wspollack
Well-known member
As a Public Service Announcement for the benefit of Beemer newbs, and to probably learn something myself via responses, I thought I'd post my Torx tool-buying experiences since taking delivery of my C 400 GT in June 2022. That was my first Beemer since I bought a new R850R in 1997 (which I rode for three years), and I don't recall that bike's employing Torx-head bolts.
The C 400 scoots -- and, from my understanding, most (all?) BMW bikes these days -- make almost exclusive use of Torx-head bolts and screws {1}. So, shortly after I got the 400, I started stocking up on Torx tools.
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Needing to take off most of the bike's bodywork in order to add lights to the front and back, add a Powerlet outlet, add an external USB port, and so forth, these are the first two Torx sets I bought right after acquiring the bike:
1) Harbor Freight "Pittsburgh 1/4 in. and and 3/8 in. Drive Star Bit Socket Set, 9 Piece" ($10)
www.harborfreight.com
2) Harbor Freight "Pittsburgh 3/8 in. Drive Star Bit Socket Set, 6 Piece" ($10)
www.harborfreight.com
Yep, there's some overlap in the two sets, but the combination of having both sets is cheap and extensive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the next device that I bought:
3) "SATA 8-Piece Folding Torx Key Set with Tempered Alloy Steel Construction and Dual Material Comfort Grip - ST09123SJ" ($11)
I keep this in my topcase (first the stock 30L case, and now in its replacement, a Shad 59X). This is obviously more extensive than the T25 bit that's included with the stock tools, but is still very compact. Note that you don't want to keep such a tool -- stock or not -- in the tool roll under the seat, because in the even of a battery failure opening the seat is a little tricky. In any event, you'll want to be able to remove the battery cover's T25 screws if you need a jump, for instance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next up: I realize that you can add plain old ¼" or ⅜" socket extensions to the Harbor Freight Torx-in-sockets, to extend the distance between a fastener and a ratchet, but having extra-long ends just makes life easier sometimes -- it gives you some extra clearance to swing a ratchet without hitting any bodywork, for instance -- and the narrowness of not having a socket close to fasteners sometimes comes in handy in tight spaces. (I have the same quasi-duplication of short and long ends of Allen-in-sockets in my tool chest, from years of working with hex-head fasteners.)
So after a while, I bought this set:
4) "Owl Tools Extra Long Torx Bit Socket Set (10 Pack) - Long 3.5" Torx Bit in 3/8" Drive T10 - T60" ($23)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And last, I bought a set of Torx (and other) bits. These come in handy in tight quarters, in conjunction with a very small ratchet {2}. This is the set that I bought (although when I got it the case was black, not red):
5A) "Warrior 100 Piece Security Bit Set" ($25)
I don't recall why I picked that particular set, and the "security" feature (the drilled-out center of some of the bits) isn't necessary for any work that I'm aware of on the C 400 GT (although on my two former Burgman 650 scooters there was one such security Allen-head fastener, holding the ignition-key column in place).
In any case, these two choices on Amazon look essentially equivalent, and are cheaper:
5B) "WerkTough 100Pcs Security Screwdriver Bit Set, Cr-V Steel Drill Bit Set with 1/4-inch Adapters, Phillips, Slotted, Hex, Torx, Star, Pozi, Square, Tri-WingClutch, Spline Wing Nut" ($15)
5C) "Efficere 101-Piece Premium Security Screwdriver Bit Set with Bonus Ratchet Driver | Both Standard and Tamper Proof Bits | Include Phillips, Pozi, Slotted, Hex, Torx, Square, XZN, Spanner, Torq, TriWing, Clutch" ($20)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that's it for my current collection of Torx tools. I purchased all of these in the past 2½ years, and I've been very pleased with all of them, would buy them again, etc.
Notes:
{1} I've done a fair amount of electrical farkling to my C 400 GTs and have therefore removed almost all of the bodywork (much of it several times). But since I farm out regular maintenance to the dealership I have no idea about the type of fasteners down inside the engine, drive-train, and suchlike.
But I do know that there are a few non-Torx fasteners on the C 400 GT (disregarding the metal spring clips that hold much of the bodywork in place). For instance, there are two plastic pop-rivets attaching the very front of the underseat storage tub, and the screws holding the brake levers in place are 4mm Allen-head.
{2} One of the tools I use is a "Husky Pro 66604" mini ratchet. This is about 4½" (115mm) long (shown with a T25 bit from the Warrior set inserted into it):
With just a Torx bit stuck in the bit-receiving end, it is ideal for cramped work, such as dealing with the screws on the recessed side of the central part of the handlebar cover:
I'm pretty sure that the 66604 is no longer made (I've had it for years before I got the C 400 GT), but similar 72-tooth mini ratchets can be found on Amazon (and undoubtedly elsewhere), such as this one:
"Keenso 1/4 inch Mini Socket Ratchet and Bit Driver MultiTool Screwdriver Hex Wrench 72Tooth Reversible Drive Ratchets with Bit Driver (107mm)" ($13)
The C 400 scoots -- and, from my understanding, most (all?) BMW bikes these days -- make almost exclusive use of Torx-head bolts and screws {1}. So, shortly after I got the 400, I started stocking up on Torx tools.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Needing to take off most of the bike's bodywork in order to add lights to the front and back, add a Powerlet outlet, add an external USB port, and so forth, these are the first two Torx sets I bought right after acquiring the bike:
1) Harbor Freight "Pittsburgh 1/4 in. and and 3/8 in. Drive Star Bit Socket Set, 9 Piece" ($10)
1/4 in. and 3/8 in. Drive Star Bit Socket Set, 9 Piece
Amazing deals on this at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
2) Harbor Freight "Pittsburgh 3/8 in. Drive Star Bit Socket Set, 6 Piece" ($10)
3/8 in. Drive Star Bit Socket Set, 6 Piece
Amazing deals on this 6Pc 3/8In Dr Star Bit Socket Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
Yep, there's some overlap in the two sets, but the combination of having both sets is cheap and extensive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the next device that I bought:
3) "SATA 8-Piece Folding Torx Key Set with Tempered Alloy Steel Construction and Dual Material Comfort Grip - ST09123SJ" ($11)
I keep this in my topcase (first the stock 30L case, and now in its replacement, a Shad 59X). This is obviously more extensive than the T25 bit that's included with the stock tools, but is still very compact. Note that you don't want to keep such a tool -- stock or not -- in the tool roll under the seat, because in the even of a battery failure opening the seat is a little tricky. In any event, you'll want to be able to remove the battery cover's T25 screws if you need a jump, for instance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next up: I realize that you can add plain old ¼" or ⅜" socket extensions to the Harbor Freight Torx-in-sockets, to extend the distance between a fastener and a ratchet, but having extra-long ends just makes life easier sometimes -- it gives you some extra clearance to swing a ratchet without hitting any bodywork, for instance -- and the narrowness of not having a socket close to fasteners sometimes comes in handy in tight spaces. (I have the same quasi-duplication of short and long ends of Allen-in-sockets in my tool chest, from years of working with hex-head fasteners.)
So after a while, I bought this set:
4) "Owl Tools Extra Long Torx Bit Socket Set (10 Pack) - Long 3.5" Torx Bit in 3/8" Drive T10 - T60" ($23)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And last, I bought a set of Torx (and other) bits. These come in handy in tight quarters, in conjunction with a very small ratchet {2}. This is the set that I bought (although when I got it the case was black, not red):
5A) "Warrior 100 Piece Security Bit Set" ($25)
I don't recall why I picked that particular set, and the "security" feature (the drilled-out center of some of the bits) isn't necessary for any work that I'm aware of on the C 400 GT (although on my two former Burgman 650 scooters there was one such security Allen-head fastener, holding the ignition-key column in place).
In any case, these two choices on Amazon look essentially equivalent, and are cheaper:
5B) "WerkTough 100Pcs Security Screwdriver Bit Set, Cr-V Steel Drill Bit Set with 1/4-inch Adapters, Phillips, Slotted, Hex, Torx, Star, Pozi, Square, Tri-WingClutch, Spline Wing Nut" ($15)
5C) "Efficere 101-Piece Premium Security Screwdriver Bit Set with Bonus Ratchet Driver | Both Standard and Tamper Proof Bits | Include Phillips, Pozi, Slotted, Hex, Torx, Square, XZN, Spanner, Torq, TriWing, Clutch" ($20)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that's it for my current collection of Torx tools. I purchased all of these in the past 2½ years, and I've been very pleased with all of them, would buy them again, etc.
Notes:
{1} I've done a fair amount of electrical farkling to my C 400 GTs and have therefore removed almost all of the bodywork (much of it several times). But since I farm out regular maintenance to the dealership I have no idea about the type of fasteners down inside the engine, drive-train, and suchlike.
But I do know that there are a few non-Torx fasteners on the C 400 GT (disregarding the metal spring clips that hold much of the bodywork in place). For instance, there are two plastic pop-rivets attaching the very front of the underseat storage tub, and the screws holding the brake levers in place are 4mm Allen-head.
{2} One of the tools I use is a "Husky Pro 66604" mini ratchet. This is about 4½" (115mm) long (shown with a T25 bit from the Warrior set inserted into it):
With just a Torx bit stuck in the bit-receiving end, it is ideal for cramped work, such as dealing with the screws on the recessed side of the central part of the handlebar cover:
I'm pretty sure that the 66604 is no longer made (I've had it for years before I got the C 400 GT), but similar 72-tooth mini ratchets can be found on Amazon (and undoubtedly elsewhere), such as this one:
"Keenso 1/4 inch Mini Socket Ratchet and Bit Driver MultiTool Screwdriver Hex Wrench 72Tooth Reversible Drive Ratchets with Bit Driver (107mm)" ($13)