‘Bikes’ help save bucks at the pumps

That's simply scary
They really want to discourage people
It's enough for me that at the company I don't have any compensation for commuting by motorcycle while I'd get it by having a car - but damnit, I won't buy a cage just to get some gas money...

(Are you really talking about the compulsory insurance??? )

 

Yeah between insurance, expensive-ass tires, and the scheduled maintenances, any fuel cost advantage has evaporated...

 

Seems Canada has figured out that motorcycles are not a savings to the health care system? Or maybe they see the tax base is diminished if riders stop paying in after death?

I have that deaths on motorcycles is about 37 times the number in cars, fact stuck in my head.

http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality_facts_2008/motorcycles.html

My life is worth more than a few bucks.

 

Other than insurance, which it seems can be disproportionately expensive to the risk depending on the insurer, performing your own maintenance can shave significant dollars off the cost of ownership.

Most motorcycles are much less complicated than cars and trucks. Sure maintenance intervals are more frequent, but what there is to do is often relatively simple and easy to access with a very minor amount of effort. As a rider, one should be inspecting the bike on a regular basis anyway, so getting to know the bike a little more intimately by doing basic maintenance is the next logical step.

Speaking from experience, unless you happen to find a good trustworthy motorcycle repair shop, if you can learn how to change your own engine oil, you can wrench as well as the mechanic at the shop. Online forums can teach you alot about maintenance basics and the characteristics of your particular bike that the mechanic probably isn't aware of.

 

I'm in the learning phase. I've already done oil change, coolant change and air filter change. I can check and restore battery acid level too, so if there's nothing else I can do the smaller maints that are once per 10,000 km. Valve check at every 20,000 km is a bit scary for me yet, so is anything that involves meddling with the brakes and wheels (changing brake fluid must be complicated on a bike with ABS).
Teresa also had a toothed belt change, it includes removing the whole rear swingarm, it's way over my head. I hope the new belt will last real long. I know someone who had one of his 3 belts for 90k miles. Mine was a goner in 63k km = 39k miles. I think the main problem is that it became 6 years old in the meantime. I'll put more kms in the next in a shorter time... (7,500 so far in the new belt, replaced in early May)
Next service for her is the 60,000 one, so it means a workshop, but if there won't be any particular at 70k, she stays home for the oil/filter change.

Ciliegia has a shorter service interval, have to change oil at every 5,000 (may be because of the smaller engine, higher revs, less oil); has less electronics so it must be simplier to tinker with. Already done oil and air filter change (with some help from someone in the village) and chain tensioning (the original chain was pretty worn and had to tension it every 700km or so...); but the next service will be a 20,000 for her, so it includes valve check and carb sync too, I presume.

She had a chain replace and front brake pad replace done in a workshop (it's a nice one, not too expensive and recommended by the Hungarian Hyosung community board; now they're the default for both of our bikes); must not be too difficult to do though, next time I'll try to take care of these things. You don't have to take half of the bike apart for a chain replace, after all... and though it scares me to mess with the brakes the pad change looked so quick and simple that it must be something I can do too. What's unknown to me is the rear brake, which is a drum.

These are our first vehicles so we're total beginners. But as time goes, I'll get tools to do more. At least our latest rent has a garage, which is a must for any, little bit complicated operation.

(p.s. I'm curious how long these new tyres will last on Teresa - I got the last set used and I used them for 21,000kms. Present ones are (have them since last October) 12,000kms old and I can see some wear on them - I just don't know how much is this 'some'. Ciliegia still has the factory ones after 17,700kms and it seems that the rear one will last forever, but the front one looks quite worn, though it still has the necessary tread depth. Strange, but true.)

 

Congratulations for venturing in to do your own maintenance! Do what you're comforable with and be curious how to do the other things.

Best thing to do now is obtain a factory service manual for your distinct bike, you know, the one from the manufacturer. They are pricey, but they designed and built your bike and know it like no other. If you are at all interested in doing more repairs and maintenance, it will save you untold hours of agony and frustration making it a real bargain.

You are right, changing brake pads is pretty darn simple. Be sure they completely renew ALL the brake fluid in the system while they are at it. Most people don't do it in thier vehicles, but replacing the brake fluid every 2-3 years makes the brake hardware last nearly indefinitely. Most manufacturers specify this in the manual but it seldom gets done.

On the other hand since you found a good shop, use them until you find thier limits.

 

Yes, this 'all' brake fluid is the point where I would fail. Somehow you have to get the ABS open the 'extra' brake fluid lines. According to the manufacturer it can be done by a special instrument that connects to the forgot-the-name bus of the bike, but it seems the shops know a way around
Anyway, I've already downloaded the service manuals, they're available thanks to both communities I wouldn't even try to do any maintenance without them, as I don't have any experience from before. There are written and video how-tos too

And if everything goes well, we won't have to replace brake pads too often in the manner we ride these bikes Even though since I came to hypermiling sites I use the friction brakes more than before as I almost completely gave up on engine braking (Ciliegia has carbs so no DFCO, and while Teresa is fuel injected, she seems to be quite picky about it - plus it's better to anticipate more and coast down to the desired speed )

 

Yours may be different, but in my experience flushing brake lines on ABS vehicles has been no different than non-ABS vehicles. The critical point is renewing the fluid to the caliper. That is often the lowest point in the system for water to collect and the point with the greatest heat, thermally degrading the fluid. Flush from the master cylinder to the caliper until you see clear, like-new fluid coming out. Be sure no air gets sucked in at the master cylinder and you'll be in good shape.