Home Maintenance

[Fnatic]

Do you maintain your bikes and service or repair at home?

I always thought one of the good points of a bike is, it can be much easier to do work on than a car.

So do you pay a garage to do your work or do it yourself?

[Smooth]

Self, as far as possible.
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TDM850

[Fnatic]

For my last bike which was on warranty I got the work done by them.

Small things like sparks and fluids I obviously did myself.

New bike is out of warranty and in bits in my garage

[Grav]

I do all my own maintenance. I get a great deal of pleasure knowing that my bike is spot on and it's all down to me.

Bike maintenance is pretty easy if you take your time and do things methodically. With a proper workshop manual for reference and a bit of confidence anyone can keep their pride and joy in tip top condition.
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Dark Lord Of Custard

snigger.....

[Bendy]

[Feasty]

As for every bike I've had because I'm a novice and don't have much spare time, I buy it, ride it for a few hundred miles to see if anything bad happens then book the bike into the shop for a full service!
Like my current SLR, I check all the basic stuff regularly and have since done nearly 1k miles. It rides excellently, but because I bought it with no service history I have no idea when everything was last done to it. So this Sat it goes into the shop for the full jolly, brake fluid, usual oil, filters, bearings checked etc. From then on I do everything myself... I just need the inital professional check where I can draw a line and say everything was fine at that point!
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[Barry_M2]

I do everything. I only go to a shop/garage to have my tyres changed, or for dyno work.

My bikes NEVER go into a garage for any work, I trust no one with my bikes!
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ZXR750R (M2) - For the road.
CBR1000 RR4 - For the track.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4332

[Jai466]

Haynes manual is the way to go, it will defo help, as many people will agree here.

[Fnatic]

Don't make a Haynes manual for the new Aprilia RS.

Got the older model one and it's near enough

[petemell]

Do as much as I can myself. Bike shops charge such a lot of labour nowadays, jobs like fork seals and headstock bearings which are pretty time consuming can cost a fortune to get done.

The only jobs I give them are niggly electrical problems which they can normally sort pretty quickly (takes me years) and fitting tyres to loose wheels.

Problem I have is that I cannot afford to let them do the big jobs, so I do the small jobs as well. I think home maintenance is fine if you only run cheap runabouts like me.

[Fnatic]

I have had my carb off cleaning it today, as well as my spark plug

Quite happy with the results. Buying a new spark plug tomorrow so should run smoother.

Probably taken twice as long as a mechanic could do it. But I don't have to pay for my own labour.

[physbar monkey]

I wanted to learn more about engines, so I set out to do all the work to my bike myself before I bought it. I later found out they don't do a haynes manual for it which was a bit of a pain, but I'm doing alright so far. I did take it to the garage to get a new tire fitted though.
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Currently Riding: 1994 Honda CB250
Restriction ends: 30/01/2010

[craigs23]

I like to work on my own bikes, I save the RR for the garage though, I've always been keen on stamp collecting.

[Fnatic]

[stinkwheel]

I do all my own servicing. I get certain specialist jobs done by specialist people because they have specialist equipment and skills that make the job possible/easy as appropriate (eg crank rebuilds, rebores, fork reconditioning, tyre fitting, wheel balancing).
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[craigs23]

[panrider_uk]

I used to on the CD and all the CXs. I no longer have the time or the inclination so have it all done at the garage now.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[st3v3]

The stuff I can do, I do but with a bigger bike, I reckon i'll be using the garage more because I dont wanna be using a big bike knowing I've tinkered/bodged it.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[yandy_yay]

i try to do the work myself what i can, (some jobs would require special equipment i.e some aspects of engine rebuilds, tyres, welding ect) But i am within walking (40 minutes) distance of work anyway so if the job takes longer or i run into an unforseen problem it's not so bad. As mentioned earlier i also get a great deal of satifaction from doing a job myself, i think that it adds to the pleasure of riding knowing all the work you have put in yourself.
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past bikes: (20 years ago) cg-125 (wriiten off), C-50 (thrashed n' finnaly scrapped), CZ-125 (nicked - never recovered, insurance payout was more than i paid for it !!!)
Current bikes: GN 125(now sold), Divvy 600s.

[Wil]

I believe I will be taking my new trumpet to the dealer come service time. I'm ok with a spanner, but lack the time, motivation and more importantly the garage.
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'07 Triumph Speed Four

Aw look, a baby driving a car. And look, there's a dog driving a bus!

[kitty kat]

I do basic maintenance, but for me I have only the hallway to work in, so stuff like wheel bearings I get done by someone else, routine servicing I can do myself.
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Enjoy everyday, tell those you love everyday you love them
Life is too short to fall out with people

[Graham88]

Paying at garages sucks and the quality of workmanship considering your paying is appauling, made that mistake when I first got my VFR. Now the only thing I use garages for is tyres, try and do everything myself.

Or get Geri to do it

[Nb]

I do all my own work on my car and bike, helps working in a car garage. The only thing i take my bike to other places for is the mot.
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Cbr1100xx blackbird gone, mk4 golf gt tdi chav now
Colin1 wrote 'Im grateful for what i can get, which isnt all that much.'
Columbus travel insurance are crap!! Do not use!

[Blau Zedong]

[Kal]

https://www.associatedentertainment.com/aec/images/main/Tim-Allen.jpg

Arf-arf-arf!


Reading the above I am really lucky to have access to some quality independant mechanics...


to fix the things I broke making the original repair
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S