I usually pay because it's easier for me, but I have known the guys for years and the bike always feel better when it comes out. I will fettle brakes, oils changes, wheels out, chains etc but I would never attempt shims and the like. Word of mouth, I know some good grease monkeys cheers Spud
Its not exactly a moto GP garage but i just love spending time here with my bikes its a feeling that makes me happy. I can only like taking my bike/child to child minders they may have qualifications but they could never love her the way i do.
I like the feeling that "I did that"
A few key pointers.
Only do it if you have lots of spare time as a ten minuet job can last all afternoon
ipswichbiker wrote:Ive only one question when it comes to DIY bike maintenance. What do you do with all the bits left over when you put it back together?
Just bin them, it keeps the weight down. :whistle:
My 'Happy place" is my garage, fettling, adjusting, servicing , cleaning. in fact any excuse!
Radio on, Mug of tea, raining outside. The satisfaction you get from improving you bike/s doing a good job gives a feeling of , well can't put a description on it really, but if you do jobs on your bike you know what I mean . Yep in fact tomorrow, hmmm .
I guess servicing and repairs is all down to time, confidence and cash. I have a good relationship with my local small bike shop and I have full confidence in him. He races bikes and is super maticulus (i know it's spelt wrong)
I am not phased by doing an oil and filter change and other bits and bobs but would not have the confidence to break open the engine.
One thing I do after a ride out is give the bike a thorough hand clean and polish, even if it's not dirty, this lets me check the fixtures and fittings from top to bottom, oil level, tyre pressures etc, ready for the next trip.
If I am going on a long trip I let the bike shop service it and check it over, money well spent I reckon, the last time with new tyres fitted (Conti road-attacks) was £350.
Having said all that I did learn a scary lesson when I bought my Varadero last year. It came from a big well known Honda dealer and I bought it over the internet, an 07 with 3500 miles.
I had to wait ages for delivery "because all of our bikes are given 12 months MOT and a full service and 300 point check"
Ten days later my shiny new toy arrived and was pushed into the garage. A couple of days later me and Maria had a day off and chance for a ride out. We travelled about 60 miles through the twisties south toward lancaster. Don't ask why but we stopped at a greasy spoon for a brew on the A6. (something I never do)
Supping my coffee and looking at my new bike,,,,, shock and horror,,,,, I couldn't beleive it, the rear spindle nut was missing and the spindle hanging on by a thread.
The thoughts of what could have happened a few more miles down the road, well it still scares me!
I phoned the dealer from the number on the reg plate, they would send a van, 70 miles?
I knocked the spindle back in and hobbled to lancaster Honda at 5mph constantly checking the spindle.
They gave it a top to toe check and nicked a new spindle and nut off a new Varadero, took a couple of hours but we were not getting back on the bike until it had had a thorough check up.
The dealer who sold me the bike paid the £170 bill and sent me some engine bars. All very nice but this sort of thing should never happen, never. And I reckon they got off lightly.
Anyway the point, don't pressume that when your new or second-hand bike arrives it's safe to jump on and blast away into the sunset, spend half an hour checking that everything is tight. OK, human error, it could have made my kids orphans.
Well that was a good rant, I feel much better now, thanks!
When I was younger I would get the owners manual or Haynes & do it myself as most of these bikes where basic Jap or English bikes BSA Triumph etc.
Then I was Dependant on the bike to get me from where ever to Home, a few years a go I could and did after much saving purchased my very first.
Brand new bike, I got her from Orwell Motorcycles on Ranelagh Road in Ipswich, I have her serviced there whenever she is due, Mark the mech, is really good and will spend time talking to you if you have a problem /advice.
I recently had K & N Permanent Air Filter put on, (I searched on line & got a quote from a number of places) Orwell where still cheaper just for the filter! as I was having her serviced there anyway, they like some places just put it in didn't charge for that & when i went to collect her Mark wanted to know if i wanted the originol filter! as the original filter had a small rubber ring he offered to give it back, (as a just in case), I don't need it, secondly they always give me a loan bike, so I get to have a go on other bikes, great fun
the other reason why I don't do servicing myself is 1) no time as i work shifts, & no garage. 2) I know nothing about ABS or Fuel Injection. 3) don't have the software to plug in my lapto to the bike. like 90% of us
We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go Always a little further: it may be Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or that glimmering sea.
