Work on your own motorcycle

One of my favorite things to do is work with my hands. I find a level of satisfaction knowing that I fixed some thing or I could do the job my self rather than paying a shop to do so. I once worked at a bicycle shop and they would charge $6 for a tube and another $10 to install per wheel! It drove me crazy because I felt like the shop was taking advantage of mechanically-declined folks. Then again, the shop does need to make money.

Now that I have my Honda CM200, I have yet to take it to a shop to get any work done. Well, that's only because I have a Clymer Manual and that thing can show you how to do pretty much everything you can think of. Plus, the Honda CM 200 is a pretty easy bike to maintain. An oil change literally takes minutes, when I changed the clutch, that was no more than half an hour. The brakes were done within 45 minutes and the rest is fairly simple.

However, I do have a confession to make. I did solicit a shop for a cafe racer seat. I'm having one custom upholstered and installed by them. The only reason why I did that was because I don't own a welder and there was some metal work needed to be done to install the seat. The upholstery also needs to be custom fitted for the seat, and I figured, for the price I'm paying, it was worth it.

But I digress. There's a few things you'll need to work on your own motorcycle. First thing you'll need are some basic tools. Sockets, Wrenches, and Pliers. Then you'll need your hands of course. But what would help the most would be a great manual. When I purchased my Honda CM 200 Twinstar, the previous owner threw in a Clymer Manual.This book is awesome! It has photos, easy to read directions and best of all, they are relatively inexpensive, less than $40!

Once I'm done doing what ever it is my motorcycle needed, there's a level of satisfaction and the feeling of being a real MAN comes in. Nothing says MAN more than a motorcycle and you working on it. Even the Mrs is impressed that I can work on my own motorcycle.