Motorcycle maintenance course at college.

Hi everyone,

I just enrolled in a motorcycle maintenance course at my local college, it's 2 hours a week for 12 weeks with qualified tutors and they encourage you to bring your own machine to work on.

It was only £53 so I figure if they can show me how to service it properly, change the brake pads and clean out the calipers it will more than pay for itself.

Has anyone else done something similar, and was it worth it?

Cheers,

Dave.

Sounds pretty good and also cheap as well. Haven't done such a thing but if I was offered the chance 4 years ago I probably would have...

[rictus01]

I've never done one (no real need), but know a few people who have, they aren't by any means comprehensive; but do offer some practical skills and are a good starting place if you're interested in learning, although bear in mind you'll probably end up spending far more than the course costs setting yourself up with decent tools, but good luck with the course and I hope you enjoy it.

Cheers Mark.

[DarrenSV650S]

Yeh I did one. It's really helpful when you are starting out

4 years ago?

I'm normally pretty handy with certain things - It's messing with the brakes that terrifies me

Originally Posted by rictus01

I've never done one (no real need), but know a few people who have, they aren't by any means comprehensive; but do offer some practical skills and are a good starting place if you're interested in learning, although bear in mind you'll probably end up spending far more than the course costs setting yourself up with decent tools, but good luck with the course and I hope you enjoy it.

Cheers Mark.

I'm not too sure exactly what it covers as the course description is a bit vague but I didn't think it would be too comprehensive anyway. They do other full time courses which cover diagnostics etc and cost far more but you also get a qualification at the end of it.

I think you're right too about the set up costs, the course doesn't start until September but I'm already looking at torque wrenches....

Cheers,

Dave.

[rictus01]

well as an example Dave I have three torque wrenches covering different ranges and the combined cost of just those three (bearing in mind they are far from new now) was near £200, fortunately you don't need everything all at once, just make sure you buy decent stuff and not the cheapest; as you'll end up either damaging the bits you're working on or throwing them away to replace with good ones later on.

Cheers Mark.

Originally Posted by rictus01

well as an example Dave I have three torque wrenches covering different ranges and the combined cost of just those three (bearing in mind they are far from new now) was near £200, fortunately you don't need everything all at once, just make sure you buy decent stuff and not the cheapest; as you'll end up either damaging the bits you're working on or throwing them away to replace with good ones later on.

Cheers Mark.

Good advice, thanks Mark.

I'm at the stage now where I'm getting fed up paying dealers or independent mechanics for doing things I know I should be able to do myself, most recently a reg/rec change and braided lines. I'd rather spend the money on tools and a bit of training.

4 years ago as that's when I first got a bike and had done no maintenance on any vehicle of any kind.

Since then I have done just about all you can do including (with assistance though) dropping the engine out my SV and replacing the gearbox, which means basically dismantling the whole engine really

I got lucky with my father and brother being good at that type of shizzle and teaching me but without that I would be in pretty desperate need of a course of some sort!...

Thinking of applying for this myself in Ballymena NRC, cdtrim, you wouldnt have a link for the one in belfast as Im at Uni there and could be handy for me?