you carry in your tool kit?
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