Tracer GT Tool Kit

[DavidS]

I keep a tool roll in my top case, with the tools I use for my basic maintenance. If I find I need a new tool in my garage, I add it to the roll, so I will have it on the road too.

It does add weight, but I'd rather carry a few extra pounds than get stuck somewhere due to lack of the right tool. 

[fjray]

On 8/29/2021 at 6:45 PM, Wintersdark said:

God, I've done this too many times over the years, and it's why I now *never* lock the handlebars.  

 

Personally, for any trip of length, I carry a toolkit that can do basically any work I might possibly need to do on the bike.  I could remove tires, replace the chain, change control cables on my (or any, because my spare cable kit is universal).  I've got a couple common wrenches, allen keys, a threaded rod with nuts on the ends holding a set of sockets (everything used on the bike) and a regular ratchet for them.  Flat screwdriver, universal screwdriver with an assortment of bits.  Tape, zip ties, fuses, jumper cable.  I do not have a pump or tire kit, though, oddly.  I keep meaning to get one but never have.  

Ironically, I've only one time ever needed my toolkit in almost a decade (with the Tracer, actually - when I installed my helibar riser, I forgot to torque down the handlebar bolts and they vibrated loose while riding... oops).  Well, for me.  I've used it to help other riders a number of times, because there's a surprising number of people who don't do even the most basic maintenance on their bikes.  

We had to kick out a riding buddy who always showed up with problems. Keep the bike maintained for crying out loud. Especially if you really push it hard. 

[Wintersdark]

3 hours ago, fjray said:

We had to kick out a riding buddy who always showed up with problems. Keep the bike maintained for crying out loud. Especially if you really push it hard. 

Yeah - I've ranted elsewhere about that.  If you want to ride in a group in particular, you really need to do your part, and a major part of that is being prepared and actually maintaining your bike.  It *sucks* to set out on a ride just to find someone has a flat, or their chain breaks, or whatever else - and you quickly find that it's specific people not specific bikes.  You just get those guys who simply won't maintain their rides, then act like it's just "their bad luck".  

It never seems to be the guy who's most budget constrained, either -  that guy tends to maintain his bike as well as possible because he needs it to run and can't afford to take it to a shop.  But there's always that guy who just doesn't take care of their bike, doesn't look over it before a ride, then expects everyone else to help out when things go wrong.  Gets old very fast.

In my experience, kicking those people out is the only solution, or they ruin the experience for everyone.  Sometimes you can get a good result by having a firm, clear no-BS chat with them, but it's super rare.  Typically if people make it to being adults like that they aren't going to change.

[ReSTored]

2 minutes ago, Wintersdark said:

Yeah - I've ranted elsewhere about that.  If you want to ride in a group in particular, you really need to do your part, and a major part of that is being prepared and actually maintaining your bike.  It *sucks* to set out on a ride just to find someone has a flat, or their chain breaks, or whatever else - and you quickly find that it's specific people not specific bikes.  You just get those guys who simply won't maintain their rides, then act like it's just "their bad luck".  

I'm retired now, but my most scarce resource has not changed, and that's time. We all make choices, but with lot's of other things on my plate, I still have limited time to ride. So, I make sure my bike is running well and expect others to do the same. No one wants to spend (waste) half a day waiting for a flatbed tow truck to get a bike hauled away to resolve a problem that could of / should of been addressed well before the ride ever started.

[Wintersdark]

1 hour ago, ReSTored said:

I'm retired now, but my most scarce resource has not changed, and that's time. We all make choices, but with lot's of other things on my plate, I still have limited time to ride. So, I make sure my bike is running well and expect others to do the same. No one wants to spend (waste) half a day waiting for a flatbed tow truck to get a bike hauled away to resolve a problem that could of / should of been addressed well before the ride ever started.

It's gotten to the point that I'll look over people's bikes when I'm on a longer group ride, and if I can see something that's a potential problem I'll point it out early, and tell them in no uncertain terms, if it fails, they're on their own - I'm not wasting my day.  This comes up surprisingly often with people running tires to ridiculous ends.  

[betoney]

30 minutes ago, Wintersdark said:

It's gotten to the point that I'll look over people's bikes when I'm on a longer group ride, and if I can see something that's a potential problem I'll point it out early, and tell them in no uncertain terms, if it fails, they're on their own - I'm not wasting my day.

Easier still, avoid group rides with unknown riders.  I've gotten to a point where most of my riding is solo but if I ride with others it's with someone I know (brother or close friends) who also shares the same bike maintenance philosophy. 

The days of standing on the side of the road or in a gas station parking lot, waiting while a group gets another riders bike operational so we can continue the ride are over for me.

[Wintersdark]

1 hour ago, betoney said:

Easier still, avoid group rides with unknown riders.  I've gotten to a point where most of my riding is solo but if I ride with others it's with someone I know (brother or close friends) who also shares the same bike maintenance philosophy. 

The days of standing on the side of the road or in a gas station parking lot, waiting while a group gets another riders bike operational so we can continue the ride are over for me.

I try to avoid it, but I really prefer riding with 2-3 people (perfect world) and have no family or close friends who ride, so I'm always on the lookout for people who are good to ride with.  Sadly, I'm much, much more hardcore about riding than most people are, so it's tough to find people who are interested in what I'm interested in.

So, now and then, I'll join a random group with the intent to meet people.  Being randoms, though, I'm not really interested in the standing around and waiting game, so that gets nipped in the bud or I just straight up leave more often then not now.  Of course, that makes me the mean guy, so that doesn't help the situation

[Clegg78]

I am packing and getting ready for another 2000mi trip (Which would be ~ 5000mi of travels this summer) up to Yellowstone.   And I am getting my tools back together.   I am using the same principle as I do with firstaid kits (I teach backpacking and wilderness first aid) - Bring what you know how to use. 

I know from working on the bike what is reasonable to work on and what would be terminal.   So I simply have: (Note - I ride solo almost all the time... I am not a fan of group rides at all) 

• Under Seat tool roll bag/Storage (kept on the bike all the time):
  • Small Gerber multipliers
  • Zipties (various sizes) 
  • Fuses (sized for all the fuses used on the bike and accessories)
  • 8mm box wrench (useful for brake bleed, and some of the controls on the bars to adjust)
  • Yamaha stock tools - Screw Driver, 14/16mm box wrench, 4 or 5mm hex (what ever is used to remove the fairing sides)
  • Stick style tire pressure gauge
  • JK3D.us Fork adjustment tool to tweak comp/rebound/preload (shameless plug ) 
• Small Tool Bag (former Garmin GPS bag, works great!) - brought on long trips
  • Large Gerber multipliers with interchangeable needle Nose and Blunt pliers nose. 
  • 17mm box wrench (for the Givi crash bar bolt)
  • Multi Hex fold up set (up to 8mm hex)
  • 10mm box wrench (for some other control adjustments and some other fittings on the bike)
  • 3M VHB Tape roll (small)
  • Velcro Wire Wraps
  • Tire Plug kit
  • TPMS Batteries, and tools
  • Lighter, and double wall shrink tube
  • Wire Splices/taps
  • Gorilla Tape Roll
  • Other random things like small tubes of fast curing JBWeld. 
• Dynaplug 12V micro inflator (brought on longer trips).

Pretty much with that I am confident I could handle or at least attempt to fix just about anything on the bike that would be needed that wasn't already terminal (ie:  breaking the oil pan, cracking a wheel, punctured radiator, alternator failure, etc... ) 

Edited September 7, 2021 by Clegg78

[Clegg78]

Also, after seeing AAA and AMA roadside assistance pretty much tell me to phuck off last year this time because I was 60 miles from a major city... I am not putting much weight in those.   I carry a Garmin Inreach and have a communication plan, and route with some friends/spouse if I need to be picked up in the middle of nowhere.   

[hardrivn]

Hi new here, just got a blue 17 FJ-09 and I was just looking over my toolkit and thinking about an adjustment or 2. I did realize I have never filled a tire with CO2, so I was curious how many cartridges it takes if I were to repair a flat so I looked up: 

6-8 of the little bastards is what it will take! Granted at 20PSI you probably safe putting along for a few miles to get to an air pump.

[Clegg78]

23 minutes ago, hardrivn said:

Hi new here, just got a blue 17 FJ-09 and I was just looking over my toolkit and thinking about an adjustment or 2. I did realize I have never filled a tire with CO2, so I was curious how many cartridges it takes if I were to repair a flat so I looked up: 

6-8 of the little bastards is what it will take! Granted at 20PSI you probably safe putting along for a few miles to get to an air pump.

This is a key reason I carry a 12v pump (Dynaplug micro, or Aerostitch pumps).   Much easier than dealing with a dozen CO2 cartridges that are one time use. 

[Wintersdark]

On 9/7/2021 at 2:12 PM, Clegg78 said:

This is a key reason I carry a 12v pump (Dynaplug micro, or Aerostitch pumps).   Much easier than dealing with a dozen CO2 cartridges that are one time use. 

And pretty much the same size, if not smaller.