Do you do your bike maintenance

[Steam]

Do I get a gold star for being the first gal to reply??

Yes, you do!

[The Stranger:Me]

Depends on the machine.
Mostly do my own, but if it is under warranty or I feel that there is value in being able to show a service history on resale I get a shop to do the work.

[BarBender]

I'm a ride em - you fix em type of guy.

Can do the basics - but dont have the experience nor inclination to do the serious stuff safely myself.

[Goblin]

I do most of my own work. Recently I have done steering head bearings(on my road bike), wheel bearings...front and rear(the rear I ended up taking up the road to get a 'pro' to remove the old bearings), overhauled the front brakes on the racer, cleaned out carbies and made a new airfilter. Cleaned the tank out, replaced the fuel filter, oil filter and oil. Thought the fuel pump was poked so bought a new one and fitted it. Changed the plugs several times and tried different coils and CDI unit. Put the speedo back on and now it goes like a rocket! Tyres, I take the wheel off and take them to Andrew who fits them for a good price...free!
My CBR thrives on neglect but I have done all the usual chains and sprockets, brakepads, oil changes etc.

[Satch]

I do it all myself and i mean all. Hey if you get it wrong the first time youll learn the seccond. Life is all about learning. Rebuilding engines is just one of its lessons

[Big Dog]

Used to do all mine.
Don't currently have a workshop just a gravel driveway and a carport.
If it is going to require longer terrm removal of panels than an hour or so or it involves cracking the cases I leave it to the pro's.

If I still had a scratched up carbed bike I would still be doing anything that did not risk getting gravel dust in my fluids.

If I had all my tools back (stolen out of a car a couple of years ago) and a place to take panels off I would still do everything I could work out.

Just can't be good value to save $150 to do $500 damage to the paintwork.

In a perfect world I would earn enough to keep a workshop, but I don't.

[wilber]

I have done plugs ,filter, oils adjusted chain but leave engine stuff to experts.

[Motu]

Considering what I do for a living,it'd be a bit embarrassing not to work on my bikes,although I have worked with mechanics who didn't work on their own cars....but they weren't car mechanics.To me,working on my bikes is as important as riding them...I'm as happy spending an afternoon assembling the cases as going for a ride.I have no road bikes going at the moment,my only concern is that I can't work on them,not that they need work and I can't ride.I have a close friend I've known for over 30 years,but hardly ever see him ride,and have possibly never ridden with him.But his life is full of bikes,you can't move in his workshop,they even hang from the roof beams...he gets more pleasure from the building than the riding.

I've only sent my bike to the bikeshop once - I was young and the parts were not available....but I was smart enough to know my way around that,I booked it into the same shop and had it repaired in a couple of days.Like most I don't do built up cranks,but that's about it.I have my own tyre machine,but won't have it forever - however I will take the bike adapters with me and will be able to do motorcycle tyres on any old corgi machine.

I'll still be working on bikes when I'm too old and crippled to ride....I'll always have that...

[Patch]

I do all my own shit, from tightening shit up to rebuilding shocks and forks etc.......

This 'ere chap is pretty damn good too. Gives free advice an all e.g. there is a missing bolt here, an tighten this one up too while ya at it. Even diagnosed the possible cause of my little problem I had the other day.

Bloody marvelous havin mates like this. If only I could remember which bolts he pointed out Pity there is no fix for the loose screw the Dr. found the other day



Due to the silly season it is, apparently there are some quite good discounts to be had on some fine wenches in some of the city's finest service departments. Just a rumour I heard, so shop around won't ya

[gijoe1313]

Like all things I do, I want to be able to do it myself - love tinkering with the ol'tools and getting in and see what makes things tick! If I'm pressed for time, I will get others to do the work (but it makes me mutter how I should be doing it!)

The great thing about working on bikes is the immediate and ease of access to the parts! I've worked on four wheel vehicles before and found it fun, however I've noticed when I've been working on my bike, my grin is wider!

[T.W.R]

Do the whole lot on my own bikes, all bar specialist stuff only due to lack of access to appropriate tools. Done a few ground up rebuilds on different machines I've owned in the past all with good results apart from an old rat XR250 that I managed to handgrenade at full noise

my theory is "If something goes wrong I can only point the finger at one person, Me" and if you want to get to know your bike properly know it inside out.

[Jantar]

I take my bike to the shop for any work that has to done by an authorised dealer to keep the warranty valid, any work that require special tools, and for tyres and WoF.

Everything else I do myself. ie basic maitenence, chains, sprockets, brakes, fitting accessories, routine inspections, etc.

[erik]

I try to do everything myself, often with advice from people on KB. Some stuff I've needed help with like welding, straightening bits with a blowtorch, or changing fork seals.
I've tried changing tyres myself, done a few, but it's so much easier to let the shop do them...

[bluninja]

If I had the tools and the workshop I'd do everything myself just for the hell of it. Especially after finding bad maintenance done by some mechanics I've used.

Still it would take me a lot longer as I don't do it every day.......bit like some other enjoyable pastimes

[Brian d marge]

If I paid someone to fix my bike...then I could make a thread on KB about what a useless prick he is and threaten to take him to the Small Claims Court.

Aint that the truth

Me I design the things ,,, luckly I am crap at it so you wont see it in production ,,,but I take solace that those who work in a real job , can do a shit load worse than I can ,,and I have the proof in front of me !!!!

Stephen