maintaining Your own bike

[750Y]

Who doesn't maintain their own bike?
(changing oil/filters etc,lubing, adjusting chain etc.)
what's your excuse?

[Big Dog]

Who doesn't maintain their own bike?
(changing oil/filters etc,lubing, adjusting chain etc.)
what's your excuse?
I have no where suitable to do it and a couple of years ago someone stole all my tools, haven't got around to replacing them.

[Big Dog]

I have no where suitable to do it and a couple of years ago someone stole all my tools, haven't got around to replacing them.
Oh just re-read your post. I do lube my chain adjust it maintain the battery etc. But if it is under fairings (carbs etc it is cheaper to pay $45-55 an hour than pay for new fairings cos you had them off in a gravel driveway.

[What?]

I do chain maintenance, oils etc on my road bikes, but carbs, valves & so on go to the shop. I do all maintenance on my dirt bikes. Reason for road bikes going to shop is special tool requirements, shim hits etc, plus the fact that what takes the shop 3 hours would take me three weeks. At least...

[6Chris6]

Who doesn't maintain their own bike?
(changing oil/filters etc,lubing, adjusting chain etc.)
what's your excuse?

I never used to with the 2fiddy, new nothing about 4 stroke water cooled motors and couldn't get a manual for it.
But with the six i've got the owners manual and recently also got the Haynes workshop manual and quite enjoy working on it myself, it gives me a lot of satifaction :2thumbsup

[merv]

Who doesn't maintain their own bike?
(changing oil/filters etc,lubing, adjusting chain etc.)
what's your excuse?

Not me. I prefer to do it myself then if its fucked up there is no-one else to blame and I'm not putting my life in anyone else's hands.

[Jackrat]

Do every thing myself.
Started because I couldn't pay some one else and them became a matter of pride.Plus it's a hobby in it's self.

[Antallica]

Do the basic stuff, but as for carbs and getting to the real in depth stuff. I'm hoping to learn all these things in the next few Mechanics evenings.

[MikeL]

Who doesn't maintain their own bike?
(changing oil/filters etc,lubing, adjusting chain etc.)
what's your excuse?

Me. And no way are you going to make me feel guilty, either. When I was younger I did as much as I could, and sometimes more, because I couldn't afford anything else. Sometimes it was fun, sometimes I got a sense of achievement and satisfaction, but as often as not it was just a tedious chore.
Now I'd rather spend the time riding...

[750Y]

I try to do as much as I can myself, but major engine work i leave it to the experts. Plus I save a bit of money too. there was a lot of trial & error along the way tho & some pretty embarrassing stuff ups, like the time I adjusted my chain & went for a ride to find the back feeling strange & realised I hadn't tightened the axle bolt up. hmmm or the time i... never mind

[FzerozeroT]

Want to do my own, but - warranty

[Cajun]

I do chain lube, and adjust the chain and wash it, and everything else is dealer, but thats due to warrenty, but i supply my own fluids for each service, so i know i not getting riped,

I did a bit of work on the old 1100, manly due to having carb problems. but can't be FI pretty much ride it and no other worrys

[FROSTY]

i on't let anyone near one of my bikes. If I get to something I don't know -then Ill stop and ask.
One exception is carb tuning. Mainly because the guys at no1 can do in half an hour on the dyno what would take me weeks by trial and error.

[Firefight]

but i supply my own fluids.



Yuk, fancy admitting to that ! :Pokey:

F/F

[DEATH_INC.]

Do everything myself,if warranty isn't an issue.I just love totooing with stuff....

[vifferman]

Part of the pleasure of owning a bike.

At least, it would be, if I didn't have to spend time trying to fix things like the misfire I get when I ride in wet weather... :(

I dunno at what point I'd get someone else to do the work; probably when a job required some specialised tools.

[Cajun]

Yuk, fancy admitting to that ! :Pokey:

F/F

bugger you and the horse you rode in to FF :Pokey:

[fpsware]

Being the mechanical DF I am, I let the shop do just about everything. Most recently, the battery died - it went to the shop. :disapint: I'd love to do more to it, but I just don't have the know how. Not having a large assortment of tools doesn't help either.

[Firefight]

bugger you and the horse you rode in to FF :Pokey:


sorry Cajun, having a slow day, couldn't resist. :thud:

F/F & Horse

[Ms Piggy]

I'd love to do my own maintenace but I don't know how.

I've learnt a couple of things - like how to lube the chain & adjust it, how to change the front fork oil & front brake fluid. Although I'm hoping if I had to do the latter 2 ever again I'll remember how!

Also I don't have a garage to be able to work merrily away in. :disapint: Poor me!

[Kickaha]

I pretty much do all the basics,oil,filters,brake pads, etc and also do most of my own motor work,including stripping and reasembling,keeping in mind it's mostly two stroke work,but I've done a couple of four stroke engines that were stripped to the last nust and bolt and once I put them together they did still run.

[Grumpy]

Who doesn't maintain their own bike?
(changing oil/filters etc,lubing, adjusting chain etc.)
what's your excuse?
Do what I can that wont stuff my warranty, like chain and tyres and the basic shit like that, but these days even that can be a chore so I fitted a scottoiler :niceone: now I do even less.... just ride :2thumbsup

[maybe]

Do oil changes ect myself but no mechanical work, not clued up enough

[MikeL]

I fitted a scottoiler :niceone: now I do even less.... just ride :2thumbsup

Me too. Got Mt Eden to put a Scottoiler on the XJR. Now all I have to worry about is tyre pressures.
Wonder how much they charge to check that...

[wkid_one]

WHy have a dog and bark yourself

[Motu]

Can't rebore a cyl or grind a crank,but otherwise I do it all - Motoracer will vouch that I even make my own mufflers.I did give up on the XS1 a couple of years ago and let my mate sort the carbs out,but he has heaps of spares and has spent years learning all the differences between models,what fits what and how to set them up.To me working on my bikes,making things for them,modifying and adapting is more than half the fun.I don't send the wife out for servicing,I don't send the bike out for servicing.

[FROSTY]

You put it so well motu.
There aint nothing in life like a wet cold night -being out in the garage pottering around on the bike .

[RiderInBlack]

I do my own service at 5000Km, but take the bike in every 10000Km to make sure I haven't cocked anything up and to spot what I have missed.

Clean, lube and ajust the chain, but get the shop to change the chain and sprockets (because they are better at spotting sprocket wear than I am). I've re-kited the clutch Master cylinder (hydrolic on the CBR), and the callipers on the brakes. I'm a dab hand at brake bleeding. Replace my own brake pads. Replaced wheel bearings. Now do my own plastic welding (which I have got fairly good at).

I will give most things ago, but don't trust myself when it comes to the motor (I leave that to the Mechs).

[Cajun]

sorry Cajun, having a slow day, couldn't resist. :thud:

F/F & Horse


No worrys FF and your horse dc:<

Have to catch up with next time you town this way, now i work i only have weekends off damn work getting in the way of riding.

[Deano]

I do what I can, which includes oil and filter, coolant, chain adjustments, brakes pad changes (crashed parts dismantling and reassembling - doh)and any thing else that doesn't appear too complicated. I leave the engine work such as shims to the experts, although I met someone who is pretty clued up and they offered to do the service - most bikers I know are bloody helpful when it comes to maintenance. Sometimes maintenance work does seem tedious, but you do get a sense of self satisfaction when it is finished, providing you don't stuff anything up.

[Dr Bob]

I wish I had more space, but it is filled with carpentry crap from DIY. Nothing worse than taking something apart then spending half an hour trying to get the saw dust out of it. I rebuilt my lawn mower in the garage but restrict myself to electrics and general maintenance on the bike. Anywhoo - it hasn't needed much work, recently did a fork seal and brakes myself, Mt Eden mcycles did the cam chain and that was the first time the engine had been cracked in its twenty year life.

[vifferman]

So, Dr Bob - are we a Great Community yet?

[Dr Bob]

So, Dr Bob - are we a Great Community yet?
The answer you seek is already within you, as the knowledge of the world resides in its participants

[vifferman]

In its party pants?
I don't think I've got any of them... :blink: