Do you do your own maintenance?

[cowboyz]

As a lead on from http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=92436&page=5 thread I am wondering how many change their own oil/tyres/chains/sprockets?

[Ixion]

I'll do oil and filter, chains and sprockets, most other things. But not tyres (unless I really have to). Simply because it is SO much easier for the guy at the shop to do them with a tyre changing machine. And I usually only change when I get a new tyre, so I put the world on the shop for free or cheap fitting. Silly me taking a couple of hour sover it, when they can do it in 20 minutes.

Of course, back in the good old days, when bikes had proper stands, and QD wheels ...

[samgab]

I like to do the basic stuff; clean, lube, and adjust chain, change and top up all fluids, change oil and filter, lube all the moving parts - cables, joints, etc, replace simple stuff like brake pads, bulbs, or battery - but when it gets beyond that, to engine repairs, carb synching, shock absorber servicing, and so on; I leave it to a pro.

Disposing of the old oil is a problem.

And I might wimp out and get "motorcycledoctors" to do the first service on the VTR as it'll be the big 24,000 Km one.

[ducatilover]

everything but tires. i usually take the wheel in to get it changed and balanced

oil gets done every 3 months or 3000km along with oil filter. chain gets checked most days and lubed every two tanks of gas. valve clearances and cam chains are done by me. brakes cooling system etc all done by me :love: i love working on my toys

i even synchronised the carbs today for fun! im a retard for playing with things [yeah in many ways]

[stevewederell]

I like to do the basic stuff; clean, lube, and adjust chain, change and top up all fluids, change oil and filter, lube all the moving parts - cables, joints, etc, replace simple stuff like brake pads, bulbs, or battery - but when it gets beyond that, to engine repairs, carb synching, shock absorber servicing, and so on; I leave it to a pro.

Disposing of the old oil is a problem.

And I might wimp out and get "motorcycledoctors" to do the first service on the VTR as it'll be the big 24,000 Km one.

Ditto, for me. I don't have many tools or skill but I'll use my manual, internet and all the top advice on here and give most things a nudge. Most times I don't screw it up, great fun learning tho!!

[Owl]

Yeah I can do oil, filters, tyres, but don't have the tools for chain replacement.

[MadDuck]

Yep I do my own chain oil :lol:

[fLaThEaD FreD]

I do oil,filters,brakes,chain. Going to attempt more as required. I have a well equipped workshop from my car racing days and just got a motorcycle lifter.
When I binned last year I did my own stripdown,repair and reassembly using one arm and lotsa patience.
Im not yet ready for major enginework should it arise but can read and understand the workshop manual.

[awayatc]

and when you get a puncture in the middle of nowhere in particular....?
Thats why I do my own tyres as well....
Practice makes perfect and all....
Last new tyre on Aprilia didn't even take very long....
(how many guys can say they put on a new tyre aboard a ship...admittedly it was alongside.....but still....)

[Conquiztador]

and when you get a puncture in the middle of nowhere in particular....?
Thats why I do my own tyres as well....
Practice makes perfect and all....
Last new tyre on Aprilia didn't even take very long....
(how many guys can say they put on a new tyre aboard a ship...admittedly it was alongside.....but still....)

I do it all and more. But when the rim is a alloy one and there is no tube, then I prefer to take it in as I normally leave marks on the rims.

[awayatc]

You are saying you'r not carrying any lube..?
Not even on Valentine's...?

Sorry, wrong forum....

[Ixion]

I don't think you could change a tubeless tyre by the roadside. Cos of having to seat it onto the bead, which you can't do until it has air in it, but until it's seated you cant get it to hold air. I don't think you could push enough air into ti with a hand pump

[ducatilover]

I don't think you could change a tubeless tyre by the roadside. Cos of having to seat it onto the bead, which you can't do until it has air in it, but until it's seated you cant get it to hold air. I don't think you could push enough air into ti with a hand pump

chuck norris could

[Ixion]

That's cos he's full of hot air. All he'd need do is blow in the tyre and there'd be more than enough air to seat it

































(Who TF is Chuck Norris)

[ducatilover]

(Who TF is Chuck Norris)

texas walker ranger. he was born in a log cabin that he built and can slam a revolving door.
:clap:

sorry, back to topic....

[gammaguy]

i do all my own work,including tyre fitting.

no bastard gets their uncaring hands on my babies.:oi-grr:

ps im a qualified motorcycle mechanic.:cool:

[Ixion]

Oh , OK, I googled him.

I'm not up on the gay community stuff, but I've got it now

[ducatilover]

Oh , OK, I googled him.

I'm not up on the gay community stuff, but I've got it now

we are not gay. we do not push back;)

[Ixion]

Over compensation.

[ducatilover]

Over compensation.

:buggerd::cool:

[samgab]

Methinks he duth protest to much?

[ducatilover]

i think so too.


closets are dark:whistle:

[toebug]

I do everything I can before i take it to the shop. Paid $200 for fork seals to get done once, never again, $60 for a fork seal driver and once youve done it once its easy. Rebuild my CR from the ground up using the manual if I need to, but i leave carb set up to the experts and tyre changing to cuase that job sucks big time and tyre machines rule. I got a mechanic to big bore my katana, but I stripped it just so I could have a look.

Doing your own servicing etc not only helps you learn about your bike but you get to know your bike very well so you are able to look after it better.

[hmmmnz]

i do absolutely everything to my bikes, ill sometimes get the tyre guys to do tyres, just because its less hassle to pay $5 than do it myself,

[imdying]

Some yes, others no. The RGV I do pretty much everything, not sure why, 2 strokes are just that sort of bike. I'll paint things, make carbon parts, machine stuff, you know, interesting stuff... but oil/coolant changes, valve adjustments... naw, they have monkeys to do the boring jobs, might as well use them. Cheaper to have it done too, I can earn more in the time it takes them to do it than they charge. I work on my bikes for fun, can't be bothered with the menial tasks anymore.

[cowboyz]

i do absolutely everything to my bikes, ill sometimes get the tyre guys to do tyres, just because its less hassle to pay $5 than do it myself,

$5? Round here shops charge about $20 if you take just the rim in or $45 if you take the bike in. So my doing it myself I save between $40 and $90 per change. I also run second hand tyres alot of the time so sometimes it could be concievable that I would have been paying more to have tyres changed than what I am paying for the tyres....

[Owl]

$5? Round here shops charge about $20 if you take just the rim in or $45 if you take the bike in. So my doing it myself I save between $40 and $90 per change. I also run second hand tyres alot of the time so sometimes it could be concievable that I would have been paying more to have tyres changed than what I am paying for the tyres....

Cheapest I've been quoted since the demise of Turnbull's is $30. That's why I got all the gear to do my own!:yes:

[sinfull]

Cheapest I've been quoted since the demise of Turnbull's is $30. That's why I got all the gear to do my own!:yes:

Walked into the bike clinic on wednesday with 4 rims and 4 new tyres,
saw he was on his own and near walked out again !
But hung in there as i dont quite have all the gear to change em yet, (but am collecting it up) Changed one front on the ground and had the others bead broken using his machine when he freed up, so only used about 45 min of his time, by the time he ballanced them, $50 which aint so bad in real terms but would go a long way toward paying for a static ballancer and bead braker ! ($120 US i saw a static ballancer for and thought yuck, get one made)
collecting Them and tools for bearing changes, chain braking, etc !
Only thing i will be leaving to them is engine work (for now hehe)!
Bearings as i have bikes with different sized front axles and rotor width, so if i need to do a quick bike change, all wheels are interchangeable !
I recon half the joy of owning a MC is working on them !
The beauty of Phill at the clinic, is that he's going through his tool catalogues and ordering the tools i'm after, even though it's gonna cost him half the work he gets from me !

[cowboyz]

where is the bike clinic?

[Bonez]

I ticked the whole lot. Some of us don't need to change tires every other week.

[sinfull]

where is the bike clinic?
Kapiti road in pram RH side next to Cobra exhaust just prior to TeRoto drive !

[Magua]

I do all that needs to be done with the help of friends. Tyres are the only thing the bike shop does for me (though I haven't had a new tyre in years).

[mansell]

I do as much as possible myself, once put a bike in a shop and they somehow managed to drop a small ball bearing into the clutch resevoir. Never again, except to fit tyres.

[pritch]

For the last four years the bikes have been under warranty so my input has been limited to checking and adjusting tyre pressures, the chain, and controls, as well as general cleaning.

The warranty period on the VFR has just expired but there's no way I'm delving into the internals of a V Tec engine thanks so I'll pretty much be carrying on as is.

[Viscount Montgomery]

Tyres are easy enough to fit once you've done a few, you don't need fancy equipment either, a car-jack , vice or whatever to break the bead, some old imperial spanners with a cut-off head shaped for tyre-irons, strips of cut-up plastic ice-cream container for rim protectors for under your tyre irons, bowl of soapy water, that's it.

Pop radial tyres back on with an open valve stem at a decent gas station air pump, that's if you can find one, the bullshit digital type air pumps at BP stations are shyte for anything like that. Oil companies shouldn't be seen to be giving too much fresh air to joe public..

Chicks'll be pretty fucked for changin' their own tyres though, weak arms, brittle finger-nails etc.. The big butch burly mustached girls who inhabit kiwibiker wouldn't have a problem though. If I was a chick I'd go for the slinky ass/ big breasts/ skin tight leather look and cock-tease mechanics into free fittings. No worries with broken nails then.

But for a male to pay someone to fit a tyre to his own machine - well, what's up with that?? Seems like there could be a lot more gays than first suspected riding motorcycles these days

[awayatc]

By the by, betsedest, fasterested and easiesteredest way to break bead is to hobble a sec or two on flat tyre.......

[cowboyz]

I brought my bead breaker for $119 from cycletreads. Tyre irons $10 ea and rim protectors were about $9ea from sulco tools. Didnt take long to pay itself back. I used to wander down to the servo to put air back in but since I had a christmas and was a good boy I got a compressor so that solved that.

[Max Preload]

Everything but tyres, for the reasons outlined by Ixion.

[ynot slow]

Oil and filter,air filter,plugs gapped.But now still under warranty till May this year will have to pay for 12000km service bugger,and within 500km of service.

[swbarnett]

But for a male to pay someone to fit a tyre to his own machine - well, what's up with that?? Seems like there could be a lot more gays than first suspected riding motorcycles these days
What about balancing?

[Max Preload]

What about balancing?

Static. Comes back to time/benefit though.

[AllanB]

If I was a chick I'd go for the slinky ass/ big breasts/ skin tight leather look and cock-tease mechanics into free fittings.


Yep if you looked like that I suspect you would have no problem at all getting something firm covered in rubber fitted for free............ probably even let you blow a bit of air into it........don't forget lots of lube so it fits easily..........and just wait for the big bang when it seats on your rim:done:

[Supertwin Don]

Tyres are about the only thing I try to avoid having to do!
Have done most other things - check out "juniordragbike.co.uk" under Riders - Andrew Irvine for starting from scratch, and forum item "Show us your guzzi" for the state of my poor California at the moment.
Will be starting on some more mods to my race bike as soon as I get the Guzzi back together (small garage!)

[Viscount Montgomery]

What about balancing?

Yes. Balancing and fitting are the same thing. Homosexuals will pay cash for either. Here's the usual balance vid, ignore the fancy cones and rods and shit, just do it with the wheel on the bike and calipers unbolted, it's piss easy

http://www.nomartirechanger.com/video/show/29

[3umph]

Thanks for the vid link.... learn something new each day :rockon:

[Number One]

YUP do all those things myself...though not without expert supervision and with some things I need the extra oomph that the husbands hands and shoulders offer

[madbikeboy]

Like the saying goes - just did it.

Well, I got someone else to fit the tire. I've done it out of necessity a few times, hence being too lazy to do it today.

Did a full service, oil, filter etc etc today. Even took the opportunity to clean the swingarm and shock of all the dead rubber while the wheel was elsewhere.

I still check the oil obsessively for a week afterwards.

Is it just me, or do you need three hands to hold the rear wheel, hold all the stupid bushes in place, and then slide the axle in? How do race mechanics do it without swearing (and under 5 seconds)?

I only trust myself and ZXRider to work on my bikes.

[Number One]

Is it just me, or do you need three hands to hold the rear wheel, hold all the stupid bushes in place, and then slide the axle in? How do race mechanics do it without swearing (and under 5 seconds)?

That's where my feet come into play.

Sitting on arse, one foot under wheel to raise it and both hands holding the wheel with bushes etc in right place.
Crocs are awesome for this task as they cushion your toes nicely and who cares if they get covered in grease and crap :yes:

[madbikeboy]

That's where my feet come into play.

Sitting on arse, one foot under wheel to raise it and both hands holding the wheel with bushes etc in right place.
Crocs are awesome for this task as they cushion your toes nicely and who cares if they get covered in grease and crap :yes:

Yeah, that's how I do it as well. I remove the caliper and the brake torque rod, and that allows me to get everything lined up. I used my foot to push and lift, and then I sort of jiggle.

Crocs? Mmm, I have this mental of picture of a yummy mummy, little grease stains on her face, fitting a slick back onto her race bike - but the moment sort of evaporates when I fit the crocs into the frame... LOL!

[Number One]

Y I have this mental of picture of a yummy mummy, little grease stains on her face, fitting a slick back onto her race bike - but the moment sort of evaporates when I fit the crocs into the frame... LOL!
They are girly pink ones...does that help at all :rofl:


I know it doesn't ;) BTW I am not that yummy

[madbikeboy]

BTW I am not that yummy

Whatever :)

Any woman who can do her own maintenance is hot as far as I'm concerned. Your husband is a lucky guy.

[Number One]

Any woman who can do her own maintenance is hot as far as I'm concerned. Your husband is a lucky guy.

He taught me everything I know...without him I'd still be as useless as the next person who can't do their own bike maintenance :2thumbsup

[Ixion]

Like the saying goes - just did it.

Well, I got someone else to fit the tire. I've done it out of necessity a few times, hence being too lazy to do it today.

Did a full service, oil, filter etc etc today. Even took the opportunity to clean the swingarm and shock of all the dead rubber while the wheel was elsewhere.

I still check the oil obsessively for a week afterwards.

Is it just me, or do you need three hands to hold the rear wheel, hold all the stupid bushes in place, and then slide the axle in? How do race mechanics do it without swearing (and under 5 seconds)?

I only trust myself and ZXRider to work on my bikes.

Is this the right place to mention that 50 years ago we had QD wheels (not to mention hinged mudguards and rear wheels stands.) One simply put the bike on the rear wheel stand, and removed the axle using the built in tommy bar (no tools required). You then raised the hinged mudguard and just wheeled the wheel out. Refitting was as easy - roll the wheel in, lift it onto the splines, and slide back the axle tightening it with its built in tommy bar. No tools needed, no grovelling, and not even dirty hands.

Haven't we made a lot of progress in the last 50 years .

[madbikeboy]

Is this the right place to mention that 50 years ago we had QD wheels (not to mention hinged mudguards and rear wheels stands.) One simply put the bike on the rear wheel stand, and removed the axle using the built in tommy bar (no tools required). You then raised the hinged mudguard and just wheeled the wheel out. Refitting was as easy - roll the wheel in, lift it onto the splines, and slide back the axle tightening it with its built in tommy bar. No tools needed, no grovelling, and not even dirty hands.

Haven't we made a lot of progress in the last 50 years .

I've ridden a few really old bikes, and to be honest, you're right. What's the fun of bikes that handle, stop, and go really fast, AND are reliable... I mean, what are they thinking? :clap:

[swbarnett]

, ignore the fancy cones and rods and shit, just do it with the wheel on the bike and calipers unbolted, it's piss easy
Interesting. Doesn't look half as bad as I thought.

I'm going to need a new pair of tyres soon but I'm in totally the wrong frame of mind at the moment to attempt something new that could have disastrous consequences if done incorrectly (too much stress about). I'll give it some thought, maybe next time round I'll be game to give it a go.

[Jerry74]

Oil and filter no worries, tyres too.... mechanical stuff nope , I always seem to have spare bits left over if I try to fix that ...thats what bike shops are for.