Tool selections?

What is recomended for sparkplug removal. I went at it this weekend after changing my oil and filter and a little adjustment to the suspeneion settings. I used the settings recomended by Sport Rider mag. as a base setting and they felt much better than what the previous owner had dialed in.
I found that with an extention on my ratchet and a deepwell 18mm craftsman socket I could not get into the sparkplug well between the cam covers on the front cyclender and on the rear with tank removed of course the same problem. It would be nice to get to the rear without removeing the tank so an articulated tool would be nice. What do you more experianced VTR owners recomend?
Also I would like to sync my carbs , per the 8000mi service. Having owned only bikes with Amals or Dellortos in the past simpely watching when the slides moved through the velocety stack worked well enough but this new thing with all its fancy 20th century hoses and electronics does require more acuracy soooo. What manometer do you more experianced VTR mechanics recomend?
Thank you for your response
Steve

SK makes a 18 MM sparkplug socket that works well. For sinc'n carbs, get the mercury sticks vs. the vacume guages. They are more accurate. Motion Pro and Kowa tools both sell these items.

Thats funny I was on SK's web sight yesterday looking for a solution and found only SAE plug wrenhes.
I called my local Honda service MGR. at Fox Valley Honda and he said that they ran into that problem pereodically and that they regularly used the tools in the tool-kit.
I was Astounded. I had never considered the tool kit. I never owned a bike that still had a tool kit and rumor has it that if it were still there I would find it a sad excuse. Imagine.. actual tool in a tool kit.
This AM before leaving for work I had a look at the T-K and it looks like a good solution.
'72 Norton Commando
'62 BSA C-15
'6? Benelli Fireball 50
'98 VTR
Thanks for the reply
Steve