Get Over The 'Wrenching Anxiety'

[lynx124]

Hey everyone, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone on this one, and I'm not sure if this is the place for it on this forum, so admins plz feel free to move it appropriately.

OK so I'm a senior in Uni and in a pretty intensive major. My GS and riding is my hobby that keeps me from going crazy. I've always wanted to get into wrenching and love all things garage-ey, lol. I never had much space to play with my minty-fresh GS in my garage at home and 3 months ago, a buddy and I both (worked our asses off) pitched in to rent out a huge two car garage for a full year about 8 miles from where I live.  My buddy is mostly into cars and uses the garage to store an old project car that he's never gonna get to if u ask me hehe. My first project was, by most of your standards, simple and easy (LED afterglow effect: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=68002.0 ) and while I really enjoyed it, it was a super learning experience for me, and took me a while to really learn how to do it properly and not take any short cuts. I want to move onto bigger projects (that agree with my student budget hehe), but sometimes I get intimidated cuz if I screw up I could be out of a bike until I get enough money to fix it or have it fixed. I am a strong believer in learning and doing things on my own, but I can't get over this anxiety lol, do you guys know any small projects or things I can do/read up on/watch to really get over this anxiety? (I promise I'm not crazy lol) Has anyone ever felt that way at one point? Just curious is all 

[dry_humor]

Get yourself a manual. Look it over, make some notes, and some of that anxiety will be gone. I've had to work on my bikes out of necessity (without manuals) so a lot of the time I went in blind. Probably could have saved myself a lot of time and money by getting manuals, which I have now.

That's a good starting point for you. You could also take it apart and put it back together. You'll learn a lot then.

[lynx124]

Huh, I never thought of taking it apart and putting it back together again...that could be a project to do over the winter break (although I will need a portable heater hehe) I recently got my hands on a PDF of the Haynes manual, is that any good or do u recommend anything else?

[bombsquad83]

Haynes is pretty good.  You really need a manual the first time until uou get more experience with how things work.  If you want to learn wrenching, but you are really counting on having the bike to ride, I'd recommend getting a cheap bike on Craigslist to learn on.  It really sucks not having a bike to ride if/when things go wrong. 

[syntax_error]

I had this problem at first when I started wrenching long ago. I had buddies that were perfectly fine tearing some thing part with the intent of fixing it with parts not yet in their hands. I looked at it as this big puzzle you have to solve. Lots of pieces. How will this ever go back together? Will I remeber how it goes back togethrr? You will be suprised how well you will remeber where every nut and bolt went. All you really need is some common sense and knowing right tight lefty loosey.  The tool kit that comes with the bike is sufficient enough to disassemble the whole bike. It might not be the best tool for the job but it can and will get it done. Remeber something you view as a complicated system can be maintained with relitive ease and simple tools. There needs to be some consideration to the fact that you have to trust you mechanical ability to modify your bike in order to ride it after the work is done. This should not detour you from progress though just understand it. look at it as a learning experience, try first yourself if you don't get your envisioned result get help or pay for it to get done. You will find after digging in that there is not much a determined mind can not accomplish.

[Big Rich]

I'm like Syntax. The first time I took a bike down to the frame I had my doubts as well......but organization goes a LONG way. And luckily, the vast majority of a bike only goes back together one way. If you start putting something together wrong, you'll find out pretty quickly.

My best advice: if you have smaller parts / pieces laying around, put them in a Ziploc sandwich bag and use a marker to identify what is inside. And for nuts & bolts: after removing bolts and then taking a part off, put the bolts back into the threaded nut. That way you don't have a hundred bolts laying around of various lengths / diameters / thread pitch / etc.

Oh yeah - get the absolute best torque wrench you can afford. It will save you a ton of time and money in the long run.

[lynx124]

This is all awesome advice! I really appreciate it all, I'm also glad I'm not the only one feeling this lol. As for getting a second bike I'm going to try, but being in uni has it's drawbacks -- as for the torque wrench I bought one right before my first oil change cuz a buddy of mine did not torque his bike to spec and over-did it, bending/cracking the whole pan from the bottom and making a mess lol. I guess I'm just going to have to make the best of what I can and hopeful this winter break take her apart and put her back together. In the mean time I'll dig into the manual I have. I'll also pick up solving the lighting issue in my GS as the current lights are disgusting. I want to go with an HID or LED set-up (and no I don't exactly care for making it road-legal per sey, I'd rather have to pay off a mechanic buddy to help me pass inspection every two years than not be able to see the road at night)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BockinBboy]

I too had a similar anxiety about working on my bike. I started with small stuff and gained confidence. I wrenched on mopeds for years before I got a motorcycle, and I know that definitely helped... Still the jump to even the simplest bike as the gs500 seemed daunting almost.

I started with simple adjustments and torquing things to proper spec. Adjustments included chain, clutch, etc... And torquing everything to spec in the manual helped me get to know many of the parts. I also decided to clean all the electrical contacts and connectors which helped the learning along as well. Then I went on to bleed the brakes, change the brake pads, replaced the chain/sprockets, replaced tires, replaced brake lines, fuel lines, vacuum lines... Began some aftermarket parts like exhaust, led tail light, added a top case and mount, touring windscreen, fork springs, r6 shock... Eventually went on rejet my carbs, valve shim check/replacement... I know I'm forgetting stuff but just giving you a general idea of my progression... I read everything I could before buying the parts and doing the work. I found it actually gave me more peace of mind having done these things and replaced things myself, having bought a used bike. Though it was in great condition and low mileage, you never know what all has been neglected until you really work on it yourself. Most everything on my bike was stock original other than the battery - had 2500 miles and was 8 years old when I got it... Needless to say no matter the storage conditions things needed replaced!

I now have no problem tearing into it and putting it back together. I have compiled a specific toolkit (guided by many of the knowledgeable members here) that can completely disassemble the bike and put it back together on the side of the road if I had to, and it's small enough to take on long trips. 

Get to know your bike, start small, and work your way up gaining confidence and efficiency along the way

- Bboy

[lynx124]

Yea, I guess that's what I'll do. The bike is nearing 8K, and from what I hear I should be getting the valves checked by then, even tho I have had no problems with the bike mechanically. I'm not exactly sure what the check entails but it seems like a tricky job.

Also, since I love the matte metallic blue (Example of the color I'm talking about is in the pic below) accents with the 07 gray/black color scheme, I'm thinking of taking apart the engine and while learning putting it back together with bolts that have that blue color on top (only the bolts that show externally), changing the brake and clutch lever to that same color (which I hear is a more difficult task than needs to be on a GS since there are no directly compatible aftermarket ones) and getting an R&G (or similar) frame slider and sanding/painting it that color. [I'm a big fan of subtle contrasting accents like that on a bike]

Oh and if anyone has any tips regarding any of the stuff I mentioned, or even links to threads, I'd really appreciate it! 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Jimbob]

There are a few videos for valve shims check/adjustment here is one
http://youtu.be/5J19aNdXV08

When I did this the first time I read up on it and watched video after a few times you get pretty quick at it.
Do your projects when you have some time so if you do get stuck you can ask for help and not be in a rush to get it back together

[lynx124]

Thanks Jimbob! I'm a very visual learner so this video is gold lol and yea, I think my bike is good for the fall, this winter tho is when I'll get back to wrenching...chains and sprokets need to be changed, frame sliders installed, more LED work, tires changed and aligned, valves checked and carbs cleaned. That should keep a noob like me busy till the new year haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jimbob]

Sounds like you'll be a pro by the time your finished