How much work is realistic?

[Mike40M]

Measured my favourite stool. 1 foot high.
A complete engine strip down, cleaning, inspection, get new bits, maybe get cylinder boring oversize, get some parts needed and assemble should not be impossible for a novice to do in a normal winter. But if the machine seems to have no worrying sounds or malfunctions, just doing a head and cylinder overhaul would be enough first winter. Just decoking and grind valves can take some time when you've not done it before. With head off, you can get a quite good impression of cylinder wear and if bottom end is really bad.

When very young, I took apart a 750 Flathead Harley and hid it under my bed. Flat on fifth floor, no elevator.  Mom not pleased. Restored it piece by piece. Got help from an old mechanic with things I could not do myself. Carried all parts down and assembled it. Then Swedish winters was much longer then than they are now. Done it in one winter.

[Phil C]

Maybe I'll do that to begin with, Mike40M, if it gives me an idea of whether everything below is okay.
The garage at the rented house I'm in at present is pretty packed even without a compressor, grinder, or bike lift. But when it's my garage I'll have more in the way of shelving etc and so better use of space. Then it will be a matter of prioritising, I guess.
Courtney, I take my hat off to you. True dedication to the cause.
Phil
Phil

[Rog1]

I've realised recently that my bike shed is inefficiently arranged; I've been spending too much time going from one end of the shed to the other to get some tool or other, then repeating the process because I now need something else. This eats up shed time, so I've been rearranging things so that tasks take less time. My point is, you are starting with a clean sheet so you can do this from the start.

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

If you only have one bike it is fairly straight forward with the tools arranged for easy reach from being next to the bike.  For a number of years we were away almost every weekend in the Summer attending BSA events, other trips or just going for a ride.  The routine that developed was each bike would take a turn on the lift for basic maintenance and sometimes a bit of a clean.  Tools were kept on/near the bench so that, by standing between the bike lift and bench most things were in easy reach with oils and other sprays and grease etc. close by.  I suppose it is a bit like the 'triangle' set up for kitchens.

Dave.

[courtney]

This forum and BritBike has been invaluable working on my bike, as I'm sure Phil has realised already. There's not a lot of old boys about anymore to ask for advice, or at least I don't know where to find them. Forums like this are a bit of a replacement for Mike's mechanic that helped him when he was young.

I'm 33 now, but replaced the gearbox and rebuilt my KX60 when I was 14. At that point, there was nothing to lose working on it, so I just did it with a secondhand gearbox and too much basket sealant! I remember starting it first kick in the shed where we lived and it smoking me out! I've worked on all my bikes since then. You can do a lot with a small space and limited tools, but the right tools for the job and some space and shelter make it a lot easier and more pleasant. We've all got to start somewhere though.

Phil, I appreciate you appreciating my dedication to the cause. Truth be told, I'm just a bloody hoarder!

[Mike Farmer]

 

I Think that I have a set of plans for a work bench that I never used. Interested??

About walking around the shed!!! I keep a lot of tools in a shopping trolley. Its not quite trained to follow me around but we are getting there. Is very handy tho its always at the wrong end of the bench.

Mike

[Phil C]

I have a bench, but thanks anyway Mike.  Phil

[MITCHELL]

Hi phil, started my rebuild about a year ago, I'm in no hurry and busy at work to, that's my excuse but when I started I looked at platforms and decided to build my own once the machine is a rolling chassis it can be rolled up and  down a plank as required, cost about £30.00 a compressor is a must probably the best investment of all you can even use it to sweep the floor and the boss is over the moon when I clean the vacuum filter for her.  Dave.

[Phil C]

Interesting.
Excuse my ignorance, but how do you hold a bike firm and steady on a bench like that? Or on a hydraulic lift for that matter. Never used one, so not familiar with how it's done.
Phil

[MITCHELL]

Hi, it's just on the centre stand.

[Phil C]

Getting my bike on its main stand is a hell of a job even at ground level. I get my wife to help me.  Phil

[chaz]

just my point of view working on customers bikes, Ive got 4 ramps, 3 at the unit and one at home. 1 is compressed air operated, the other three are pump up which vary with the pump arms 2 have detachable arms that are long and Im forever shinning my legs on them,  the other is more enclosed.
the comprsessed air one is only pumped up on one end and does wobble slightly and locks in near the top in two positions.
the three red pump ups are the cantilever type that are more solid and can be stopped at 4 or 5 pre drilled hole positions. for the  red ramps, two have  panels that can be removed, for rear wheel removal, the third is shorter and has a longer ramp all 3 ramps can be removed.
the 2 longer ramps have front wheel clamps to hold in place.
as a safety precaution, I have drilled holes and bolted U clamps, from car exhausts which allows holding the bikes in place with tie down straps.

as a word of warning, technique to get on centre stand is important, AS, when you put your bike on the ramp, you are standing on around 4 inches of it, and somewhere around 4 inches off the ground so balance and heave ho can be an advantage. Ive a customers Triumph Trophy 955 to work on and thats a really wide and heavy b**ger to get on its centre stand.

Ive also got a pump up motocross stand a B40 is currently sat on and thats a lot higher, 12" high and pumps up around 30" high, also got paddock stands, no good for Brits, Abba stands , also no good for Brits, then a couple of lever type cheap mx stands .
basically, stands vary from £15 to £350 ( the air one was foc from my old landlord), go for the best you can afford, it really is worth it.

[Mike40M]

I don't have any bike with centre stand. The oldest two have a rear stand. so no problem with them. The three race bikes have no stand at all. On them I use a motorcycle jack on the lift. Or paddock stands. Or simply use tie downs. I've too added more U clamps on the lift. The seven with side stand only, same as the race bikes or for small work just tie downs. Usually can get help changing bike on the lift. But the usual early spring maintenance to the ten running bikes is often done on the floor. The lift usually occupied by a time consuming project.

[Phil C]

I assume that when people are talking about a bike lift they are meaning a full-size bench-type lift, not just a jack with a small platform that fits under engine? Actuall yes, must be, as they spoke about ramps. Looked at some online just now - expensive when new.  Phil

[Pete A10]

Cheapest table lift I’ve seen new is about £375 for one 1800mm long - otherwise new they are about £550 for a 2200 long one. I’ve been looking for a second hand one for a while but they tend to go on ebay for about £250/£300 but usually buyer collect so unless you’ve got a van it’s another £150 minimum to collect. Ive almost decided to buy a new one and get it delivered but like you say it’s a big expense - if your going to fully strip I bike ( I’ve done two now) I thinks it worth as it makes access so much easier as at 66 with some serious health problems I find kneeling and crawling to get under the bike, or even working at engine engine on the centre stand hard work.