Question from left field

[bonio]

I would like to learn how to work on my bikes, especially on the MV. But I haven't a clue where to start. I can read a manual, I can use a socket wrench, and I can sometimes even get all the fasteners into a dish before I drop any into the inner darkness of the bike. But I know my limit, it's about two Haynes spanners, or three with a lot of tea breaks and one or two regrets I ever gave up smoking. But at three spanners, I can quickly find myself way out of my depth: I once had to phone the shop to ask them to pick the bike up along with the cardboard box of bits that belonged inside it.

 

I think the issue for me is that the manual tells you what to do, but not how to do it. And youtube is a dangerous place to learn: there's all kinds of crazy advice out there. Ideally I'd like to sign up to something like an evening class where you go through basic stuff like changing chain and sprockets, servicing the brakes and so on, working on your own bike as you go. But nothing like that exists.

 

Any ideas of something that might come close?

[Simon Davey]

If only you weren't 2 hours away, I'd be able to help a little. 

All you need is a little confidence boost. 

Once you get started, and build a little intuition, you'll take on those things. 

 

[RideWithStyles]

I agree with SD.

College courses do them but I’m unsure if your after that sort of thing.

There used to be little garages/shops?dotted around in city’s where you “hired a bench” you got access to all tools needed where YOU work ON YOUR bike. a time served mechanic always on the floor/on hand if you needed help or questions to ask. Might be work looking that up?

 

another would be if the worlds aligned would be tapping up a small friendly garage where you could watch what goes on in exchange for time of free help but I think its hard for time and implementation for both parties might struggle with.

[jr71]

get your hands on something really cheap/non running. watch youtube vids on maintenance/repair/restoration. practice on cheap thing and learn from your mistakes.

[Hairsy]

You might surprise yourself. With limited experience, your most important purchase will be a torque wrench. By using that, you're unlikely to cause any serious damage. The key advice I received when I took on my first restoration project was from Tinkicker on here and it was to break the job up into really small pieces and set unambitious targets.

 

For example, if you're going to take the carbs off and you're lacking confidence then your goal for each day might be:

 

Day 1 : Remove seat and fairings

Day 2 : Remove tank 

Day 3 : Remove airbox, cables and hoses

Day 4 : Remove carbs

 

With practice, this could easily become a 20 minute job all-in but ignore what the YouTube videos show you and take small steps. You'll often find that a job takes a small amount of time and you can do the next job. But if you set your ambitions low then your successes will be many.

 

And take pictures at every stage and from every angle. These will be an enormous help. You don't know until which part you're going to forget the location of.

[AstronautNinja]

4 minutes ago, Hairsy said:

You might surprise yourself. With limited experience, your most important purchase will be a torque wrench. By using that, you're unlikely to cause any serious damage. The key advice I received when I took on my first restoration project was from Tinkicker on here and it was to break the job up into really small pieces and set unambitious targets.

 

For example, if you're going to take the carbs off and you're lacking confidence then your goal for each day might be:

 

Day 1 : Remove seat and fairings

Day 2 : Remove tank 

Day 3 : Remove airbox, cables and hoses

Day 4 : Remove carbs

 

With practice, this could easily become a 20 minute job all-in but ignore what the YouTube videos show you and take small steps. You'll often find that a job takes a small amount of time and you can do the next job. But if you set your ambitions low then your successes will be many.

 

And take pictures at every stage and from every angle. These will be an enormous help. You don't know until which part you're going to forget the location of.

Something along these lines is a good idea. 

 

If you wanted to build familiarity also use the above approach but refit straight after. Each time adding the next stage. It won't take long till your pretty comfortable with the basics and this will increase each time. 

 

Doing your best to get your head round the process beforehand will also help. Choose the job you fancy, make a thread, ask about any possible difficulties that may arise etc then plan a day to make a start. 

 

Buying a set or takeaway tubs, baggies and marker pens is also a good idea. Left fairing bolts in 1 labeled bag, right fairing bolts in another etc. Use masking tape and a marker to denote any electrical connectors you remove 

[husoi]

In my opinion, most important is to have the right good quality tools and make loads of notes.

Bad tools will ruin nuts and bolts faster than Tories change  prime ministers

Taking notes, photos of how things are before you take them apart will go a long way. Even more if the repairs are extensive and you need to wait for parts.

It's very easy to lose track of where something goes.

Most the time I use a piece of cardboard where I stick the bolts in a similar position to where they are going.

Masking tape is another helping hand. When possible, I'll stick a bolt or a nut in place with a bit of tape. Then you know exactly where it goes.

 

Repairs are usually take a part and replace with similar, so assembly is just the reverse from removal.

Another thing you will learn very quickly, cheap parts means you buy twice.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Having someone local who can mentor you would be the best way. Most workshops won't do that because of insurance issues and they are liable if something goes wrong. I learned by doing - and making some mistakes along the way.

 

The biggest learning curve was when I bought a wreck and took it to bits - and put parts back together again. Photograph everything first. Label everything. And most of all, when you get stuck don't go at it hammer and tongs - have a tea break, leave it overnight, and nine times out of ten you will subconsciously work it out.

 

These days even wrecks go for silly money so it's not the cheap option it used to be.

 

Some fo the YouTube tutorials aren't bad so don't give up on them, just be willing to watch several and then decide whose channel you trust.

 

When I was a teenager I worked in a back street garage and learned from the mechanics that it doesn't always go right for them, they just have the confidence they can figure it out. A lot of amateurs lose heart when it goes wrong and think they've made a mistake - but it's the same for the pros. 

[AstronautNinja]

2 hours ago, husoi said:

In my opinion, most important is to have the right good quality tools and make loads of notes.

Bad tools will ruin nuts and bolts faster than Tories change  prime ministers

Taking notes, photos of how things are before you take them apart will go a long way. Even more if the repairs are extensive and you need to wait for parts.

It's very easy to lose track of where something goes.

Most the time I use a piece of cardboard where I stick the bolts in a similar position to where they are going.

Masking tape is another helping hand. When possible, I'll stick a bolt or a nut in place with a bit of tape. Then you know exactly where it goes.

 

Repairs are usually take a part and replace with similar, so assembly is just the reverse from removal.

Another thing you will learn very quickly, cheap parts means you buy twice.

100% on the tool and part quality point. Any job is far and away more pleasant with the correct tools and good fitting parts. 

[Capt Sisko]

5 hours ago, jr71 said:

get your hands on something really cheap/non running. watch youtube vids on maintenance/repair/restoration. practice on cheap thing and learn from your mistakes.

Couldn't agree more, but I'd add whatever you buy, don't buy something a complex as your MV, a basic four stoke twin has enough complexities to start to learn the trade.

[rob m]

1 hour ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Having someone local who can mentor you would be the best way.

 

Absolutely. Or a mate who knows their stuff.

 

Another way is an owners group. One thing I liked about the Triumph Sprint ST 1050 FB group was that there was a guy who used to organise meets at his garage where members could bring their bikes and they would work on them together, share knowledge, tools etc. Was very popular. 

[AstronautNinja]

7 minutes ago, rob m said:

 

Absolutely. Or a mate who knows their stuff.

 

Another way is an owners group. One thing I liked about the Triumph Sprint ST 1050 FB group was that there was a guy who used to organise meets at his garage where members could bring their bikes and they would work on them together, share knowledge, tools etc. Was very popular. 

Excellent idea 

[Steve_M]

15 hours ago, bonio said:

I would like to learn how to work on my bikes, especially on the MV. But I haven't a clue where to start. I can read a manual, I can use a socket wrench, and I can sometimes even get all the fasteners into a dish before I drop any into the inner darkness of the bike. But I know my limit, it's about two Haynes spanners, or three with a lot of tea breaks and one or two regrets I ever gave up smoking. But at three spanners, I can quickly find myself way out of my depth: I once had to phone the shop to ask them to pick the bike up along with the cardboard box of bits that belonged inside it.

 

I think the issue for me is that the manual tells you what to do, but not how to do it. And youtube is a dangerous place to learn: there's all kinds of crazy advice out there. Ideally I'd like to sign up to something like an evening class where you go through basic stuff like changing chain and sprockets, servicing the brakes and so on, working on your own bike as you go. But nothing like that exists.

 

Any ideas of something that might come close?

Two spanner? Show off.

 

. I did much of the maintenance on my dad’s Ford Anglia when I was still at school. New start motor? Yes. New exhaust? Yes. Full service, including brake shoe replacement.
 

So, in theory I should be able to get up to three, maybe four spanner level but for two things

1. lack of patience. 
2. there’s always that one nut/bolt/ screw that’s seized and/or difficult to access and no amount of releasing fluid or brute force (not that I have much of that) is going to shift it. Combine that with (1) and you have a man who would rather pay someone to deal with that sh1t.
    

[S-Westerly]

That's me to a T. I have the spannering skills of a cockroach. However I have a son in law who is really into that kind of thing, learnt a lot at his uncle's workshop and does this kind of thing for fun. He's also training up two grandsons one of whom has an interest whereas the other is more like me.

[Nick the wanderer]

Pick your battles is what I would say. No point learning how to adjust your valve timing if you are never going to do it.

 

Start with learning how to do a basic service on the MV, oil and filter change for example, that's gotta be a 2/3 spanner job. 

Make sure you have decent stands and the correct tools.

 

Learning on an old bike is ok but you'll spend more than half your time fixing the previous keepers bodges. Rounded off fixings etc because they only had mole grips and a hammer they found in a field.

 

Doing a job with a friend/helper, someone with a bit of experience does make it all easier.

 

Good luck.

[smallfrowne]

Is MV customer service that bad? You could take your own flask if their coffee isn't up to it. 

 

Really though, I think you should get stuck in and post plenty of pictures on the pitstop board, next best thing to having someone in person. 

I'm off to Bungay in a minute though, which might almost be local. 

[bonio]

@smallfrowne The in-laws?

I don't want to tempt you to be more irresponsible than normal, but if you get any time out, drop me a message. Bungay is only 15 minutes away, and I'll be there this evening anyway and again tomorrow 1 o'clockish. 

As for MV customer service, it's very very good, or at least the guys at Krazy Horse in BSE are great. The thing is, there are parts of the bike that just need tinkering with - the rear brakes need regular bleeding and there are things you can (which I don't understand) that solve the basic fault, the rear indicators ought to be replaced with ones that are actually waterproof, and probably relocated up to the tail tidy too, and I'd like to fiddle with the clutch switch sensor to see if I can coax it back to life. It seems that all this is just a normal part of MV ownership, but it's more than I'm used to doing. 

 

@evreyoneabove. Thanks for your advice - it's really help. One piece I've started doing already: giving myself plenty of time and being patient. I expect myself to be good at this kind of stuff straight off, and I can get discouraged when things start to wrong. But with a bit more patience and an understanding that I'm learning, plus some guidance from youtube, I could begin to do a bit more. It may be that I get to retire next year, and if so I'll have more time and less money, so it's a good time to start learning.

Edited August 17, 2024 by bonio

[Bungleaio]

Experience is the key element along with the ability to learn from your mistakes. 
 

I have no formal training but through just having a go I feel I’m fairly competent now. I did start early through and was always taking things apart when I was young. I remember my mum going nuts when I’d taken her radio apart and washed all the components when I was 6 or 7. 
 

Have a look on facebook marketplace for a none runner or something cheap and take it apart and try and put it together. There’s loads of code to help with the rebuild or if completely necessary just take the bits to the tip and call it quits. 

Edited August 17, 2024 by Bungleaio