How much weight and what do you carry in your airhead underseat tool tray?

Seems like mine weighs a lot. Was cracked in several places when I got the bike, made some repairs but its cracking again. Will weigh it after the glue dries. What I carry,

Multi screwdriver (the kind with the bits in the handle)
8mm, 10mm, 12mmx2 wrench
Crescent wrench, medium size
1/4 drive ratchet wrench, sockets up to 13mm and 9/16ths
1/4 drive short extension
extra spark plug,
Spark plug socket
1 small alligator clip wire
small pair vice grips
Allen Key set
Allen key for turning engine over
Feeler gauges
tire pressure gauge
Small LED flashlight

1 clean white t shirt in plastic bag (for getting caught in rain or as a grease rag, or as a signal)
cable lock (masterlock python)
1 small dry bag


So, am I going overboard and abusing my tray? Dont have saddle bags, so it all needs to go in there.

Edit, few things I forgot,
tire schrader valve tool
wire brush
Longish bolt for front caliper removal/adjustment.
$2.25 in quarters. For emergency tolls, parking meters, dinner.
Box cutter knife

I carry the factory BMW tool set, supplemented with -

Folding feeler gauge
Mini-mag light with a 'mouth bit' on it
Spare set of plugs
Crescent wrench

That's about all that will fit with the lid still closing on it. I carry more tools in my panniers tho (metric ratchet, little 'slime' air pump, tire repair stuff, stack o' skin mags, etc.).

What all is in that and how much do you think you have total in there?

Stock tool kit with a few additions.
Multi-bit screwdriver
feeler gauges
2 spare spark plugs
1 spare headlight bulb
small Mag light
tire pressure gauge

As I ride and RT, I also stuff a spare front and rear tube in the pockets of the fairing.

Never needing anything more while touring. I tend to be very minimalistic. Take what I know I can use on the side of the road to get me somewhere to do permanent repairs.

Others will tell you to take everything in your garage, and your two neighbors garages as well.

Oh, and I NEVER use vicegrips on an airhead.

Most of the stuff you list is actually in the stock tool kit, or at least should have been there when new.

I learned long ago that nothing stored under seat of a later model airhead is safe.

On all three of mine, I don't run side covers and I don't run even the tool box.

I keep the tools somewhere else.

Set of allens
Set of ring spanners
Multi screwdriver
Suspension wrench
Stick of epoxy
Little double action bike pump
Bowden cable emergency repair kit
Some zipties
Tape
Rag

No idea what it weighs but it's nice and central so I don't really care.

Though I've been considering building a new under seat tray of some kind, given that I've ditched the old 25Ah car battery for a PC680 mounted across the frame, and now have a gaping hole there that can be filled with Stuff.

It'd be nice if I could get the old Cyclelok six arm in there so I could lose the top box.

Well, here is a pic of the tool kit from Max's website :



THe tool kit is pretty complete - I've been able to do a number of small repairs / tweaks without anything more than the stock tool kit.

I have no idea what the tools weight, and I don't care. First shit-can the tool roll, yea it's cool but it takes up a bunch of space, then nail the cheap linemans plier onto the shop wall.

Add two standard screwdrivers and one of those pocket thingys that salesmen pass out. It has a reversible shank and a magnet on the end. Then add a small needle nose and a pair of mini-dykes. I now have some needle nose Vise-Grips which repaired a broken clutch cable. A 1/4" swivel head socket handle and some sockets, or a few spare 8-to-14 wrenches.

Dismantle or cut off the 3 feeler guages needed for points & valves.

Cut yourself two 12x16" towels. Put one in the tool tray, add the tools tuck up the extra cloth. Insert the 3 feeler guages into a zip lock with 8' of wire, a bit of elec. tape, a small piece of emory paper, $20+ cash, working/tested set of points/condesor, zip ties and a pair of new plugs. Place on top of tools. Add spare brake and clutch cable, multimeter, cover with 2nd towel.

If you can keep the nuts/bolts/screws attached to the bike, diagnose & repair electrical stuff, replace ignition stuff, and keep air in the tires, you can ride the bitch home.

Well it does not sound like I am overloading it, see a few things in your lists I could add in very easily. And that the tool tray cracking is not due to me trying to fit too much in there!

Good suggestions!

I took off the needed feeler gauges, including the one for the points that I bent at an angle (makes it so much easier to work with), and put them in a small case to protect them from getting damaged.

I figured only one spark plug to save space and weight, what are the chances both sides would fail and need to be replaced?

Except for a couple long weekend trips to the mountains each year my airhead riding is 100 to 300 mile day rides.....so the stock tool roll, a bit of paper towel or a cloth rag, a spare spark plug, fuses, a tire valve cap that tightens schrader valves and a disc to set under the kickstand foot for soft soil is all that is under the seat. On a long trip I add a spare rotor and tool to remove it, tire irons, tube, spare diode board, some wax paper funnels and qt. of oil. Of course most of this stuff goes in a tail or tank bag.

A logical point, that makes no freekin' sense. That's about like buy new shoes one at a time.
At $3 apiece, plugs are the best, quickest and cheapest 'test' of faulty running.

I don't even carry 1 new one, I just keep one of the old ones I replace with new ones every major service. After all they were working just fine when I took them out.....If I need a known good one to get home I have one. What are the odds I'll need two on the side of the road? On the other hand, a couple of times in my life I have gotten a faulty plug right out of a new box.

good thoughts on that. Carrying the extra stuff is not to do regular interval service, its there for testing and or repairing to get you home. Sometimes having a "new" part is less reliable than having a known working part.

well now, I have spare plugs,
cloth
CDI
tool roll (fully loaded)
heat paste
cable ties
stanley blade
service details (torque settings, plug gaps, all the usual stuff)
fuses
and a few nuts and bolts.

and I forgot the most useful item, an angle valve adaptor for topping up the air..

+1

Ok, need explanation on these?

Angle valve adaptor..... everyone carries one of these right?



if not how do you top up your tyres with the panniers fitted?

Gotcha! No panniers on mine. I am kinda anti saddle bag on my current bike for all but extreme circumstances.

my stash, decided to add some electrical tape

Stock tool bag, plus
Digital tire pressure guage
4 way screwdriver
Thickness guages

I also keep some fuses and bulbs in a custom cut chunk of foam that lives in the main backbone tube.
After looking at what other people carry, I'm going to add the 90 degree tire valve extender.
Squish, why do you not use the tool box? My /5 box is fine with 37 years and 200k plus, and my '95 PD box is fine at 70,000 miles. I agree about the sidecovers though. My RS sidecovers will reside on a shelf until I decide to sell it.