Who works on their own bike......

kawafaski

Registered
I don't know the percentage of bike owners who do [ALL THERE OWN WORK]....maybe it's not the majority..but i love to caress the crank and rod's..rerivet a cam chain with my own two hands...install the rings,torque the head..and so on and so on......then let it rip...maybe i was lucky and took auto shop when i was sixteen..i have never had my bike in the shop for work..maybe a first 500 mile service on my 74 yamaha tx500..then later i replaced the head with a newer version that didn't leak..oil
Just my .02 cents..just seems if you are a true motorhead....
nobody works on it but you......i am 51 now..and if i went to a turbo,i would install it myself..whatta hobbie..hope i didn't ruffle to many feathers..
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That's the only way to go. About the only thing I wouldn't do myself is a full Dyno tune, but that's only because I know a couple very good operators and don't have a tuner myself.

In my opinion, going to a typical shop or dealer is just like going to the doctor. They both overcharge, are likely to screw something up something, mis-diagnose problems and both assume you are dumb.

Knowledge and preventative maintenance are key.
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I am a computer Tech now but I was an auto mechanic for 8 years I do almost all of the work on all my bikes myself . I have a local bike speed shop that are a great bunch of guys they let me work on my bike there sometimes and help me with anything I think is over my head I took the motor out split the case and took the 2 tranny shafts into them to replace 2nd and 5th in my GSXR1100 when it went they looked at the gears dissasmbled the shaft ordered the gears reassembeled the shafts and I put it all back together with new shift forks and all the even let me make all the jet changes and stuff on the dyno when I dynoed my 1100 so it works out pretty well for me
 
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I started working on my own bikes when I was young because I could'nt afford to have any one else do it.
now that I can afford it, I don't trust other people with my bike anyways, plus, I think working on your own bike is interesting and fun, trying new things for performance or doing your own mods can be very rewarding when it works.
I think it's kinda like a guy who makes his own hot rod, like a 50's coupe, you would'nt have some other guy bild it, then you drive it around, how could you feel any pride in that?
Part of whats cool, is knowing you did it yourself.

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Work at a motorcycle shop all day. Hopefully not have to fix busa. but if the time comes will do it myself. Building my car to out drag my busa. Too bad wont get the same mileage
 
I do all diagnosis & parts replacement on my bikes, only farming out machine work such as valve seat grinding & things of that nature.

Past & present bikes of mine were CB1100F, CBX, GS1100E, R1, and of course, the Hayabusa.

Regards,

SJBusa
 
Sorry..Haven't checked this thread for awhile...cool..some things like a dynotune..are OK at the shop....But but basic
valve adjusts,chain replacements,oil and filter,and even clutch
plates are easy..brake pads, battery, plugs, grease yer own suspension linkage, fork oil..yuk..but cheaper do do it yerself.
Thanks for the responses..folks..sirUKbusa..please tell us what mods your girlfriends Busa has..203 was it..That's F"N
FLYI'N.....176 to 184 so far..and thats not exactly parked..
 
I'm legally precluded form wrenching on my bike. Why you ask?...Becuase my wife is an Attorney and even tho she encourages me to ride...she would divorce me if I did anything more than an oil change.  
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Actually I'd LIKE to do more work on my rides but I never learned how, I don't have all the tools i need, I don't really have anyone to help me out if I'm in a bind...the list of reasons goes on.

I think the main reason i don't do my own wrenching is because i don't trust myself. I replaced the brake lines on my 93 Katana 750, almost killed myself during the 'test drive' afterwards. Promptly, put it on a truck and dropped it at the shop. Still not sure what i did wrong, but freaked me out and scared the wife enough that I don't really do anything beyond cosmetics.
 
Thank you sirUKbusa..Turbo..girlfriends bike...Haybusa..sheez
Too cool....like you said before..some have it some don't...
still friends..OK..yeah!
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Darkeyce..[sic]..i think..I think your response was very honest....Hope have a good shop in your area..I do realize many bike riders don't have mechanical skills and probably make more money than us typical motorheads...
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Don't just shop around for the best deals. Get as much info on the bits that you are thinking of putting on your bike. It will make sense when you get there!!
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Wow Pete, you just joined in July and u got over 200 posts allready! When do you sleep? or Ride?
 
SirUK I'm nt sure I understood your post.."You feel sorry for me..Dump the Cloak... If you feel bad I can't wrench...that'ts life....Like Kawafaski said. Some got it, Some don't...apparently I don't got it...
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All I can make of "Dump the Cloak" is that it's Brit for "Loose the Lawyer". If that's the case...then I couldn't afford to keep the bike....
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Naw, She worries...I much pefer that to her NOT worrying. I migh come out one night and find her "fixing" my brakes for me cuase she didn't get the job done last time.

Kawafaski...I'm not sure what being mechanically challenged has to do with income...I keep myself in toys but Rockefeller I aint! I have two shops I deal with regularly, I've gotten to know the guys over time and I've come to trust that they won't do shoddy work. They know me by name as well, and we all ride together occasionally.

I wish I could do the work...But if any of you guys want to volunteer to install parts on my ride feel free to come on over
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If you pay for the flight, I will come over, but my girlfriend will have to come over to as she is my tech adviser......
 
On income....something about wearing a nametag..you can make a living,or wear a suit and make money....
I wear a nametag..and most who wrench on there own bikes don't wear suits?? I could be wrong....LOL
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