Your bike & your trip, carry whatever you like. I carry the little tool kit that came with my bike, AAA, credit cards & ESP. Goatshow, please inform me of what you carry on a run for over a week, when **** actually wears out. '**** Happens'. I love it, dumb-*** doesn't know who the dumb-*** is!!!!

 

AAA, cell phone, and a credit card are great. But what if it is something you can repair or do a temp fix to get you moving on your own another 50 miles or so to a dealer or an indy?

I would rather carry tools and not need them over sitting on the side of a road for a few hrs waiting for a tow in the middle of nowhere.

You can probably ditch a few sockets and torx bits. Just pack the ones you most commonly use. You defenitely will not be doing any major repairs. Just enough to get you safely moving for a lottle while.

 

They may not be as glamorous, but you can put your tools in a couple pair of athletic socks and they shape to fit in the recesses at the bottom of the bags too.

 

Upon further review, I think I'm going to drop the full size Alan's and torx sockets (saving quite a bit of room) and ensure that I have the right tips for the ratcheting screwdriver. My thought was that I'd be able to tighten a bolt better with a ratchet than a screwdriver. Kind of a belt and suspenders approach there.

Other stuff that's repetitive?

 

A few more items that I have found valuable: HD folding paper funnels,a can of spray cleaner and polish,air pump for shocks and a pressure gauge. You would not believe how many riders have asked me for a shock pump. Spare fuses and a small can of WD-40. Lube is fir spraying your exhaust mount bushings after riding in the rain all day.

 

I had posted a response last night which evidently did not "stick".... I'm an old dirt biker and i tend to keep things simple....why carry things you don't need. spend some time with your bike and find which wrenches fit the various fasteners/systems you think you may have issues with. I carry only the tools that i think i need, along with only the hex and torq bits that fit, some adjustables, just a few wrenches.... I have spent a great deal of time trying to figure what is needed. then also the usual elect tape, wire, tie wraps, etc... all this fits into those handy bags that fit in the bottom of the bag in the "wasted" space. KISS is my mantra for tool kit!!

 

Great advise, Thanks. I've spent quite a bit of time wrenching on my scoot, but when it comes to prepping for a long or short ride, I've been known to go a bit overboard. Unfortunately, keeping it simple is not as easy for some as it is for others. It's not about having confidence or not in my ride...it's about planning.

I think the same may be said for carrying a concealed firearm or a saddlebag gas can or...well, you may see me point here. I'd just rather have it and not need it vs. need it and not have it. I do agree, though, there may a bit more thinning out left to do.

 

blue and red loctite in the small squeeze tubes. jewelers screwdrivers for repairing glasses and small electronic stuff. Needle and thread, I know sounds goofy till you rips something. McNett Microfiber Towel - Large, from sierra trading post. packs down to pocket size but can dry you off at a rest area after gettin caught in a rain storm enough to put on dry clothes. Imodium, keeps the roar and rumble and exhaust coming from your bike and not from you!

 

Some great ideas here already and sun screen and lip balm are two huge ones. Something to add is a small spray bottle of any kind of cleaner. Not so much for the windshield, but when you are in the shop, ya always have brake clean or something, on the side of the road a small spray can of windshield cleaner is better than nothing for sure for cleaning surfaces with a rag or threads or whatever.
Also better get the warm weather machine running buddy, we got frost in the forecast a few nights in a row coming up.
Kris

 

Full set of Torx You only need three t25, t27, t40

Full set of Alan’s It's Allen or hex when talking tools

Ratchet & compact set of drives (various SAE sizes) wrenches 7/16, 1/2, 9/16 10mm 12 pt


You don't need much else for roadside fixes. Any bigger a job than that, you'll be calling for a tow.