Tooltime

TOOLTIME

There is clear evidence that the location of the carb pilot-air screws on some inline-Four motorcycles was decided long before the rest of the bike was built. Why? Because once the carbs are on the bike, they’re almost impossible to reach. Even when you can reach them, turning them...well, that’s another challenge altogether.

But not if you use the 90-Degree Carb Tool from Motion Pro (650/594-9600; www.motionpro.com). It consists of a 171/2-inch-long screwdriver-like shaft with a set of 90-degree bevel gears at the working end. You can plug just about any 1/4-inch or 6mm hex bit into the driven gear, and the tool comes with five bits of its own, including one with a special Dshaped blade designed just for pilot screws. With its long handle and 90-degree elbow, the tool allows you to reach and turn those inconveniently located screws, including the ones on the inner carbs that you often can’t even see. It also works great on lots of other hard-to-access fasteners. Motion Pro claims the tool can withstand up to 50 foot-pounds of torque, so heavier work isn’t out of the question, either.

With a retail price of $123.90, this tool ain’t cheap; it’s intended mainly for shop mechanics or tuners who have to fiddle with carb adjustments on a regular basis. But even if you only have to cope with those diabolical screws on occasion, there probably are times when you’d pay twice as much for any tool that would simply let you get the job done.

Paul Dean