Should I do my own Maintenance
#41
I always do my own service work, on all m vehicles, bikes, cars, trucks, Atv's,
3 tractors, etc. I have saved thousands over the years doing my own repair work.
It's a great feeling to save money, and an excellent way to get to know your bike.
The best factor of all to me is not letting some inexperienced youngster touch
my bike, and possible do things wrong, miss important items, or what I hear a lot,
damage the bike's paint when the work on it, or even wash it with their crappy sponges and rags.
NO freaking way am I taking my bike to any dealer!!
Get the basic tools you need, and make sure you cover the tins when your working on it.
and most of all , it's fun!
3 tractors, etc. I have saved thousands over the years doing my own repair work.
It's a great feeling to save money, and an excellent way to get to know your bike.
The best factor of all to me is not letting some inexperienced youngster touch
my bike, and possible do things wrong, miss important items, or what I hear a lot,
damage the bike's paint when the work on it, or even wash it with their crappy sponges and rags.
NO freaking way am I taking my bike to any dealer!!
Get the basic tools you need, and make sure you cover the tins when your working on it.
and most of all , it's fun!
#42
Before my recent purchase( 2010 Road King Classic ).I owned vstar 1100, and did all mods and maintenance. The bike was inexpensive. So if I did something wrong. It wasn't the end of the world. I know a lot of guys will only have the dealer do their work.My new bike is in mint condition with only 8500 miles on it. Should I do the maintenance myself or have the dealer. I don't want to hurt my new baby.
#45
If you can remove a drain plug and then put it back in without cross threading or under/over torque it and the same with the filter you should be good to go.
But then that leaves over or under filling the oil level.
Darn! Life is so complicated. I think we should all just pay the dealer $3 to $4 hundred dollars to relieve us of all this technical complicated stressful work.
But then that leaves over or under filling the oil level.
Darn! Life is so complicated. I think we should all just pay the dealer $3 to $4 hundred dollars to relieve us of all this technical complicated stressful work.
#46
#47
And don't forget You Tube and similar instruction videos too. When I did my gear drive cams 4 years ago, I read the Andrews instructions (gears,) the S&S instructions (cams) and watched a couple of videos observing the whole process from start to finish before I laid a wrench on the cam chest bolts. Lots of good information out there.
#48
I was intimidated at first, but with manuals and this forum most things can be done. I know a lot of us would buy a digital tech if we could.
After rebuilding and synching 6 carbs, swapping 4 cams and adjusting 24 valves(more than most dealers done at that time), then running to over twice the RPM, I figured I could maintain this 1940's JD technology.(yes,JD)
After rebuilding and synching 6 carbs, swapping 4 cams and adjusting 24 valves(more than most dealers done at that time), then running to over twice the RPM, I figured I could maintain this 1940's JD technology.(yes,JD)
#49