What's in your Tool bag?

[JohnKiniston]

In another thead Stilts mentioned he was getting geared up for a long distance ride. Since I just did one this weekend I thought I'd share what I carry with me in my Glovebox for tools.

Everything fits in a shaving bag I bought at a dollar store.

I have 4 Screw drivers, 2 short 2 long 1 each Philips and standard.
One socket wrench and assorted sockets.
Combination wrenches.
Spare inner clutch cable and two Knarps.
Wire Cutter/Stripper, Spare jumper wire, Electrical Tape
Spare Bulbs and fuses
Most of a stock Stella tool kit, (Plug wrench & Pliers), My screw drivers replaced the ones it came with.
Tire pressure gauge
Flashlight
Mutli-Tool
Gloves
Dollar Store bath towel
Set of Mini wrenches and a Mini socket set ( Bought from treatland.tv as Moped tools)

I can be specific on my wrench and socket sizes upon request.

With my 2T Stella I'd carry a selection of Jets and a small bottle of Oil too.

I need to get a new tube patch kit, Thought I had one in there.

I also carry a small first aid kit, sun screen, phone charger, 'Cool Tie' and probably some other junk not mentioned loose in the glove box.

[Lokky]

definitely always have a spare bottle of 2T oil with me, also since I carry spare cables I always bring a bottle of triflo to lubricate them in case they need to be used.

[Stitch]

Extra quart of oil, some wire. Adjustable
Wrenches. A bungee cord. A coil bracket. The stock tool kit. Random screwdrivers. A ratchet. Premix bottle. Some bubble wrap (keeps my loose tools from rattling). A pocket knife. Some nuts and bolts that I've accumulated. A plastic bowl, and ten pounds of other random stuff that just ends up in the glovebox.

[ericalm]

From a post I did for our scooter group, more than just tools…

For the Stella, I should be carrying some cables and a fourth hand tool, too. Just haven't gotten around to adding them yet.

We often get questions about what to carry on your scooter and it came up again recently.

I have two sets of carry-ons, one for everyday and one for long rides and trips. Below is an image showing many of the items:


Believe it or not, all this easily stows away in the white tool bag (left) and fits either in underseat storage or larger glove boxes with plenty of room to spare!

Essential Items to Carry Every Day

• first aid kit: I hope you never have to use it, but it's essential. I got a big kit at Target and condensed it down into the red pouch in the photo. Chances are, if you'll need it someday, if not for yourself then another rider.
• flashlights: I carry two kinds, a Mini-Maglite and a clip-on LED (both in the photo) that's useful for seeing in my storage compartments at night or peering under the bodywork.
• towel/microfiber towel: I usually carry two towels, a clean(ish) one for wiping down the windshield or bodywork and another "dirty" towel for wiping things like oil, spilled coffee, etc.
• emergency phone/contact numbers: Good to have these both in a special contact list in your phone and written down or printed somewhere they can be easily found. Should include services like towing companies, insurance, AAA member number if you have that, and emergency contact such as spouse, etc.
• important medical info: If you have medication allergies or other special circumstances or needs, consider something like a Road ID. Not a bad idea for all riders, really.
• documents (license, insurance, registration): A good way to carry these is in an adhesive FedEx envelope (like the ones they use for attaching addresses to packages, etc.) stuck to the inside of your underseat storage. Keeps them in good shape and out of the way.
• cell phone/camera: Should you get in an accident or crash, photo documentation can be essential for insurance claims. It also helped with getting info from other involved parties — don't write it, just get a pic. If you don't have a decent camera phone, get a small disposable camera.
• cell battery/charger: Don't get caught somewhere with a dead phone! You may need it in an emergency. Even if your scooter has am accessory outlet, it's a good idea to snag a backup battery. Mine's the white thing next to the Field Notes in the photo.
• pen and paper: It's still sometimes necessary to write something down or leave a note. Always have a pen and something to write on!
• cash stash: In the event of zombie apocalypse (or even a serious earthquake), ATMs might be hard to come by. Stick a $20 bill with your documents, just in case!

Essential (Basic) Tools

• stock tool kits: If you have the kit that came with your scooter, it usually contains a screwdriver, spark plug tool and essential wrenches. I've replaced most of the items in mine with better tools over time.
• screwdriver: The screwdriver that came with your stock tool kit is probably crummy. Get a decent Philips and a decent flathead. Harbor Freight hand tools are okay for this sort of thing, and cheap!
• small adjustable wrench: Lots of uses, but one most frequent is that one of your mirrors will come loose during a ride someday.
• tire gauge: SO important. See our tire tips for why!
• pliers/needle nose
• disposable rubber gloves: Even basic stuff like checking oil or your tires can be messy.

Less Essential Items and Tools

• tote bag: The little X-Games pouch in the photo is an expandable Chico Bag. Great for unplanned runs to the store or for food.
• trash bag(s): Many uses, including covering your seat in an unexpected rain.
• bungee cords/net: If you have a rack, bungee nets are great!
• electric tape
• zip ties
• wipes: Packs of moist hand wipes.
• spray for visor: Small spray bottles can be found at Target and 99¢ Stores.
• locking pliers
• multitool: Despite all their purposes and uses, I usually just need the knife or scissors. Actual pliers, screwdrivers, etc. generally better.
• owner's manual or workshop/repair manual: Many of these are available online if you don't have yours. I have mine in PDF form on my smartphone so they don't take up space in the scoot.
• sunscreen

The Long Ride Items

• tire plug kit: Tubeless tire trepair kits are cheap and easy to use.
• small socket wrench, extension, sockets: Learn the common bolt sizes for your scooter.
• allen wrenches
• air pump/compressor: Also discussed in our tire maintenance post.
• fuses: Most scooters only have one or two essential fuses. The most important is the one that's usually by the battery.
• spare fuel bottle(s): I have a few Brunton 1L fuel bottles for spare gas. Primus and MSR are also common brands. You can get them pretty cheap online if you look around. They're safe to carry on the scooter, just don't overfill and don't carry in your underseat storage.
• spare oil and funnels: We have a post for that, too! I'll bring one funnel for oil, one for the spare gas bottles.
• water/hydration pack: Dehydration is a common problem on long rides and can cause everything from heat exhaustion to difficulty riding.

Of course, these lists are by no means comprehensive and different riders and scooters may have specific needs. Some may need locks and security. For some scooters, it's a good idea to bring certain parts on the big rides such as belts, spark plugs, clutch and throttle cables (for the manual shifters), etc. If you're going on a long, multi-day voyage, your list may include more spare parts and tools.

[BuddyRaton]

This is pretty much it...but I don't always carry a spare top end!

[toot]

AAA phone # of course!!!