Some of our contributors hack out their monthly columns on computers that belong in the Smithsonian, and carry little more with them on a long ride than a roll of Tums. Me, I like to have the latest, smallest, coolest, most useful tools and gear—prepared for anything in the smallest possible space. Heck, I not only enjoy the hunt for this stuff—as the editor it seems to be expected of me. Think about it: If we were on a group ride together and somebody had a breakdown or a flat, if I were to just stand there, palms raised to the sky with a “Don’t ask me” kinda look on my face, what would you think?
Nope, I guess I’m the Boy Scout type, perhaps because I was one of the dorkier kids in my Eagle Scout troop and I’m still looking for approval. Today that means not just having one of the latest gadgets when the opportunity to use it arises, it also means knowing how, the learning of which over the years has taken up a lot of time I suspect I will not get back.
This doesn’t just apply to strictly motorcycle-related gadgets, but everyday ones that help me in my motorcycling life. For example, the latest obsession is with knives. Now, don’t give me that “Nice doggie” look while you ready the stun gun behind your back—I just mean good ol’ pocketknives. To me, more than two pockets without at least one among them is unprepared at best.
I have carried a Swiss Army knife—the BMW GS of knives, ha ha—on my keychain and a Leatherman Wave multitool on the bike for years, but I only recently discovered “one-handers.” Unlike a lockback folder, these folding blades can be retrieved from a pocket, flicked open and locked with one hand—quite, uh, handy when the other hand is busy holding the damn thing you need to cut. My current favorites are the SOG Mini X-ray Vision and Benchmade Griptilian (just Google ’em), though as my wife Genie will tell you (while rolling her eyes) the search for the ultimate example may go on for years. Not to mention the practicing, flipping them open and closed with one mitt…at least until she grabs one away and sticks me with it some night in front of the TV.
Another recent discovery, one I owe to my wise old man, is something called Invisible Glove. A good pair of mechanic’s gloves has been part of my kit for a long time, but I dislike wearing them as I sometimes can’t get quite the right feel for the tool or project at hand. Invisible Glove and comparable products available at auto parts stores go on like lotion, but then dry to a thin film that keeps grease, oil, dirt and paint from sticking to your skin. They actually improve your grip on tools and still keep crud out from under your nails, and wash off easily with soap and water (along with the crud). You’ll still need the gloves for working on hot stuff, but the rest of the time this goo is the bomb.
You’ve seen those miner’s and rockclimber’s-style flashlights that strap onto your head and keep your hands free, right? Well, you may not have seen the latest generation based on LEDs. Now there are bright, powerful models that clip onto your ball cap, visor or shirt pocket, and are so small you’ll probably need another flashlight to find them in your tankbag. Aerostich will happily sell you both—check some of them out at www.aerostich.com. The lithium batteries last for years, as do the LEDs.
My discovery of the year, though, has to be i4U lenses (www.i4ulenses.com). These credit-card-size, non-prescription adjustable reading glasses for men and women come in five different diopters and fit in a pouch so small and flat it slips into a card pocket in your wallet. They perch pince-nez style on the end of your nose, and have saved me from many a mechanical frustration on the road as well as just making poor menu choices. They’re especially handy for reading maps with your helmet on….
So now you know about a good knife, hand protection, a flashlight and glasses. Get out there and break something!
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