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General Topics/Tech TipsDiscussion on break in periods, rider comfort, seats and pad suggestions. Tech tips as they become available will be posted here.
it depends.
I look at the labor rate times hours. If my time is more valuable than the rate I have the dealer do it.
Handlebars? my time is to valuable to give up that time. If it is going to take the dealer six hours (assuming $100 per hour) I can safely add three more hours onto that if I am doing myself. Cheaper to let them do it
That's nonsense. How is taking money out of your pocket and giving it to someone else cheaper than not taking money out of your pocket and giving it to someone else??? If the job is too physically demanding or you lack the knowledge to do the job then pay someone. Personally I find working on my bike to be enjoyable so I do every job that I'm capable of. I don't however enjoy getting up on my house roof to clean out the gutters so I pay someone to do it. But I don't pretend that my time is too valuable to clean gutters.
I've read through dozens of threads that start out like this: I just changed bars, and now this doesn't work, or that doesn't work. In the end, with the help of forum members, it usually gets sorted out, but judging by their frustration, many of those thread starters probably wished they had paid someone to do the swap for them.
I recently paid a dentist to fix a tooth. Couldn't find a DIY video on YouTube, but I'm sure there's at least one out there.
I did my bars on my 09 ultra and it was a PIA. Splitting and extending wires, pulling them. I managed to get it done, and it all works but wow I had more frustration with that project than my 103 and cam upgrade. Did the bars with my buddy on his 17 Ultra and it was a breeze in comparison.
Luckily Ill likely never have to do bars on another pre Rushmore. But if I do Ill have an Indy do them. Im with the time is money idea. Sometimes the cost of my time and frustration makes having someone else do it look cheap.
I used to work in automotive repair and have been working on cars since I was 13 restoring a 1966 Jag. I have a ton of tools and knowledge. Bikes are different then cars, but I enjoy working on bikes more then cars. I just replaced the stator and voltage regulator. I used manuals, common sense and YT, plus my multimeter to diagnose the regulator and stator. Learned a lot and was able to readjust and clean a bunch of stuff in the primary. After replacing the stator.
That's nonsense. How is taking money out of your pocket and giving it to someone else cheaper than not taking money out of your pocket and giving it to someone else??? If the job is too physically demanding or you lack the knowledge to do the job then pay someone. Personally I find working on my bike to be enjoyable so I do every job that I'm capable of. I don't however enjoy getting up on my house roof to clean out the gutters so I pay someone to do it. But I don't pretend that my time is too valuable to clean gutters.
Because I will make more money focusing on what I do than paying the dealer.
If it is going to only take me a short amount of time thats one thing but there are other things I can be doing that are more profitable than spending a day working on my bike, regardless of the satisfaction I would get out of it.
That's nonsense. How is taking money out of your pocket and giving it to someone else cheaper than not taking money out of your pocket and giving it to someone else??? If the job is too physically demanding or you lack the knowledge to do the job then pay someone. Personally I find working on my bike to be enjoyable so I do every job that I'm capable of. I don't however enjoy getting up on my house roof to clean out the gutters so I pay someone to do it. But I don't pretend that my time is too valuable to clean gutters.
It’s all in how you define cheaper.
One I can make more money focusing on what I do than paying the dealer.
If it is going to only take me a short amount of time that’s one thing but there are other things I can be doing that are more profitable than spending a day working on my bike, regardless of the satisfaction I would get out of it.
Two. Would rather spend half a day with my family than working on the bike.
Do you own services?
Change your own tires?
Change your brake pads?
Change you own handlebars?
Rebuild your own brakes?
Rebuild your front and rear forks?
Replace wheel bearings?
Do a top end?
Do a bottom end?
Do a valve job?
Cut valve seats?
Replace valve guides?
Bore and fit cylinders?
Port cylinder heads?
Flow Test cylinder heads?
Tune a bike?
Replace Valve seats?
I try to do all my bike work myself . If you have the patience and a manual / video's , you can be successful at anything . On very rare occasions I just don't feel like it , so I'll get someone else to do it . I recently put new rims on my bike , for the first time in 15 years . I took the rims in and had the shop put new tires on and balance them . I was a bit nervous to start , but I followed the directions and double checked my work , 4000 Km later , the wheels are still rolling , so from now on I'll do them on my own with complete confidence .
With anything in life , if you believe you can , you probably can . Just have faith in yourself and be proud of what you have accomplished .
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