CW Product Review: Snap-on Cycleset On the Road Motorcycle Maintenance Kit

Years ago, Bell Helmets had an advertising slogan that imparted a world of wisdom in very few words: "If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet."

That very same philosophy could also be applied to countless other aspects of motorcycling...including your choice of on-the-road toolkits. The last things you need in the event of a mid-trip mechanical malfunction are pliers that have fallen apart during the ride, screwdrivers that don't fit snugly into screw heads and wrenches that jump and skip over the hex corners of bolts and nuts instead of turning them.

No such problems with the Cycleset On the Road Motorcycle Maintenance Kit from Snap-on (www.snapon.com). This 33-piece toolkit (part # PAK562430; $249) is specifically intended for American-made motorcycles (okay, Harley-Davidsons, mostly) and was designed to help a rider accomplish the most common roadside repairs and maintenance. Included in the kit are a top-quality 1/4-inch-drive ratchet and sliding T-handle breaker bar; a 4-inch-long 1/4-inch-drive extension; six 1/4-inch-drive sockets ranging from 1/4 to 9⁄16; two 3⁄8-inch-drive sparkplug sockets (5⁄8- and 13⁄16-inch); and a 1/4- to 3⁄8-inch-drive adapter. There also is a wide selection of Allen, Torx, Phillips- and slotted-head bits that plug into a magnetic bit holder. In addition, you get a 0-to-1 3⁄8-inch adjustable (crescent) wrench, a sparkplug gapping tool and even a 10mm combination wrench (for battery-cable bolts). It's all packaged in a three-segment fold-out Cordura pouch that has see-through pockets for everything, and the pouch then fits into a 10-inch-long, 5 1/2-inch tall, 2 1/4-inch-thick zippered Cordura bag shaped like a motorcycle gas tank. The bag even has a clear, full-width pouch on the inside in case you want to tote along some paperwork or a few extra tools.

Though Snap-on never mentions Harley-Davidson by name in its promotional materials for the Cycleset, the terminology used in the description of each individual tool's specific application makes it clear that the kit was designed with Milwaukee's Finest in mind. The T25 and T30 Torx bits, for example, are described for use "on switches and clutch and derby covers"—the latter a unique nickname for the large round clutch-access cover on an H-D Big Twin's primary case. Other tools are given similar specific tasks—"belt adjustment," "clutch pressure plate adjustment," "ignition switch cap & housing," etc. that would apply exclusively or primarily to Harleys.

To be sure, $249 is a lot of jack for a take-along toolkit, but this one contains high-quality, made-in-the-USA tools that are far better than what you get at most auto-parts stores and motorcycle shops. The ratchet is a beautifully made piece with fine-tooth action, the sockets are built with Snap-on's patented Flank Drive design (that grabs the hex away from the corner to reduce the likelihood of slippage, even on a rounded-off nut or bolt), and the adjustable wrench has the feel of quality and permanence. And just because it's called an on-the-road toolkit doesn't mean you can't use it anywhere, even at home.

It's no rollaway toolbox, obviously, and it doesn't pretend to be one; but as a roll-up toolbag, it's the best I've ever seen.