May I add a few other "must haves" in the garage. A multi meter is a must, check for continuity in wiring, battery voltage and charging system output, and finding shorts. They are dirt cheap nowadays because you really don't need a high end version (you're not working on the space station). Another cheap must have tool is the circuit tester seen hanging at every parts store. (screwdriver shape but with a needle point, bulb inside and approx 4ft of wire with a clip) There are 2 types, one with just a bulb in it to check for electrical current and another with a bulb and battery which is great for identifying wires/ checking continuity. (attach clip to one end on spaghetti wiring mess and touch tester to the wiring mess on the other end till the bulb lights and bingo! ) All these lil' tools are dirt cheap and really take the frustration out of working on electrical issues. (unless it's old Lucas wiring then there must be a goat sacrificed to the Prince of Darkness before you touch it) LOL! Another great video!
+1 on the dvom. A Fluke 115 is the cheapest I would go on meters. The $30 meters are ok for checking continuity and battery status, but after you replace them a few times (you get what you pay for) you could have gotten a meter that will last your lifetime, and will be much more accurate. The cheaper ones can lead you to needlessly replacing reg/rectifiers, and the ultimately the meter. Granted that I'm a licensed mechanic with 20 yrs exp (bikes, auto, aviation) a quality meter and factory service manual (or reprint from Helm inc for about $30) will benefit the serious enthusiast as much as it does the professional service tech. Remember this: Sometimes a voltage only has to be more negative to become a switch, or a signal.
Best tool that I ever purchased, not actually a tool per se, but my Snap-on toolchest. I managed to buy a really good second hand 5 drawer toolchest, it then gave no the opportunity to store and organise all my hand tools. Should have bought years before I did. Fully agree with the logic applied to you tool list Stuart. One thing to add is to purchase a set of JIS screwdrivers, these are very similar to the traditional Philips head but fit the Japanese Industrial Standard screws.
Personally I'll use Amazon for it's search engine then purchase from the manufacturer cheaper or not. Trying not to give mr. Bazos even more money. Once I had a German ww2 tank tool set the small one I'm told a larger one was also in a tank I never saw one of those. I imagine getting one of these across the pond at swap meets or? Is a lot easier than in the colony. The quality of these tools and the metals used in them I've never seen after. The wrenches were these very innovative clip spring type so one wrench would fit 3 sizes of bolts. Nuts. The steel was a quality beyond anything I've seen since . Would definetly recommend keeping an eye out for. Do you have the problem of freezing in your garage? Thx again for the awesome vids
Good list; think I need to get a tap and die set! Another item to go with the bullet connectors is a roll of wire in case you need to replace a piece. And with the manuals, I've taken mine apart and put each page in a plastic sleeve (available at any office supply store) and put the whole thing in a binder; keeps the pages clean, and allows you to lay it out flat while you're using it. Takes some time to do that but well worth it and not expensive.
Just an idea. Assuming that no copyright laws are infringed in the process, then that could be a good time to also scan the pages and save to a disk for future reference..print the page(s) relevant to the task. Then you can use hi-liter on diagrams without damage to originals.
gaffer tape turning no no no into mmmmmm is always a great thing for your kit mate I just wrap it around a screw driver in my tool roll as well as insulation tape
@5:30 Hi dear Stuart, about those red bullet connectors and all electrical contacts in general, you should have in your toolbox what we call "dielectric grease". I am using the PERMATEX Dielectric Tune-Up Grease on all my bikes for some time. That grease is non-conductive and protects electrical connections and wiring from salt, dirt, moist and corrosion. Extends the life of bulb sockets. Prevents voltage leakage around any electrical connection. Triumph uses that kind of stuff on all bikes coming out from factory. This is an interesting product to consider too. Thanks again for your (winter) time and nice video as usual ! Regards.
"OX-Gaurd" is another nice one to have in the home shop. It doesn't dry out, it improves the connection, and prevents/reduces OXidation. Battery terminals and ground connections are the most useful spots for this product outside of its intended use for electricians.
Haynes manual? Who doesn't have a Haynes for their bike/car? It's the start of your tool kit. They also have a fantastic museum which holds a bike meet on the 3rd Sunday morning every month (www.himm.co.uk). Nice to see the cat making an appearance
Helm inc may still offer reprints of FSM's for reasonable money. They include service bulletins, and much greater detail. The last time I purchased one it cost me $35, shipped to my door for a '78 Honda CB750-K. Sometimes I find pdf versions of manuals which allows me to print the sections I need at the time of service, which I add to the service records for the particular bike. That service record is a big deal when I sell the bike. It Helps to show that a professional level of maintenance was performed, and justifies the asking price...assuming that anyone ever sells their beloved, but now used motorcycle.
Another great video, Stuart. Slightly odd question - have you propped up your sidestand for some mechanical/oiling benefit or is it just to give you some more room in you garage?
This list could potentially be endless but your vid covered some much over looked items. Really enjoy your professional productions which seem to be getting better all the time. The work you put into this is amazing and helpful! A million thanks Stuart!
Another cool video Stuart . However I thnk you forgot to put "No More Nails" on the list , in case things fall off , handlebars, Cylinder Head etc . Cheers mate
In the old days when the common people could not afford a car and England you would ride your motorcycle through the winter by hooking a sidecar on to it therefore making it less prone to having an accident. Insurance companies used to give you a discount if you put a sidecar on your bike throughout the winter.
In the old days when the weather turned bad you put a sidecar on your bike at your insurance rates drop by half with the right gear cold winter riding is more enjoyable and sweltering in the summer
No walt RG2 is what I use for bearings etc, white grease I use on external parts that can come into contact with heavy spray, although Fuchs recommend RG2 will work under the same conditions.
A label printer that prints on shrink tubing and flat labels has become one of my favorite tools. When using aftermarket to replace or upgrade a system, the FSM doesn't know what color or gauge wires will be used by non-OEM, so it's nice to label the new wires with a code that I catalog in the "Notes" section of the manual with appropriate nomenclature. Adding heated grips to your adventure bike? Label the wires and relays, then write a brief service bulletin and include the instruction sheet if applicable. Future diagnostics testing can be simplified by taking these steps. I've replied to several comments, to share some of my experience/knowledge. Aside from A&P school, licensed bike mech, and so forth, I have over a decade of professional experience that follows a decade of learning that I have "the knack". My only intention is to be helpful to those who've been, and those who come.
@@stuartfillingham Thank you! I learned about the Dymo label maker system, and coding, while rewiring the wing of a Lear jet. Later I found that labeling the push-pull cables, vacuum lines, etc took much of the frustration out of re-jetting carbs since I could jump straight to reassembly, without what equates to ongoing diagnostics to determine where each component went. Now I even lable spark plug leads. I guess that a hundred basket case bikes will do that to a man! I respect you and what you're contributing to the motorcycling community. Young blood misses out on what has been a large part of being a 'biker'...the fellowship of passing wrenches, sharing tips, and knowing their bike is ready for another adventure. Motorcycling saved my life. I hope that another generation gets that opportunity
You can buy A4 sheets of wrap around labels you can laser print. Made by Brady or Panduit. Brady is better you get the software free. Simple clear pvc tube can be cut sliced and placed over the Wire then the label wrapped around if you need label that floats on the wire.
@@twinphill900 Been to Newcastle. We did a drive from Cairns to Sydney a few years back and stopped at most of the towns on the East Coast. Mooloolaba in surfers paradise was memorable. Lovely place Australia....we are overdue for a return.
Hey Stuart, One thing I'd love to get for me t100, is the grab bar. I saw yours on your video of the front fork brace. I'm having such a problem finding it. It looks like 2 different piece's, right? Surly gonna keep searching. My local Triumph dealer is small and carry hardly anything for anything before 2010. Keep up the good work Stuart, thanks
Just watched this, some really good advice, though a couple of points I would add (most of my experience is with pre 1970 English motorcycles): Haynes manuals are ok, but if you can get a genuine factory manual they are normally far better, I do that for all my bikes, even when I have had modern Triumph's/KTM/BMW'S. Electrical connections: for old type bullet connectors I prefer soldered fittings than crimp on, I find them more reliable and stronger: does add a soldering iron and solder to the tool kit. For crimp on fittings I prefer a ratchet type crimping tool, they are more expensive but do a better job. I prefer to use weatherproof connecters with rubber seals built in to prevent water damage such as AMP Econoseal. An electric multimeter is essential for testing electrics, I use a vintage AVOmeter that is excellent and will likely outlast me, for modern vehicles I also have an oscilloscope which is handy for waveform signals. This may have been covered in another video but some tools need to be good quality or they chew up fasteners: screwdrivers, hex drives/allen keys , Torx drives and even spanners. My preferences are Wera screwdrivers, Bondhus allen keys, most of my spanners are old but good quality King Dick and Britool, though I have Halfords Professional and Teng metric and they seem ok. Other tools that to me are essential are a good vice, a workbench and a hydraulic press for fitting and removing bearings. Tool buying can become an obsession, I am never sure where to stop now, though I use my workshop to make special tools for my bikes as well as parts: I have a mill, lathe, Mig Welder and Plasma Cutter.
Another brilliant video, thanks! I am an avid follower of all the videos, bought a 2001 T100 last year after a lifetime of riding/falling off them through the years. The tips on equipping for the jobs that will inevitably pop up are sensible. I will get shot down I suspect, going completely off-topic but have you ever covered windscreens? I have always favoured them as I ride in all weathers but the recent bike has a fairly large Triumph screen that LOOKS great but creates a pocket of beffeting air just where my poor head lies. Adjust the screen I hear people say, but there is no adjustment that can alter the angle of the screen and thus move that horrible buffeting area forward or back. I know some wind comes up from the sides as well but any tips on my problem would be appreciated. Cheers Stuart, Liam
Brrr, makes me feel cold just looking at the opening scene but the sight of puss warmed me up again. Some good tips there Stuart, thanks. Can't tell you the number of times I've run around looking for electrical connectors only to have to run up to the service station/auto shop to buy some... How about a selection of washers, spring washers as these seem to disappear into the cracks and under the bench in my garage?! While you have to deal with black ice at present we have to deal with melting tarmac and it's almost always on the bends for some reason..!
I wrap about two feet on a fuse puller, the little plastic gripper style and a couple of spares and put em in the small storage area under the seat. Weighs very little, and I have it just in case at all times. Check it yearly to make sure tape is good. If not, I only lost two feet, re-wrap and good to go!
Save yourself a lot of damage if you don't already know if you use red Loctite or blue Loctite blue Loctite just hate to note up a little bit with a torch and it'll come off very easily
Great advice, thanks. I carry a few bits on the bike. I have even used a cable tie to seal a small hole in a coolant hose and stop a leak. It easily held for over a hundred miles to get me home.
