Service history.

[ChrisBiggsUK]

So.  When I bought my plucky little CG, I didn't enquire about service history, I just bought the bike there and then without any enquiries whatsoever.  Bit silly on my part, but as a fresh faced (if you exclude the years of wrinkles, creased forehead, beard and general demeanour of someone who has been through the wringer a few times) new rider, it never occurred to me to enquire about such things.  

Am I right to assume that there is no way of finding out what has been done over the nearly 20 years since the bike was made, beyond looking at its MOT history?  I know that in the nearly 20 years before I got my hands on it, neither tyre was changed, the oil wasn't changed, battery was the same one put in nearly 20 years ago, etc, so am I probably right to just assume that given nothing seems to have been done to the bike, there is probably no service history to speak of anyway?

I know that for my part, I have been keeping a black notebook of everything I have done to the bike since buying it, along with dates and mileages on the bike when I have done those things, and have copy receipts to print out and stick in should the time come when I need to, but is there any other information I should be keeping in the book too?  While I have no intention of selling the CG for the foreseeable, given that I know next to nothing about its previous history (though I did run in to the young lad who had it immediately before me, who said his dad purchased it for him and aforementioned dad was quite irritated when the lad traded it in to the dealership for a Keeway), I'm doing what I can to ensure that whoever takes the bike off me, hopefully a long time from now, can know that it has been, if not well looked after, has at least been semi-competently looked after.

Thoughts?  Input?  Advice?  Fire away!

[Fiddlesticks]

Old receipts are usually kept, along with stamps in the service book. It does help to reassure buyers. Even the notebook (I have one on my phone) will be useful, as it'll help you answer those questions when the time comes.

[Hairsy]

Yes, its great to keep records of anything you do. Receipts are a very good way to validate your notes. A particularly sensitive buyer might also appreciate seeing photos part way through when work is done.

 

Servicing on bikes is generally relatively simple. The one slightly more complex but common servicing job is valve clearances but on your bike that's actually not too tricky.

 

In terms of the important service jobs, if your bike has passed an MoT then its wheel and steering bearings should be fine.

 

You've done the oil change, which is important.

 

Off the top of my head, the only significant jobs that I would say are left to do are:

 

1) Changing the brake fluid assuming your bike has at least one hydraulic brake, which I think it does at the front). This video is a different bike but same technique:

 

2) Valve clearances.

 

 

If you did these two jobs, you could fairly advertise your bike as 'incomplete service history but all significant service tasks recently completed'.

 

And, given what you've said before, I think you'd quite enjoy the satisfaction of doing these jobs.

[ChrisBiggsUK]

I have indeed already done the brakes, oil, and air filter (didn't need replacing, but replaced it anyway as the old one was 20 years old).  Valves...  Not done them, but hey, as has become apparent I'm willing to give anything a go!  I shall have a look at doing those in due course.

My journey from 43 year old pedestrian to burly middle-aged biker and god-like super mechanic continues apace!

[RideWithStyles]

Its great to do all that.

To some buyers they can take a look new or old, make a face value on a bike and call it from that.

 

to some if a newish (I’ll class as three years or under) looks rough then it’s safe to say your definitely gonna have a few issues to over dress as it condition shows its value.

some may not be bothered if it needs a bit of TLC and preparing to address that but it’s still a newer bike.

if it’s an older bike say like ours (mine is a 2005 was on 4k two years ago) but in good condition and lowish miles then the main problems aint the same so may require different issues sorting, then again it might not.
I bought on condition, was prepared to take those aged issues and parts if it came to it rather than hours and hours fighting and looking at a messy one, and it’s been good for me.
Some may not be interested in an older bike but would it be better than the newer but rougher bike? 

 

Personally i dont think so but others will disagree and that’s fine.

thats how two different buyers can be and prepared to deal with it.

bringing an old(er) bike but perfectly good one back to a safe and usable state again while using it all the while is great .

[Capt Sisko]

1 hour ago, ChrisBiggsUK said:

Valves...  Not done them

You should. Many assume if it's quiet it's okay, it's not. Valves tend to tighten with wear and after 20k without attention, they're likely to have done so. It's not a hard job to do, basic spanner work really, but you'll need a set of feeler gauges. I'd also order a new gasket beforehand as I suspect the original will tear, even break into bits when you take the cover off. You'll provably have to scrape the broken off bits from the head & cover and a basic Stanley knife blade is as good a tool as any that's been invented for doing that. An oily rag stuffed into the cyclinder head will stop any scrapping dropping into the engine.
 

One last tip, don't use a big adjustable spanner for adjusting the valve like the guy in the video does. Adjustable spanners have their uses, making fine adjustments ain't one of them.

Edited March 10 by Capt Sisko

[Tiggie]

26 minutes ago, Capt Sisko said:

One last tip, don't use a big adjustable spanner for adjusting the valve like the guy in the video does. Adjustable spanners have their uses, making fine adjustments ain't one of them.

 

They are called nut f**kers for a reason 

[ChrisBiggsUK]

Video watched, page from manual printed.  Feeler will be acquired when this bout of illness passes and I can hop on the bike to get to somewhere that sells them.

Seems simple enough.

I'm a veritable god-like super mechanic!

[RideWithStyles]

Halfords, screw fix, b and Q, autofactors do them, doesn’t need to be fancy.
as a tip to help use them and not sure for what is loose or tight, what ever you use as a number you need 0.40 for example, a .40 fits ok without damaging the feeler to get it in, if the tolerance is 0.10+- and a 0.50 slips right in with no resistance you’d count its too loose, if its very reluctant to fit in or doesn’t fit its fine. 

[ChrisBiggsUK]

That is indeed a very useful tip.  Thank you!