Having a well-stocked tool kit can be the difference between spending a few minutes and several hours on the side of the road when trouble strikes. Those boy scouts were onto something with that whole “being prepared” thing, so let’s see if we can come up with one toolkit to rule them all.
The guys at Velomacchi were showing off their new Speedway Rolltop Backpack at The One Motorcycle Show in Portland several weeks back, and I heard from numerous people at the show that I needed to check it out. It has a ton of really neat features aimed specifically at motorcyclists, and the crew were kind enough to send one over for me to play with for a bit.
They also included this tool roll (it came empty), which also has a number of incredibly thoughtful features. Like how the top cover has snaps in the corners so it will keep pieces you put on it from rolling away, or how the center of it has a magnet so it will keep screws from rolling around. Or how the tool compartments have elastic along the top to better secure tools or how the webbing on the outside of the roll can be used to secure it to your bike.
I’ve never actually gotten a tool roll together, because a lot of my riding happens on brand new press bikes which rarely break down. But if I’m honest, that’s pretty naive and silly of me and I should carry one any time I’m on the bike—especially when on long trips.
So ‘splitters, help myself and your fellow riders out. What do you think I should fill this tool roll with? What things do people tend to leave out that you’ve found crucial to include?
Contact the author at sean.macdonald@jalopnik.com. Follow Lanesplitter on Facebook and Twitter.