Can you picture your kitchen catch-all junk drawer? If you can, you are also picturing the right saddlebag on my Yamaha Royal Star Venture. After being the proud owner for seven years, I have stuffed that bag with a whole lot of “I might need that on the road someday” tools and things.
Getting a new tool kit was a motivator to clean out my motorcycle’s junk drawer. I found I had accumulated three tool bags over the past seven years. One of them had an unusable vise grip and a replaceable tip screwdriver that was too flimsy to be of any use. The second and third bags I recognized as a combination of the original OEM tool kit and various tools I had needed only one time while doing at-home repairs and upgrades. There were several duplicates, and no order to the pile.
When I received the CruzTools RoadTech M3 Metric Tool Kit, I started thinking about my review plan. I did need to replace my spark plugs, and plug replacement is sometimes a roadside repair. I decided that would be my use and review.
This is my first time using a kit rather than assembling my own, so I didn’t know what I didn’t know to expect. I knew I needed a clean tool kit, and this is a general metric tool kit, not a 2007 Yamaha Royal Star Venture specific tool kit. CruzTools does make some brand-specific tool kits. The BMW-specific kit has a special axle adapter, plus internal and external Torx bits. The Harley-Davidson kit has special tools, such as a T27 Torx and a metric wrench for those couple of “other” bolts on your Milwaukee iron.
Replacing the plugs on my bike requires the removal of the gas tank and engine brackets. I added a few of my legacy tools, including the OEM spark plug socket and a huge 8mm hex key needed for the engine brackets. There was plenty of room to add my personalized tools to the sturdy CruzTools canvas roll-up bag and still keep everything secure and rattle-free.
Thank you, CruzTools, for bringing organization to my chaos.
My spark plug replacement experience took more tools than any roadside tool kit could possibly contain. The very first Allen bolt I started on was already stripped, so I needed an impact driver and hammer to get it loose—not your everyday carry tools.
I used every piece from the CruzTools RoadTech M3 Metric Tool Kit I could. I took the time to unscrew and tighten any bolts or screws near my spark plug job to use the tools from the kit. They all fit snugly and, even with a lot of pressure, they showed no signs of distorting or stripping.
The mini ratchet is not a toy. It fits very nicely into cramped spaces and, because it micro-steps, removing a bolt from a tight spot went much quicker than using an open-end wrench.
I used the spark plug gap tool to verify the gap on my new iridium plugs, and the tool was accurate to confirm the factory gap. I did need pliers, and the size and agility of the vice grips were a viable substitute.
The 8-inch adjustable wrench is strong and solid. Although I didn’t try to adjust my highway pegs, I am confident I could put my weight into them if needed.
I was kneeling down on my driveway, and the rough pebble surface was beginning to dig into my knees. It was then that I realized an un-advertised feature of the canvas tool bag—the fold-over lid makes a great knee mat.
With the job completed, I rolled up the tools and tied the string closure. I dropped the CruzTools RoadTech M3 Metric Tool Kit (neé roadside repair tool bag) into my now well-organized side bag, and congratulated myself on another maintenance job completed without busting a knuckle.
I counted 13 different roadside repair tool kits on the CruzTools web site ranging in price from $50 to $140. The CruzTools RoadTech M3 Metric Tool Kit is right in the middle at $100. CruzTools have a lifetime warranty, so you know they are built to last.
When that adventure bike I have been eyeballing moves into my garage, I will be getting a CruzTools kit for it, too. CruzTools makes a quality kit at a fair price. You would do well to look into your bike’s junk drawer to see if there should be a CruzTools kit added to your Christmas list.
CruzTools RoadTech M3 Metric Tool Kit Fast Facts
Contents:
- High-quality tool roll
- 8, 10, 12, and 14mm combo wrenches
- Mini ratchet and 2-inch extension
- 8, 10, and 12mm sockets
- 3, 4, 5, and 6mm hex keys
- 6-in-1 screwdriver
- 5/8″ (16mm) x 13/16″ spark plug socket
- 8-inch adjustable wrench
- Locking pliers
- Spark plug gap gauge
- Duct tape
- Zip ties
- Mechanics wire
- Blue threadlocker
- Tire pressure gauge
CruzTools RoadTech M3 Metric Tool Kit Price: $100 MSRP