With older bikes I take the view it's just a bike with an engine so servicing or strip downs doesn't worry me but modern stuff crammed with computers and electronic this and that can be more problematic.
It’s the competent bit that is impossible to prove. Unless the owner is a qualified motorcycle technician then they cannot prove said competence. There are a lot of people who class themselves as competent home mechanics. Most aren’t.
I've paid for work on cars and bikes by "qualified motor technicians" in the past that's ranged from very good, (as you'd expect) through a bit slack to a straight up bodge so personally I don't put much value on the "qualified" badge. Ditto other trades. My brother bought a house some years back off a mate of his who renovates properties and he'd paid a "qualified electrician" to do the rewire which was not only sub standard but shabby and actually dangerous in some areas.
I agree, it all depends on what "qualified" actually means these days, my engineering apprenticeship lasted 5 years , now a person can be qualified after a few NVQ modules....doesn't even come close in my opinion. I wonder how many of them could even read a micrometer.
The trouble with dealer servicing is that the techs are up against the clock and do not always have enough time allowance to do a proper job. My 12000 mile main service takes as long as it takes, which is usually the best part of a week, but this allows me time to thoroughly clean everything when the bike is stripped down. My time is free so there is no need to rush things.
My one and only valve check with a main dealer using "competent mechanics" was on my ZZR1200. They fucked up the choke linkage making cold starts a bit of a shagaround, and l found one plug bathed in oil thanks to an incorrectly fitted or reused rocker cover seal. They scratched the nosecone too. And when a dealer changed the front discs on my Sprint under warranty,they replaced a hose the wrong way round rendering it potentially dangerous. These are just paid monkeys, with no investment in the job. Now l always buy the tools and do it myself. Better job, cheaper. On that note also l had to show another professional how to release the parking brake on my Passat.
There are obviously many on here more than happy and fully competent at doing their own servicing and repairs but there will also be many who have little or no technical ability or even interest in DIY spannering so will rely on dealer servicing. The possibility of poor workmanship by dealer technicians shouldn't, in itself, put people off having their bike serviced because 99.9% of the time the work done is fine. Putting aside my bad experiences in the past and being a Yorkshireman it's also the cost that puts me off!
Wow £800+ for just a check...are they taking the p** and if its within tolerance they won't adjust it......so expensive for having a look
Here is a photo of my garage, I do have specialist tools such as Ducati on the shelves, we have a large family workshop 5 miles away, but I don't use it much as it is handier to work on machines next to the house, home comforts and my own timeframe.
The problem is the labour rate, just getting to the valves on a triple takes quite a bit of time and dealers probably charge £70-£90 per hour. That's how they pay for the fancy showrooms!
The problem is the labour rate, just getting to the valves on a triple takes quite a bit of time and dealers probably charge £70-£90 per hour. That's how they pay for the fancy showrooms! Very nice,all you need now is a ramp!
I have also built up a garage full of tools including some manufacturer's special tools and some home made jobs. I hate to think what it would cost to replace them all. I was going to replace my old Clarke MIG welder last year but gave it a new lease of life by fitting a Euro torch kit. I've got my eye on a TIG welder though. One of the most useful tools I bought (several years ago) is my 18v Milwaukee impact driver. It's a real weapon and I've not come across any nut/bolt it can't undo, apart from the few it's sheared off that is! It gets used more on the SUV than the bikes TBH. Good quality tools just make the job easier.
Dealers are there to make money from people keeping their warranties valid, My local Royal Enfield dealer charged ninety quid plus VAT an hour, when I doubled checked the valve clearances the inlet was tight with no gap. For jobs which are outside your skill levels or equipment levels you need a shop visit, my local motorcycle workshop charges £45 plus VAT and an ultra sonic carb clean and set up together with a valve clearance check on the Bonneville cost a hundred and sixty quid, I supplied cam cover gasket and seals. Certainly on my Royal Enfields I do my own servicing, oil changes, valve checks and so on, probably same with Bonneville, but when I had the Tracer the servicing needed a lap top rather than an adjustable, so I had to cough up. One reason why I don't have new complex bikes.
Hi Speeder, my Abba Stand in the background lifts the machines high enough to work on, the full fitting kit covers most makes and models, it allows for complete removal of the front forks and rear suspension, and engine out when needed. You can also get the Abba Skylift if you want the machine at head height etc.
I forked out and bought Dealertool for servicing the Street Scrambler so I could reset the service reminder and also diagnose any errors should they show up on the dashboard. These are comparatively simple machines so the mechanical work is pretty easy IMO. My ZZR, by comparison, is more involved, the valve check in particular being a grazed knuckle nightmare as the big motor is a tight fit in the frame. It does, however, have onboard diagnostics for any electrical issues and no service indicator to reset.
+1 for the ABBA Skylift, not cheap but a great piece of kit especially in a confined space. Makes lifting a moving a 260kg bike around easy.
Yes, l think TIG is the way now they are getting a bit more affordable. I have found the battery impact guns good as well,they seem to be even more powerful than pneumatic ones. My best buys include a ramp and my lathe, great for turning up nice stainless parts, my next best tool is a dustpan and brush!
