Motohansa Tools: Experience/Opinion?

[KneeDrachen]

Looking at purchasing the larger Motohansa tool set from Ted Porter's Beemer Shop.  Anyone have experience/opinions on these tools?  I currently carry a RRR tool roll in my ST1300, and swap it between bikes, but it lacks the Torx bits, axle/spark plug tools etc.  It'd be nice to have a tool kit for each bike so I do not run the risk of forgetting tools when I need them.

 

What say ye collective?

[dirtrider]

 

3 hours ago, KneeDrachen said:

Looking at purchasing the larger Motohansa tool set from Ted Porter's Beemer Shop.  Anyone have experience/opinions on these tools?  I currently carry a RRR tool roll in my ST1300, and swap it between bikes, but it lacks the Torx bits, axle/spark plug tools etc.  It'd be nice to have a tool kit for each bike so I do not run the risk of forgetting tools when I need them.

 

What say ye collective?

 

Afternoon  KneeDrachen

 

I'm not impressed, especially for the price but if you want a somewhat large & heavy gob of tools to weigh your bike down then that set at least comes as a kit.

 

Personally, I'm all about ONLY carrying what is needed & not complete sets.

 

You don't need the coil tool (I use 2 screwdrivers) or even a piece of heavy weight string will remove the coils.

 

Very easy to make an axle removal tool with a bolt & nut. Or better yet (personally)  I use a long tie nut from home Depot .

 

A small (cheap) volt/ohmmeter is a BIG asset on a newer BMW electrical marvel bike, some zip ties, some tape & mechanics wire wound on a short pencil, a thin lightweight spark plug socket & a way to deliver & drive it, definitely Torx bits in the sizes  that YOUR BIKE uses, a few 6 point sockets in the sizes that you would regularly use  & a light weight ratchet or small T bar, a small driver + extension for a few 1/4 drive sockets (in sizes that your bike uses), a small pair of pliers, a very small set of vice grips, (more)  but only what is needed.

 

A good BRIGHT but small flashlight OR, (if I'm going far & riding a lot at night I also like to carry a lightweight head mounted light as that allows things to be done in the dark hands free (like plug a tire or troubleshoot a basic problem)

 

What I usually tell new BMW riders is to just keep track of what you commonly use to get the plastics off of the bike & what you normally need to do a basic home service THEN, try to find those tools in a very light (but strong) version (or make them lighter & dual purpose).

 

If you need a tool to remove the front axle then make/buy one in a lightweight form.

 

After a service or two you will have a pretty good idea of what you basically need & should carry (don't overdo it as the weight adds up fast as well as very limited on-bike storage space.

 

Buy a decent tire plugging kit THEN just before you replace your worn out tires practice plugging holes it them so  your first motorcycle tire repair isn't laying on your side in the dark with rain coming down with a flashlight in your teeth. (I'll  almost guarantee that the first tire repair in the dark along a road side  will result in missing the correct hole angle if you don't practice it a few times  in the daylight first)  

 

I also carry a small cheap electric air pump (a basic Slime Pump, or Wally World 12v air pump with the large plastic housing removed (JUST the motor & pump). I shorten the hose to only a foot or so but lengthen the wires to reach both tires   (easier to pack the longer wires than the longer thicker hose.

 

Basically carry things that you will USE for basic repairs, you just are not going to overhaul your transmission or engine along the side of the road.

 

Personally, I also carry a light (but very strong) tow strap. Those things are great for towing your (or someone else's)  bike to a safe well lit place to work on it. (over the years  I have probably used my head mounted light & tow strap more than anything else I carry but the small volt/ohmmeter comes in a very close second.

 

 

 

 

[Rougarou]

19 hours ago, KneeDrachen said:

, axle/spark plug tools etc. 

 

What say ye collective?

 

13/16" spark plug socket reversed will remove the axle, no need for a fancy ($$$) single job specific tool when most DIY'ers have this laying in a tool box (likely in the very back because of it's seldom intended use).  I use an extension in the open(spark plug) side and the hex portion goes directly in the axle.  Coils, as DR said, two screw drivers will pop them off.  I also just use the bike key for removal of the oil fill

[JR356]

If you look at JVB's website,he has a toolkit list for most BMW's.

Create your own based off that list,other sources.

There are a number of tool rolls out there or just use a nylon bag.

I found a heavy duty multi compartment fanny pack bag my wife had discarded,turned it into my tool bag.Has served me well for several years.

 

JR356

[elkroeger]

There's a couple of Motohansa kits on there, and they seem super expensive to me.  If you're interested in a pre-fab kit, take a look at Cruz-Tools.  They're about 1/2 the price, or less.  I have one of their little socket sets.  They always looked like nice quality tools.  Better yet, go over to Aerostich, get an empty tool roll, then fill it yourself.

 

DR has good advice.  But I probably have more of and omni-kit take on the whole thing.  I want a few things that would be useful for repairing minor get-off damage and the like.

[Ewell D.]

+1 on the Cruz tool kits. They offer bike specific kits and the quality is good. You can save money by piecing your own kit together using for example the Aerostich tool roll. I have done both but the last two times I have just purchased the Cruz kits and saved myself a lot of running around if not money.