How many of you do your own servicing

Sort of.....

One of my friends has his own garage (as in bike maintenance), he lets me go down there, use his tools and generally charges me for his time when I need help (i.e. don't know what I'm doing, which is becoming less all the time).
 
I've always done all my own servicing and repairs on car and bike. However, my current bike only has 6k miles on it and full dealer history so I am a slightly reluctant to let this slip.
 
Dogbreath said:
I've always done all my own servicing and repairs on car and bike. However, my current bike only has 6k miles on it and full dealer history so I am a slightly reluctant to let this slip.
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While the bike is under warranty definitely get it serviced by a "authorised" garage. They will try to wriggle out of it if you don't
 
I do everything bar the difficult stuff or stuff I know is going to get complicated

Varadero - service myself but had the steering head bearings changed at a local place as they only wanted an hour to change them

Funduro - service and getting all the bits powder coated myself, installed hot grips and front screen myself, looking at servicing the cooling system so that will mean water pump etc but it needs the cam chain and valves adjusting which I think I might get someone else to do.

It's not that I'm not capable but I'd be worrying about every time I ride it if I had done it right
 
I do my own servicing on my old 250 superdream as it's an easy bike to work on. The other bikes I get a garage to do.
 
Fireskull said:
Is that a hard job mate? Never done it yet and I think I need to at least top up the fluid in these SRAD forks.
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not really. make sure you clean it all up properly before you put it back together and don't mark the stanchions when youre hammering the bush in.

the hardest part if getting the bike stable enough to take the forks off. :)
be careful with calliper bolts though as the head can shear off so mega important you 'feel' for it as you're supposed to replace them every time you undo them.
 
Thanks for the replies I am thinking about trying to do the work myself now I will order a Haynes manual first & read up.
Are there any must have tools you can recommend?
 
Decent spanners
Decent allen / hex key set on a ratchet
T bar allen / hex
Theres not many screws on a bike so a reasonable screwdriver set will do
12v test light
Rubber hammer
Copper hammer
Ball pain hammer
Club hammer
All in the order of swearing at things

Oh and a pair of mechanics gloves, never be without mine I have a set of snap on ones, bike bts get hot and also saves your knuckles latex goves are good for oil changes and mucking about with grease
 
You might also want to think about a centre stand if you don't have one or a padock stand, nothng is worse than working ona bike with just a side stand apart form a bike with no stand that is
 
How many of you guys use Torque Wrenches? I just got myself a large one so I could tighten up my front sprocket fully, but not wanting to over stress the bolt in the gear box, but good god, they cost a bit, spent £90 on it, never thought I'd be spending anywhere near that much on 1 tool lol. Investment I suppose :p.

And also yeah, definitely get at least a rear paddock stand, makes life SO much easier rather that working on a bike that's angled only on its side stand.
 
Yep ive got a big one for the big torque stuff and a smaller one for the small torque stuff :p

As said a rear paddock stand is a must really, I think we need to get rid of some got about 3 in the shed, plus front stands and Abba stands and abba front end lift thing :p
Next I want all the tools for changing my own tyres!

helpimcrap said:
not really. make sure you clean it all up properly before you put it back together and don't mark the stanchions when youre hammering the bush in.

the hardest part if getting the bike stable enough to take the forks off. :)
be careful with calliper bolts though as the head can shear off so mega important you 'feel' for it as you're supposed to replace them every time you undo them.
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Thanks for the info :D
The bike was without forks for a few months so should be ok on the keeping it stable part! and got new caliper bolts on the way too as the ones that came with the forks were not in great condition.
 
maccapacca said:
You might also want to think about a centre stand if you don't have one or a padock stand, nothng is worse than working ona bike with just a side stand apart form a bike with no stand that is
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Easily solved:
sv-hoist.jpg
 
Lol dogbreath nice work, your garage looks like mine even down to the crap sliding door

On torque wrenches don't forget to unwind to zero every time you put it down also you can calibrate your torque wrench with another
 
maccapacca said:
Lol dogbreath nice work, your garage looks like mine even down to the crap sliding door
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It's chock full of crap at the moment, got a kit car chassis that I have sold and waiting for buyer to pick up so should make a lot more room! Very handy having RSJs for lifting stuff (actually it's a bit of old railway track - they built these houses in the 1930's with whatever they found lying around!)

BTW I made those doors with my own fair hand you cheeky sod :D When I moved in the originals had rotted so badly you could have walked through them like wet tissue paper.
 
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