Do you do your own service?

[boloson]

I found a solution for ya:

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...aintenance-day

[csmutty]

treat my baby like your life depends on it...

There is no way you should be able to write messages on Marchesinis with your finger...

[tsorfas]

There is no way you should be able to write messages on Marchesinis with your finger...

stop posting on NESR and finish up haha

[csmutty]

stop posting on NESR and finish up haha

I don't have time lol...I'll do it at your place afterwards. Bringing tools and shit with me.

[RandyO]

stop posting on NESR and finish up haha

I expect the professional working on my bike to clean it as well

[nhbubba]

It just goes to show, it takes all kinds.

I love wrenching. I love riding. And I love cleaning.

I just spent the afternoon washing both the 'strom and my new track toy. Track toy required some extra TLC with a toothbrush and some WD to remove some really nasty tar/grease/adhesive/unidentified-shit all over the front fender, forks, and engine underside. Bike is barely worth more than a grand and most of that is in suspension and exhaust and it looks it. But I'll be damned if its gonna be dirty!

I'd be ashamed to bring a mechanic a really filthy bike. Used, sure, but filthy, no way.

YMMV, it would seem.

[jwm2k3]

Ahh..cleaning....thats anothr story. I 'might' wipe the bike down but no cleaning happens.

[luukasama]

My boyfriend does all the maintenance himself, and I've started to do so after I got my bike as well. Haven't done much major stuff, but so far I've done on my bike: oil and oil filter change; chain, rear and front sprocket; replace rear tail lights. On my boyfriend's bike, I've helped him rebuild his forks [he's done most of the work though], measure his valve clearances. In car land, I've replaced front and rear calipers; brakes and rotors; changed spark plugs.

It saves us a ton of money. We've got most of the tools that we need, and after watching some Youtube videos on what we need to do, it seems like a piece of cake.

[nilez]

My chain is well passed due for a replacement and I'm considering doing the work myself. Any advice from the mechs out there on chain and front and rear sprocket replacement as far as the work itself goes? Do I need any specific tools to get the job done?

It'll be a 520 gold chain conversion, steel sprockets (black rear), and +2 in the rear (not trying to be a stunna or anything, just don't NEED to go 90 mph in 1st gear is all... I figure gearing it lower might make it a little more friendly on the street).

Any suggestions on good sprockets, chains, and speedohealers and where to buy?

[Trouble]

I send out the suspension and big motor work. Checking the valves are as far as I go into the motor. I do pretty much everything else. The motor's out of the race bike now so I thought I'd take the time to do a thorough cleaning and tidy up the wiring.

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted

My chain is well passed due for a replacement and I'm considering doing the work myself. Any advice from the mechs out there on chain and front and rear sprocket replacement as far as the work itself goes? Do I need any specific tools to get the job done?

It'll be a 520 gold chain conversion, steel sprockets (black rear), and +2 in the rear (not trying to be a stunna or anything, just don't NEED to go 90 mph in 1st gear is all... I figure gearing it lower might make it a little more friendly on the street).

Any suggestions on good sprockets, chains, and speedohealers and where to buy?

Loosen rear sprocket nuts and front sprocket nut BEFORE removing rear wheel. Use brake pedal to hold wheel still in meutral while you takenoff front sprocket nut (air gun helps). Be careful which way round you put front sprocket. It matters.

You will need a chain press/rivet tool to put on the new chain. If you use a clip link, make sure it goes on facing the right way (instructions printed on box).

Cut off old chain with a wheel. For excess new chain grind down both rivets and pry off side plate with a screwdriver. Measure chain length carefully. Dont cut off too many links!

DID ERV3 is best chain you can buy IMHO.
I wouldnt use a vortex rear sprocket (again, my opinion).

Wear gloves. New chains are icky.

[yasure]

Don't be a pussy. learn how to do it yourself.

[KB]

i hate working on bikes. just crashing them for me as well

Fixeded

Kb

[reks95]

Most of the shops I've been in have a sign like this one:

http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/wp-co...urly-rates.jpg

[stoinkythepig]

My chain is well passed due for a replacement and I'm considering doing the work myself. Any advice from the mechs out there on chain and front and rear sprocket replacement as far as the work itself goes? Do I need any specific tools to get the job done?

It'll be a 520 gold chain conversion, steel sprockets (black rear), and +2 in the rear (not trying to be a stunna or anything, just don't NEED to go 90 mph in 1st gear is all... I figure gearing it lower might make it a little more friendly on the street).

Any suggestions on good sprockets, chains, and speedohealers and where to buy?

If it had a 530 chain, I would use that size. They last longer.

[markbvt]

Washing? That's what rain is for.

I do pretty much all my own work. The exceptions would be recalls and anything under warranty (for obvious reasons), though there hasn't been anything except one minor recall on the Tiger. Also, when I had the V-Strom I took it to Cyclewise for valve checks because I was too lazy to do them myself -- two separate heads on that bike, and they're both a pain in the ass to get to even after removing the bodywork, which is a pain in the ass in itself, so in that case I didn't mind spending the money.

Oil/filter changes, tire changes, air filter changes, valve checks on most bikes -- just do that stuff myself. If my Tiger needed actual engine work, I'd probably take it to Cyclewise (because they're the shop I'd most trust to do a good job despite them not being a Triumph shop); but if the Bonnie or XR needed engine work, I'd probably do it myself.

--mark

[mzdagrl]

It saves us a ton of money. We've got most of the tools that we need, and after watching some Youtube videos on what we need to do, it seems like a piece of cake.

Same here. I'd like to be at a point in my life where I can just drop a vehicle off for service and not have to spend the time doing it myself, but I am not there yet. I did my own forks two winters ago, and I did new brake lines in the dark last year with just a couple shop lights and supervision, but other maintenance is usually done by Rob (he actually enjoys getting greasy). He even did our tire swaps a few times (usually we trust that to friends and NESRians).

On my cars, my dad raised me to be as independent as possible. I can and have changed a tire, changed my oil, changed wheel bearings, done brakes and rotors, plugs and wires, replaced an altenator, fixed a radiator hose (after getting yanked around at a shop that I used to trust) and bondo'ed the hell out of a rusty door (looked great, too). But just because I CAN doesn't mean I like to. It certainly helps as a woman to know your stuff, since many shops still will try to take advantage of someone who doesn't know what's going on, and the assumption is usually that a woman doesn't know.

[stoinkythepig]

I do all my own work unless: some special tool is required, it's something I'd not likely use again, and it costs more than the repair would cost to have done professionally.

I enjoy working on all kinds of stuff, not just bikes. I have always been very curious about how stuff works and unafraid to take stuff apart.

[aldend123]

I just got back from a ride on the Vmax. Adjusted the steering head bearings on the side of the road in the shade next to a babbling brook. I now know how much difference a quarter turn makes on handling.

Just did my first the other day. Sooooo much better. And that clicking! I wasn't crazy after all.

I DIY on the car and the bike. Still new to bikes, so I've got a shortage on experience with reading tires, chains, and suspension feel. But that'll come in time on my old clunker. All the jobs I've ever done, I get the most pissed off when I don't have any option but to finish NOW. Allot plenty of time (like 4x more than you think) for the first time around. Takes the stress out, lets you take your time. I'm sure I'll drop the ball on a couple things, but as long as the tires stay on and the brake still work, I'm fine. And those are pretty hard to completely screw up. Just did my first tire change a few weeks ago. Now I see why you all take it to someone with a mechanical changer...

[nhbubba]

The nice thing about wrenching on recreational toys like bikes is that you usually don't need the repair done NOW like you would on your DD.

[DaveZX6r]

I've had very good luck with ek chains get an x ring and get some jt steel sprockets. Just do a search for them and where they are the cheapest. Make sure you get a couple extra links on the chain to compensate for the bigger sprocket. Also 520 is kind of pointless for the street you won't notice it and will pay more and generally get less life. As for speedo healer hard racing.com sells one for around 100 bucks.

My chain is well passed due for a replacement and I'm considering doing the work myself. Any advice from the mechs out there on chain and front and rear sprocket replacement as far as the work itself goes? Do I need any specific tools to get the job done?

It'll be a 520 gold chain conversion, steel sprockets (black rear), and +2 in the rear (not trying to be a stunna or anything, just don't NEED to go 90 mph in 1st gear is all... I figure gearing it lower might make it a little more friendly on the street).

Any suggestions on good sprockets, chains, and speedohealers and where to buy?

[RandyO]

The nice thing about wrenching on recreational toys like bikes is that you usually don't need the repair done NOW like you would on your DD.

some of us don't use bikes as toys but use them as DDS instead

[nhbubba]

My comment applies to most of us.

[Falko]

I do most of my own wrenching on all my vehicles. By the time I get a ride to the repair shop and drop it off then go pick it up, I can have the work done. I was talking to a guy about that the other day when he mentioned repair shops having lower labor prices when compared to cars. I told him it was probably due to people being able to do their own work as bikes are easy. If the rates were really high, no one would take them in. Well, except BMW guys...

[nhbubba]

My experience has been the opposite. Motorcycles are 'toys' (again, for 98% of us, Randy and Phil excluded). Toys get the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" mentality applied. Far less demand => higher price.

I don't have a lot of experience with indi shops. But all the dealers I have been around charge a healthy premium. One Suzuki/Honda dealer I got hosed by back a few years ago actually bragged about it to me. "...that's why I get $xxx/hour..." he said.. as he did a shitty job not doing the work I asked him to do.