Why I decided to Start Doing the Work Myself

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Nate

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Messages
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Location
Palm Bay, Florida
I brought my '08 FJR in to get inspected this spring and it failed. When I bought the bike I decided to have all the maintenance and repairs taken care by them, the dealership, the experts! I had been having some ongoing issues with the rear brake and mentioned it to them again before the inspection. Last year they bled the brake but I had a suspicion, for whatever reason, they failed to realize it was a linked brake system.

I politely mentioned this to the front desk guy and asked if they wouldn't mind bleeding the rear brakes again. The mechanic came out and said he remembered my bike and said after he bled the rear line he could tell I needed a new master cylinder. I thought this was a bit odd but he's the expert and he must know something I don't. I was told that a new master cylinder would cost approximately $400.+ and by the way one of the fork seals was leaking and that would be $600.

It was time for me to start researching some of this crap for myself. When I got home I did notice a very small amount of oil on one of the forks. I called another nearby dealer and they quoted me $300. to replace the fork seals. I came across that Seal Mate video and decided to try cleaning the forks and follow what the video showed. It actually worked. I've been riding for 2 months since and there is no sign of any fork oil leakage.

After some research on replacing the rear master cylinder I decided this is something I can do myself. Just for fun though I bled the rear brakes and sure enough a ton of air was in the front line. It was so ridiculously easy I changed out the front brakes and clutch fluid too. The brakes were like new and after riding 2 months they still feel perfect.

So how is it that a non mechanical dude like myself, armed only with FJR Forum knowledge, can fix $1000.+ worth of repairs for practically nothing and do it in just a few minutes?

From now on I've decided just to do all the maintenance and repair work myself. It obviously can save a ton of money and it's extremely gratifying to gain some understanding of the FJR. After a tip over "incident" I replaced a fairing, the right blinker, the right mirror, and refinished the right side saddlebag and everything looks like new! I actually enjoyed doing the work. If you were like me and thought owning a motorcycle was only about the ride, I suggest doing some of the easier maintenance stuff yourself. I'm gaining a new appreciation for this motorcycle.

Thanks guys.

 
Good for you!

It is rewarding to learn how to do some of your own repairs and save the cash and you will find lots of helpful info here.

It's still good to have a reliable and honest mechanic to do the work you are not up for.

That person doens't necessarily have to be a dealer.

I have found, in general, that with cars and bikes, the dealers are more expensive and not any better than other good mechanics.

 
You da man!!!! Good for you. Now you have some extra $$$ to buy some fun stuff to put on your FJR. I started wrenching 'cause I...

WAS broke. Most start so they don't have to...

GO broke. I continue doing my own work because I still

AM broke. But all of us need to do our own wrenching so it don't

GET broke.

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Gary

darksider #44

 
Great story! My bikes don't go near a dealer unless it's something dire. With all the great info, how-to threads and the fact that the FJR is a very maintenance friendly platform you'll be saving a lot of $$$.

Good luck!

--G

 
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Glad you've seen the light.

I do all my own work, not because I want to save money, but I simply don't trust anyone else working on my bikes. Nobody cares as much about your machine as you do.

 
Great story! My bikes don't go near a dealer unless it's something dire. With all the great info, how-to threads and the fact that the FJR is a very maintenance friendly platform you'll be saving a lot of $$$.
I think that pretty well sums up my feelings. I haven't taken any of my bikes to a dealer for maintenance since 1991 and will not buy something that requires dealer involvement except for warranty and recalls.

 
Way to go!

I feel sorry for those who either can't, or won't, do their own work. There must be lots of 'em, as the dealerships always seem busy.

 
Awesome! I try to do as much of my own work as possible. Forum is a great source of guidance and support when needed. I have spent the money to buy the correct service manuals for all of my vehicle. I will admit it helps that i work part time for a Harley dealership as use of cool expensive stuff like tire changing and balancing equipment is a blessing. Also nice to have access to a bike lift without giving up floor space at home in my own garage.

 
The key is evaluate job risk vs talent vs cost.

Some maintenance can cause real damage (valve adjustment for example)

 
took my new GS850 Sazook in to the stealer when it was time for the first valve check....Just for the hey of it I put a dab of grease on one of the cam cover bolts...oh yeah, it was still there when I got the bike back along with a bill for valve adjustment and shims.. The morons also mounted a new rear tire backwards and when I brought it back to be corrected they had scratched the rim..

even odds you never would have gotten a new master cylinder..

never had a dealer do work since..

in fairness I do know some trustworthy dealers but they will make you pay out the arse..

 
Most common FJR tasks, bleed hydraulics, tire change, fluid replace, etc...can be knocked out in about and hour, give or take. It's faster and easier to DIY than screw around with the logistics and waiting times of a dealer.

Bigger jobs aren't particularly difficult - a little working space and basic tools. Much easier than working on a car. Unlike many service manuals, which are little more than reference guides for professional mechanics, the FJR manual is quite good for DIY diagnostics and step by step maintenance and repair procedures.

 
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I don't know what I did to screw up that post, but I wrote this, "Because you care about the work you do and you aren't trying to make a buck, ripping off somebody. VERY WELL DONE!!"

 
I love stories like this.

I know there are many good mechanics out there at dealerships, and there are many honest dealerships.

But, I have a hard time turning my bike over to someone else and hoping they are the right combination of the two.

Most people are more than capable of doing at least basic maintenance.

If they do the research, build up a good assortment of quality tools, and take the time to stay organized and focused they can do just as well or better than the unknown mechanic at a lot shops.

Like the esteemed Mr. Carver said, you have to evaluate your skills and pick your jobs.

The good news is the more you do, the more you learn. Then you get the satisfaction and peace of mind of knowing it was done right.

If you aren't sure ask the people on this forum; there are many talented and experienced people here who are willing to help.

(Or make fun of you when you drop a wrench into your crankcase!
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)

 
Wow, that must have really sucked. Thinking back I remember when I had the ignition recall done I wound up with a different ignition key. Two keys on my key chain ever since.

Thanks for all the responses!
I was not a happy camper. The following year I took it to another dealership and those boneheads broke spring nut tabs, lost the spring nuts and never said a word about it. I swore there and then that no other dealership was going to get the opportunity.

 
Check out to see if your regional FJR Owners group hosts a Tech Day ... I'm blessed to be in the PNW where we have Tech Day's twice a year. Shortly after buying my FJR I was able to take it to the Tech day and enjoy being surrounded by knowledge, expertise, specialist tools and even a guest presenter demonstrating suspension tuning.

I <3 PNW FJR Owners

 
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