Do you do your own maintenance? What bike?

[Rocketman122]

I do not live in uk and the prices here are ridiculous. I was tired of being ripped off
My history started about 10 years back. Started with oil changes and slowly learned how to do the cvt. Accumulated tools. 3/8" Socket set screwdrivers funnels syringe and small tube (gear oil) spark plug socket. Antiseize hitemp grease an impact wrench a torque wrench (you'll most likely need 2)that can do from 6ft lbs to 80 fltlbs. Long Allen wrenches, though I recommend socket Allen heads for your wrench. A brake bleeding kit (though not a must, it adds convenience)

Not in any specific order. Within 3 maintenance services you'll pay for the tools. Your bike have service(not owners) manuals most likely. Download pdf and have it printed and bound like a book if you want and also get a notebook and log what you've done. Tape receipts in it for the parts if you like.
I order some parts oem and some parts aftermarket.

But I can tell you 100% that if you go by the service manual you will be more accurate than the mechanic you go to. They just use an air gun and close the cvt bolt. They do not torque the 2 bolts to spec. They do not take your clutch apart each service internal for cvt, which your supposed to do to clean and grease the 2 plates. And to grease and assess the 2 bearings in the clutch. And check tolerance of the contra spring. And might not even deglaze your pads or scuff the bell for better bite. And might not even grease the boss pin. And I can tell you that replacing brake pads is more than just removing the old one and slipping in new one. The retaining holes the pads use can benefit from a little grease on them so they slide better and even the guide grooves too. And if you pump the handle just a little to get the pistons out you can clean them and use a bit of grease so they don't gunk up and rust and get stuck. These are all small things the mechanic won't do... But you will.

More than satisfaction of doing it yourself and doing it well, you have the satisfaction of learning skill set for other projects. And I can't tell you, you will be cussing a lot and have wanted to give up multiple times but it's good structure too

If you do many diy projects at home, this is similar.
I can't support my mechanics when they charge so much. I understand they want to profit but not the amount they charge.. Sorry.

[Stibbs]

I also look after my own bike, Burger 400 like yours. Relatively easy to work on and as you say, very cost effective and you know the right job has been done. I got an older bike back from the workshop after a service many years ago and when I got home I thought the engine sounded odd. They hadn’t installed the new air filter!! (Which was charged for on the invoice) They’d taken out the old one and hadn’t replaced it. I Rang them and they said, “that’s unusual we usually check these things before handing bike back”!! Not even an apology.

[Funkycowie]

My first ride was a Piaggio B125, all the spannering was done by the same mechanic and that had a short life span, when I got a Gilera Nexus 500 and then Yamaha TMax's I started doing all my own work to schedule, only tyre changes were done by a garage because I couldn't be bothered to do them myself and there was not much of a saving when only taking the wheels in. I've changed fuel pumps, solved wiring failures, etc. The only thing I have paid for is a clutch change on a Yamaha Tmax that I would need to buy tools for one use so it made sense to get a mechanic to do it. My NC750x has yet to be serviced by myself but I intend to soon...it will be interesting.

[Rocketman122]

I'm excited when i see that others do their own maintenance

for me I guess its also because over the years of paying to have it done there were things i caught that made me lose trust in mechanics like you Stibbs with your air filter
small things i like to keep an eye out on, like greasing points the mfr says to do, like side/center stand pivot points, the part of rhe brake lever that works the brake piston so there is less wear and "stepping" feel when you use the brake lever. checking inflating tires as needed. even checking radiator fluid or checking brake fluid
these are small things ive noticed that few do. everything is done fast but without paying attention to small things
also when i takr my wheel in for tire replacement, i take the rim after they unmount the old tire and use sandpaper to clean the inaide rim. a lot of times there is some black tire residue and i make sure to sand it down with 600 grit or so and wipe it down with brake cleaner. makes seating tighter for less overall loss of air. and tire valve is replqced eevrytime. yes im pedantic about small things

sorry to hear about your short life span of the B125. such a shane. i can relate.

also tire changes are a pita to do and also needs proper balancing. i also think like you and give the mechanic the work for things that require specialty tools or parts. certain things i do not have experience with. also rebuilding an engine is something id give to someone with technical and precision experience

the bigger the scooter/bike the bigger the savings when you do ypur own work. and we know how expensive they can be.
a large maintenance service for rhe maxsym600/burgman 400 will be around $725 total

I also once showed a friend how to do his maintenance service on his joyride 200.
I also do my service before its time. i log everything in a notebook. i do enjoy being pedantic and keeping a record.

good to hear your experiences. thank you
thats a lot of money

[Red Dog]

I do my own basic maintenance on my 09 Burgman 400.
I'm trying to build up the courage to do the valve clearance but I'm scared.

[Dave Weller]

I do all my own stuff, I don't get service intervals, firstly I guess they are only a guide to follow and it assumes the rider rides the machine at about 80% of maximum. I am very sympathetic to machinery and every part on my bikes last beyond the consumable service intervals.
I do an oil change at about 8000 miles, air filter about the the same, brakes get done when the tyres are changed, a good inspection at MOT time and before long tours, I use all types of different oils and sprays when looking at the bike to prevent rust and electrical corrosion.
Over 50+ years of cars and bikes, searching the manuals, watching YouTube and asking trusted friends all problems get solved, I don't buy potentially difficult vehicles to own and rely on dealer backup

My bikes are listed below, all simple proven Honda's, if I used dealers to service them it would take a lot of down time and cost, all 4 are road legal and should I get a problem another one is taken out. I go out with the Honda owner club and touch wood problems are rare with me or other bikes. However I take plenty of tools with me just in case as Breakdown assistance and recovery could take longer because of Co-vid.

[capitano]

I've probably gone in the opposite direction to everyone else.

I learned my way round a garage workshop from the age of 10 working on stock cars (as in stock car racing) and big engine Mini conversions with my Dad.

I built my first bike, a BSA Bantam engined motocrosser, at the age of 12, and went on to build chops and café racers (Triumph T140/TR7 based) in my teens and twenties along with complete engine rebuilds on various Jap smaller bikes (Suzuki A100, GT250, Honda CD175, Kawasaki Z250.)

I maintained my own bikes after I moved to the South Coast in the 80s too, especially the Harleys I rode for 15 years.(NB: I ran a Sportster for 9 years and over 90,000 miles so I know the inside and outside of the EVO XLs pretty well.)

I think the turning point was just over 15 years ago, when I went self employed.

The lack of available spare time was a factor. I could either have my maintenance, servicing etc done while I was working, by someone else, or spend time doing it myself that I could have spent riding, having sex, or drinking coffee having conversations with friends. All the latter had far greater appeal than getting tools out and getting dirty yet again.

The other factor was finding several mechanics that were trusted by friends. Not only that but these guys wielded spanners full time, and as much as I hate to admit it, they were better because I didn't! That, and the realisation that these mechanics' hourly rates were less than my own.

So, my epiphany came in the form of a question:

"Why the hell would I want to use my own time, that I value at £75 an hour, to do a job that someone else can do better for £45 an hour?"

So, these days I do between-service oil changes. I oil and adjust chains. I make cable adjustments, maintain tyre pressures and fluid levels and change light bulbs. That's about it.

For everything else, I drop the bike to one of 3 mechanics within 2 miles of my house, and go to work knowing that what I earn will cover the labour charges and a whole chunk of parts costs too.

If anyone would like to challenge my decision, based upon some Zen-ish principles of getting involved spiritually maintaining my machine, I'll argue that I still prefer riding, having sex and drinking coffee with friends.

[Dave Weller]

That's the way to do it Ged, you work you play, simple

[riders in the storm]

"I'll argue that I still prefer riding, having sex and drinking coffee with friends."

Your very lucky, I do my own maintenance because I'm not doing any of those...........

[blackmoon181]

I'll try and not go too deep i've had a strong desire to understand how things work a since ive been a kid. I hated going to get the car fixed with my parents and taking the service rep's answer to why the car was broken as gospel. Growing up in an environment where fixing things yourself wasn't the done thing was hard to relearn! I value understand the underlying principles behind something even if you don't want to take the time to resolve it.

I've spent the last 10 years living on a farm, so being mechanically inclined is very much a necessity especially when dealing with old janky equipment. As a result i have a little space and tools to work on things. i think i would be a lot less motivated if i had to take the bike apart on the street every time it needed maintenance.

Financial circumstances play into this aswell as rocketman indicates, mechanics aren't cheap but have to make a living. i'm also at a point in my life where i don't have the financial capital for other people to service my bikes, but can make the time to fix them. I don't see most of the mechanics becoming wealthy, maybe the shop or dealership owners however... In my part of the world mechanics are usually paid by the hour regardless of what job they do, whether its changing an oil filter or reskimming a head. Trying to find a mechnanic you trust is very important. I try and leverage my own skills and do the basics things, and try and learn the more complicated things as they crop up but know when i'm out of my depth and call in the big guns!

Understanding your own circle of competence is important. venturing out of slightly that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but going way out of it can cause problems. I think its important to understand that master mechanics are worth their weight in gold. A mechanic with 30 years of great experience knows a hell of a lot more than me.

great point about bike specific tooling expecially diagnostic equipment. Sometimes it makes financial sense to take it to the professionals. you'd be suprised what fancy tooling you can make with some scrap, a drill, a grinder and a welder :p

Great point about just because you can do it doesn't mean you need to. changing tyres is a great example. in my part of the world changing a tyre and balancing it costs £12 providing you take them the wheel. For anyone else who has tried to do motorcycle tyres you know how much of a PITA they can be with basic tools!