By Seiji Ishii
For decades, my system for going to the track or trailhead was pretty simple. On Friday, I’d walk into my shop, grab the tools I thought I might need, throw them into a toolbox, and head out for the weekend.
It never really worked.
By Sunday afternoon, the toolbox was a disorganized pile of tools. I’d get home, put some back in the shop, leave others in the box, and the next weekend I’d repeat the whole process. Inevitably, I’d end up needing a tool I’d left at home or wishing I’d packed a better version instead of making do with whatever happened to be in the box.
For the past four months, I’ve been testing the Tusk Moto Toolbox to see if it could finally solve that problem. Could one $450 kit eliminate the constant shuffle between my garage and my van? More importantly, would the tools be good enough that I’d trust them rather than reach for the ones in my home shop?
The short answer is yes. It isn’t perfect, but it’s a lot closer than I expected.
Better Tools Than I Expected
The biggest surprise was the quality of the tools.
No, they aren’t Snap-on tools, and nobody should expect them to be. But they’re also well above the disposable-quality tools that often come with complete mechanic’s kits. I’d put them roughly on par with Kobalt-level home-center tools. More importantly, after four months of use, nothing felt like the weak link in the box.
Nothing rounded fasteners. Nothing bent. Nothing made me think I’d have to replace it immediately. Honestly, that’s one of the biggest compliments I can give to a toolkit like this. After a while, I simply stopped thinking about the tools and used them.
The Organization Is Worth the Price Alone
The feature I underestimated the most wasn’t a wrench or a socket. It was the organization.
I’ve always liked professional toolboxes with custom foam cutouts because you immediately know if something is missing. I just never wanted to spend the time cutting foam and organizing decades’ worth of tools.
Tusk already did that work.
Every tool has its own place, making it obvious when something hasn’t been put away. The tools also stayed exactly where they belonged. Even after months of bouncing around in the back of my van—including plenty of dirt roads—nothing rattled around inside the drawers. If you’ve ever spent five minutes digging through a pile of sockets looking for one wrench while everyone else is waiting to ride, you’ll appreciate that more than you might think.
The toolbox itself deserves some credit, too. It’s carrying almost 50 pounds of tools, and after adding a few items of my own, it’s even heavier. The handles never felt like they were flexing under the load, the drawers still operate smoothly, and despite living in the back of my van full-time, the box has only minor scratches and dings.
What I Changed
The toolbox comes with 129 pieces, and Tusk clearly spent some time deciding what belongs in a motorcycle-specific kit. I used almost everything at one point or another, and I never found myself wondering why they’d left out an obvious socket or wrench.
Like every mechanic, though, I have my own preferences.
The first thing I added was a 3/8-inch drive T-handle adapter because I simply prefer using a T-handle for many motorcycle jobs.
I also added two Motion Pro tire spoons to the two Tusk tire spoons included. Some riders can get by with two spoons and a bead buddy, but I’m not one of them. At home, I use a Rabaconda and even more spoons, so I wasn’t going to pretend I suddenly became a tire-changing hero at the track.
For the same reason, I added rim protectors. All my rims are colored, and I’m sick of mangling them.
The last additions were a spoke torque wrench, a magnetic pick-up tool because I drop bolts into the skid plate all the time, a punch for shock preload rings, and a box knife. I wouldn’t call all of those mandatory for every rider, but they’ve become permanent parts of my track-and-trail setup.
With those additions, I didn’t find myself wishing I’d brought another toolbox. For routine maintenance, bike setup, crash repairs, flat repair, chain work, jetting changes, control adjustments, and just about anything short of major engine work or suspension servicing, this kit had me covered.
A Couple of Things I’d Improve
There really aren’t many complaints.
I wish Tusk had left a little more usable space in the foam organizers for owners to customize the kit. There are three extra pockets, and I used them for axle blocks, bolts, and other small hardware while working on the bike. That ended up being more useful than I expected.
Only one of those pockets was shaped well enough to hold an added tool, so that became the spot for my spoke torque wrench. There is some unused foam left in the drawers, but cutting it as cleanly as Tusk did would be difficult. A few more open areas designed for personal additions would make the toolbox even better.
The only other thing I noticed is that riders with larger hands may find some of the tool handles a little small. I wear a medium glove, and they fit me well, but it’s worth mentioning.
Neither issue would keep me from recommending it.
Is It Worth $450?
At $450, this isn’t an impulse purchase.
But after living with it for four months, I also think it would be difficult to build an equivalent toolbox for the same money.
You could certainly buy every tool individually. But once you add up quality sockets, ratchets, combination wrenches, axle tools, spark plug sockets, pliers, tire tools, chain tools, feeler gauges, a digital tire gauge, a breaker bar, a dead-blow hammer, motorcycle-specific tools, and a quality steel toolbox, the price climbs quickly.
Using a mix of Kobalt hand tools from Lowe’s and motorcycle-specific tools from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC, I think you’d likely land somewhere in the $700 to $900 range before you even figured out how to organize everything. And that still wouldn’t get you the custom EVA foam layout that comes with the Tusk kit.
You’d also spend several evenings deciding exactly what to buy and still wouldn’t have the custom EVA foam organization that comes with this kit.
Tusk has already solved those problems.
Final Thoughts
The biggest compliment I can give this toolbox is that I don’t think about it anymore.
It simply lives in my van, and I know it’s there. I’m no longer walking into my shop every Friday, trying to remember which tools to pack. I’m no longer borrowing from my home toolbox or discovering at the track that I left an important wrench sitting on my workbench.
That alone has made working on my bikes away from home less frustrating.
I’d recommend the Tusk Moto Toolbox to anyone looking for a dedicated truck or van toolbox, and to an experienced home mechanic who wants a complete second toolbox for routine motorcycle maintenance. With a few personal additions, it’s become one of the most useful organizational products I’ve added to my moto setup.
I’d absolutely equip another van with one.
Disclosure: Tusk provided this toolbox for review. I’ve professionally tested outdoor gear for decades and motorcycles, motorcycle products, and accessories for many years for publications with high editorial standards. Receiving a product has never influenced my conclusions. If this toolbox hadn’t earned a permanent place in my moto van, I’d tell you.
Tusk Moto Toolbox with Tools specifications:
- 129-piece count tool set made from durable chrome-vanadium steel.
- EVA foam cut-outs for easy organization.
- 3/8″ ratchet – 90 teeth.
- 1/4″ ratchet – 90 teeth.
- 6-point socket – 1/4″: 4, 6, 8, and 10mm.
- 6-point socket – 3/8″: 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, and 21mm.
- 6-point socket – 1/2″: 22, 24, 27, 30, and 32mm.
- Thin-wall spark plug sockets – 3/8″ drive: 14, 16, and 18mm.
- 13/16″ spark plug wrench.
- Adapter – 3/8″ to 1/4″ drive.
- Adapter – 3/8″ to 1/2″ drive.
- 1/4″ extension: 2″, 4″, and 6″.
- 3/8″ extension: 3″ and 6″.
- Sliding T-handle: 1/4″.
- Sliding T-handle: 3/8″.
- Breaker bar: 1/2″ drive, 15″ in length.
- Combination wrench set: 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, and 27mm.
- Hex key ball-end set: 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10mm.
- Torx key set: T10, T15, T20, T25, T27, T30, T40, T45, and T50.
- Digital tire gauge: 5-200psi (2-AAA batteries not included).
- 3/8″ drive hex axle tool: 17, 19, 22, and 24mm.
- Valve core removal tool.
- Valve cores (pack of 4).
- Motorcycle bead tool.
- Tire spoons: 10″ (QTY 2).
- Curved tire iron: 15″.
- Exhaust spring removal tool.
- Dead-blow hammer: 16 oz.
- Needle nose pliers: 6″.
- Side-cut pliers: 6″.
- Bit holder and bits: PH1 (QTY 2), PH2 (QTY 2), PH3 (QTY 2), SL3.5 (QTY 1), SL4.5 (QTY 2), SL5.5 (QTY 2), SL6.5 (QTY 1),JIS 0 (QTY 1), JIS 1 (QTY 1), JIS 2 (QTY 1), JIS 3 (QTY 1), T27, T25, T20, and T15.
- 1/4″ hex bits: H2, H2.5, H3, H4, H5, and H6.
- 3/8″ hex bits: H6, H8, H10, H12, and H14.
- 1/4″ torx bits: T15, T20, T25, T27, and T30.
- 3/8″ torx bits: T40, T45, T50, and T55.
- Spoke wrench with interchangeable heads: 5, 5.6, 6, 6.2, 6.3, 6.5, 6.7, and 6.8mm.
- Spark plug gap tool.
- Feeler gauge set: 0.03- 1.00 mm.
- Heavy-duty chain breaker tool.
- 3-piece pick set: curved hook, 45°, and 90°.
- Sag measuringtTape 6’/200cm.
- Limited lifetime warranty.TOOLBOX FEATURES
- 3 roller drawers and 1 top lid compartment.
- Ball-bearing drawers with drawer lock.
- Resettable combo lock with key.
- Reinforced side handles & top carry handle.
- 20-gauge steel construction with powder-coated gloss finish.
- Box dimensions: 21″ x 9 1/2″ x 12″.
- Total weight loaded: 46lbs.
Link To Purchase:
https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/tusk-moto-toolbox-w-tools-p
