Boxerworks.com

I love the stock BMW tool kit that came with all airheads.
In my experience which is a bunch I've only had to drag out the tool kit a handful of times when away from home & then only for minor foul ups and most of those times it was for someone else's bike & that wasn't usually an airhead.
I've been lucky, I put most of my airhead miles on while cutting my teeth learning about motorcycles, riding and Airheads. I was flying ignorant:o) If i'd known more I'da prolly never left the house back in those carefree days...

I've suggested to people in the past to learn the tool kit by using it to service their airhead with it at home.
I've changed a tire with the stock tire tools...at home. It wasn't easy but it can be done. I'd like to see somebody do that with a tubeless tire...
The little reversible screw driver isn't very good but it does work in a pinch and is compact, the pliers I'd never use except in an emergency.
One of the only tool kits I've ever seen better than the BMW one was in a Condor military motorcycle.

My question is:
What tools in addition to the stock tool kit would you not leave home without?
I've seen some serious overkill when it comes to hauling spares and tools so the criteria should be what tools would you add to your kit that would still fit under the seat?

Plug/patch kit with some kind of pump/compressed gas filler

Tiny tiny multimeter. I have one that's about 2-1/2" x 4" x 1/4" thick. I think it's a Sperry. I know Radio Shack makes one of similar size.

Feeler gauges. I can't remember if the Airhead toolkit already has all the ones you need, but my Oilhead one did not (it only had the one for the ABS gap).

Tire pressure gauge

Cordless soldering iron. I used to carry a butane one, but now I have a "Coldheat" battery one. Some of that solder that can be used with a match would suffice as well and take up less space.

Little-bitty LED headlamp

I think that's all I carry for extra tools on a long trip.

Edit: Actually, I carry all of those ALL the time. After looking at the other lists, yes, I also always have my shaving kit with me when I travel overnight, and that has a Gerber Multi-Tool (knife, saw, needlenose pliers, bottle opener, various other screwdrivers and tidbits), a couple different knives, one freakin bright LED flashlight, and at least two corkscrews.

In addition to other suggestions


Tools:
Small pocket knife if you don't carry one on you.

Small needle nose vicegrip pliers. That locking and holding function comes in handy at times.

Small 12V bulb with leads and alligator clips soldered on it. Sets static timing on points equipped bikes, finds 12Volts if you don't have Major's DMM, and it will serve as a trouble light at night if you don't have Majors head lamp.

A simple flat style wire stripper, if you can find the room for it.

Corkscrew for removing corks from wine bottles.


Non tools:
Length of fuel line long enough to reach from the L/H "T" fuel line fitting, around the rear of the filter box, and connecting to the R/H "T" fuel line fitting.

Pill bottle with a screw on cap, filled with hand cleaner and with a yard or two of duct tape wrapped around it.

A few zip ties.

A shop rag so you don't have to mess up your pretty shop rag with the BMW roundel on it.



Ken

Matt wrote:...
I've changed a tire with the stock tire tools...at home. It wasn't easy but it can be done. I'd like to see somebody do that with a tubeless tire...

Not as difficult as you might think, Matt –
First, remember that plugging a tubeless tire on the road will not require removing it from the rim.
I have, however, used the air-head kit tire spoons to change worn tubeless tires at home:
On air-heads with flakes & Lesters.
And a number of K bike models including my own a K1.
But after one successful attempt of wrestling with the kit spoons and the rear tire of my R12S (a real b!tch) ...

I will say that owning the R12S has prompted me to buy a floor mount tire changer.

Back when I had a new airhead I did use the factory tool kit for all the servicing, so I added 4 SnapOn wrenches and a small set of deep 3/8 sockets. It all fit nicley into the tool tray and I traveled for years that way. I even changed all my tires with the short little tire irons and half inflated them with the factory tire pump.

Now I need most of a saddlebag full of tools and spares when I go out of sight of home. That is mainly because I have been the only one to work on my conversion, and if anything can be done wrong, I've done it.

Other than some of the above:

Rotor removal tool
12v air pump powered using clips to the battery
Spare tube
Quart of oil and funnel (large size tygon tubing)
Duct tape
Small amounts of dish soap, silicone lube
Visegrips
Spare plugs/points/condensor
Hunk of rope/string
Old Clymer
Anonymous book / DAirectory

Kurt in S.A.

Extras I carry.

Baby wipes. Those small always wet hand towels. Good for cleaning hands, mirrors and helmet visor.

Feeler gauges

Long nose plyers.

Tubless plugs and co2 bottles.

On a long trip 1lt of engine oil.

10mm rachett spanner.

Spare Phillips head screw driver. small.

Small knife.

I forgot..................... I used to carry a small baggy of "Herbs" stuffed up the backbone of my frame.

Also used to keep a coulpe of spare pre-greased wheel bearings in a baggy too.... that was never a problem.

This is EVERYTHING I carry for emergencies, but I rarely need it, Murphy's Law.

This is my (custom made) tool kit rolled up.
It fits (jams?) snugly under the seat, and is always with me.
My Corbin seat base (plastic) IS the lid.


This is it unrolled:
Top row L to R: Wheel bolt wrench and handle, test light, small regular and needle-nose vise-grips, zip-ties, Snap-on 1/4 & 3/8 ratchets, assorted sockets, and allan sockets, extensions, allan keys, x-acto knife, allan socket for Paralever, jeweler's screwdrivers, files
Bottom row:BMW wrenches, large vise grips, needle nose pliers, small wire cutters, fence cutters, scissors,
shock adjust levers, 3 tire levers, rotor extractor, peening punch, telescopic magnet, hacksaw blade, spark plug socket.


BELOW - This stuff is always in my tank compartment:
lots of earplugs and fuses, WD-40, visor cleaner, quality multi tip screwdriver, flashlight & extra batteries, JB Quick, carb kits, 4ft steel cable (through the sleeves to lock my jacket to the bike), small screwdriver (for carbs), magic marker, small tripod, extra wire and jumper wires, tape, cable luber, spare bulbs, alternator brushes, loctite, tire repair kit, (I also have a bicycle tire pump in my frame), hose clamps, side & center stand springs, spark plugs, solder, lighter, rolling papers, soft rag for visor, pay phone change...


I also have this assortment of useful stuff in there:
Spare H4, crush washers, and a bunch of bits you'll recognize,
including a pawl spring, rocker adjuster and nut, oil cooler by-pass fitting, assorted nuts and bolts.


There's still room left for shades, my house keys, and my garage door opener

for long trips I only have to throw this box in a saddlebag and I'm ready to go.
coil, HT wire. spare module for OE and Omega ignition.
It all fits in the coil box.


Oh and I always have my SOG knife on my belt and my camera in my pocket,
and extra tie down straps and my cable lock in my saddle bags.
Too bad there's no room left for feeler gauges, what a shame!
PHEW!


Hey, how did she get in here?
Cute eh?

If I ever get to ride in the USA I am riding with GSPD. He could rebuild my bike onj the side of the road with that setup.