DIY Maintenance

PGlaves said:

You are not looking. I did spring tech days in Kansas for 15 years. We would sometimes get 15 bikes being worked on and 50 or 60 folks for beans and conversation. Ages reflected the age spread of club members, from 20's to 70's.

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Sounds like the good old days.

In my neck of the what used to be woods, dirt bikes, mini-bikes and the like were the norm. They were what we considered expensive to obtain and due to no money, you had to repair them yourself- thus beginning a mechanical education. Now if it's not a Lexus, driving something with a motor generates a 911 call for "kids on a dirt bike"- no matter what is actually going on. I actually think of this as I pass the High School parking area, full of cars mostly less than 4 years old. Back in High School daze, at the end of the day, we were all driving old, old vehicles and someone always needed a jump-start.
It seems the focus has shifted to after school sports- not after school riding and wrenching. From time to time I'll farm out a repair- usually to my Brother as he is a fanatic. OM

I'm a certified BMW motorcycle mechanic from the 70's/80's and used to do all my own work (of course).

Yes, I could do my own service / maintenance / and even major rebuilds.

Now that I'm at a point in life with employment that pays me twice per hour what I have to pay my local independent BMW certified mechanic, it's not worth my time to DIY - it is definitely worth my time to enjoy the riding...

Good point, JWMc. You should enjoy it.

I used to do a lot of garden work, but now, I "don't move dirt" anymore!

RoboRider said:

Good point, JWMc. You should enjoy it.

I used to do a lot of garden work, but now, I "don't move dirt" anymore!

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I would do less gardening if I could find the same quality food that I can grow

CHEWBACCA said:

Ok, let's start off with the warranty thing. In the USA DIY does NOT void the warranty, PERIOD. I see time and know how as totally valid, but money? For all but the most complex items, DIY is far cheaper than dealer. Lazy may not be lazy at all. It might be preference. For some, the older you get, it seems, the less you really like to monkey around changing oil, etc. Capability and desire are two separate things but probably won't affect the overall trends.

When I got my FJR, a few years and bikes ago, I was looking at BMW's. All I heard from other riders was BMW's cost an arm an a leg to maintain and you can't do yourself. Both not true, but a LOT of non-BMW riders believe it. I have since learned just how easy it is to maintain my R1200GS. Now for the flame because the following is not politically correct. Over my years of riding (48 of them), I have seen that certain bikes attract certain personality profiles. IMO, the guys who prefer a GS to a K1600 are "generally" different. Some people ride both, there might be a K1600 going down fire roads, and there are lots of GS's out touring. I would bet that GS riders do more DIY maintenance than K1600 riders, but I'd like to see numbers to support that. I have been wrong once or twice, I think

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Lets start off again: As a former tech teacher , I'm well aware of who can do the work under warranty-I was simply stating the reality that when under warranty it's fairly common to let the dealer do the work.
Don't I know that my work, on my bike, is charged out to my time, not my wallet,thus I keep my money, right? Pretty obvious, huh?
Lazy is lazy! We've all witnessed it first hand and for some all it takes is a trip to the mirror of truth? Preference is another subject area 7 doesn't entertain lazyness, just choice.
As I get older I "monkey around" more...at least in certain endeavors

milo said:

...It bothers me that $85+ per hour trained technicians working on my motorcycle can be careless and aren't nearly as attentive to detail as I am. Some of the negligence I've experienced; oil dripping on the driveway after driving home because the oil drain plug was not tightened, actually barely hanging on. Bike running erratically, found vacuum hose not put back on TB. Finding right side gas tank bolt almost backed out. Three trips to remedy brake pad wear fault found to be caused by broken wire. I have friends with worse experiences.

The above was done by BMW technicians who no doubt have more mechanical skill, experience, and training than I do. They are payed a flat rate which encourages them to "beat the rate" in order to make more money. They also get distracted. Many shops actually prevent the customer from communicating with the mechanic working on their bike, only allowing you to speak through a third party, the service manager. There are all kinds of reasons but bad work does occur and it's not that uncommon.

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I could sort of write a book here on this tech stuff. The $85/hr gets shared for the most part-if you multiply $85 x 2,000(50/40hr weeks)= $170k per yr, which is what a lot of techs would like to pull down! I will state here that I made more in a skilled trade than I did as a HS principal any way you want to figure it. I also made more as a caddy than I did as a supermarket mgr.. Life's not always sensible or fair.
Your so right when you say the techs don't like to get distracted.Some independent techs allow for more customer interaction as it can boost business(I started to say many and corrected myself) but there are lots of issues there & lost time to make progress on time consuming work is the first to mind.
On training/engrs.,etc.: I have 3 engineer sons. They are very smart, successful kids with lots of practical experience but and it's a huge BUT!!! they don't have the training nor the experience that a tech person has. As a former wrench puller with lots of training & exp. I could go much further but suffice to say engr school doesn't crank out shop people & vice versa. While engr's often have that attention to detail & other personal attributes that lend them toward wrenching, it's not the same thing schooling wise. It doesn't try to be either. There were a few times I wished my students were a bit more on the bookish drift . A good engr has much respect for the skilled person that can execute their ideas. A very few engrs manage to cross over into that realm of those more skillfull(meaning hands on endeavors) areas of work.
I've also said before that there is somewhat of a missing link with the demand many of us here have for tech information/articles as many wrench pullers are not likewise gifted with the pen. Lucky to have Paul,Oak , Matt ,etc. that are willing & able to go that direction. Besides the fact that most good wrench puller are too busy earning a living to have time for writing much.

RoboRider said:

I take it one step further. I don't see younger kids today WILLING and INTERESTED in doing maintenance. We live in a throw it away world. As a guy who works on R Airheads, R oil heads, R Hex Heads, R Cam Heads and Japanese inline 4's, as well as cars and a whole lot of stuff, I say that the modern bikes are EASIER than older bikes. I certainly prefer my R12RT to my R90. Not even close. But older guys tend to stick with what they know, and younger guys tend to not want to work on anything. Bike, lawnmower, etc.

My neighbor hit a nail with his chainsaw and said he was done for the day because he didn't have another chain and there was not a store open yet on Sunday to buy one. What??? Just Sharpen it here I told him. Whoooooa, sharpen it? That's HARD. I whipped out my 12v electric sharpener and we had him back in bushiness in ten minutes, with a sharper chain than what he started with.

So, does he sharpen his own chains now? Hell no, he takes them in or buys a new one!

Younger guys (I'm 50) don't want to do crap with their hands. They just want to watch TV.

I'm really excited that there is a 14 year old kid across the street who just got a Honda 100cc dirt bike, used, needing work. He's interested and we just rebuilt his carburetor. Finally, a kid who wants to learn and loves to see the results of his work.

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WOW! You are sooooo wrong! I'm a former Tech educator & know this stuff about younger guys-I'm adding girls too that "don't want to do carp with their hands"!!! This could go on but suffice to say a lot of the problem with hands on trades is parents that don't know the world of work and want Johnny or Susie to "go to college" and enter a dignified career where your fingernails stay clean. Here's an e.g.: I did a quick google of"number of persons in tech/career education in USA" & on the 1st page was a US Dept of Ed(I'm glad they have something to do) report, all 287 pges of it that I really don't want to read! but it alluded to the 125,000 person increase,over a short,fairly recent period in people teaching those hands on trades that you suggest that young people don't want to do anymore? I kind of believe that most of those teachers have class /program full of students! Fact is waiting lists are common.
Now, can I find a kid to run my strings trimmer or carry shingles,etc.-nope not when I need them but they are out there & want to do the jobs that pay the bucks. Yes, they do want to use their hands,maybe not like I need them at times on farm work. I did luck onto a neighbor boy that I hired to help split my firewood. Hope there's more like him next time.

crazydrummerdude said:

I was being facetious in regards to broad generalizations.

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Now this is dangerous! A hands on type of guy with a vocabulary to use words like "facetious". Better watch yer step here boys!

sloride said:

I would do less gardening if I could find the same quality food that I can grow

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AMEN!
TODAY!
Yes, today we start our tomato/pepper seeds. It might be white outside but nigh is the time. We could go to the local farmers mkt and buy some of what we grow but it is in fact a healthy activity and we choose the varieties too,all of which, to those that don't know,(there are lots of those folks around-just look at fast food/junk food sales) this equals high caliber eating. That's your business if you don't want to raise a garden ,pull wrenches,etc. but all part of a day in my life. I plain old value self work. I highly value as much self sufficiency as I can muster. Ther's a price I pay but I still seek some balance in leisure time activities too. My hands are getting mostly worn out so I linger at the computer longer some days but value my work time still. Weatherman says 60's this weekend so sap ought to run great & maybe a bike ride too cause my firewood's all wet with snow,so no sap cooking...

kantuckid said:

I could sort of write a book here on this tech stuff. The $85/hr gets shared for the most part-if you multiply $85 x 2,000(50/40hr weeks)= $170k per yr, which is what a lot of techs would like to pull down! I will state here that I made more in a skilled trade than I did as a HS principal any way you want to figure it.....

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Doesn't matter, it's still $85 to us. In fact we probably have to gross $130 in order to net the $85 required for each hour he works on my bike.

We all have our lifestyle and comfort zones . No need to be judgmental.

kantuckid said:

Lets start off again: As a former tech teacher , I'm well aware of who can do the work under warranty-I was simply stating the reality that when under warranty it's fairly common to let the dealer do the work.
It is fairly common to let the dealer do the work when you think, for whatever reason the dealer must do the work. The first checkup is a good example. It can cost you $100 for them to change the oil and that's it. On many bikes the first big service is a bit more complicated and the labor can push $1000. Yes it is obvious I would rather keep the $1000 and do the work myself. I've only been on this site for a short time and I have seen lots of references to voiding your warranty by doing the work yourself. Additionally, BMW has a reputation for doing everything it can to make you think you have to have a dealer do the work.

Don't I know that my work, on my bike, is charged out to my time, not my wallet,thus I keep my money, right? Pretty obvious, huh? See above comment.
Lazy is lazy! We've all witnessed it first hand and for some all it takes is a trip to the mirror of truth? Preference is another subject area 7 doesn't entertain lazyness, just choice. Maybe I'm dense, but I don't quite understand what you are getting at here. I will restate, what someone is calling laziness may be a case like I just want to ride, I've worked on things all my life, I have the cash, I'll pay to have it done. That is my preference. It may be that I would rather do other things than twist wrenches.
As I get older I "monkey around" more...at least in certain endeavors

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Have a great day.

milo said:

Doesn't matter, it's still $85 to us. In fact we probably have to gross $130 in order to net the $85 required for each hour he works on my bike.

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Don't I "KNOW THAT TOO!!!" I'm 69, no earned income for over 10 years & it's tax time again & (I have always done my own) we will pay Fed tax to the tune of more than many of my total of annual income from early work years! Sure, you have inflation but they(my faithful state "lawmakers") are trying hard to take away that adjustment too as it interferes with spending too much of our money!
If that isn't enough they made me pay SS for years then took all most all of it away because I changed careers to a low paying (but with the magic govmt pension) so now I get less SS than my wife but paid in far more & worked more years. End of 2nd rant!

CHEWBACCA said:

Have a great day.

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I already did... but thanks!

May have been posted already, but with DIY maintenance, or making stuff for the bike, I get tremendous payback doing it myself. It's not a chore, or a pain, but a blessing that I noticed my retired/disabled mechanic father in law missed terribly in his fading years. Say thank you when given something to do.

some sitting in the rest home may marvel at having taking the adventure tour over the road of bones, I think I'll get the same rise out of passing my airhead on to the next rider. It's like leaving something behind. Just a thought.

DIY maintenance

Maintenance is a step-by-step learning process.
Of course it helps if you have a tutor, or perhaps
watch someone else do some of the work on their
bikes. A new electrician will not be allowed to work
on three phase high voltage lines on his first assignment.
He will be working low voltage, say 120/220 single phase
type work. With extra instructions or classes, he will advance.
Likewise with doing your own wrenching on motorcycles. Do
an oil change, adjust the clutch cable, or remove the windshield
and get into where the headlights bulbs are. Take off the
Tupperware fairing and replace them to familiarize yourself with your
ride. When reading the Clymer or Haynes manual you may need
to read a procedure twice; then go look at the bike; then read the
procedure again. Now you can attempt to tackle the job. There are
first line escheleon types of work: oil changes, light bulb replacements, etc.
Second line escheleon work: bleeding brakes, replacing wheel bearings.
Third line escheleon work: transmission repairs, internal engine work.
Start with simple issues and work as your confidence increases.
Have FAITH..in God, in your fellow men, and in yourself.
Humberto in New Mexico
1990 K100LT/2003 F650CS