[Closed] Anyone service their motorbike themselves?

Some people on t’internet say the fuel filter should last way longer than 12,000 miles on UK fuel because it’s not as full of crap as fuel in other places 🤷🏻‍♂️

Yeah, I pretty much learned to spanner on mine and ended up getting the bug and kind of tuning the bejeezus out of it. But it;s an '00, very few sensors/computers to worry about.

Checking clearances is pretty easy. Changing them when it's shim-under-bucket is quite a bit more involved. But with modern bikes you're not that likely to have to change them anyway. (mine has 60000 miles and has never needed an adjustment... Which'd be decent by itself, but also, it has a different intake cam from a more recent model, and the original intake cam is now the exhaust cam, and even with all of that none of them needed changed- the tolerances are tight and the wear rate is tiny) This is a longwinded way of saying, don't worry about changing them unless you have to- there's definitely an argument for getting the pros to do it if it needs it.

Fuel filter should be easy enough, do it with the tank as empty as you can though and take great care not to drop/scrape/otherwise hurt it, that sounds obvious but they're cumbersome.

Depending on manufacturer, crappy bolts might be the biggest issue you face. Getting the fairings off my mate's ninja was harder than fitting GSXR forks into my SV 🙂

👍🏼 sounds like a plan

What bike is it? There might be model specific stuff... Sometimes they make it easy, sometimes they make it hard.

Like, just frinstance and not at all because I'm still bitter... Kawasaki B1 has one suspension bolt that can't be removed with the exhaust fitted. And the exhaust can't be removed with the fairing fitted. And the stock shock is absolute shite, so removing it is a good idea. BUT! The real bastard is, if that bolt were fitted from the other side, it'd just come out.

Or you can cut the bolt and then fit a replacement from the other side, which is why sometimes, knowing stuff in advance is a really really big help.

It’s a Triumph Bonneville. I have the Haynes manual for it which covers all this stuff.

I have done, but lately i've been on KTMs which are a bit more 'quirky' at times and bolts have been very easier to strip casing threads etc, so i've stayed away from them a bit lately..

My new XSR900, I may service myself though now.

The ZX6 i do most bits myself.

And the stock shock is absolute shite, so removing it is a good idea. BUT! The real bastard is, if that bolt were fitted from the other side, it’d just come out.

I had this debate with my hands cut to ribbons on the XSR900 shock swapping 2 weeks ago... can't fathom how they did it this way.

I did the valve clearances on my KTM after being quoted a horse-choking amount from a dealer.
It wasnt difficult, just very fiddly.... a decent set of feelers gauges, micrometer and magnetic retrieval tool helped. That, and it's a single!
Had to take the cams out to adjust - but take lots of photos of timing marks and all should be well.
Careful not to drop the timing chain or anything else into the sump.
The other thing to bear in mind is service history. Likely to sell it? Be good to have that intact and from a dealer. Keeping it? Crack on!

I did all the valve clearances on my 82 gsx400, but they were screw adjust, not shims.

There's plenty of good guides out there on YouTube. Try Delboys garage for triumph stuff. He has one he does a lot of tutorials on.

Is this yours?

Yep I do mine. As well as the basic oil, plugs and filters I've done the valve clearances on my Triumph Sprint 1050. It is easy enough if you're methodical. Thankfully they've not needed changing, as said above adjusting bucket and shim clearances looks a right PITA!

I've also swapped the shock, done fork oil and spring changes and a few other things. The biggest faff is taking the fairing off. If you can get one, the manufacturer's service manual is lot more detailed, accurate and easy to follow than a Haynes manual, with Triumph at least, not sure with others.

Top tip, if you do the valves, take a dated picture with the valve cover off to prove you've done it if you later sell the bike. A lot of DIY servicers don't bother doing the valves so it's good to show you've done them to a buyer.

I'm about to PX my old Sprint for a new bike, so i will be reluctantly paying for dealer services until the warranty period is up. After that I'll roll up my sleeves and do it myself again.

I've done plenty of spannering on both cars and bikes over the years, in fact sometimes fixing things the "professionals" mess up (especially thinking of the wrong clutch plate order and missing decompression pin from an XT660x grrr!)

Besides electrical issues (cam sensor on a ZX9r) the first thing to defeat me was an exhaust replacement on a VFR800i. Ye Gods! Studs on the front 2 cylinders weren't an issue, however the back 2 were blocked by the shock, which was blocked by the bodywork, which was started with the heat shield, where the rawl nut came loose and just rotated, easy enough just get at the back with a set of pliers or a mole grip, which you can't because....the still attached body work and shock are in the way. All bits were then put in a box and the shop was called.

Of course 3 months later the entire electrical system melted on the M4. That signaled the demise of that bike as I was finding it really difficult to source replacement parts at non-stratospheric prices. I still miss that bike, especially as I replaced it with an NC750x which while being incredibly efficient and brilliant at it's job, it's just dull.

Haynes and youtube are your friends.

Valve clearance checks and fuel filters are at the easier end of the spectrum.

Service history is a bit of a jumble, my brother in law had the bike from new but when he moved abroad it sat in a garage for two years without any service. It was done 12 months ago before I got it but it’s now 1000 miles past the 12,000 service interval.

I’m going away on it at the end of the month so I’m tempted to do the oil and filter change now and the rest when I get back. Would hate to find myself waiting for parts and them not coming in time!

I think mine is different to that kayak

I do all my own maintenance - main bike is an 04 R1. Take your time, keep your workspace clean and organised and above all get the right tools for the job!!! As somebody once said to me there’s no nails on a motorbike so why do you need a hammer?😀

If service history is a bit iffy then just assume everything needs doing and work your way through it methodically, and get a little notebook to keep a record of what you’ve done..

It was done 12 months ago before I got it but it’s now 1000 miles past the 12,000 service interval.

I’m going away on it at the end of the month so I’m tempted to do the oil and filter change now and the rest when I get back.

Tyres ok?

But that’s really not a lot of mileage anyway and 1000 miles is unlikely to hurt anything, so your plain to do oil and filter is sound. Oh and chain adjustment and lube and tyre pressures etc of course!

Back tyre is nearly new, front one is getting replaced next week at the same time as immediately before it’s MOT.

I replaced the defective points system on my bantam with an electronic ignition system , scrubbed up the earthing points and changed the fuel lines at the same time - complete pita and it’s never worked since. It now lies in the back of a barn waiting for someone to come along and find it after I’m gone. So no I don’t.

If service history is a bit iffy then just assume everything needs doing and work your way through it methodically, and get a little notebook to keep a record of what you’ve done..

I have it all and it’s all been main dealer to date, there has just been big time gap where the bike was unused. But it’s 7yrs old and well out of warranty so I’m happy to do what I can myself. I’ll be keeping it for a few more years anyway.

Kilo - I’ll keep away from those bits then 🙂

I replaced the defective points system on my bantam with an electronic ignition system , scrubbed up the earthing points and changed the fuel lines at the same time – complete pita and it’s never worked since. It now lies in the back of a barn waiting for someone to come along and find it after I’m gone. So no I don’t.

Which model is it? Fancy selling it? I gave my dad an earful for selling a bantam that just needed a new points/condenser! And quite fancy another project once the MG is back on the road.

1968 175cc D14/4, unfortunately it is actually in the back of a barn in Kerry so not being sold in the near future. To get to it one has to go past my Honda C90 - which starts second or third kick every time, even after months of not being used it’s right as rain and a real hoot. Get a C90 is my advice!

Growing up in the 70s and 80s I’d take a C90 over an old Brit bike all day long! 😉

I do all the work on my motorbikes. No way will I trust anyone else to do it.

On my smaller greenlane bike I'd do quite a lot. The risk of me screwing something up wouldn't impact me getting to work, and it's so simple to work on.

I've not yet split the cases, but I'm fine tackling things like new pistons, valve checks, cam-timing, fork seals, wheel bearings, rad changes, new tires (pain in the bum!)

On my main bike I only do the basics (air/oil/spark-plugs/brake-pads/sometimes-sprockets/chains).

I shy away from most things electrical...and these days I'm a bit de-motivated, so my main bike often ends up at the shop...if only I had a decent garage/workshop 😉