Who services their own bikes?

[OB1]

Does it really matter if you service your own bike? At the end of the day it is down to several factors: your competence, your determination, the space you have available, the money you have available, etc. Some people may have the perfect, heated workshop with all of their tools nicely laid out on the bench next to the bike lift. The next person may chain his bike to a lamp post at the bottom of a block of flats and have to work with a Halfords £50 tool kit. Which is more capable of doing the job right?

I could probably strip a bike down into its component parts... doesn't mean that I could put it back together correctly! :whistle: :pinch: The fact is that anyone could change the oil or check the plugs but it doesn't mean they know how to or that they feel competent doing so. I serviced a friend's bike (CB250 Night Hawk) a couple of years ago - just the basics: new chain & sprockets, new brake shoes, new filter, clean oil and replace the spark plugs. When I gave it back to him he said it was a revelation, like riding a new bike... it turned out that he'd never even tightened the chain himself because he didn't know how... and he was going to ride it with his daughter from Ipswich to Dorset. He had the money but not the knowledge. Does it make him a lesser person for paying me to do the work? Maybe he should have read the manual (that he had) or maybe just tinkered a little?

Do I service my own bikes? Sometimes... it depends on the bike, how I feel, what is involved (I wouldn't even attempt valve clearances on a modern bike... due to a 750/4 with 4 bent valves after I tinkered with it... :whistle: :pinch: That was 20-some years ago, but I would still have reservations about attempting something that major (or minor to some).

Is this a dick-waving competition?

[mark1150]

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

I've just noticed this comment on the Mod.
Did they have to alter the fuelling to suit a free flow filter, or did the ECU compensate?

[sandi]

I am just going to start on my bike I've done cars and bikes for years for myself.Amazingly servicing a car without a pit is possible!!I've never had one (too dangerous fill up with fumes one spark from yer hobnails and yer dust!!)A good jack and decent axle stands.

[Alphadog43]

Does it really matter if you service your own bike? At the end of the day it is down to several factors: your competence, your determination, the space you have available, the money you have available, etc. Some people may have the perfect, heated workshop with all of their tools nicely laid out on the bench next to the bike lift. The next person may chain his bike to a lamp post at the bottom of a block of flats and have to work with a Halfords £50 tool kit. Which is more capable of doing the job right?
I could probably strip a bike down into its component parts... doesn't mean that I could put it back together correctly! :whistle: :pinch: The fact is that anyone could change the oil or check the plugs but it doesn't mean they know how to or that they feel competent doing so. I serviced a friend's bike (CB250 Night Hawk) a couple of years ago - just the basics: new chain & sprockets, new brake shoes, new filter, clean oil and replace the spark plugs. When I gave it back to him he said it was a revelation, like riding a new bike... it turned out that he'd never even tightened the chain himself because he didn't know how... and he was going to ride it with his daughter from Ipswich to Dorset. He had the money but not the knowledge. Does it make him a lesser person for paying me to do the work? Maybe he should have read the manual (that he had) or maybe just tinkered a little?

Do I service my own bikes? Sometimes... it depends on the bike, how I feel, what is involved (I wouldn't even attempt valve clearances on a modern bike... due to a 750/4 with 4 bent valves after I tinkered with it... :whistle: :pinch: That was 20-some years ago, but I would still have reservations about attempting something that major (or minor to some).

Is this a dick-waving competition?

I don't know, please tell us the answers

[scouse]

Guys - from 2013 you won't be able to do many of the things stated here if these EU recommendations get voted through - http://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum ... t=45#26130

[OB1]

I don't know, please tell us the answers

The questions were rhetorical.

At the end of the day, if you want to pay someone to service your bike or do it yourself, it is your choice and others shouldn't look down on or up to you for it. I can design a house to comply with current building regulations, but I couldn't build it! :woohoo:

[Vindaloo]

I've used dealer servicing on my previous GS and my current 990Adv (only had the run in service so far).

Given the fairly short service intervals on the KTM ("it's a performance engine Sir") I'd like to do at least some of the work myself, even just the oil changes, but the manual is clear about warranty implications i.e. it must be dealer serviced. As mentioned in one of the posts above I thought that this wasn't enforceable so long as the bike was serviced to correct standards by a VAT registered mechanic - that's certainly the case with my car. Either way I'm not a VAT registered mechanic so ...

Is anyone out there home servicing a NEW bike and if so what has been the status on any warranty issues?

[Old Git Ray]

.....

Is anyone out there home servicing a NEW bike and if so what has been the status on any warranty issues?

Yep. New Super Tenere.
2 warranty jobs so far. Rusty spokes and trip switch faiure (new set of clocks supplied in Italy to UK spec). No warranty problems. I did not even have the service book. The Italian dealer just scanned in my log book to confirm the chassis number and sent it to Yamaha and the clocks were with the dealer in less than 2 days.

Having said that, if I had seized the engine it may have been a different story.

[GB]

I've been doing all the work on my departed Buell for the last six years, every thing from oil changes to engine rebuilds. That was a joy as the Harley engines are a doddle to work on. I will be starting with the basics on the GS this weekend, oil and filter etc then I will just go from there...........

[Alphadog43]

OB1, dont take this the wrong way but I actually agree with you , its personal choice at the end of the day not a competition (willy waving or otherwise ).

GB its interesting to hear that Harleys are easy to work on, the dealers charge ridiculous amounts to service them.