WORKSHOP
because most of us don’ t do that anyway. This list will give you the basic tool kit to tackle most jobs including adjusting the chain, replacing brake pads, air and oil filters
HEX AND TORX KEYS Hex keys( also known as Allen keys) will let you get the bodywork off to clean road crud out of the hard to reach places and undo front wheel pinch bolts. A set covering 3mm-10mm will do most jobs. BMW and KTM bikes are typically fitted with Torx rather than Allen bolts.
RATCHET AND SOCKETS A 3 / 8th drive ratchet and a short extension bar along with 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm and 22mm sockets will do everything from removing brake calipers to removing the tank and loosening the sump bolt.
TORQUE WRENCH It’ s not a specialist tool. It’ s an essential tool.
Unless you’ ve spent years finely honing your ability to tell when something is tightened‘ just right’, under the guidance of a zen-like workshop master, this is for you. It’ s all too easy to tighten the sump plug or a spark plug too much and strip the thread; one of our own team stripped the sump bolt on their Honda CRF250 Rally a couple of years back. Any steel bolt going into soft aluminium needs a torque wrench to get it right. Get it wrong and it’ s going to cost you.
SPANNERS A 27mm and a 32mm will loosen most rear wheels. Corresponding some spanners to the sockets( 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19mm) will hold the opposite end of any bolts. They also fit the chain adjusters; we’ d recommend a couple of 10, 12 and 13mm spanners because some chain adjusters use the same size for both adjuster and locknut.
KIWI RIDER 97