Do you do your own work?

[King Vino]

Just another poll, asking who here does thier own mech work and who does not?

[Cowinacape]

That was one of the main reasons for sticking with a two stroke for me (2004 Zuma) the lack of a lot of "extra" parts :D to have to work with. Being as it is my first scooter, and I wanted it to be a completely hands on experience, I thought best to stick with something simple, to help make the learning curve just a little less curvy.

[marylandmark]

I have no desire to touch anything but the throttle on my 04 Zuma but would LOVE for someone to put a stage II on her for me....

mm

[King Vino]

Funny, I want my wife to put the stage II on me, hmmm, how rare? :p

[isoscelesjones]

I'm a big wussy and only have a goped scooter.

and I'm not afraid to admit it.

soon, I will have a goped gang. Then we will slowly ride to your town and wreck up the place.

[Davey-boi]

I do everything myself cuz no one cares about my lil baby as much as me :) ! Plus it's a whole lot cheaper! Speaking of more complex 4 stroke engines, I read in a thread that you wouldn't work on em Aaron. I've never fiddled with one, are they really that hard?

[King Vino]

I think so. I've done work on my Mustangs but I find four-stroke scooter motors to be a bit more annoying.

[sooznd]

I did most of the work on my Vino 50 myself--except for mouning tires. I have done the oil changes on my Vino 125, but will have a mechanic do some of the work, too

[OldGuy]

for swapping a tire. Than I found a way to easily break the bead. I've just completed a top end rebuild. ..done..

Reasons: I'm retired. I have the time. I don't have the money to hire someone else to do it. It makes me feel good. :smokin:

OldGuy

[jfmjr442]

Reasons: I'm retired. I have the time. I don't have the money to hire someone else to do it. It makes me feel good. :smokin:

OldGuy

Reasons: I'm cheap, it's not that difficult, and I know it's done right!!

Did i mention i'm cheap!

John

[xraydino]

I did most of the work on my Vino 50 myself--except for mouning tires. I have done the oil changes on my Vino 125, but will have a mechanic do some of the work, too

The zuma gets droped off in the moarning for a new set of boppers. They don't know a whole lot about scoots so, there're getting it with the exhaust allready off. I figure it will save any headache of them stripping out any bolts or getting a crumy seal.

[jmbstudent]

I'm not so good with my hands....

[ryan.ott]

I do all of my work myself. Any thing from engine work to painting and anything in between. I just finished a full stroker built of my Triton along with alot of bodywork and painting. I have never paid for work to be done except for mounting tires on my car. I work both my scoots the 03 Triton and my 05 Strada RX200. Everything has a learning curve but once you figure out what goes where, it's easy from there.

[BWSman67]

I try to do as much as I can, but our landlord (a company who owns a bunch of apt. buildings) does not allow tenants to work on their vehicles in the parking lot. The super lets it slide a bit for me (I think because its a scooter and not a car). I also have an aftermarket lower left leg, so getting down to work on the scoot is a little difficult.

I will bring the scooter in for any tire work, as its too difficult to do that type of work without the proper equipment.

[zeonsredcomet]

I do all my own work now. I used to have a mechanic but i dont want him to do anything infact i dont want anyone other then myself to do it or maybe a friend or someone not in it for the money.

[Carlson]

I do my own service (oil, coolant, air filters, etc) but don't have the tools or space to do any modding or repair. But so far haven't had any repairs to do!

[X7rocks]

my own work didnt go to school for this for no reason.

[Vino A Go Go]

I like to do as much as I can..electrical and mechanical. I'll leave welding to the experts...I did some in HS but it would be cool to really learn it.

[j~scoot]

I've had a few problems with my Stella that have stumped me. Other than that its been all me. I really think we need another option for "most" or "almost all". Anyone who has split their cases should fall into this category :)

[X7rocks]

two strokes are just simple imo.if i really wanted to put the time my scooter would have had a stroker installed already but sometimes without a proper tool and it being my only source of transportation.so some things im limited until i finish paying off this truck

[zeonsredcomet]

or the category "do all my own stuff now but used to get ripped off by a shop" :)

[Gabe502000]

I find myself doing more and more of it now that I've found a scooter lift that's affordable. (At Harbor Freight.) I have a Yamaha C3 which is a lot more complex than my old Peugeot Moped. However, other than having the fork rebuilt recently, (and the valve clearance checked at 6000 miles this time next year.) I'm doing everything else myself. Gabe ::usa::

[hworkman]

I always do my own work. The prices of shops are just outrages! $30 for a oil change for $6 in oil $24 dollars to undo a bolt is just ridicules; that just my 2 cents though.

[NOKOMISZUMA]

At first had other people do the work
but now i do not so hard
still learning

[Blackbomber]

Besides knowing I'm not going to get ripped off, the pride of doing it myself, the feeling of security knowing I can probably get it going on the side of the road should I have a breakdown, the money savings, etc, I savor the challenge. Noone knows how to do something until they have done it at least once. In my oppinion, not knowing how is an excuse as much as a reason. True we all have our strenghts and weaknesses, and some people have no business holding a wrench. Speaking of which, not having the right tools should never be an excuse. Any tool, including a bead breaker, bubble ballancer, and the various pullers, bearing and seal installers, torque wrench, etc. are probably all cheaper than the labor to have the jobs they require performed for you. Speaking of bead braker, I like to use my 12 ton shop press, and some 2x3 wood scraps. You can do the same with a 5" bench vise. My most valuble tool is my computer, however. Whatever your interest, you can find a forum with good, knowlegeable people. Nice for sourcing parts suppliers, as well.

[Street]

Cant justify paying shop prices. Been hacking.. I mean working on my own for years.

[Gabe502000]

Know what you mean... With all of the electronics on my '07 C3 Scooter that's pr etty close to the truth.....Gabe ::usa::

[yamadave]

I've always done my own work. I enjoy learning new things, and finding out how things work. It also enables me to help others when they need help working on their rides.

However, the main reason I do my own work is because I dont like people I dont know working on my bikes. I know that I wont forget to properly lube my calipers when replacing my pads, I wont overtorque my bolts to the point of stripping the threads, and probably inspect things much more meticulously than someone who is having to work against the clock. If I dont do my maintenance correctly, I have no one else to blame but myself if I dont have a ride.

[Gabe502000]

Now that I've finally got an actual shop, (And, a way to lift my scooters up into the air, so I don't have to crawl around under them!)I'm doing most of my own work. I've got a really excellent Dealer & Service Dept that I can finally afford to have do the work that I don't have the equiptment, Or don't feel qualified to do. ::usa::

[Old School]

I do all the work myself, including most of the work on the scoots of the scoot club members. It helps that I am a mechanic by trade. And personally, I find 4 strokes easier than 2 strokes.

[harry]

yeah i do everybody's scooters ,but 2t's are easier to fix and a cylinder swap
takes about half the time of a 4t....

oilyhans

[Grentes]

70/30 while I'm still learning my way around the scoot, so far just know how to remove all of the body panels, the seat and the rack; adjust the ideling speed screw to the right point (have needed to do to get her started when she's being a bit more stubborn than normal), drain and change the transmission fluid and oil tank and remove and clean the sparkplug and air filter.
Half of which are things I only learnt how to do in the last month or so.

[_gpg_]

I do everything and always have. It does help to have been a mechanic, technician, and engineer in the automotive industry for lots of years and having a shop at home (playhouse some might say).

Paid my dues tho - tire / tube repairs outside in the rain, oil pump replacement in a Mustang II outside in November (Michigan - for a friend - who certainly did not deserve it).

Most of it is not that hard if you are a bit mechanically inclined, have a decent set of hand tools, a good service manual, and some patience. Take some pictures and good notes along the way. Get dirty and have fun! Tinkering on my bikes is a bit of zen for me and always has been - better than changing the oil in the cage or fixing the lawnmower!

[Gabe502000]

A Real Friend helps you bury a body...Or, replaces an oil pump, in really nasty weather! You did it because you cared, not because it was deserved....:)::usa::