hallzee said:
Forget the cartridges. Get a small compressor. I speak from wisdom learned the hard way, Grasshopper...
+1 on Brian's note about the OEM Tool Kit and CO2 cartridges. I didn't use the cartridges on my bike, but we did on another rider's bike who stopped by and asked if his tire "looked flat" on his <400 mile total Suzuki Blvd (it didn't help by having >500lbs between the two on the bike). The tire was, in fact, flat - huge puncture we fixed on the spot with a repair kit. The CO2 cartridges didn't make a dent in filling them up, but I hooked up my "Slime Air Compressor" and we had his tire pumped up in <10 minutes. I have the smallest one that claims to be able to pump up a car tire in <14 minutes and it fits perfectly in my small additional tool kit.
My small additional tool kit (a WalMart purchased small soft case fishing bag = 6"x6"x10" (fully packed) weighs about 6-7 lbs and contains:
- two plastic boxes (came with bag) with dividers
- spare bulbs for all lights
- extra fuzes that match the ones required (hard to find the 4amp ones, so I bought and keep extra on hand)
- hex wrench set with rounded ends on the long side (helps get the touch angles)
- ratchet screwdriver handle with metric torx, hex, sockets, and FT/CT screwdriver bits (I purchased the Husky brand at Lowes or Home Depot)
- 10" Craftsman 3/8" ratchet
- 5, 6, 8, 10, & 12mm wrenches, hex heads, and bolt sockets - the most commonly used for possible problems you might encounter
- 6" socket extension
- 1/4"-3/8" and 3/8"-1/2" socket adapters
- lots of black zip ties
- bike tie down strap connectors (4) to properly tie down the bike with ratchets if it ever needs to be towed.
- electrical tape
- electrical wire connectors and quick splice connectors
- velcro wraps (small roll for multiple uses)
I just finished a 1,700 mile ride the first weekend of May and was fortunate to enjoy the ride and weather the entire time without opening my tool bag for myself! I am a little anal and did carry two torque wrenches in 1/4" and 3/8" sizes in their original plastic cases. Having done this, I realized I don't have all the torque specs with me on the bike. My addition to the bag will be the torque specficiation pages from my Clymer's manual copied and folded for reference if I ever need them. These take up quite a bit of room and I'm seriously considering leaving them next time and relying on my calibrated arm ("gut-n-tight") for road-side use and stopping at the first auto parts store or garage to borrow for any torque requirements.
I'm planning a 6K mile 2.5-3 week ride from Texas to the northern tip of Nova Scotia this summer with my son (who owns a Triumph Tiger 955i) and don't plan to take much more, if anything, than listed above due to space requirements!
Good luch and enjoy the ride! :bmw: