[MotoMike]

Basic Tools:

- Metric Hex Keys - 4,5, & 6mm

- Metric Combination & Box End Wrenches - 6,8,10,12,14,17,19, & 24mm

- Metric Sockets - Six Point, Standard & Deep - 1/4" Drive: 6,8, & 10mm - 3/8" Drive: 10,12,14,17,19, & 24mm

- 1/4" & 3/8" Drive Standard Ratcheting Handles

- 1/4" & 3/8" Extensions (various lengths, including wobble type)

- 1/4" Drive Ratcheting Driver Handle ("T" or screwdriver style)

- 3/8" Drive Breaker Bar or T-Bar Handle

- 3/8" Drive Torque Wrench (click type)

- Honda Spark Plug Socket Wrench - P/N 89216-MAT-000

- Japanese Industrial Standard Screwdrivers

- Needle Nose Pliers, Standard & Long Reach

- Slip Joint Pliers, Standard

- Hammers: Dead blow; Plastic/Rubber Head; Ball Peen

- Punch Set

- Snap-On Pick Set

- Rear Shock Spanner

- Angled Feeler Gauge Set, Tapered Blades

- Digital Multimeter

- Battery Tender (or other small charger suitable for motorcycle batteries)

- Flexible LED Inspection Light

- Small Inspection Mirror

- Utility Knife (and extra blades)

- Ruler & Tape Measure

- Long Reach Tweezers

- Magnetic Pickup Tool

- Control Cable Lubrication Tool

- Chain Breaker Tool

- Plastic Bristle Chain Cleaning Brush & Toothbrushes

- Small Long Reach Funnel

- Clear Vinyl Hose (small diameter, for bleeding brake calipers)

- Oil Drain Pan, Clean Drain Pan/Containers (for engine coolant, brake bleeding, etc.)

- Tire Pressure Gauge (dial or digital)

- Tire Valve Chuck, Blower Attachment, Air Hose

- Small Air Compressor (1.5 HP, 2 Gal., 120 PSI)

- Heavy Duty Tie Downs, Soft Hooks, & HD Eye Lag Bolts (to suspend front end of bike from garage rafters, for front suspension work)

- Rear Wheel Paddock Stand

- Model Specific Factory Service Manual

- Notebook & Pens/Pencils

Expendable Supplies:

- Anti-Seize Compound (for frequently removed bolt & screw threads, and other applications)

- Loctite Thread Lock, Medium & High Strength (for specific applications)

- Water Proof Wheel Bearing Grease

- High-Temp Black RTV Silicone

- Handgrip Cement

- DOT 4 Brake Fluid

- Aerosol Brake Cleaner

- Engine Coolant

- O-Ring Safe Chain Lubricant

- Kerosene (for drive chain & misc. parts cleaning)

- WD-40 Spray Lubricant

- Paint Pen, White or Yellow (for marking critical torqued fasteners)

- Shop Towels (paper & cloth)

- Oil Absorbent "Pig Mat" (or plastic sheeting, for oil filter changes and lubing drive chain)

- Latex Gloves and/or Hand Cleaner

 

[Cropper]

good list yes, but wrenches don't spin themselves. Someone has to use them and that someone has to have an idea what they are doing... What we could use are some basic DIY maintenance videos to help walk the newbs through... CBR300R would actually be the perfect bike to ease into motorcycle maintenance, well aside from an old 2 stroke...

 

[MotoMike]

An official Honda factory Service Manual is the best source for information. Too many videos, like many of the ones found on YouTube are full of mis-information.

Also, the Owner's manual supplied with all new Honda motorcycles covers basic maintenance, like oil changes, etc.

 

[Ortega]

being a beginners bike I can see a lot of people wanting to see a list like this as with any cheap bike like this you get a lot of DIY'ers.

Thanks for posting this.

 

[CBRninja]

An official Honda factory Service Manual is the best source for information. Too many videos, like many of the ones found on YouTube are full of mis-information.

Also, the Owner's manual supplied with all new Honda motorcycles covers basic maintenance, like oil changes, etc.

and you can refer to the CBR250 service manual since its basically the same thing.

 

[Cropper]

heres an online motorcycle repair course. The guy offers general repair info intended to go side by side with your manufacturer shop manual...

Motorcycle Repair Course

 

[Bozzo]

MotoMike,

Are you familiar with harbour freight tools?

Looking to get a lift and dolly from them or can you suggest another brand?

 

[CBRninja]

harbour freight is cheap

with that in mind.. the quality is also insanely cheap

its like the walmart of tools.

 

[Ortega]

Always dreamed of having a mass collection of tools from Snap-On

 

[Bozzo]

harbour freight is cheap

with that in mind.. the quality is also insanely cheap

its like the walmart of tools.

Walmart of tools? I don't know I've never dealt with them. Is there any other places you can point me towards. reason being, spring is around the corner just looking for decent tools and equipment use during maintenence.

 

[Cropper]

Always dreamed of having a mass collection of tools from Snap-On

Theres no point anymore. Snap-Ons competitive advantage was lifetime warranty, now you can get craftsman, i believe Matco and Kobalt also offer a lifetime warranty as well...

 

[CBRninja]

THey do but the quality of the tools still goes to snap on

If you compare the two you can see which tool is better.

But of course if the cheaper brands come with lifetime warranty and you aren't a pro, snap on is overpriced.

sometimes you can find great deals on tools online on amazon or ebay

even check craigslist for used snap on tools.

 

[Ortega]

Theres no point anymore. Snap-Ons competitive advantage was lifetime warranty, now you can get craftsman, i believe Matco and Kobalt also offer a lifetime warranty as well...

that's true, it helps. Craftsman tools may not be able to handle as much stress as Snap-On or Mac tools but the lifetime warrant makes it worth it. break a tool and you just go in and exchange it. Easy.

 

[Bozzo]

Have you guys everthought about getting your own tire mount tool and balancer or do you guys just drop them off at the shop?

I usually leave everything to the shop but thinking about ti why not learn how to do it myself. How many of you guys would like to start DIYing?

 

[kiwi rider]

Handy workshop tools

Two items that are a great asset to anyone planning on working on their own bike.

1. A set of quality ratchet spanners. These speed jobs up immensly and are great for hard to reach areas. Also your not knocking around the paint on the fastener as much because once you put the ring over the fastener it stays on until the bolt is loose or tight. Ideally you want a set containing sizes 8mm - 19mm for working on Japanese motorcycles.

2. T handle hex/allen keys. Again, great for undoing hard to reach allen screws and just quicker and more comfortable to use than the traditional L shaped allen keys. sizes 3 - 8mm will cover your CB/R300 maintenance chores.

The main thing for newbies to remember is not to use adjustable wrenches/ shifters/ Cresents or what ever else you may call these nut and bolt head wreckers. They are notorious for rounding off nuts and bolts. No, no, no!

 

[dsimmo]

Two items that are a great asset to anyone planning on working on their own bike.

1. A set of quality ratchet spanners. These speed jobs up immensly and are great for hard to reach areas. Also your not knocking around the paint on the fastener as much because once you put the ring over the fastener it stays on until the bolt is loose or tight. Ideally you want a set containing sizes 8mm - 19mm for working on Japanese motorcycles.

2. T handle hex/allen keys. Again, great for undoing hard to reach allen screws and just quicker and more comfortable to use than the traditional L shaped allen keys. sizes 3 - 8mm will cover your CB/R300 maintenance chores.

The main thing for newbies to remember is not to use adjustable wrenches/ shifters/ Cresents or what ever else you may call these nut and bolt head wreckers. They are notorious for rounding off nuts and bolts. No, no, no!

I have a set of ratchet spanners 6-19mm, one of the best buys I ever got. I also have a set of Red Pro 1/4" socket sets for small jobs on the bike. Also a set of Teng Tools 3/8" and 1/2" socket sets for larger jobs. Also a set of ball end Alan Keys as I find them better for hard to get to places.

 

[Abone]

Great idea and thread. The tool I would add is a good torque wrench. I only have a large one for adjusting the rear tire axle, but I'm sure there are many other places it could be used as well.

 

[kiwi rider]

Great idea and thread. The tool I would add is a good torque wrench. I only have a large one for adjusting the rear tire axle, but I'm sure there are many other places it could be used as well.

Torque wrenches are handy but not essential if your just starting out and on a budget tool wise as a good quality one is an expensive tool.
Personally I don't use a torque wrench on my bike at all but I use them at work regularly.

The other piece of kit I use all the time on my bike is a 1/4" drive socket set.
Esp essential if your into modding!

 

[MotoMike]

A 1/4" drive socket set is definitely the way to go for many of the smaller fasteners on a motorcycle. Problem with a 3/8" drive ratchets, torque wrenches & sockets is that for those who might be a bit ham fisted, you can get into trouble with broken bolts very quickly. A classic example are the screws securing the oil filter cover... very easy to apply too much torque with 3/8" drive tools. I usually just use a small 8mm box end wrench for those smaller hex head screws.

 

[MotoMike]

DeWalt makes a nice Hex Key set...

For applications where access to the screw head is difficult, these Bondhus Ball drive Hex Keys are the way to go...