Best pliers for motorcycle mechanics

Any home – or even professional – mechanic knows that sometimes, you need to get strong with a bike. Occasionally you need the big breaker bar for a stubborn nut or bolt; sometimes you need the big hammer to bring a little persuasion to bear and sometimes, you need a pair of pliers to grip something strongly or in a spot you can’t get to.

Contrary to popular belief, a pair of pliers isn’t designed purely to exert more force than your hands are capable of, though of course they can do this. They are designed to hold, grip, place and offer additional dexterity that you can’t manage with your hands.

There are different types of tool which we will consider as ‘pliers’ here. These include traditional and long-nosed pliers, side cutters (which typically come in a set of pliers), water-pump pliers, electrical pliers/wire-strippers and self-locking pliers, or mole grips.

There are, as with all tools, certain aspects to look for. Handles should have some form of covering to make them more comfortable in use but bear in mind the softer this is, the less ‘feel’ you have for the work you are doing.

Size is also important; clearly a large pair of pliers will be able to exert more force or grip better than a smaller pair but will lack the precision and access of more diminutive tools.

Material is also a key element; the gripping edges of the jaws need to be harder than the workpiece, otherwise they will become damaged somewhere along the line. Conversely, you need to be careful of this if you are working on softer components, such as those formed in aluminium, for example.

Also when looking for tools, we find it’s best to try to find from a reputable manufacturer; we don’t mean buy a pair of pliers that costs as much as your motorcycle (unless you’re a professional of course), just go for a name you’ve heard of. That way, you should get something that is made of good material with a design that will last you a long time.

Here are some pliers we reckon should do a great job.

Pros:

All-in-one set

Great value

Good reviews

Cons:

Reports of inconsistent build quality

Pros:

Three self-locking pliers in one set

Good starter set

Varying sizes offer versatility

Cons:

May not stand up to harder or pro use

Pros:

Precision when needed

Plenty of options for grip

Sprung handles useful

Cons:

Don’t have the clout of larger models

Pros:

Provide greater force than hands alone

Respected manufacturer

Cons:

Jaws open less than normal pliers

Longer than normal pliers

Pros:

Work in a wide range of sizes

Grip anything from small cables to large pipes

Long handles give high grip force

Cons:

Can be a bit cumbersome

Pros:

A tool for each job

Well designed and built

Sturdier than interchangeable heads

Cons:

Take up more room than interchangeable versions

Pros:

Strip wires easily for electrical projects

Crimp terminals in correct size and shape

So cheap, worth buying

Cons:

Basic design

Non-ratchet wire stripping

Pros:

Makes opening hose clamps easy

Covers most types of clamp

Get to hard to reach clamps

Cons:

May not need during routine maintenance