I REALLY enjoy working on my motorcycles. There is so much to learn and so many systems to explore. Each manufacturer solves the same problems in slightly different ways. Sure there are days when I cuss stuck nuts or wonder who thought we should take off a dozen parts to get to the whachizit. Most often, though, I'm glad to know how the motorcycles I ride are put together. By doing my own work I can gauge the wear on parts and decide for myself when to replace. I can ride knowing that the mechanic CARED about torquing the head bolts. And I like making my own racks and parts and brackets. Each project lets me match the bike to my priorities instead of whatever the bean-counters settle on for low production costs or compact shipping. So many commercially-available parts are either chrome or made for racing and would not suit my needs at all. Last summer I was busy and had some work done for me. I didn't learn much about the motorcycle at all and at the end it seemed like a lost opportunity. I am very happy to be one of the many here working on our own motorcycles. I say that we are the fortunate ones. (Please excuse me. It's winter in Maine and I've been working on a motorcycle and was simply overcome . . . . ) (Oh, yea . . . I like riding them too.)
A fine post. Your sincerity is much appeciated. I too have always felt a void of sorts whenever I had someone else do maintenance on my cars or bikes. It's quite therapeutic to do your own work.
Sorry there mate. Reading the post today it looks lame. I was simply cleaning chain adjuster parts for reassembly -- nothing all that mystical. But somehow I was overcome by a need to post.
Wrenching can and is fun for the most part, i liked messing around with stuff to fix it and see how it works and being able to save some money to. My problem is that i wrench for a living so the whole deal of fix this old piece of crap truck, the guys waiting and oh we only bill 2 hours for whats now a 4 hour job. I have really lost the desire to actually work on stuff after dealing with that all week. My goal is hit the lotto and build a nice shop and tinker with stuff.
I try to do as much of my own wrenching as possible, I don't trust stealerships, if the mechanic is seasoned , ( you can tell) then it's not so bad. Have a buddy that just got his bike back and he valve cover apparently wasn't tightened to specs and it blew oil all over, now it's back at the shop under warranty for something really stupid. I like the idea of working on my own this way I can learn it's issues and noises and know it better. Don't know a lot but I am a good learner, any ways I love doing it and it gives me something to tinker with if it's crappy weather and I can't ride anyways.
I don't have as much time to ride as I used to. Family gladly takes up most of my time, we've been fixing up our house and 'nesting' more, so I find I've been getting as much pleasure just sitting in my workshop and fiddling with things on my bike without leaving home.
I, too, enjoy working on my bike. I'm no master mechanic but I enjoy figuring things out. I am very fortunate to have 2 friends that are great mechanics and will help me when I get in over my head. My motorcycle is a great psychiatrist in that it relieves stress and, at times, helps me work on my patience.
Self-sufficiency is good ;-} I'm not a woodowrker, but a glance at any of the glossy woodworker magazines shows a semi-mystical approach to that kind of work that at lleast some woodmunchers have to their tasks . . . . . I've noted little of that from petrol heads that I know . . . . . while I enjoy spinning wrenches, and making things, these are more of a means to an end (riding) for me . . . . . Though I DO remember when my family required more of my time . . . a Saturday morning adjusting the chain with my 4 year old daughter was a joy ;-}
I concur with the OP on the joy of wrenching. True it sucks to have to continually fix a POS (i.e nearly any HD bike) but wrenching or just trivial shop tinkering does provide relaxation to me. I seem to spend more time in my shop when stressed or bored. Everyone has an "outlet", mine too is wrenching.
I got new tires for my pig. Installed the back one no problem on monday, Yesterday, It was time for the front tire. I couldn't get the bead to seat, and then I pinched two tubes when I disassembled and reassembled the tire. first two times i've ever pinched a tube! So I said fuck it, I'mrunning out of daylight, so the shop can do it. $38.97 to put a tube in I feel like a jackass. I paid someone else to something for me that I shoulda been able to do. I replaced me fork seals myself atleast
