Having the right tools and equipment in your garage or workshop is important for you to stay on top of your motorcycle maintenance. Whether you’re a keen enthusiast or a novice wanting to get to grips with the basics, you need the correct tools for the job. Doing your own repairs can save money, increase your skills and knowledge, and allow you to have a lot of fun in the process.

In this article, we outline the essentials that you should have in your motorcycle workshop.

Socket sets and spanners

One of the must-haves in any motorcycle workshop is a socket set. These interchangeable attachments are key in loosening and tightening nuts and bolts that hold integral parts of your motorcycle together.

Wheel replacements will almost certainly need a socket wrench and the correct-sized attachment to remove and replace the wheel. Spanners are a more manual form of the same tool and are useful when you can’t access a particular area with a socket wrench.

Torque wrench

A torque wrench does a similar job to a socket wrench but the torque can be set and adjusted depending on how much force you want to put into tightening nuts and bolts. Overtightening can result in damaged fasteners which may be difficult to remove and replace, or even might break entirely.

Screwdrivers

A comprehensive set of screwdrivers is also important to tackle many of the exterior tasks that accompany motorcycle maintenance. A range of head sizes and types will give you the versatility to tackle a broad range of tasks such as removing motorcycle bodywork or fitting accessories to your bike.

Hex keys

Hex keys (also known as Allen keys) are in a similar bracket to screwdrivers but will allow you to tackle jobs where screwdrivers aren’t appropriate. They can loosen and fasten screws that typically attach parts of the bodywork and join internal components together. With a comprehensive range of screwdrivers and hex keys, you should be equipped for many repairs that you may face.

Oil and lubricant dispenser   

Keeping your motorcycle well-oiled, greased and lubricated in the appropriate areas is significant to ensure that it runs smoothly and limits wear and tear. Fluid dispensers, such as these here, allow for easy access and help you to apply fluids where they are needed without creating too much mess.

Components such as the axle need to be greased in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations, whilst the chain needs to be lubricated every 400-600 kilometres – but check your manufacturer's guidelines if you’re unsure.

Rags and cloths

Motorcycle maintenance is a dirty, greasy job so you should have plenty of cleaning supplies to hand. Old rags are handy for wiping grease and oil from your bike, whilst cloths can help to clean and polish the bodywork.

These are the essential tools and equipment you should have ready in your workshop to deal with the basic repairs and maintenance that you may need to tackle on your motorcycle. More specialised tools will be needed if you are to contend with more serious tasks, but these should give you a good baseline to work from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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