Bikesmart Haywards Heath

[MCW]

They offer a weekend maintenance course, details here:

https://www.serviceyourbike.co.uk/home

Anyone done one? Know anyone that's done one? Know Bikesmart? Does it seem like a good idea? It's £125 for the weekend I think, which seems quite good?

[Imonster]

£125 isn't too painful I guess, but silly money when you break down what they'll actually teach you to do. Two ex-colleagues were BikeSmart guys, and they're decent people along with being good instructors but I'm not convinced about the value for money this course offers. 10 minutes on Youtube would teach you the same skills.
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

[Tomzo47]

seems like a good idea, but doesn't take a weekend to learn how to service a bike
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Ybr 125 > Bandit 650SA > GSXR 600 > Triumph Sprint St1050 > CB1300 > Z1000SX + FJ1200 (written off) > VFR750 >FJ1200

[covent.gardens]

I agree times have moved on, with Youtube you can get lessons free without going anywhere.

If they did more advanced maintenance tasks like valve clearances, fork refurbishment, head bearings and so on, the kinda stuff that's challenging, then it would be worth the money IMO, but basic maintenance tasks, well anyone can find out how to do those for free.

[DreadHead]

I suppose it depends what's included with the fee, and how long they actually spend teaching you.

If you have absolutely zero experience of maintaining your own bike I can see it being helpful, especially if you feel a little daunted with the idea of servicing your own bike.

If the course is run well it could be a good basis to build on.

I think a lot of people on here (myself included) sometimes forget that not everyone has the mechanical aptitude that a lot on here have, and that they take for granted.

You could learn a lot by watching youtube, but frankly its a bit of a lottery - some of the advice isn't always the best. The advantage of someone teaching you is that you can ask questions too.

Do you have any friends who are into bikes that could help you? A local BCFer perhaps? I think on the whole we are a helpful bunch
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CBT √ Passed, Theory √ Passed, Mod 1 √ Passed, Mod 2 √ Passed
Riding - '87 Kawasaki GPX750R (Rolling Restoration) and '06 YBR125.
Want - Triumph Speed Four or Street Triple

[Noxious89123]

If you need mechanical assistance, ask in the workshop. Tons of people are willing to lend a hand.

Heck, in some instances when we've had threads along the lines of "Oh noes, I've broke down!" that have been met with replies of "Where are you? I'll get the trailer."
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[Nope.]

What I'm going to say pretty much reflects the comments above.

It just seems a bit overkill to learn to do the basic maintenance to a motorbike. Even with little/no mechanical aptitude I can't see it being difficult. Find someone nearby to show you/help you out, I'm sure theres somebody down your way that can give you a hand. If you were closer I'd offer but as it stands your a considerable mission away.

I agree with covent.gardens as well, if they were going to teach you more complex stuff (Valve Clearances, Fork Rebuilds, Changing Head race Bearings, Setting Cam timing etc.) then it might be worth it. As it stands I can't see it being worth £125 of anybodies money.
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Former: Derbi GP1 50, Sachs XTC 125, Suzuki GSXR 400 GK73A, Kawasaki ZX7R, Suzuki DR250, Yamaha RD350
Current: 2011 Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, 2003 Yamaha YZR-R1 5PW (In Build), 2009 Kawasaki ZZR1400

[Noxious89123]

I'm competent enough to change spark plugs, change coolant and oil, remove wheels and suspension, remove all the body work, adjust chain, replace sprockets, change head bearings, change wheel bearings...

I've no formal training at all, just spent a lot of time reading workshop here, and reading about stuff online, assistance of a Haynes manual and workshop manual, and for the trickier stuff the advice and assistance of a competant friend.

I did the head bearings myself though!
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[Rogerborg]

It really will depend on how in-depth they go. I've looked at the course outline, and it doesn't make any promises.

15 hours should be long enough for a pair of well assisted people to get hands on and strip, disassemble, inspect, replace and/or adjust most of the common service parts on a (non corroded) bike: chain, sprockets, cables, bearings, brakes (including disks, and pistons and seals out and re-seated), cush drive rubbers, forks, exhausts, filters, valve clearances, relays, bulbs.

If it's almost all hands on, then it might be worth it.

However, if it's a weekend of a bloke reading out bits from a Haynes, or stuff about oil that you can find online, then pointing at parts and telling you what you would do if you were working on them, then not so much.

You really only learn this stuff by doing it, and often by making mistakes - like why you don't crouch next to a bike with the brake reservoir cap off while you're pushing a piston back in...
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MCW]

Thanks everyone. It's just something I don't want to do alone, in case I make a complete balls-up. The next course isn't until February, apparently, so I will just have to keep looking locally.

I know BCF'ers are more than willing to help. It is just that they seem to be a bit thin on the ground round my neck of the woods. (Mind you, humanity in general is a bit thin on the ground round here...).