This is such an expensive hobby...

Off-topic
1

Just came back from the garage for a pre-MOT check…
My tyre is still (slowly) leaking from a previous nail and picked up another one in the meantime, that’s getting replaced.
My steering bearings are messed up and it catches when you go across the middle (bloody speed bumps). Apparently it will cost £60 for parts and £300 for labour!!
Sigh…

How cheap and easy would it be for me to do this stuff myself? I have the Haynes manual but very little mechanic experience… (I can just about adjust my chain and hook up a charger to the battery).
I have a whole bunch of stuff I want to fix up on the bike as well and would rather not spend all that money on bearings!
I’d probably want to book some time at the OMC as well so I have access to all the necessary tools.

2

do go to the OMC

and do ask Matt also to check for the parts for you, i think they were cheaper when i bought the bearings.

and £300 for labour is just murder. if you had to be there at the OMC all day wouldnt cost you half much!!!

3

**** I need to put my prices up

Steering bearing £40

to fit 2 to 3 hours at £50 £100 / £150

Main Dealer ??

Dave

4

+1 on the OMC, you’ll learn loads, and feel great as you did most of it yourself, but if you cant face that then get Rob the mechanic to do it, it’ll cost you a fraction of the price, just give him a bit of time for his elbow to heal first. at the very least you should shop around a bit to get the best price for the work.

5

300 for labour is extortionate! go to the OMC, it’ll cost you half that and you can do all the other bits you want to at the same time.

6

OMC!

Six months ago, I could just about do my chain. Since then I’ve over-hauled calipers, serviced it and taken half the bike apart. Loadsa fun!

Now… if only I could find that ticking :crazy:

7

Don’t. Start. me.

8

I’m gonna buy you two a metronome each for christmas

9

it shouldn’t be expensive unless

1:you get caught speeding

2: you jump lights

3: your dam unlucky with punctures

I use my bike every day to commute 100mile round trip cost me about 4.5k a year of that amount I also facture in 1k for extras a year that’s breakdowns & tyres , etc.

if I was to use public transport its about 6.5k a year

i do most of the general servicing & anything i cant be bothered with i take it to a place nr where i work for reasonable rates

do the OMC courses it can prove helpful & in the long run cheap

10

You don’t have a big glass shiny showroom Dave - and the main dealer won’t give you the sort of quality banter and tea you get at yours either!

11

Thanks for the advice guys. I’ll pop down to the OMC tomorrow and seek advice from Mat about all the bits I need to fix.
This tyre has only lasted about 6 months and so did the previous one…

12

Or if you just need it done, Essential Rubber. Reasonable and a good laugh, you might not learn to fix your bike but they are interesting!

13

Expensive hobby- tell me about it.
I started biking to save on fuel- which is a saving of about £1200 a year.

Since I started in November I’ve spent around £8k in bike, training, insurance & gear to save that £1200.
I don’t mind but the missus it starting to catch on.

(Actually she doesn’t really mind, I don’t think- best not to mention it though).

14

I keep track of my motorcycling costs and over the last 4 years my Bonne’s have cost me on average 47p per mile

That’s everything including depreciation, fuel, insurance, tax, MOT, servicing, tyres, clothing, SatNav, luggage, modifications, accessories, 4x FPN’s etc

it’s the cost of motoring

15

Not bad if you bought it from new, I soon realised that biking was not that much cheaper than running my Diesel MPV but other than when it is stuff with skis, German beers and/or French wine, biking is much more fun and I don’t mind paying for fun.

16

Bonne’s - bought them from new :wink: