While not strictly a technical issue, I wondered if anyone has a solution to carrying a basic tool kit on a 2024 Stelvio? I’m old school and like to carry some basics - might add just done 2700 miles around Europe with no issues whatsoever - only downside was there was a couple of those German bikes with me
Ha! If anything like the Mandello not much room under the seat! I’ve always been used to using a small tank bag for day to day or short journeys. Just essentials and not too bulky.
Toolkits? I am sure there are basic ready made ones around but I’m still carrying one I bought in the States a long time ago made by Cruz Tools. More for the size and the quality and adapted it over time for items specific to whatever bike needed.
So for the V100 got a little Givi with the snap on fixture that goes on the fuel surround. Virtually the same placement on the Stelvio I imagine. Room for the tool pack about the size of a paperback book. Puncture kit and visor cleaner. Like to find a small enough 12v inflator that would fit. Tail bag is the other option if, like me, you are not a top box fan. Dave the Scot!
You’re right. Not much room under the seat. I got the panniers in the deal otherwise I think I would have fitted Givi aluminium panniers which gives the option of a tool kit fitted to the pannier frame. I think I was hoping someone had discovered an obscure fixture
Don’t think so. I ride without the hard bags day to day otherwise no problem. Really hinges on how comprehensive a selection of tools you want with you? I just carry a multi screwdriver set, selection of hex/allen keys and two or three torx bits. Small adjustable wrench, zip ties, some tape and fuses. Only thing that I don’t think I really need roadside is that mega 65mm for the rear wheel which in any case I’d have to have a breaker bar!! The rest is all pretty compact.
Good luck anyways. ![]()
Only thing that’s ever really worked for me is some sort of luggage, be it topbox / panniers tankbag etc. Else a rucksack / backpack, but you’ll feel the weight of the tools in it. Guess how I know. Modern bikes seem to have no tool space at all, or much of a toolkit for that matter, my V7 850 only came with an Allen key clipped under the seat for the sole purpose of removing the side panels (secured with Allen screws), and a ‘C’ spanner for the rear suspension. Even the ‘C’ spanner barely finds room under the removable seat despite being perfectly flat, although it does come in a very natty little pouch. Even bikes of years ago had woefully inadequate tool carrying space provided so still needed luggage. This is just for my standard basic travelling toolroll contents that I have carefully selected and gathered together over decades, but still nothing too elaborate; pliers, wire cutters, reversible screwdriver, common spanner sizes, an adjustable, box spanner and tommy for spark plugs, specific sizes of Allen keys, etc.
EDIT (appendix): I should mention though, the best ever for tool space was the R80RT, it had a (comparatively) massive tooltray under the front of the seat that could take all of my basic toolroll plus a couple of extra large screwdrivers, and on the upper frame tube alongside it, two lugs to hold a bicycle type tyre pump. Which was all really quite impressive. Plus on the RT version you had two big lockable ‘gloveboxes’ in the fairing.
Ha! I hear ya Mike! I think they are trying to get us all to buy scooters or Honda N whatever it is.
Ducati Darmah, first ones with Tartarini seat, had loads of space in the whale-tail unit and a shallow tray under the seat. RD350LC has a lovely big space in the rear fairing and a little tray under the seat for a couple of sets of spare plugs. TBH, there’s probably not much you could do with tools on a modern machine anyway. Or am I being defeatist there ?
Yeah times have changed and everything made more compact I guess.
Not defeatist at all and I agree, many issues you won’t fix on a grass verge somewhere.. or a ditch!! I’ve probably come across more unfortunates who might have had a getoff and got broken pedals or levers or sometimes fastener failures etc. and the odd bodge job is what gets you home. The puncture kit is timeless especially since the realm of tubeless tyres. Never know when your luck runs out. On the road suspension tweaking.. me recently.
I think a lot of us older duddies or with vintage machines are from an era before ultra reliable machines and remember days of annoyingly fragile machines and grown used to our security blanky? There is always “better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it?” (Or was that about six guns?)![]()
On another note, after my mention of scooters before, I thought about an old article from oh..30yrs ago maybe in Bike magazine or MCN? One of those mad challenges where they sent off a couple of staffers on the Beaujolais Nouveau race. One on a 600 supersports and the other on a Suzuki 650 Burgman. Of course the weather turned out hellish, wet and cold.
Guess who won? Yup! The scooter. Had less fuel stops and missed the poor sportbike guy’s need to extra stop to thaw out at one point. Course yer scooter pilot had a virtual bucket of storage with extra gear and the bottles. Better weather protection too.
Of course that was well before the era of big adventure machines and touring middleweights now in vogue.
That said, no one ever told be bikes were supposed to have anything to do with ‘sensible?’
What a pity that no one makes a thin pannier using the standard fittings for the V100
Yeah, like narrower side to side? Would be a nice option when you don’t want the weight or the full capacity of the big ones? Couple of relatively ‘mini’ cases. Tools, some rain gear, wouldn’t challenge you when filtering.
I’m also an old timer. Touring on my California EV I always carry a fairly comprehensive toolkit in a small tail bag. Cheap off eBay, but reasonably waterproof and it’s surprising how much goes in it.
I hear you Ian and I used a tail bag for many years too. Now I have a problem though. As the tail ends of my bikes have gotten taller and my advancing decrepitude and inflexibility I am now’getting my leg over’ challenged. Mounting the bike by swinging my leg over the seat requires angles at the hip I struggle with now. Similarly leg straight forward over the lowest part needs Tiller Girl like high kicking and balance that threatens to land me on my own tail end.
Thus, nowadays for me, I use a tank bag. Saves me parking lot misadventures and the embarrassing sniggers of the populace. ![]()
My Breva has space under the saddle for a full toolkit (eg adjustable spanner, dual head screwdriver, pliers, spare spark plug, plug spanner (for outer plugs), wire cutters, etc in a pvc toilet bag: a puncture repair outfit; electric tyre pump; spanners; cable ties and wire; duct tape and a tyre pressure gauge. Great for touring and security.
Ha! That is awesome! I admit I do not know much about the Breva but curious where that extra space came from? Perhaps the better question is “where did it go?”