How many do your own service?

[paid4c4]

I've been riding 45 years and during that time have had Triumphs, Honda's and Harleys. I generally do my own service on things like oil/filter, brake pads, exhaust and tuning. I have a nice shop and tools and can read a service manual. While I've mostly been servicing Harley's I confess I'm not familiar with Goldwings. I've figured out about the oil stick, water stick and battery compartment. I sent for a shop manual and have been watching videos and youtube. My question is what are some of you doing about service on your Goldwings?

[wingit]

I had to do my own rear dodge 3/4 PU after a mechanic did it wrong many times
and the oil level was even a quart low, and it was howling .Its too bad we have to re search info to help your mechanic. Im 70 and I do my own 5 tractors, machinery,wheelers,boats, Plane,bikes, built my own houses, and even if I won the lottery, I dont trust another putting my drain plug in. I had way too many bad experiences, Is it the way I look ?
happy day

[Hiram33]

I done the service on my Road King since I owned it
Oil filter lubing the cables even the top end gaskits bigger issue i have a shop do like when the cam shaft went. Work on your own bike is fun and relaxing and cheaper too


Peter

[pcombe]

I do my own maintenance, who knows my scooter better than the one who built it?

[Gold Rush]

I have the shop manual for nearly every bike I have ever owned. One never knows when a manual will be needed so as the bikes were sold or traded, I kept the manuals. I grew up wrenching autos and farm equipment so it was only natural to do my own maintenance on my bikes...

[Ed Hobgood]

I do all my own services and help my friends do their service on their Goldwings. Once you get past worring about breaking plastic parts you got it made.

[rhino 2]

I do my own service, But whatever i can't or don't feel like doing at the time, i'll take it to my dealer...I never had a problem with any of them.. Lucky i guess or maybe because am careful where i buy my toys....I don't shop by price alone...

[J.T.M.]

My dealer takes care of warranty and recalls the rest is up to me. I have wrenched all my life from weed eaters, model airplane motors to dozers and crains. A Harley is simple.

[CrystalPistol]

Last time I took a bike to a shop and let someone else work on it was my '74 Trident when it was still new and due for dealer checkups / adjustments ..... back in '74 or '75 .... and Tom Saunders was the mechanic and a buddy.

I do all my own service .... and just about all my own repair work .... and all of my own modifications. I always have unless it's something I'm just not set up for like when I had the A727 transmission in my '69 Dart Swinger 340 rebuilt in 1974 or that time in 2006 when we were on a 21 day 8,000 mile road trip and oil change came due and I stopped to letting a shop in Kansas do it one morning (and they let all 4 tires down to 35 psi, noticed squirrely feeling ..... and I had to fix that).

For my 31 plus years as a state LEO, I also either did my own service on the police car at a buddy's shop or I was standing there as the mechanic did it. That was my office on wheels and I depended on it for my safety. Exception being those state transmission rebuilds and a couple engine swaps and a rear end rebuild and those busted U-joints necessitated by duty related activities.

I once took a '73 Mustang to a Ford garage to just have trans fluid and filter changed, it was due and I had classes to attend. Picked up car, trans was slipping bad. Took it back, raised cain, the SM said it needed rebuilt, I told him it was fine when I brought it in, they had mechanic look at it .... he said it had "an air bubble". I've changed a bunch, never had "an air bubble" ..... they just tried to rip me a new one is all.

[pcombe]

My dealer takes care of warranty and recalls the rest is up to me. I have wrenched all my life from weed eaters, model airplane motors to dozers and crains. A Harley is simple.

Love your bike! That's a champion kit on it?

[consitter]

I do my own maintenance, who knows my scooter better than the one who built it?

This is the way I think. If I try wrenching on my own, not only do I break something on whatever I'm working on, I break the wrench too.

[Fabricater]

I do my own service. I did the conversion myself,my own paint work and so forth.I can't seem to leave anything alone.I almost always make changes to what I have to make it fit my needs.I will take it in for recalls ,and have had tires installed when I didn't want to do it.

[Trail Blazer]

I do my own service on most of my stuff. did my own oil change until 2 months ago on car and Truck. Oil & filter was $32 can have it done for $36 at my age it is worth $4 not to get down under and then stand on my head to get the filter. now my Gold wing is another thing. I do my own. there has been times I did not have the right tool for the job and let my friend and mc shop owner do the work. ( most of the time I watch, not that I don't trust him, I enjoy watching pro work.) things like oil, filters, fluid changing, brakes, timing belts, light bubs & such is me.

[J.T.M.]

Love your bike! That's a champion kit on it?

THANKS! No mine is a Hannigan Transformer. Yours is sharp too. I like the back of the fenders

[pcombe]

THANKS! No mine is a Hannigan Transformer. Yours is sharp too. I like the back of the fenders

Thanks

- - - Updated - - -

I finally got my old wolf in sheep's clothing on the road and gave it the first ride of the season today.

trying to work on it between snow storms and waiting on parts took to dang long this winter, but it's up with a new starter, automatic primary chain adjuster, home made third (center step) peg for easier mounting and new seats so I have a few cosmetic changes.
I bought some chrome rear speaker covers but had to figure out how to adapt them to my old time speakers, It should help to keep the fabric speaker covers from getting messed up by my oxygen machine.

Actually I got on ebay and found the seat cover and the back rest and trunk covers from Junes upholstery so I just replaced the covers using the old foam and seat plate. My seat was getting cracked and the other covers were 27 yrs. old so just replaced them.
Her covers are really well made. She offered the main seat cover for about $ 100.00 and I studded it myself. You can buy a studded one from her for a bit more but what the heck I needed something to do with deep snow outside.
I didn't stud any of the others because I was afraid it would be a bit much. I can always do them later if I want to.

I did a bit of custom work on the leather leg heat protectors under the front of my saddle, I guess you cant see it very well here but its easy enough to make and I put on a Concho and leather tassel along with some chrome letters with my initials.
It really looks good, like a custom old school saddle.

God I just love my old tour glide ultra.
I guess if I kept all these 27 yrs. it's a permanent addition to my life especially now im on a fixed income?

I just turned over 10,000 miles on the new engine I installed last year.

I would like to find a replacement for my old AM/FM cassette player, It's pretty much worn out and finding one that will utilize my handle bar controls has been kinda rough. It still works but it's old and transistors that make the rear speakers work right is screwy. ( I will call it transistor because I don't know a damn thing about radios?)
I wouldn't mind finding a replacement CB either?
Everything is obsolete but I still want it to be right.




Maybe I should stud the cover on my oxygen machine if it's going to sit on the passenger seat?

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I do most of mine own .... even more now that money has become tight.

[scribe5]

So far, after 50 years of riding, I've done all my own maintenance--except for replacing tires--not worth buying the equipment for that. If I had to pull and breakdown an engine, then I would see a mechanic--or buy a new motorcycle. I read the manual and get great input from fellow motorcyclists on the forums.

[paid4c4]

So far, after 50 years of riding, I've done all my own maintenance--except for replacing tires--not worth buying the equipment for that. If I had to pull and breakdown an engine, then I would see a mechanic--or buy a new motorcycle. I read the manual and get great input from fellow motorcyclists on the forums.

You're are absolutely right about getting great input from fellow riders on forums. Most questions or problems have been addressed on the forum at least once. The search feature is great.
Bill

[Shimpy]

I only do oil, spark plug changes and lube drive shaft "U" joints. I used to do clutch and brake fluid and coolant change but now getting older I'd rather write a check and have somebody I can trust handle it.