Tools required for a motorcyclist

[Wired1]

It's more important what you buy than where you buy it. You can often get good brand stuff like Bahco and Fuller from the mega store or Bunnings and at a better price than 'tool' shops. For a motorbike you want a minimum of a good 3/8" drive socket set, a set of metric spanners (assuming it's a jappa), couple of pairs of pliers and a set of screw drivers. A soft headed hammer is useful too. It all depends on how much you plan to do on your bike but a basic tool kit is not going to cost more than a couple of hundy for reasonable quality and will do all the basic stuff like remove wheels, do oil changes, adjust the handle bars, fit a set of shocks, change a chain etc.

[Brownstoo]

Isn't Fazer spelt with an F?

Not my bike! It came with stickers spelled PHAZER on it.

I kinda know what to buy coz my dad's always had a pretty good kit which I used probably more than he did.

I've had a look at mega and bunnings and at repco a lil but i've never been to an actual tool store so I was just wondering.
I'm also a little lost on the whole brands thing... I know the ridiculous ones like sidchrome and snap-on, but I'm not that rich...So bahco and fuller you say? What about teng? I've never seen teng in any stores so that's sorta where my first question came from.

Oh and I do plan to do mostly everything possible that needs to be done.

[F5 Dave]

Sidchrome aren't flash. Teng seem to be ok, can be bought at places like engineering supplies. Specific tool shops can be intimidating as often they don't have price stickers which is tantamount to barstardry but can be a good source for specialised tools, or specials. Not the cheapest usually.


Hey you're right -I googled both Fazer & Phazer, never took that much notice.

[Brownstoo]

They aren't? My bad lol.
I think I'll go have a look at mega or something tomorrow and see if I can pick up some stuff that feels solid.

Yeah I think the Fazer is a snowmobile or something

[sinned]

If you don't want to do any maintenance - and leave that to the bike shop there is one item you still should buy. A high quality set of Allen keys approx $35.

The cheap stuff, including those in the bike tool kit, are designed to twist or break before they move the screw. When you have purchased the quality item go around the main screws on the bike loosen and then retighten so you can get them undone in the future. The main screws being those that hold the seat on and maybe the petrol tank down.

From here onwards leave the rest to the bike shop. Except after the service re tension the Allen screws so that when you need to lift the seat while somewhere on the side of the road the tools will do the job.

[avgas]

tape and cables ties
holds the universe together

[Brownstoo]

If you don't want to do any maintenance - and leave that to the bike shop there is one item you still should buy. A high quality set of Allen keys approx $35.

I've got a set of those already! And to remove my seat all you need is the bike key, kinda handy sometimes. I want to do my own maintenance because I like knowing what's going on, and from my experience with mechanics for cars it's usually best, and also a shiteload cheaper, to sort it out myself.

[sinned]

I've got a set of those already! And to remove my seat all you need is the bike key, kinda handy sometimes..

Bike Key removes the pillon and Allen key for rider seat where the battery is. Different bikes - different systems and challenges.

[Supertwin Don]

I am currently looking at relocating back to NZ from UK - I have in my garage/workshop things like
Lathe / mill-drill 200mm throw,750mm bed
6" bench grinder
19mm pillar drill (floor mount)
assorted older electric drills
small compressor
bike lift
assorted air tools
MIG welder 150amp
Oxy Acet gauges etc

Question - is it worth bringing them with me, or should I sell up and buy new?

Some NZ web sites for tools would be useful for comparisons.

Thanks.

[Ixion]

Lathe would be worth bringing IF you have spare container space

Bike lift, maybe and drill

Small stuff is reasonably priced and available in NZ.

EDIT . Removed warning about voltage. I saw California and assumed USA. NZ and UK is same volts.

[Motu]

What brands are your stuff? You can replace it all with Chinese stuff for a reasonable price over here - but if your stuff is real quality,I'd bring it with me.

[Ixion]

Actually, one factor outweighs everything else.

If you bring the stuff (all of it) with you, when you get here you've got it. Set it up, and you've got the workshop you had back in the UK. No arguments , no questions .

But -- if you selll it up in the UK, come out thinking you'll replace it - well, WILL you? Or, given that there are always far more expenses than expected when doing such a move , will your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/partner/goat (either present or one you acquire here) put the nix on spending money on what she/he/it thinks is non important? So it either DOESN'T get replaced , or it does but at the cost of marital/goatly disharmoney and arguments and unpleasantness.

Known a good few folk fall into that trap.

[Supertwin Don]

At the moment, her indoors dosen't really appreciate the space that 3 bikes plus all the workshop gear will take up!
None of the gear is particularly of high quality - really just suitable for what I've been doing.
I agree, if I sell off here, I probably won't be willing/able to replace it all up front - not withstanding her plans for when we get back!
We're looking at a 20' container - anybody done similar recently?

[geoffm]

I am currently looking at relocating back to NZ from UK - I have in my garage/workshop things like
Lathe / mill-drill 200mm throw,750mm bed
6" bench grinder
19mm pillar drill (floor mount)
assorted older electric drills
small compressor
bike lift
assorted air tools
MIG welder 150amp
Oxy Acet gauges etc

Question - is it worth bringing them with me, or should I sell up and buy new?

Some NZ web sites for tools would be useful for comparisons.

Thanks.

Try http://www.chevpac.co.nz
http://www.machineryhouse.co.nz
for tool price comparisons.
Like other posters, I would bring whatever you can with you as it is always hard to replace and costs more than you think once it is gone.

[Ixion]

At the moment, her indoors dosen't really appreciate the space that 3 bikes plus all the workshop gear will take up!
None of the gear is particularly of high quality - really just suitable for what I've been doing.
I agree, if I sell off here, I probably won't be willing/able to replace it all up front - not withstanding her plans for when we get back!
We're looking at a 20' container - anybody done similar recently?

A 20' container should be a good size for 3 bikes + workshop gear. Might even be able to pack a bit of other stuff around the bikes to serve as padding.