How to work on a motorcycle when you don't know how

[bryanchurch06]

Buying the trail started a new chapter in my 40 plus yr motorcycle ownership, with the trail I decided to do all my own maintenance and repairs. This led to a strange experience for me which is stressing out about working on the bike and I think the reason for that is I'm researching and planning and watching videos about the simplest tasks. All my life I've been a jump off the cliff person just figure it out as I go maybe not the best way but it worked for me. And now I'm psychotically obsessing about changing a tire or adjusting a clutch the simplest of things, and some of you are re-engineering your bike in your garage. So tonight I was breaking a chain to shorten the length, which I watched several videos on btw and it was so freaking easy to do but in my mind it's something motorcycle mechanics do so it must be hard. So I'm officially done with being afraid to wrench on my bike the worst that can happen I break it and watch someone else fix it. I'll still research some things a little but I'm just going to learn the hard way that's always worked before.

 

[Shoot870p]

I like the sound of that for sure! Way to go, brother.

 

[SneakyDingo]

I'm officially done with being afraid to wrench on my bike the worst that can happen I break it and watch someone else fix it.

Honestly, all of this, but also add in that most of the problems on this bike can be fixed for fairly cheap. I remember as I did the dremel widening for the USB mount I was all, "How much is that? $15? <screws up> oh well, it's just $15. I guess I'll see one less movie this year."

A buddy at work crashed his Ninja 300 and that thing is a royal pain in the ass to work on. The fairing won't go back on and the bike is half disassembled in the work garage. Meanwhile you've got people like @x29Saab making fantastic videos that show where the tabs are, how to do tire changes, etc... I did my first valve clearance checks on this bike (helps there's only 2 valves too!)...

I've said it before somewhere. I wish I had been able to have this experience 20 years ago. It's so easy to forget being apprehensive about breaking something. This bike is so damn easy to work on and relatively easy to spare parts, it really sets the mindset with being ok with breaking something. The biggest problem isn't my skill, ability, tools... honestly, my biggest problem has been a lack of daylight.

 

[QuantiQualification]

I've said it before somewhere. I wish I had been able to have this experience 20 years ago. It's so easy to forget being apprehensive about breaking something. This bike is so damn easy to work on and relatively easy to spare parts, it really sets the mindset with being ok with breaking something. The biggest problem isn't my skill, ability, tools... honestly, my biggest problem has been a lack of daylight.

Thanks for the shout-out @SneakyDingo ! I really feel like this bike is akin to the old Series Land Rovers. Simple to work on, easy to get parts, super cheap, making bike mechanics since 1964! Except super reliable . . . well unless you are like me and mine, in which case not reliable . . . yet!
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[G19Tony]

Well done! I just get the maintenance manual and dive in. YT is helpful too.