Motorcycle tools for every rider…..Okay, let me paint a scene for you.
It’s 93 degrees in the middle of a Missouri summer (the kind where your shirt fuses to your spine the second you move), I’m on my ’03 Shadow Spirit—my very first bike, may she rest in semi-retired glory—and about 27 miles into a “quick” ride when my chain goes full drama queen. Not snapped, but definitely not happy.
And guess what I didn’t have?
Any tools.
Not even a sad little Allen wrench. Not even a multi-tool. Just vibes and regret.
That day taught me what not to do, and what tools I’d never again leave home without.
So yeah—this isn’t some polished listicle. It’s more like me, trying to save future-you from roasting your thighs on hot asphalt while Googling “how to use a shoelace to fix a chain tensioner.” (Spoiler: You can’t.)
Here’s what I swear by now. Call it a list. Call it a therapy session. Either way, here are the top 10 must-have motorcycle tools for every rider, especially the ones who’ve had a few bad days.
1. A Decent Tool Roll (Not That Amazon Special With the Flimsy Snaps)
If your tools live in a sad ziplock bag or worse, a tangled mess under your seat—stop. just stop.
Get yourself a real tool roll. Waxed canvas, solid straps, pockets for the little stuff. Mine looks like it fought in the Revolutionary War and survived a gas leak, but I love it.
What to put in it?
Wrenches (metric, probably), socket set, screwdrivers, zip ties, pliers. The usual suspects.
2. Tire Pressure Gauge (The Tiny One That Somehow Disappears Weekly)
I didn’t used to care about tire pressure. Thought I could eyeball it. (Insert laugh track.)
Turns out, even 3-4 PSI off can mess with your grip and eat up your tires faster than my dog eats my riding gloves (RIP to four pairs now).
Get the little digital one. Bonus if it clips to your keys—at least you’ll lose it less often.
3. Chain Brush + Lube = True Love
Can I confess something dumb?
I thought lubing a chain was like… a once-a-season thing. My chain literally squealed. Like it was begging for mercy.
If your bike has a chain (bless your belt drive if not), a decent chain cleaning brush and lube are non-negotiable. Every 500 miles or so. Or after rain, dirt roads. Or when the bike starts sounding like an angry squirrel.
Seriously. Do it. Your ride will thank you.
4. Multimeter – Because Electricity is Voodoo
I have no idea how electricity works. None. If I’m being honest, I still think it’s just lightning in a wire.
But when your headlight’s out or your battery’s acting sus, a cheap multimeter is the difference between “oh I can fix this” and “welp, time to sell everything and start a new life.”
They’re like $15 and they work magic.
5. Torque Wrench – Yes, Even If You’re Just Changing Oil
This one feels… optional. Until it isn’t.
I overtightened my drain bolt once because I thought I was The Hulk. Stripped the threads. Oil everywhere. Shame forever.
Get a small torque wrench for those delicate things. You don’t need the NASA-approved one. Just something to keep your fasteners from feeling personally attacked.
6. Hex + Torx Set – Because Nothing is Ever Just Phillips Anymore
Modern bikes are wild. One panel’s got Phillips screws, the next has 5mm hex, and then some engineer decided, “Hey, let’s throw a T27 Torx in there. For fun.”
Just get a compact hex and Torx bit set. Stick it under your seat or in your tool roll. You’ll save yourself from that “are you kidding me?” moment.
7. Duct Tape & Zip Ties – The Real MVPs
I don’t even need to explain this, right?
I once held my clutch lever in place with duct tape and prayer long enough to get home. Zip ties? I’ve used them for everything from a loose tail light to “temporarily” fixing a saddlebag strap (it’s still like that. Two years later).
Just always have them. They’re your invisible mechanic friends.
8. Flashlight / Headlamp – Because the Sun Sets
You ever tried to fix something in the dark using your phone flashlight… in your mouth? Yeah. Not fun.
A little rechargeable headlamp changed my life. Suddenly I had hands again. The kind of glow that makes you feel like an off-brand Iron Man.
Pro tip: Keep a spare battery or a USB cable in your kit too.
9. Spare Fuses & Electrical Tape
I once blew a fuse mid-trip and didn’t even realize it. I thought the whole bike was just mad at me. Turns out it was a $0.30 fix.
Toss a few extras in your bag—especially the ones your bike uses most—and a tiny roll of electrical tape. You won’t think about it until you need it. Then you’ll feel like a wizard.
10. Portable Air Compressor or CO2 Kit
Okay, this one sounds extra. But have you ever had a slow leak mid-trip? On a Sunday? In the middle of nowhere?
CO2 kits are small, fast, and easy. Portable air compressors are a bit bulkier but rechargeable and reliable.
Either way—air = life. And legs are not made for pushing a 600 lb bike uphill in riding boots.
Bonus Chaos Tools (Optional but Awesome) for motorcycle tools for every rider
- Gloves – The mechanic kind, not your riding gloves. Save your hands.
- Mini First Aid Kit – You will burn yourself eventually.
- Spare clutch/brake lever – One fall and boom, it’s gone.
- Tiny Notebook & Pen – Jot things down. Leave notes. Draw cartoons when bored at a gas station.
Final Ramble about motorcycle tools for every rider
I’ve had rides that felt like music. Where the road melted away and all that existed was wind and motor and that perfect left turn.
I’ve also had rides where I ended up covered in grease, limping down a gravel road with no reception, muttering “never again” like a spell.
And honestly? Both are part of the fun. But the second kind gets way less miserable when you’ve got the right tools with you.
So treat your tool kit like your second helmet. Not flashy, not always exciting—but absolutely saving your butt when it counts.
You don’t need a full garage in your saddlebags. Just enough to get you home.
Or at least to the next Waffle House.
