Self Service!

As you have decided to do the service and you have both plugs I'd change them both. You've got to the point where you have the old one out so why not put the new one in rather than have to strip down to get to it again.

Both plugs have done the same revs and there will be some internal breakdown of the thing which may or may not be visible, but as per my first comment why get a few miles down the road and have the sodding thing fail.

Well done for attempting the servce and getting it done whilst retaining a sense of humour. I've always serviced my own bikes and cars until recently when there are bits that you just can't do for yourself. As previously said it gives you more feeling for the bike / car and saves a bob or two as well.

Be wary of looking at chains, most are endless these days and need rivitting together. You can buy the tool to do this but its easy to get it wrong and the results can be catastrophic, brakes are pretty much the same thing.

Well done though.

Be wary of looking at chains, most are endless these days and need rivitting together

If you paid £200 for a pair of new tyres on a sports bike and after half a mile realised your rear wheel nut hadn't been tightened you would be reluctant to put so much trust in mechanics Alan dude! .... you're a mechanic aren't you??
If the chain is replaced in a proper manner then why should it fail? Its just a chain not a crank replacement!

Its ok for the layman to set their own tyre pressures and check them for damage yet **** that up and it really could be catastrophic.

Servicing is supposed to be done by a professional yet the tyres, suspension and brakes are not normally serviceable items. You have to ask to get them checked over but they are the bits on the bike which will kill you if they fail! Barmy innit?

Even replacing brake pads is a bit messy and a bit fiddly but once you've done it a couple of times its a doddle!

When I had my tyres done and my chain/sprockets done recently (2 different co's), I found the rear wheel nut was actually overtightened. I guess it's better than under, but it'll still do damage in the long run...

Correct me if I'm wrong chaps but overtightening is just as bad if not worse because the nut can literally crack and split and drop off....or strip the threads and become useless. At least with a loose one you will probably notice a rattle or some loss of control as it gradually loosens and so be alerted to it!

Originally Posted by RhythmJunkie

Correct me if I'm wrong chaps but overtightening is just as bad if not worse because the nut can literally crack and split and drop off....or strip the threads and become useless. At least with a loose one you will probably notice a rattle or some loss of control as it gradually loosens and so be alerted to it!

You would have to serioulsly over tighten a rear hub nut to cause any damage! I use a toque wrench on most things as it cuts out guess work!
My advice if your at all unsure either get someone who is to help or get someone to do it, leaving wheel nuts loose is just not on. I like to put a blob of white paint on nuts and bolts when i have torqued them then you can just eyeball them every now and again to see if any have loosened as you will spot them no problem.

On the issue of chains they can be abit tricky and its vital that you get it right, so caution is advised.

I like to put a blob of white paint on nuts and bolts when i have torqued them then you can just eyeball them every now and again to see if any have loosened as you will spot them no problem.

What a good idea!

I guess changing bulbs is less of a problem for SV's with LED rears and twins up front!
Its become a 'wait till you get home' thing!

I'm a maintenance engineer by by trade but not a bike mechanic so Rythym's partly right.

I think that all owners should undertake whatever level of maintenance they are capable of but my concern is that confidence can get you into situations that your skills can't get you out of, this is true for riding as well. I've had loads of calls from friends who have got so far down the line of a job and then reality sets in swiftly followed by blind panic with a dose of 'oh sh*t' thrown in.

Its been said numerous times on these forums that if you ask, very often a more experienced person will offer guidance and that's the best option to get started.

I do worry about chains, you can buy the riveting kit over the counter and people then think they can do the job, don't!!, this is one that's best left to someone who knows what they're doing.

Just had mine MOTd for the first time with no probs and I've done 2 services on it and it's on 9500 miles. Never taken a bike or car in for an MOT when I got it serviced by a garage and had no problems. Probably helps that the MOT place just did MOTs and no servicing. If you do it yourself you can sort things as they wear instead of waiting until service time. Soon as I feel anything wrong with the bike I know where the problem is coming from and can tweak things to keep it sweet. Makes the whole biking experience even better, knowing you can fix the thing as well as ride it

I must admit that I have never been a bike mechanic, but I have worked on cars and trucks for a long time ( I am the family mechanic) When I got this bike the first thing I did was download a service manual. I have never sent a vehicle of mine or my families to a shop for repair. If it is on paper with some kind of procedure I'll figure it out, that is how experiences are made. With that said there is also a tool issue, if you don't have it try to borrow it, but if you need it twice buy it. That is why I pay the MAC tool guy every week, you can never have enough tools. I am sure as you get more comfortable working on your ride your experiences will continue to grow thats how it works.