Compression Testing & Leak Down Testing Tools for Motorcycles

What brands of tools are you guys using and would recommend for the hobbyist mechanic? What should I look for when buying these?

Koken socket sets , or Teng are very good too , and they sell nice spanners .get a compression tester that screws in , much easier on a motorcycle. Only buy super cheap, if you might only use once ? Just buy reasonable quality brands .

Compression tester - when I bought mine maybe 45 yrs back I bought a cheap one just to have the connections / piping / press button pressure release function and then pinched a decent glycerine filled calibrated gauge from work so cannot advise on any current makes sorry. Any chance you can you pinch a decent gauge as well ??? Lol !!

Cylinder leakage testers - hmm sexy, maybe ?

I had access to professional garage equipment as a youngster including a leakdown tester and took adavantage of its free use.

However all it will tell you is the % leak from the cylinder and nothing else ( unless times have changed in 45 yrs ? )

With a leakage tester you put a metered compressed air feed into the cylinder at TDC and LISTEN in the sump and also in the rocker box for the sound of the air leaking past the rings and or valves.

This tells you where the leaks are from and the degree of noise of leak tells you where the most leakage is coming from and is a judgement call not an exact science.

A decent leakage tester is an expensive toy and if you have compressed air at home you can simulate the exact same thing and listen for the leaks and sounds at sump / rocker box and decide where the worst leak is coming from and without any need for a specialist gauge or exotic test kit.

Use this compressed air test alongside a modestly priced compression tester and you are in clover, no need to buy anything else.

Save your money for some CNW gear instead .. Lol .... just my views from experience.

On my bsa it had virtually no compression on a slow kick , it had 190 psi on a fast kick , and the leak down tester showed good condition, it actually had a stuck 2nd ring . I think my comp tester is optilux had it for years .