Tools

Year: ALL

Here's your guide to preparing your bike for winter storage so it's good to go in spring

05 February 2024 by Bruce Dunn

Plenty of bikers in the UK prefer not to ride through the winter months – whether that’s because they don’t want to expose their pride and joy to road salt, they ride focused sportsbikes that wouldn’t...

Best Motorcycle Cleaning Brushes

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

It’s always nice to be able to spray a cleaning product onto a bike, let it dwell for a little while and then, simply rinse off. We all love it when cleaning the bike takes no more effort than that to...

Best motorcycle suspension upgrades and tools

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Forget about engine tuning or performance pipes if you want to make a dramatic change to your bike’s performance. If you’re looking for something that’ll affect every aspect of your riding,...

The Best Aftermarket Motorcycle Replacement Screens

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Part of the attraction of motorcycling is the freedom, the exposure to the environment, the wind-in-the-hair (helmet notwithstanding, of course) riding experience. Sometimes though, that can get a bit...

Best Motorcycle Mirrors and Accessories

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Sometimes, no matter how hard they try, manufacturers can’t get everything right. And something that can be completely dependent on the size and shape of the rider is how well the mirrors and...

Best motorcycle indicator upgrades

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Motorcycle indicators are hardly the stuff of legend or discussion; you will rarely get another biker coming up to you at a bike meet or a bacon-butty stop to ask where you got them, how you find they...

Keep it under wraps | Best motorcycle covers for indoor and outdoor use tested by us

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

There are lots of reasons for having a motorcycle cover – particularly if you have no garage and have to keep it outside. A cover can keep the wind, rain, and leaves off it so that you won’t need to...

Power play: How to hard-wire heated motorcycle gloves into your bike

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Heated kit is a brilliant addition to your winter riding kit. It allows you to wear less insulating clothing and instead, generate heat to maintain your body temperature while remaining comfortable...

Tried and tested: Healtech Thunderbox review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

One of the issues if you run a collection of electrical accessories – sat-nav, heated kit, phone charger, spotlights – is remembering to turn it all off when you get to your destination and hop off...

Tried and tested: Abba Superbike Stand Review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

This novel take on a motorcycle paddock stand from Abba is a great addition to your home workshop for general maintenance and cleaning. It’s a fact of life that if your bike has – or can have an...

Tried and tested: Ferodo HH sintered brake pads review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Royal Enfield’s Himalayan mini adventure bike has been a great success, thanks to its charm and keen price, of less than £5,000 brand new. However, it is not without its limitations and one has been...

Mobile mechanic: Best portable and onboard toolkits

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

There are times when you need some tools with you on a ride. It might be a day out or a long tour but somewhere along the line you might need a portable and onboard motorcycle toolkit to do a little...

Top gear: Best chain and sprocket upgrades

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

A motorcycle’s chain and sprockets may, at first glance, seem like slightly old-fashioned bicycle technology but are actually one of the most sophisticated bits of kit on your bike. There are...

Tried and tested: Oxford Mint bike care range review

14 September 2023

Mint smells nice, has a close association with freshness and goes well with lamb. Most of these are good affinities to have when looking for bike cleaning products, like the Oxford Mint bike care...

Plug and play: How check and change your motorcycle spark plugs

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Unless you own a diesel motorcycle, then the spark plug in your petrol engine is probably one of the most key components if you want to operate your bike. Of course, there are others – tyres, brakes...

Fluid dynamics: How to change your motorcycle engine oil

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

The oil in your engine is its lifeblood: it lubricates the moving parts and stops them wearing or destroying themselves. It helps to keep everything cool, particularly on ‘air’-cooled engines and it...

Drip feeders: Best motorcycle chain oilers as chosen by MCN

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Aftermarket, motorcycle chain oilers have proved popular with bikers who want to keep their chain lubed without the hassle of getting down on their knees with a spray can and a paddock stand. These...

Dry cleaners: Best motorcycle waterless washes

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Sometimes, thoroughly cleaning your motorbike with a wash, dry, polish and wax, is not just essential to maintain its finish but can be eminently satisfying. The process of turning a filthy bike,...

Going nowhere: Best motorcycle rear wheel spinners

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Unless your bike has a centrestand, cleaning and subsequently lubricating and protecting the chain or cleaning the wheels can be a real pain. That task is made easier with a motorcycle wheel...

Keep corrosion at bay: Best rust-prevention products for your motorbike

14 September 2023 by Jon Urry

Rust is the enemy of the motorcyclist, especially if you ride all year round, whatever the weather. Once corrosion sets in it is extremely hard to get rid of and can make a once beautiful machine look...

Save your energy: How to look after your motorcycle battery

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Motorcycle battery maintenance is a key element to ensuring you can enjoy your riding as much as possible. There is nothing worse than excitedly approaching your bike only to find the starter won’t...

Tried and tested: Gedore 172 Piece Socket Set review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

One of the key ingredients in any home mechanic’s toolkit is a decent socket set. However, getting the right size, particularly for working on motorcycles, is tricky. The Gedore 172 piece socket set...

Nutcrackers: Best spanners for motorcycle maintenance

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

A good socket set is generally top of the wish – or indeed, need – list for any home mechanic’s tool set. However, following it up very closely is a good set of spanners, as sockets without the best...

Do it all: Best multi-tools for motorcycle repairs

14 September 2023 by Chris Williams

Carrying lots of kit isn’t really in line with the motorcycling brief, even with the bigger touring bikes. Yet, multi-tools for motorcycle repairs are handy. Every so often, we need to fettle with...

Gaining altitude: Best motorcycle lifts and benches for your workshop

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

There are some jobs that require you to raise your bike off the ground – taking the wheels or suspension off, for example – and this is easiest with motorcycle lifts and benches. In fact, most jobs...

Strong start: Best motorcycle batteries as picked by MCN

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

We’re all guilty of taking our motorcycle batteries for granted until they eventually run out. Whether it’s through lack of use or the battery is aged and discharging you’ll need a new one at some...

Fan favourite: How to check your motorcycle cooling system

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Checking your motorcycle cooling system is important. In the past, most bikes were air-cooled. Although that’s a bit of a misnomer; it was a combination of air and oil-cooling, with the oil being...

Keep on stopping: How to change motorcycle brake pads

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

It’s inevitable that if you carry out your own maintenance, sooner or later you will be changing motorcycle brake pads. They are, after all, consumable and will need replacing more or less often,...

Tried and tested: Ring RSC706 Battery Charger review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

There’s little particularly interesting about a battery charger. That is until you have a weakening battery, or are perhaps not planning on using the bike for a while over winter, and you want to look...

Tried and tested: Draper Expert T-handle hex keys review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Many of us will have a set of Allen keys in our toolkits that have been there forever. I know I have – several – and they are generally a bit rusty and a bit unloved. There is though another set of...

Get a grip! Best pliers for motorcycle mechanics

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Any home – or even professional – mechanic knows that sometimes, you need to get strong with a bike. Occasionally you need to go to your motorcycle toolkit and get the big breaker bar for a stubborn...

Flat-head or Phillips: Best screwdriver sets for motorcycle maintenance

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

In building a toolkit to use at home to look after your motorcycle, once you have sourced a socket set and spanners, then a screwdriver set is probably the next most essential component that you will...

Advanced mechanics: Best motorcycle workshop luxuries

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

If you enjoy working on your motorcycle, either for essential maintenance or for more in-depth spannering such as restoration work, then you will probably already have a decent range of essential...

Pull up a pew: Best workshop seats

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

If you have an elevating table, working on your motorcycle is so much easier than at ground level. However, they can still mean you need to get on your knees for certain jobs – working on brakes or...

Jet wash: Best motorcycle carburettor cleaners

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

While for most engine work, a can of degreaser will suffice to clean up parts prior to reassembly. However, when it comes to fuel systems, you need a motorcycle carburettor cleaner. Something that...

Tried and tested: Autobrite Direct Extreme Range motorcycle cleaning products review

14 September 2023 by Ryan Gilmore

Since 2005 Autobrite Direct has been offering an excellent range of cleaning products perfect for keeping cars looking better than new. It’s now launched a selection of motorcycle cleaning products...