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"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for riders to disassemble the motorcycles which have carried them and to assume among the powers of the tool kit, the utility to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the continued riding of mankind requires that they should actually try using the tool kit which aids them in the motorcycle disassembly."
Look under your seat (or somewhere around there), and you might find a tool kit for your motorcycle. But is it any good? Does the manufacturer actually give you all the tools you need to succeed when something inevitably needs attention? YouTubers Matt and Sophie of Engines and Unfinished Business decided to find out with a sad-looking 1998 Honda CB500. Matt doesn’t make it very far before he hits a significant roadblock.
Yep, that’s just one model, and YMMV. KTM is renowned for their useful tool kits, while the Ducati SuperSport S Lance tested had… a double-ended screwdriver. My old SR500 used to take itself apart!
Sometimes, you just have to build your own tool kit, or build your bike to suit the onboard equipment. When I first got the DR-Z250, I realized that I’d need a variety of sockets and wrenches to prepare for backwoods riding. That was way too bulky and heavy. Using a bolt kit, I went over the whole bike to ensure that anything I’d need to remove or adjust trailside could be accessed with a few basic tools in my tail bag. Problem solved. Months later, that decision made the difference between making it home or calling for help when my bike suffered an electrical failure.
Moral of the story? Make sure you aren’t carting around dead weight. Think of things you might need to access, like fuses or battery terminals, and confirm that you can address them with the tools you have onboard. Every bike will be different, so get to know yours now, not on the side of the road. Thanks, Engines and Unfinished Business for attempting the deconstruction and sharing the results.
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