Basic intense motorcycle maintenance course.

[Kraut]

:cheer: Anyone know of anywhere I can do a basic motorcycle maintenance course? I don't care where it is - it'll be a good excuse for a ride! It needs to be about a week long (5 days) I found one at Plymouth college for £150, which looks ok, but just wanted to put the word out and see if anyone offers anything else. Cheers, guys n gals. Kraut.

[Wilso122]

Where are you based? If it's a basic course I'd be happy to run you through your bike, what to check, change and how to bodge bits if it's a long trip. Could probably do that in a day over tea an biscuits.

Anything more and your getting into engine rebuild territory and frankly you won't have the tools for it, esp if travelling.

[Richard Simpson]

Different makes/types of motorcycle are so different from each other now that I'd be inclined to by the Clymer manual for your type of bike and read that.

Maybe buy some old scrap (chinese?) wheels and tyres to practice tyre changing.

[Kraut]

Cheers, guys. I'm based in Dover, but don't care where I go as it'd be an excuse for a ride. Things like oil/ air filter changes put me off in my Haynes manual when using a torque wrench was mentioned?! I just thought "I'm not buying loads of tools I don'thave the inclination to use", but that said I will be more confident if anything goes wrong (as it rarely does).
Tea and biscuits and some hands-on tuition sounds great, though!
Re; tyre changing. It's one of the things you learn on the trail and all part of the adventure!

[-Ralph-]

Have you changed your own tyres before? Not something I'd want to be learning on the trail TBH. Some tyres can be a right bitch to get on and off the rim and unless you are using a very soft off-road tyre, it cant be done with the tyre levers / plyers in the tool kit, they are made of cheese and will just bend, I wouldn't get cheap aluminum crap off ebay either, it needs decent steel tyre levers. I'd squeeze some washing up liquid into a tiny bottle and take that with you as well.

[Richard Simpson]

Cheers, guys. I'm based in Dover, but don't care where I go as it'd be an excuse for a ride. Things like oil/ air filter changes put me off in my Haynes manual when using a torque wrench was mentioned?! I just thought "I'm not buying loads of tools I don'thave the inclination to use", but that said I will be more confident if anything goes wrong (as it rarely does).
Tea and biscuits and some hands-on tuition sounds great, though!
Re; tyre changing. It's one of the things you learn on the trail and all part of the adventure!

No, it's better to learn how to change tyres in a warm garage, ideally with someone to show you what to do.

I've got a torque wrench, but hardly ever use it. They are really only needed for things like cylinder headbolts etc.

You don't need one to do up a drain plug. In point of fact, I must have done thousands of oil changes on my own bikes, mates bikes, cars and customer bikes when I worked in the trade and I've NEVER used a torque wrench, NEVER stripped a sump thread and NEVER had one fall out.

And I'm not even a good mechanic.

[ross dean]

:cheer: Anyone know of anywhere I can do a basic motorcycle maintenance course? I don't care where it is - it'll be a good excuse for a ride! It needs to be about a week long (5 days) I found one at Plymouth college for £150, which looks ok, but just wanted to put the word out and see if anyone offers anything else. Cheers, guys n gals. Kraut.

These guys ran a good one I attended a while back http://www.blackdeserttraining.com/

They have both completed Dakar rallies and do know what they are on about but remain laid back and friendly.

[Mike54]

Yep Craig and Tamsin at black desert will sort you out

torque wrench - I use one when I do an initial service on a bike then just mark everything with torque marker. That way you never really need bother to use it again, you just line the marks up and you know its right. Anything engine related (internals), a torque wrench is important but for most other things it isnt.

[KEITH640]

imo torque rench on a modern motorcycle is essential 15 years ago i would have said it wasnt needed
for example ktm exc tripple clamps are 12nm and 17nm how many people over tighten them
so many things on a modern engine are made from light weight metal that its to now easy to overtighten stuff

as for a course then you can learn essential maintenance in a day no problem
full on motorcycle course is usually 3 years

[Wilso122]

Ok so going against the grain my 3/8 drive tourque wrench is one of the most used items in my tool kit especially when dealing with KTM's and sump plugs. I lost count of the amount of drain plugs that can't be un-done due to some muppet over tightening them and lets not mention nissin calipers... Especially important with alloy nuts / bolts even more steel into alloy etc. Even had bikes with full dealer history where stuff has been over tightened.

Also take it with on trips, not much weight with an extension bar and 6 sockets I can pretty much rebuild the whole bike to the correct torque but mostly used as a standard ratchet.

Back to OP would be more than happy to meet up show you the basics oil / air / fluids inc fork oil, trail repair / check fork seals how to bodge a cush drive, align rear wheel, check bearings etc I'm no dakar racer but been around bikes for a while.