Do you enjoy maintaining your motorcycle?

[Rabidsnipe]

I woke up this morning about 8 am to start working on installing Ivan's jet kit in the FZ1.  I've noticed this before, but it is super relaxing to me to work on the bike.  It is almost therapeutic for me.  I imagine having the right tools and a clean working area helps, but I could probably wrench on my bike all the time.  It is very peaceful.

[garry]

I voted no. I would rather be riding than wrenching. I do the simple stuff, but can't say I enjoy it. It's just a PITA. I do it because it has to be done and I'm too cheap to pay someone to do the simple stuff. Having a spacious, heated, comfortable, well-lit garage would help no doubt and let me do stuff when it's dark or raining or cold out.

[MisterSmooth]

I like cleaning them.  Does that count?  

We go through a lot of Lemon Pledge in my garage.  

[FiremanBob]

Robert Pirsig explained it perfectly in ZAMM.

[Mr.Black]

Basic stuff for now.

[Frankienuckles]

It's kinda funny that I enjoy doing most mechanical tasks on my bike because I hate working on cars. Some thing can be a pain though, fork rebuilds come to mind.

[photomd]

Yep.

[Rabidsnipe]

I voted no. I would rather be riding than wrenching. I do the simple stuff, but can't say I enjoy it. It's just a PITA. I do it because it has to be done and I'm too cheap to pay someone to do the simple stuff. Having a spacious, heated, comfortable, well-lit garage would help no doubt and let me do stuff when it's dark or raining or cold out.

It is amazing how much difference having a ton of light makes.  The first thing I did to my garage when we moved in was install 6 double 48" fluorescent light fixtures.  It makes a world of difference.  Also, having the right tools for the job also makes it a lot easier and lot more rewarding.  Knowing that it was done correctly and that you didn't jack something in the process is  a nice feeling.

I will say I was slightly frustrated today at something a previous owner had done.  While removing the philips head screws that hold on the side air box covers I broke the plastic tab that was retaining the nut on the other side of the cover.  Why did this happen?  Because someone thought it would be an ingenious idea to use high-strength loctite on a bolt that threads into a nut that is held in place with a plastic tab.  Some people shouldn't be allowed to even buy tools.

[Blunder]

I used to enjoy working on my bikes, but not so much anymore. Too many fiddly bits in cramped quarters for my fat-fingered shovel hands. An old airhead BMW or a Guzzi would appear to be more suited to me. Tools are not a problem. An electronic diagnostic machine is probably the only thing I lack and where do you plug one of those in on an R90S or 850 Le Mans?

[kevin_stevens]

No.  I hate wrenching on things.  Something always goes wrong, or I'm missing a tool, or a part, or etc ad nauseum.

I do it because (usually) it takes less time, effort, and money than arranging for someone else to do it, and then checking to make sure they did it right.  But it's definitely not the goal, it's the means to the goal.

KeS

[Motocentaur]

I enjoy it a lot. Being DIY-capable is an important criterion for any bike I own. In fact, part of the reason I got the Ural was to expand my mechanical repetoire with more frequent maintenance . . . "opportunities."


Actually, the Ural has been very reliable, but it does require frequent routine maintenance.

[JReazor]

I voted no. I would rather be riding than wrenching. I do the simple stuff, but can't say I enjoy it. It's just a PITA. I do it because it has to be done and I'm too cheap to pay someone to do the simple stuff. Having a spacious, heated, comfortable, well-lit garage would help no doubt and let me do stuff when it's dark or raining or cold out.

[garry]

It is amazing how much difference having a ton of light makes.  The first thing I did to my garage when we moved in was install 6 double 48" fluorescent light fixtures.  It makes a world of difference.  

That's the main reason I don't enjoy wrenching. My little single car garage can only have lights in the back half where all the storage/crap is at. The bikes are in the front half that is only lit by a single bulb on the garage door opener. Portable lights are a PITA, but I use them. Mostly I just wait until it's nice out and do the work outside in the driveway where I can see. Having nearly 50 year old eyes doesn't help any either (can't focus up close, need more light to see details, etc). But working outside means daylight on a nice day only. When I'd rather be riding.

We may re-organize the garage/basement when young son heads off to college in September to move the storage inside and make the back half of the garage available for moto parking and wrenching.

The wrenching itself isn't bad when things go according to plan. It's the poor working conditions and probability of something going wrong (stuck or stripped bolt, etc) that ruin it for me.

[black hills]

I enjoy it, although it is sometimes an exercise in patience I think it teaches you things and makes you appreciate riding if you know how everything works.

[veefer800canuck]

The only thing my bikes ever go to the dealers for is tire mounting and balancing.

And even at that, I remove the wheels and carry them into the shop loose.

I love doing planned maintenance, but hate doing full-on repairs of broken shit.


I usually halfway-disassemble the bike each winter, alternating between the front end and the back end every other year, to clean and grease the related bearings, and generally inspect everything and look for problems cropping up.

I do not tolerate loose or poorly lubricated chassis/driveline parts (or whatever else).
I mean, that's what your life is riding on, so it's gotta be clean, lubed, and tight.

[Papa Lazarou]

A qualified Yes,

I like working on my bike when what I do to it actually works-last year, I had gremlins in the Triumph. Didn't enjoy that too much.

[stevent]

I wouldn't say I enjoy it, I try to do as much as I can because I'm a cheapskate and I don't trust shop mechanics to be as meticulous and  thorough as I am. I wouldn't choose to spend a day dicking around with the bike if I could help it...

[Rabidsnipe]

I love doing planned maintenance, but hate doing full-on repairs of broken shit.

+1  That's why the question is maintaining your motorcycles.  Repairing stuff sucks.

I'm also impressed by how few people have responded they don't roll their own:  1/39.  Although maybe the title weeds those guys out from the beginning.

[county]

It is ok most of the time.

What amazes me is this last 15 year m/c boom has spawned a whole generation of riders who don't know jack shit about how their bike works...and have no interest in learning.  At x miles they take it to the dealer and say do the maintenance and ride off when it's ready.

A real tribute to the m/c industry for making bikes today that are damn dependable.....

[xbud]

 Hearing all the horror stories from people with incompetent dealers makes me want to wrench on my own stuff, plus it's not the mechanics life on the line when you leave the shop it's your own. Also if you have to recheck the work, your probably better off doing it yourself anyway.