Who does your bike maintenance??

[BanannaMan]

With a good percentage of organs on other bikes now, just wondering, who does your maintenance? and what bike do you ride?

I'm still riding a 2002 SVS (owned since new) and have done all maintenance myself (so far).

[STRAMASHER]

I bought a new one in 2013 and the worst thing for me has been having to go back and deal with dealers. Not a good experience. The actual spannering appears to be fine as far as I can tell.

My previous GSX1400 was bought new in 2002 and was serviced by the dealer for the warranty stamps then by myself and an independant.

I will be doing the same with this one after the warranty runs out. In fact my independant guy (keen to get in about it) advised sticking with the dealer for the stamps till then.

I hate not being able to talk to and see whom is working on my machine. Loads of bad experiences back in the day from dealers particularly when a relative noob. The only person scraping, snapping, dinking, breaking and "forgetting" bits of my bike should be me.

[jambo]

I've never owned anything young enough to have a warranty so I've built up a decent tool chest and can do just about any job I'm likely to come across with a brace of old sv650's. Not got as fresh as fuel injection yet I'm a little behind the times and just starting to learn about tuning carbs.

Jambo

Sent without a real keyboard

[dirtydog]

Have always done 99% of my own maintenance. only exceptions were, a new bike that needed dealer servicing for the warranty and my first SV which I got a free service.

Current SV, hazel bought new in 2001 and it had dealer servicing to start with, but I've done it for the past 7/8 years

[Jayneflakes]

These days, I do the majority of the work myself, aided by wifey when I need some help. My friend Sian is an exceedingly well qualified engineer so her help is often really appreciated, especially when it comes to Carbon Fibre.

The only thing that I cannot do is change tyres or balance wheels, so my mate Steve does that for me in his shop. He does however run an exceptional Bike garage here in Weston called Bridge Motor Services, although coming over from the States for a service may be a bit of a trek and your bike would need another service once you got home again.

Meanwhile, I have heard serious rumblings through the grapevine about our local dealer being at very serious risk of going under. Comments coming through are that the lack of an actual qualified mechanic, a history of causing damage and financial irregularities saw Yamaha take away their dealership status, leaving them with only Royal Enfield and a collection of cheap Chinese Honda rip offs. I do not know how true these rumours are (as is the case with gossip), but when I popped in last week there was not a new Yam anywhere to be seen.

[maviczap]

Just tyres & wheel balancing is the only thing I don't do, although I've never stripped and engine down.

[Littlepeahead]

Both my bikes were bought either new or within a warranty so for that reason I took them to a dealer. Now the GS is out of warranty I'll start to do some of it myself. Having never worked on bikes before I'm enjoying doing motorcycle maintenance as a college course and then using that knowledge on my own bikes.

I may still take the GS to a dealer for the more complicated work.

[Heorot]

I am completely mechanically useless. Luckily, there is an independent garage in our village whose owner and chief mechanic is also a biker. We have two sports cars and use him for everything so we are on first name terms. He loves to work on my bike and charges very little (off book).

[carelesschucca]

I do minor services on the Street myself but I have been getting the dealer to do major services. TBH the electrics on the bike scare the willies out of me... Theres more wiring under the tank and on the airbox than there was on the whole of the SV.

I miss the SV for its simplicity and ease to work on. I used to be able to remove the front fairing in about 5/10 mins. its a nice little bike to work on and I do sometimes think about getting one again just for the joy of working on it.

[Bibio]

me and when i cba the dealer comes in his van and takes it away then brings it back when done opens my wallet and proceeds to empty it.