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LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 6:57 pm
by blues2cruise
I need someone else to most things to Zena. I don't have the proper equipment or hand strength (arthritis in the thumb joints) to do a lot of things.

I can do basic things like light bulbs, air, oil, keeping the chrome shiny :mrgreen: ..... but anything else I leave to the professionals.


I got ready to go to work yesterday morning, rolled Zena out of the garage only to find out she wouldn't start. :cry: . I concluded that the switch for the heated grips must have been accidentally pushed on and drained the battery.

I had just enough time to change and half walk/half jog to the bus stop to get to work.

When I came home I dug out the charger and extension cord to charge the battery. This was the first time I ever had to charge a motorcycle. It took me a while to figure out how to access the battery. :roll:

Anyway...tonight I installed the pigtail wires to the battery and put everything back together and the bike is now ready to ride again.

How much do you know and how much can you do?

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 3:59 am
by Lion_Lady
I can change the oil, and transmission fluid. I can adjust the valves as well. I installed the extra lights (Hyperlights) on the rear. But, my husband is faster, and about half the time, he'll just do it for me. :) I changed the brake fluid once with a lot of help.

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 9:22 am
by blues2cruise
I wouldn't know how to adjust the valves. I'd be willing to try though with some supervision.

I'm slow when it comes to doing things, too. :mrgreen:

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 6:32 am
by Thumper
Most things, neither of us want to do...we don't have the tools or the desire to tinker these days. But things like a dead battery? I *could* do it myself, but the Spouse Thingy usually jumps on it. He knows I know a little more about bikes than he does, and he'll let me tell him what needs to be done, but it seems to be important to him to be the one who swears about the horrible access to the bolts that hold my seat on, so I let him :lol:

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 4:25 pm
by blues2cruise
Thumper...it's what a spouse does....helps to keep the ego feeling ok. :mrgreen:

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 3:44 pm
by Loonette
I do my own oil & filter change. I have done a coolant flush, which was more tricky than I thought it would be (but worth it... I swapped out the old for fresh Engine Ice). I installed my risers with Dave's help (we had to lift the bike in order to drop the front suspension to remove the triple tree - or something like that). THAT was crazy!! I can't do a tire change, but wouldn't want to anyway. Pretty much anything that I can access and understand, I am willing to attempt.

Cheers,
Loonette

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:24 am
by blues2cruise
I think it's great that there are a few of us who do some things on our bikes.

I am surprised by how few though. I thought more would.

The garage nights that some dealers put on for women are good. I attended a couple and learned a lot.

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 3:10 pm
by BRUMBEAR
Call me a dirty Ol Man or whatever you would like. I have always thought a women that works on things is just Yeah Baby yeah!!!!
Image

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:16 pm
by Wrider
I'm with Brumbear... A lady on a bike is "Oh, well hi there!". A lady that can really ride her bike is "Oh, well HI there!". And a lady that can wrench on her bike is "Um hi, my name is... is... Will you marry me?"

Re: LADIES-Do it yourself or get someone to do it for you?

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:46 am
by blues2cruise
Wrider wrote:I'm with Brumbear... A lady on a bike is "Oh, well hi there!". A lady that can really ride her bike is "Oh, well HI there!". And a lady that can wrench on her bike is "Um hi, my name is... is... Will you marry me?"
That's just so you don't have to wrench your own. :mrgreen: :P