Doing your own work

Wow! Thanks, everyone, for the input! One of our bikes is a KZ1000 that we are planning to rebuild the engine on this winter. We drive truck over the road and don't really get a lot of home time for the project bikes, but finding anyone to work on an '82 KZ is almost impossible. I'm excited, though, because I'm still kind of new to the world of motorcycles, and I want to be able to do my own work. Besides, when I asked the Kawasaki dealers in Bismarck a tech question about this bike, he chuckled and said that none of their techs were born by 1982! (He's about my age, and we both kind of laughed over being older.)

Bismarck... Well hi there! Another fellow North Dakotan is always nice to see. I'm in Grand Forks.

I feel for you man we live in the death valley of motorcycles. Finding bikes is hard enough, service support is non-existent.

I have worked with a machine shop in Fargo, Quality Machine. When I was a mechanic we sent almost everything down there back in the day. They will do machine work on any engine, from Antique tractors, to aircraft, to air cooled motorcycles. They did my 650 overbore a number of years ago, and recently fit custom pistons in my 1300. Just shipped them the block and new pistons UPS and they sent it back in a few weeks. No special charges either, standard bore and hone is $15 a hole and "big bore" work is $30. They love to work on stuff they have never seen before... great attitude and fair price.

Good luck with your project.

I got into wrenching on bikes because I loved riding and wanted to know more about the machines and how they worked. I didn't want to go on being one of those people who have a breakdown and just sit there scratching their heads...it was kind of a "being in control" issue, lol. That's hilarious now, knowing that ultimately the motorcycle gods are the only ones in control. But they'll smile on you if you love your bike.

Guys (and gals) who ride but don't work on their rides....they have no idea what they're missing out on. When I feel a smooth throttle response, it triggers a memory of days on end scrubbing and soaking and cussing over carbs. A quick stop that saves my life reminds me of sitting in the back yard swatting mosquitoes and cleaning brake calipers. I know my machine inside and out, literally. That's priceless and it increases the joy of riding immeasurably.

I've always been a fix it kind of guy. As a child my down hill coasters (with shopping cart wheels, faster than anything else) :woohoo: , bicycles, the Sting Ray, WOW :ohmy: fixing the neighbor lady's appliances, trolling the alleys for old radios and TV's and spend my allowance money on tubes and such, then reselling them. When I got my first true motorcycle, I was a natural. Once I got the bug, it never left me. There was a Indian guy in the alley across from us, (my mother didn't like him) I'd spend hours handing him tools and soaking it all in while he worked on old cars and trucks. From then on I've done my own work and worked in a few shops. Set for life.
Steve

I work on my bikes because I enjoy it. Sure I do some damage from time to time, but I learn from the process and the repairs are still cheaper than paying to have it done.

I'm on this forum because I bought a non running 88 KZ1000p7 police bike for $750 which ran after I cleaned the carbs and adjusted the valves. When repairs are needed I always consider the price I paid for the bike. I to have found that simple things like tire mounting and balancing a tire cost around $55. That $55 bucks represents 7% of the price I paid for the bike. I just can't justify paying that when I can do it myself on a Saturday. Same goes for a valve adjustment. New shims are expensive enough.

Now I know a lot of you are in to full restoration or extensive modification. Sure I'm envious of your bikes when they are complete, That is just not me. I simply love to ride. I really don't mind riding a bike with honest wear on it. Many times I think a well worn bike looks great. I figure if the bike looks good from 15 ft that's good enough for me. I can accomplish that with touch up paint and if necessary, a bit of bondo and some rattle can spray paint. I don't have a problem covering blemishes with tourist stickers from my adventures.

Mechanics and electrics are a different story. The bike has to run great to have a great ride. I'll spend the money for parts but not for mechanic work I can do myself. Quite frankly I don't trust mechanics. I don't want to breakdown at the top of the beartooth pass or the bottom of the rattlesnake grade. If I do, I want a decent chance of being able to fix the bike right there myself on the spot. How am I gong to be able to do that if I have never worked on the bike myself? .

I'm with you. I've said it before and I'll say it again. .....I love riding ...anything with an engine and two wheels. If it's safe I will have fun no matter what!!

There's nothing like knowing what's going on in between your legs. How many other riders can say that?
Steve

Just thought I'd add my tuppence - I do all that I am confident to do on my projects/bikes - some engine stuff which needs specialist hardware ie re-boring, guides etc I'll farm out to a known reliable workshop, also specialist painting jobs - I'll expect to be be paying some top $$ for these but I'll expect a top job - with comeback if it fails due to poor workmanship/materials.

Here's my 2 cents on this.

I can't afford the shop rate of any shop. Besides, i do enjoy getting my hands dirty wrenching on my projects. I'm a 2nd or 3rd generation wrenchslinger. I've wrenched on USAF fighter jets, air cooled VW's and all of my bikes. There is satisfaction to be able to say "I fixed it!" or "I built it". I just hope there will be followers from younger guys and gals to carry on the passion.

I do my own work to. I call it therapy and that it is

Only thing i havnt done on mine is balance the crank which was done by a local engineering service and of course it was impossible for me to do anyway.
Done everything else you can think of. All common sense stuff.
Don't trust shops - likely they would have the 1st year apprentice fucking with my bike - have heard some quite believable stories about the local Honda/Yamaha shop here - the so called ex Bike GP mechanic who has had quite a few fuck ups and tried to keep it quiet - you know the type i mean - a real arrogant prick who knows everything.
Another mechanic here reckons he does not need a torque wrench - i find that laughable - have always used a good one - always will.
If i fuck up it is my fault but at least i have a damn good idea whats going on and i also feel a great sense of satisfaction from doing ALL my own work.I just gotta know how things work - talking to a fella on a Honda 1000 the other day - he had the shop change his brake pads - just pathetic really - whats that take - 10 minutes :dry: .

Not to disparage the mentally challenged but I hate the words, I don't know or I can't. It usually means I'm, too stupid or too lazy.
Steve