How to build your tool box: The basic tools you will need to get started working on a vintage Japanese Motorcycle.









The other half to owning an old motorcycle, such as the Honda CB360, is working on it yourself. Of course to do that you need to assemble a tool box which is the cornerstone of any good mechanic. The good news is that your tool box doesn't need to be elaborate, but must contain some basics that every mechanic needs. Tools are an investment,; this is why you should always buy quality tools. The money invested in quality tools will pay for themselves with amount of work that you are able to get done yourself. Additionally, quality tools will always retain their value regardless of age and can be sold if need be. The acquisition of tools will be an ongoing project as long as you continue doing mechanical work. Your collection of tools will slowly growing with the more advanced projects you take on.





Metric vs. SAE





Japanese motorcycles are metric hardware, however up through the mid 1980s the U.S. Automotive industry used SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) standard tools. This means there a lot of SAE tools still out there. The difference between SAE and Metric sizing is relevant to wrenches and sockets, but how do you tell them apart? Metric tools are sized in millimeters, (10MM, 12MM, etc.) whereas SAE tools are sized by fractions of an inch (5/16”, ½”, 11/32”). For wrenching on motorcycles you should focus on getting metric wrenches, however if you plan on working on an old American car as well, SAE sizes will have to be acquired. A well outfitted tool box will have both SAE and Metric sizes.





Sockets, Ratchets and Extensions





Sockets and Wrenches are what you will use almost every time you work on your bike. Sockets are classified by a few different factors (besides Metric vs. SAE). The first factor is drive size, sockets are attached to a ratchet handle with a square drive that holds the sockets in place. The most common drive sizes are ¼”, 3/8” and ½”, the size of the wrench increase with drive size, and larger wrenches can accommodate bigger sockets. For most work the 3/8” drive will get the job done and should be your primary ratchet. The sockets themselves come commonly in 6 point and 12 point configuration. 6 point sockets are hexagon in shape, hence their name, whereas 12 point are two hexagons imposed on one another. 6 point sockets always grab a bolt head better than 12 points, which can easily round off the corners of a nut. Finally there is regular length versus deep wall, with the latter being a lengthened extrusion of the first. In addition to the ratchet handle there are a variety of extensions that lengthen the reach of a socket. I find myself using a 3/8” ratchet with a 3” extension and a deep wall 6 point socket most of the time.



