Paperwork vs. actually working on your bike?

[Madbuffalo]

It amazes me how much time is spent on mundane clerical tasks just doing work on my own bike.

Yesterday I needed to re-torque the head bolts after the break in period (post engine rebuild). So: Research prices for torque wrenches, consult manuals for needed torque values, go to the store and buy torque wrench, make note of the price in "Josh's play money account", check manual for specific head torque values, go out to garage and set up for work, open manual back up to check tightening pattern, re-torque head bolts (5 minutes), clean up, go in the house to note work in the maintenance log, go back out into the garage to check the mileage, go back in the house to note mileage in the log. All said and done it took me about 3 hours to do 5 minutes of actual work!!! What the #%$@#?!

[Red Sloan]

YOU HAVE DONE GOOD GRASSHOPPER

[Madbuffalo]

YOU HAVE DONE GOOD GRASSHOPPER

Very funny Red . Decided it was time to stop mooching off of you and buy my own torque wrench. A much needed but expensive addition to my arsenal.

[Craig380]

You won't regret buying that wrench, though -- they're fantastically useful.

My 380 likes to have a couple of its head bolts torqued down every 1,000 - 1,500 miles despite using fresh bolts, spring washers etc when I rebuilt the top end ... but I know it's gonna be done quick and right.

Those 5-minute jobs will TRULY be 5 minutes from now on

[Madbuffalo]

Agreed Craig, I think it'll come in handy for all my projects, and the first time around always seems to take the longest.

I was wondering though how much time everybody else spends doing things like sourcing and buying parts, reading manuals, keeping a log, etc. compared to turning a wrench. Seems like the more time I spend to do things the 'right' way the less time I spend actually working on projects.

I guess the other option is: Bring broken bike to shop, pick up fixed bike from shop, but that just takes all the enjoyment out of the process.

[Suzukidave]

The time really start to multiply when in the process of torqueing said bolts one deside to never tighten or even worse snaps off , thats when the 5 min job turns into .. i dont even want to go there

[Craig380]

I was wondering though how much time everybody else spends doing things like sourcing and buying parts, reading manuals, keeping a log, etc. compared to turning a wrench. Seems like the more time I spend to do things the 'right' way the less time I spend actually working on projects.

I guess the other option is: Bring broken bike to shop, pick up fixed bike from shop, but that just takes all the enjoyment out of the process.

When I first got my 380 WAAAAAYYY back, I used to spent quite a bit of time doing exactly that. But with a little experience, a torque wrench, a decent socket set and a 25-dollar multimeter, things get done REALLY quick now.

[GreenMachine]

I wrote a piece on this a little while ago... I always start with the intention of doing what you described, then all of a sudden I've got an angle grinder and a fist full of cable ties and the job is done...

http://www.columnshiftmedia.com/2012/01 ... guide.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tz375]

Buy the tools and you will never look back. They are the best investment you will ever make and the difference they make to your life is out of all proportion to the cost. Seriously.

[oldjapanesebikes]

You know, of late, I've found one of the handiest tools to be the laptop I keep in the shop - that way I can easily access any reference materials, parts lists or maintenance records that I need. The laptop I'm using at the moment was a no-charge cast-off from a friend that had (still has) a dead battery and was not upgradable to newer Windows software. I don't need it to run on the battery, and the solution for the Microsoft problem was to install a free Linux operating system on it - works great and the price was right !

[rbond]

Ahhh, another Linux convert!!!! I tend to favor Ubuntu or any debian based distribution.

[debby]

Yup, another Linux user here too (Ubuntu). I'm done with Micromush. Win 7 has to be the worst OS ever conceived!

I do spend quite a bit of time researching issues, looking up part numbers, ordering parts, etc. And reading the manuals as required. You know what the carpenters say: "measure twice, cut once"

Debby

[Suzukidave]

You know what the carpenters say: "measure twice, cut once"

Dang .. thats what i have been doing wrong .. i have been measuring once and cutting twice

[Madbuffalo]

I like that one.