14 Essential Tools for Mechanics on Your Motorcycle

Contrary to what one might think, it does not necessarily take a large tool budget to carry out joint maintenance and repairs on one’s motorcycle.  If you want to do a good job, you will still need to equip yourself with a few specific quality tools.

If you own a motorcycle, you probably already have some tools in your garage, such as clamps, screwdrivers, flat keys, pipe keys, etc. So we do not have the ambition here to make you an exhaustive list of the tools of the perfect motorcycle mechanic, but rather to introduce you (or make you discover) some specific tools that will simplify your life for small (and large) maintenance as well as for repairs to your bike.

The right tools make the right mechanics!

In this list of 12 tools, we have selected elements that seem essential to make motorcycle interventions in the best possible conditions, saving time and avoiding galleys with inappropriate tools.

We have selected tools that offer good value for money, voluntarily avoiding low-end tools. From experience, for us, equipping ourselves with quality tools is a long-term investment that allows us to keep our tools as long as possible and, above all, to do a good job.

So, we invite you to draw in this selection according to your financial means and also your specific needs.

Our selection of 12 essential tools for motorcycle mechanics

1 – Set of 7 T-keys, KS Tools – 8 to 14 mm

Very practical for disassembling all the small screws (of 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 mm) on your motorcycle, this set of 7 T-holder keys from KS Tools will allow you to intervene on as many screws as possible on your motorcycle. We like this small kit of 7 pieces because it is KS Tools and it is from experience the assurance of having quality tools, at a reasonable price (KS Tools is a little more affordable in terms of price than the Facom brand for example).

 2 : T key Facom 8 mm

If you think that the set of 7 Ks Tools keys is too expensive, you can buy only one quality 8 mm key with this brand T-key. Facom. We really recommend that you focus on quality with a well-known tooling brand, to avoid buying a ‘fairy’ key that could damage your screw heads.

3 : Scar Racing radius key (5.4 MM to 6.8MM)

Another indispensable tool with this key radius from home Scar Racing versatile with multiple end-sizes to fit all wheel radius sizes. This key will allow you to control and adjust the ray tension of your wheels without damaging the ray heads.

Torque wrench: an indispensable tool for motorcycle mechanics

When talking about maintenance and repairs on a motorcycle, accuracy is essential. This is why the Torque wrench is considered as a essential tool in the biker’s workshop. This special tool makes it possible to tighten the nuts and screws to the precise torque recommended by the manufacturer, thus avoiding under- or over-tightening problems that can cause mechanical breakdowns or breakages. If you are looking for a reliable and efficient torque wrench, many brands, such as Oscaro.com, offer an excellent selection of models adapted to all needs and in particular to motorcycle mechanics.

Contrary to what one might think, this tool is not just for professionals. Even for a amateur handyman, the Torque wrench guarantees quality repairs and better longevity of parts. For example, a torque wrench with a low torque range (from 0 to 30 Nm*) is ideal for delicate elements such as fork tee screws, while a more robust model (20 to 100 Nm) is necessary for operations such as clamping of wheel axles or screws fixing of shock absorbers a motorcycle. Another advantage of this type of key is that it is also particularly used for mechanical repairs on a car.

* The Nm, or Newton metre, is the unit of torque measurement. It represents the force exerted over a given length, for example 1 Newton (force) applied at a distance of 1 meter. In mechanics, this unit is used to specify the tightening torque of screws and nuts. Meeting the Nm values recommended by the manufacturer is crucial to avoid damaging parts or compromising the safety of your motorcycle.

4/1 :  Torque wrench 1/4 KSTOOLS- 5 to 25 Nm

The torque wrench may be the tool to buy first, as it is essential if you want to do a good job on a bike.  This dynamo wrench with a 1/4 tip, which operates over a range of 4 to 24 Nm (Newton metres), will not allow for example to control the torque of the fork tee screws (it is essential not to tighten these screws too tightly if you want your fork to work properly). By opting for a torque wrench with a reduced operating range (from 0 to 30Nm), you will be sure to have a more accurate torque wrench for low clamping torques (less than 30 Nm).

4/2 : Torque wrench 1/2 KS TOOLS – 20 to 100 Nm

There, we pass on a larger torque wrench – with a square of 1/2 – which will allow you to perform the higher torque check. With this wrench, which operates between 20 and 100 Nm, you will be able, for example, to adjust and control the clamping torques of wheel axle nuts, shock absorber fixing screws, brake caliper fixing screws, etc.

5 :  Kstools circlip clamps

To pull out a gearbox, (on many models of motorcycles) the circlips that hold the gearbox in place must first be pulled out. To do this correctly, you must have a circlip clip (you can try it with a screwdriver, but there your circlips will bite and will certainly be unusable for reassembly). The advantage of this kit of 4 KS Tools clamps is the ability to disassemble and mount all types of elastic rings

6 – Brake clamp

To ligate your handlebar handles with wire (or to secure screws), the brake clamp is the essential tool to do clean and fast work. In addition, you can use this clamp to brake some screws that would tend to loosen easily on your bike.

7 : Thickness gauge 0,05 > 1 mm

For less than €15, it is difficult to do without a set of thickness holds, which will allow you, for example, to precisely control the set of valves (4T) or the spacing of the electrodes of your candles or the set of a segment. Admittedly, it is not a tool that is used every day, but the day you want to check a gauge precisely, if you do not have gauges of thickness, it will be the galley or almost and that in mechanics is not good.

8 :  Oil drain tray

To avoid dirtying the floor of your garage during emptying, here is a very practical mechanical accessory. Slim enough to slip smoothly under the engine, this 7-litre drain tray is large enough to carry out several drains before it is full and finally, it is wide enough to protect the ground from oil splashes.  In addition, it can be stored vertically (think about screwing the caps to avoid unpleasant surprises if it is full of oil) in the workshop to take up less space. Once your drains are done, close all the plugs well and you can go directly with your full tray to the waste plant to evacuate the waste oils.

8 : Graduated dosing unit 500 ml 

To prepare your mixture or drain, there is nothing better than a small graduated meter to do just that.

10 : Magnetized tray KS Tools

Not really the most essential when you team up at first, but when you have tasted it, it quickly becomes indispensable! It is a magnetised tray that will allow you not to lose your screws and (steel) parts during dismantling. You push your screws in, they stay in place and you do not lose them if the tray is spilled by accident; It is simple, not very expensive, but super practical. We like this model, because it is large enough (but not too much) to contain no screws and parts.

11 – Motorcycle spring

Another small cheap tool to always have in its motorcycle toolbox. This hook allows the exhaust and silencing springs (4T) to be removed effortlessly (and safely).  If you do not want to spend €10 on this kind of tool, think that with a thick and rigid piece of wire (or with an old wheel radius) you can make yourself, a small spring puller that will do the job.

12 :  – Air chamber valve pull-out

In the same genre as the spring drawer, here is a small tool for less than 15 € that will help you to set up the air chamber valves in your rims during the reassembly of your tires. A small, simple and practical tool that you will keep for life.

13 :  Removal of tyres

To equip yourself with good tyre removers, here is an affordable kit that will allow you to get your hands on changing your tyres.  If you do not want to struggle too much on your first tires and foams (or chambers) you will need to buy 2 kits to be able to use at least 4 large tire disassemblers of 35 cm

14 : Bonus: Nitrile Workshop Gloves

To finish this short overview of special motorcycle tools, here are some very good nitrile gloves to protect your hands during emptying. As these gloves are made of nitrile, they are resistant to chemical agents and in particular to petrol. Admittedly, they are a bit expensive (for 100 gloves) but for having tested them, as they are thicker than the competition, they turn out to be very strong, which avoids changing them every 5 minutes. In the end, it is a very good price/quality ratio.