Looking for a trustworthy mechanic in Boston area

[JazzJunkie]

Hey Boston riders out there, I need to run general maintenance on my bike and just want to see if there are places/people in Boston area who can do that. My busy schedule simply does not allow me to do it myself. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

[whynot]

Make, model, year, condition?

[JazzJunkie]

02 Kawa Super Sherpa, good condition

[number9]

What kind of stuff do you need to do? As simple as oil & filter changes or as (relatively) advanced as valve adjustments?

Learn to do it yourself, save money and get better results. I'm sure there are people in here (myself included) who will help you learn!

[xxaarraa]

Front desk paging Degsy, come in Degsy.

[JazzJunkie]

This is just a general maintenance, oil change, air filter and safety check etc. I'd be happy to do it myself but I need an expert to guide me through- ideally showing it to me just once.

[number9]

Where abouts are you?

[JazzJunkie]

I'm in Brighton/Brookline area

[whynot]

Please give us a little more info, maybe one or more of us can help you. What do you have for work space, driveway, garage, ... . What do you have for tools, oil drain pan, shop towels or paper towels. Day of the week and time of day you'd want some help. Do you have a handbook that gives oil capacity and such, but you can find that on line. I joined a couple of Kaw forums when I had my KZ550 and then when I had the KLR 650. Pick up an oil filter (or two), a new spark plug, an oil drain plug washer ... . Nitrile gloves from Harbor Freight are good, a box of 100 will last you a while, or some of those garden gloves, mesh back, dipped in rubber for the fingers. Safety glasses. If working on the ground, I use knee pads. But hey, I'm old.

For oil, get a motorcycle oil usually marketed as "4T" which means it has additives appropriate for motorcycles, especially the wet clutch. Be sure it has a "JASO MA" rating. Most likely a 10w-40 is specified for the bike.

Chain lube, white lube, WD40, PB Blaster. A lot of this stuff you can find at ACE.

Oh yeah, how clean is the bike. Wash it with S100, good stuff. GUNK if it's oily and greasy.

Does the bike have a center stand? If not, one of these is a good investment Quick Jack

This may sound like a lot of preparation, but it's really worth it, and then you will be set and feeling good about DIY. And you're not paying someone $50~$100 an hour.

What number9 said, much better to do this yourself. It's a good feeling when you know your way around the bike and you're out riding.

[JazzJunkie]

Thank you guys very much for all the pointers. I will get the parts and tools prepared ( as you mentioned) in the course of next day or so. What tool set (and what brand) would you recommend for general maintenance- specifically wrenches, screwdrivers, socket drivers- perhaps the ones that allow you to set the torque?

[number9]

Thank you guys very much for all the pointers. I will get the parts and tools prepared ( as you mentioned) in the course of next day or so. What tool set (and what brand) would you recommend for general maintenance- specifically wrenches, screwdrivers, socket drivers- perhaps the ones that allow you to set the torque?

I use Craftsman hand tools for a couple of reasons. They're good quality, inexpensive, and almost all of them have a lifetime warranty. Plus there's a Sears in Dedham which isn't far away at all. There are other brands out of there, of course, but they tick the boxes for me.