Tools for the big trip
 

Hi Guys and Girls…

I’m planning a RTW for a couple years time, lots of saving to do :) so, if your life depended on it, what make tools would you carry. I know most of you will all shout SNAP ON at me. And yes, you’re all right. But what if I’m on a budget? Recon my tool money will be about £300

£ 300 0n tools? How many tools would you take on a trip to say the North of England? I would say just take enough tools to do a bike service + a decent puncture repair kit. For anything major you would perhaps need special tools and uncarried spares, then you would find a mechanic who has the right equipment and that can obtain spares. About £20's worth of reasonable autojumble brought tools and convert the other £280 into fuel.
Enjoy the trip.:thumbup1:

Hi,

I would buy good quality, but not too expensive. You will not use your tools every day and as intensive as the pro's do.
And only take (and buy) the sizes that fit your bike, leave rest.

With preparation and maintenance of my bike i wrote down every size i used. That goes into my toolkit.

cheers,
Sander

only take tools you don't mind losing........ leave the Snap-On at home!

Go to car boot sales, autojumbles etc and put together a kit of ONLY what fits your bike, be Mercenary and set yourself a limit of 50 quid MAX! ( including chain rivetter!)

Martyn

One tip, take any tools that are specific to your bike - most tools will be readily available but if there is anything a main dealer would use for a tricky little job take it with you. Also think about spares and some improvisation materials - some wire to hold up an exhaust or bind a loose part and duck tape.

I've used and abused Teng tools for about five years now and they seem good quality at a reasonable price, Don't forget a few cable ties in the bag.

flevers, well, most of this is pictured.

What make??? Quality doesn't always have to mean Snap-On.

Forget new stuff anyway. I bought all my tools from used tool shops, car boot sales, etc. My socket set must be at least 40 years old and will last the same again. Old Gordon and Bedford tools are pro-quality and are the equal of anything you can buy today. My spare ratchet is an ancient one made by Gordon, bought for £2 from a car boot sale as it was slipping and was fixed by a good clean out. Unfortunately, these days you've got eBay and older professional quality tools are now getting harder to find. Williams SuperSlim were a budget brand when new. They're still common at car boot sales and are near indestructable for non-pro use. Avoid cheap imported crap from China, Taiwan, etc as it will let you down, that includes Machine Mart's budget ranges too.

It will be a few years before I do a RTW trip but my tool list for European trips is:
Multitool pliers
Cyclists tool with allen keys
8" adjustable spanner
3/8" knuckle bar with 3-4 of the most common sized sockets for my bike. You don't need to take the full set.
Gaffa tape, Tie straps, couple of Jubilee/hose clip, fuses, bulbs, spare split pin or R-clip for rear wheel
Motul tyre foam

Don't need to have a Snap-On van following you.

Hi. Thanks for the replies…sorry, I should have said that 300 was the budget for tools and spares. The tool kit will be for a KLR 650 with a few parts including two tyres. So might end up being more the 300. had a look at teng tools online today might go for them.

As well as Teng, Draper's Expert range is well worth a look. Halford's professional range is also not bad on a budget if you haven't got time to seek out used stuff.

Go for 3/8" drive socket fittings. Lighter, more compact and 1/2" drive is overkill for most jobs on a bike anyway. Decent quality sets are plenty strong enough, just get one that includes a knuckle bar or sliding T-bar for heavier loads.

I have the same size nut on my Husaberg. I found one of right size in a Jap bike tool kit, the kind that are supplied with the bike. The spanner part is pressed steel and fits into a pressed box spanner to form a handle. Very small, light and compact.

I think mine came from a Kawasaki if I remember.

I'll look for this wrench at a swap meet where you can find lots of old MC tool kits.

Tools
 

Hi.
A leatherman tool is a handy addition.
The leatherman crunch is a folding vise grip tool which can be used as a hex drive as well and the wave tool a useful folding plier type.
Some machine mart tools can be a bit crappy but I have good experience with their sockets and spanners.
A small right angle hex drive and a selection of bits is a good move.
Fixing tyre levers to your swingarm with jubilee clips keeps them out of the way, low down and unsprung.
Maplin do a few mini multimeters which, though not essestial, are handy to have when electrics play up.
A decent adjustable spanner has been of use to me a fair few times, handy for bending things back the way they should be.
Small roll of duct tape, wire, some form of chemical metal type compound, super glue, cable ties, hacksaw blade taped inside your pannier have all been useful too.
Cheers.
Dave.

Great idea with the hose clamps on the swingarm. Hose clamps was going to be my suggestion but using them for the tire irons is even better. Hose clamps can be great for so many fixes. JB weld (a metal grip 5min expoxy) has saved the day on many dualsport events.

All good points above. Not sure if it was mentioned, but be sure to bring an electric tire pump. I used to use the cheap $12 chinese models with the case removed, and it suited me well. I gave it away to a guy who really needed it (Dirty!) and bought the Slime pump. I like it, it's cheap, compact, comes with all the fittings and comes in a nice protective case. It was only $35 from a BMW dealer, so i'm sure you can find one cheaper. Trust me, you don't want to be in the middle of a dessert pumping your tire up by hand :(