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Motorcycle Tools Review


Ever wonder what the inside of your bike’s engine looked like but don’t have the skills or the time to tear it all apart? Curious about those hard to reach places between your bike’s body panels and its wiring, engine, or anything else? Have a nook or cranny around the house or garage where you …

The Right Tool For the Job Tool Snobbery Speaking as a licensed Heavy Duty Mechanic I admit to being a bit of a “tool snob”. That doesn’t mean I must always use premium brand tools like Snap-On or Mac, but more that if there’s a tool available specifically for a task I want it in …

Pressure is Pleasure: Compressed Air for the Custovation Shop My love affair with compressed air started a number of years ago when I got an entry level oil-less air compressor for Christmas. Looking like a bloated red fire hydrant lying on its side, it made a deafening noise while it crawled its way to 125 PSI. …

It comes with a calibration compliance certificate that certifies the wrench to MIL STD 45662A and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 with accuracy traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It’s accurate to ±1% from 20% to 100% of its capacity in either direction.  One percent calculates to plus or minus 0.25 ft/lbs. at its maximum …

Changing – Balancing Motorcycle Tires How to Change Motorcycle Tires: wBW review of the No-Mar Motorcycle Tire balancer and tire changer  |  Descriptions and instructions on changing motorcycle tires  |  Link to the Adam Glass’ website article onMotorcycle Tire Changing – everything you need to know about changing motorcycle tires  |  Mounting and balancing motorcycle tires  | Balancing motorcycle tires including …

Our Team Got A Lot Done While Testing The Latest Motorcycle Tools & Tool Kits Whether you are changing tires, adjusting your valves or installing an aftermarket light, having the right tools is important to success. The right tools make life easier and safer which is why we review tools for our readers. The wrong …

Summertime is the prime motorcycle riding season.  It’s also the time for motorcycle repair projects, regular maintenance and washing and polishing tasks.  We’re in the process of doing a monster review of many different motorcycle cleaners and polishes, but in the meantime, we thought we’d let you know about some handy new tools in use …

The Black and Decker Gyro Screwdriver The Black & Decker “Gyro” rechargeable screwdriver is the “World’s 1st motion activated screwdriver that controls variable speed and direction”. It’s an inexpensive and handy tool for working on motorcycles, especially with all the Torx fasteners used today. It takes standard 1/4″ drive bits, including Phillips, flat, Torx, square …

Once More Into the Breach… OK, three articles about JIS screwdrivers is probably 2 too many. But, here we are again. This started as a review of the inexpensive Hozan JIS screwdriver set, but the more we got into it, the more confused we became. But, I’m getting ahead of myself… We first covered the …

Wiha “Pop-Up” Screwdriver and ClicFix Bit Holder The Wiha “Pop-Up” screwdriver or bit driver holds 12 bits in its cushioned handle. Squeeze the two buttons on the side and the magazine pops up. Grab one and go! The hardened bits that come with the tool are perfect for motorcycle work. The 1/4″ drive bit holder …

High-Tech Power Delivery for Today’s Motorcycles Part 3: Conclusion It is truly early days for the Arboreal Systems Neutrino. But in using two of them on two different motorcycles the issues have been truly minor in nature and all resolved locally or through interaction with the manufacturer. Vibration and strain is a minor issue resolved …

Nebo Mult-Tools Come In Handy The Nebo Tools multi-purpose tools are handy items for motorcycle emergency repair or travel. The 13-in-1 Screwdriver has 12 bits plus a 6 mm hex driver in the handle, and the tool has a ratcheting head. The 7-in-1 Socket Wrench has 1/4″ drive sockets in the handle, which also ratchets. …

Vessel Motorcycle Repair and Restoration JIS Screwdriver Kit A well-made set of tools for the motorcycle mechanic who wrenches on Japanese machines. The shorter handle design may make it difficult to get a good grip with larger hands. In 2011, I reviewed a pair of JIS screwdrivers to see what, if any, differences there were between the …

Wiha Torx Bits and Drivers The Wiha Tools Torx bits are nicely made and available in all the sizes you’ll need for motorcycle use. Wiha also makes Torx “L” shaped wrenches, individual Torx drivers with handles and more. The Wiha 3/8″ drive Torx socket set is very well made and the 1/4″ bits are replaceable. …

Motorcycle Tool Tube Stash Box As I mentioned in my Motorcycle License Plate Stash Box review, there’s a serious lack of places to mount, store or hide things on my 2003 Suzuki DR-Z400S. This is a big difference compared to my other adventure bike, the 2002 BMW R 1150 GS (report). One big question with the Suzuki …

JIS Screwdrivers for Motorcycles JIS screws: Myth or Miracle? That is often the question when it comes to discussing JIS or Japanese Industrial Standard screwdrivers. I’ve been told there is no difference between a standard Phillips (or “cross-head”) screwdriver and a JIS screwdriver, as long as the sizes are equal. I wasn’t so sure. And …

An Industrial Strength Heat Gun The Steinel Ultra Heat SV800 Heat Gun is an excellent quality tool with a rugged power cord and it puts out a lot of heat. This is an excellent tool to have for shrink tubing and removing decals or vinyl transfers or for general heat-up chores around the garage. And …

The Alden Wrench Set Is…Different The Alden wrench has a unique design It combines open-end wrench with ratcheting function. It’s very useful in certain situations where there isn’t enough room to swing a conventional wrench. Hand polished 17-4PH stainless steel. 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Note: As of June 2011, Alden Wrench was bought by Chicago Brand Industrial …

The Handy SAM 1000 Motorcycle Table Lift Well-made motorcycle table lift that is often used by professionals and in motorcycle dealerships and repair shops. Many options are available and the table can lift up to 1,000 lbs. (453 kg). If you’ve ever considered purchasing a motorcycle table lift for working on your bike then you …

A High-Tech Tire Pressure Gauge The Roadgear Digital Programmable motorcycle tire air pressure gauge is designed specifically for motorcycles. It stores the recommended pressures for one pair of tires. But as is the case with any digital item, if the batteries die and you don’t have spares, you’re out of luck. If this Roadgear Programmable …

Doc Allen’s Versatool The Versatool is a handy little screwdriver bit set with a unique multi-position drive handle. The handle provides different amounts of grip and torque. The entire package is about as small as it could possibly be. It fits easily in any shirt or jacket pocket or a Sportbike seat. It’s been over …

Cycle Hill Motorcycle Tire Changer In my previous review of the No-Mar tire changer I mentioned that motorcycle owners can save money by changing their own tires. Most people wouldn’t even think of changing the tires on their car, but changing the tires on a motorcycle is another matter. It’s not that difficult — as …

GearRatchet Vortex Socket Set Review Excellent addition to any tank bag! My continuing search for the perfect motorcycle tool set continues. In this case, “perfect” means excellent quality, easily carried and fairly complete. During the search, I came across this very interesting ratchet set while cruising the aisles of the local Ace Hardware store. It’s …

Bulldog Stubby Screwdriver and Crescent Ratcheting Screwdriver I hate when this happens! I bought this “Bulldog” brand stubby screwdriver set, with 6 hex bits that store right in the handle, and now I don’t remember where I got it or how much I paid for it. No problem, right? I still have the package, and …

Harbor Freight Hex Key Allen Wrench Set This one will be short and sweet, folks. Here’s why: We recently reviewed the Sears Craftsman T-handle Allen wrench set. After that review was published, several webBikeWorlders emailed us with suggested “equivalents”. Several readers suggested a set from Harbor Freight for $11.99; less than half the cost of the …

The Oxford Digi Gauge Now you may be asking yourself “Self, is this yet another webBikeWorld digital tire pressure gauge review?” Good question! And the answer is: because we still haven’t found the perfect tire pressure gauge. After all’s said and done, the original Roadgear digital tire pressure gauge (review) is the one that gets used most …

T-Handle Allen Wrench Set for the Garage The Craftsman T-handle Allen wrenches are very nice to use with their big, fat handles. I really appreciate the extended lengths on these tools because they are handy when working on motorcycles. The Allen Wrench I must be the only motorcycle mechanic in the world without a “T” …

Vice-Grip Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper Review Heavy-duty tool works better on heavier gauge wires. Slightly difficult to adjust and probably better suited for industrial use. The Vise-Grip brand is probably one of the most recognized trade names in the world. I’ll bet that there are as many pairs of the familiar Vise-Grip locking pliers stashed in …

Griot’s Garage Compact Tire Pressure Gauge After reading a review of a tire pressure gauge on webBikeWorld, it got me thinking about the gauge I owned and used. It was just a dial type gauge with a reset button on it and a short stem. Nice enough gauge, but not easily used on a motorcycle …

Sears Craftsman Electronic Torque Wrench Review The Sears Craftsman Electronic Torque Wrench is and electronic sensor and the torque readings are clearly displayed. The torque limits can be preset and a warning beep sounds when reached. It switches between Nm or Lbs-ft and has an audible torque alert. It is too big and bulky to …

Craftsman Programmable Digital Tire Gauge The Evil Gadgeteer within me could not resist when it saw the ad for this Sears Craftsman Digital Tire Gauge in the Craftsman Club tool catalog. What was the hook? The ad copy beckoned me with the tempting “Program the target tire pressure of your vehicle” clearly printed on the …

BIG Ratcheting Wrenches Autumn has arrived in the northern hemisphere That means it’s time to start thinking about those winter maintenance projects! Maybe it’s finally time to install a set of heated grips or install a new set of tires? Or how about flushing and refilling the brake fluid or the fork fluid? Or maybe get to that overdue valve adjustment? Check …

Roadgear “Talking” Tire Pressure Gauge We covered the original (“millions sold”) Roadgear Digital Tire Pressure Gauge (review). Also, the pencil-thin, newer style Roadgear Digital Tire Pressure Gauge (review) was also described in previous webBikeWorld reviews. You’d think that a tire pressure gauge is, well, a tire pressure gauge, right? After using both for several years, our favorite is …

The “Stubby” Flex Head GearWrench Like all GearWrench products, the Stubby has excellent quality, appearance and feel. It’s made from highly polished chrome and has a lifetime warranty. They are light weight and thin and the Flex Head rotates 180 degrees. It needs as little as 5 degrees of sweep to move a fastener. The …

A good torque wrench is an essential tool for even the most basic motorcycle maintenance and repair.  It’s important to ensure that all of the fasteners on a motorcycle are tightened to specifications for reasons of safety and to maintain its original design integrity. The the lightweight alloys used in motorcycles make it very easy to …

Roadgear “Hi-Tec” Digital Tire Pressure Gauge The last thing you should be wondering about when you’re leaned over in a fast corner is whether or not the tires are inflated properly. It happens to me on occasion — out of nowhere, all of a sudden I catch myself wondering why the tires aren’t simply sliding …

Roadgear “Pencil” Style Digital Tire Pressure Gauge Lightweight; accurate; lifetime battery; 5-year warranty; comes with belt carrying case. The original Roadgear “Hi-Tec” tire pressure gauge was (and still is) a popular “must have” item for motorcyclists. Roadgear has probably sold a zillion of them to motorcyclists around the world. Its light weight and unique shape …

Strip ‘Em Good With the Quikstrip Quick Grip Confused? This used to be called the Quik Strip tool. But the original company apparently went belly-up, so now it’s the Quick Grip wire stripper by a company called Quickstrip. This is one of those 3 a.m. TV show ads that actually works pretty well on smaller …

The “Half Moon” GearWrench GearWrench tools have excellent quality, appearance and feel. They’re made from highly polished chrome and have a lifetime warranty. They’re also light weight and thin and need as little as 5 degrees of sweep to move a fastener. There’s now a reversing lever on both sides of the wrench on both …

A GearWrench With a Flexible Head The GearWrench Flex Head wrench has excellent quality, appearance and feel. They are made from highly polished chrome. They’re light weight, thin and the Flex Head rotates 180 degrees. It needs as little as 5 degrees of sweep to move a fastener. The tools come with a lifetime warranty …