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Performing your own maintenance

IKnowYouRider

Guest
Guest
Hi All, I purchased a service manual for the bike and plan on performing my own maintenance including the first maintenance.
Figured I would use the money saved for more accessories 🤑

Any specific tools, outside of the normal tools, anyone would recommend? I have plenty of wrenches including a torque wrench.
The amount of plastic to remove is a little intimidating.

Any advice from others who perform their own maintenances?
 
Not certain the size of your torque wrench, Once you get deeper into the maintenance a lower on the scale torque wrench will be needed for the lighter bolt torques.

If you don’t already have get yourself a front axle socket / adapter. Some engineer their own I just catalog engineered on this one / Cycle Gear 😅.

You will use a healthy amount of metric hex sockets, make your own or buy a kit. Believe largest hex is rear axle. Otherwise most other tools are pretty standard for basic maintenance.

The little plastic push rivets, I’ve lost a couple over the years - grab a handful and you’ll be good for a few years.
 
This is not intended toward any individual, but having fixed alot of bikes, I think most owners should stick to putting gas in the tank as thier most aggressive maintenance. Sad to say, I come from a time where you needed to learn to work on your bike or you wouldn't be riding for long. But I have seen man made damage in the interest of "saving a buck" that cost 5 times to fix whatever the owner did to save money. I've done video's to help folks, and there's lot's of video help on you tube and in Fred's maintenance video's. These resources will help you get better results. Watch the videos before you start turning wrenches, and go back and watch as needed during the job.

Steve
 
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If you are agreeable to the journey it is fun to work on the bike! I find it enjoyable to take long trips and explore new places find I have more peace of mind when I have done the maintenance. This site and the information offered is a great addendum to the service manual and the DVD set. I have a set of plastic dash tools that help with removing the plastics (no scratches).

Start small and go on to bigger projects as you are comfortable. No use owning a bike you can't work on.
 
I enjoy working on my own vehicles. A micrometer will come in handy when you get to the valves along with feeler gauges if you don't already have a set. A breaker bar helps with the properly torqued front and rear axle. The plastic you mentioned will become second nature if you do it enough. There's plenty of help here if you need it.
 
Besides a QUALITY set of metric tools (hex sockets, regular metric sockets etc), a front axle socket is a necessity, Motion pro makes a nice one. Also i find a front lift stand is helpful with removing the front tire. I use a Pitbull and jack under the triple tree... Some just jack under the oil pan or exhaust, I'm not comfortable with that. A rear stand like what Pitbull makes would be nice as well, i have yet to purchase one tho. Good luck, have fun, ride safe. Tons of resources here and on the FB page.
 
My most-used C14 tools:

1) A good set of mid-depth 6pt 3/8dr metric sockets
2) A good set of 3/8dr Allen bits
3) A set of 1/2dr impact sockets and an electric impact wrench. Or a set of standard 1/2dr 6pt sockets and breaker bar (I've had to use both).
4) Good torque wrenches in 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2dr
5) 8mm and 10mm 1/4dr sockets, a ratchet and extensions
6) Front axle extension
7) The Kawi OEM plug wrench
8) A Kawi scissor lift (don't pay retail. I lucked out and got a used one cheap).
9) An air compressor
10 A Mity-Vac bleeder

Specialized processes such as valve adjustments get into more specialized tools, but 95% of what I do routine maintenance to my bikes with will fit in the top tray of a portable toolbox.
 
Sufficient garage or shop space. That's one of the reasons I've yet to go deep and do stuff like valve maintenance. You need space not just for all the tools mentioned, but also for all the plastics and stuff you'll take out for the really intensive jobs, and you may need the space for days before you can get those big jobs completed.

Maybe when I'm retired I'll get a place with a 3 car garage and that will help. But at least for now my doing all the stuff that Chiltons would rate 3 wrenches or less saves me enough money to take my Connie to a reputable shop for the big stuff.
 
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