| Author | Message | ||
     Dride |
I'm looking for someone in the Twin Cities, MN area who can help me/teach me with upgrades on my 2006 Uly. I've been watching the comfort kit box collect dust in my garage, I think the brake pads need to get changed, I'd like to replace the belt just so I know how to do it when I need to, the bearings probably need to be looked at, and I'd like to do some of the other stuff I've read about doing over the years here. I've got the repair book, but I know my limits. I'm a quick learner, but I have to "learn on the job", I can't get it from reading. If I screw something up, the bike's probably just going to collect dust in my garage. Unfortunately, this isn't a bike I can just take to someone to get worked on, and that's cool, I need something new to do anyways. I've had the bike since 2008 and have been doing oil and filter changes, and that's about it. I don't need to do everything at once, just some putzing on the weekends. I let me 7 year old “help” me change the oil this spring, and he thought it was the coolest thing ever. So I’m trying to learn something new, leave my comfort zone, and just need some assistance. Shoot me a PM or respond if anyone within riding distance has some free time available before the snow flies. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Dride, Not to be harsh but most of us have to work on are own bikes but only because we don't trust anyone else to do it. If you don't want to take it to a dealer than most likely you are going to have man-up and do it yourself. Wrenching on my own bikes is a pain and I'd just as soon wiggle my nose like Bewitched and whammo it would be done but that isn't how it works. If I had to wait for someone to hold my hand every time one of our bikes needs fixin then they'd never get fixed. Good luck. Mechanics get paid for a good reason and none of them think of their job as "free time". | ||
| Reepicheep |
I taught myself by diving in. I did a lot of stupid things and broke a lot of stuff, but learned a lot as well. I'm glad I did it. Maybe you can turn your request around... offer to shadow and help somebody locally working on *their* stuff. You are right, working with somebody experienced is really valulable, I learned a ton doing exactly that (thanks Mike!, thanks Chad!). | ||
| Red450 |
A lot of repairs/maintenance on a bike can seem like a massive challenge to someone not used to it. We all had to start there and there's only one way to learn it, by taking that first big step and getting your hands dirty. Buy a Factory Service Manual, read the section on whatever you choose to be your first project. Now, read it again while looking at your bike and all the areas the book mentions. Follow the instructions and take your time. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Another approach would be to buy some broken down piece of crap $500 200cc or 250cc two stroke dirt bike. Then fix... everything... The cost stakes are low, the work is insanely easy, you will learn a ton, and you will have a fun play bike at the end of the day. If it goes wrong, drag it to the curb with a "free" sign... it will be gone in an hour. | ||
| Mnrider |
D I live near faribault and would be happy to help you install the comfort kit at my house. I'm willing to pay it forward for help I've got from folks on here. pm me and we can work out a time. | ||
| Mnrider |
oops double post (Message edited by mnrider on August 01, 2013) (Message edited by mnrider on August 01, 2013) | ||
| Dride |
Electraglider_1997, That was harsh man :-) I'm not looking for a free handout, just a little help. I recognize it's easy for the engineer or mechanic to tell the accountant to "just dive in." No worries, I will keep studying the manual. It's a bit over my head right now, so maybe I'll try to find a book on more general motorcycle maintenance and work up from there. Thanks to Mnrider, I'll send you a PM. Thanks everyone else for all of the responses, it's given me some good ideas, either "man up" or buy a Suzuki, Ha! It's all that "teach a guy to fish" baloney. I am in a situation at work where the boomers are dropping like flies to retirement (good for them though, they earned it), and that knowledge is just going out the door with them, so I've been picking brains for the past year or two, and it's great how much I've learned. I thought maybe I could use that idea with my bike. I understand Buell knowledge and motorcycle knowledge is hard learned. It's frustrating to have access to so much valuable technical knowledge, and still be so lost. Maybe a better question to post would've been, Can anyone recommend a good Buell Mechanic in the Twin Cities, Mn area? Or are there any Buell Riders in the TC area? I rarely even see other Buell's on the road. I've spent a lot of my "free time" the past decade helping friends, family, and even the general public (weekends spent doing drop in tax help at the library) with tax preparation questions, assisting in tax filing, ect.. Now tax code is written in Greek! I would never tell a Plumber to "dive in" or "man up", there's no need, I just walk through their questions and problems and I help them. Then I get that awkward question, "What do I owe you?" Not a darn thing, I just enjoy helping out other people, try it, its cool! Motorcycle Mechanics and Tax Accountants have more in common then we think I guess, and I suppose we could both be jerks. I do want to do the work myself, and it would just be cool to have a more experienced set of eyes with me. I'm definitely not looking to "poach" anyone's valuable "free time", and I apologize if my initial post came across that way. | ||
| Shagg1970 |
I wish I lived closer (I'm in Columbus Ohio)I love working on my Ulysses, and my wifes Blast, and would love to help. Good luck, They are very easy to work on and hopefully someone will step up and give you a hand. | ||
| Schwara |
Hi Dride ... along with most others out here I too do my wrenching myself. Prior to the Uly the only thing I had really ever done was changing out brake pads and even that I had only done once. The manual is by far the most important first step. I actually picked up both a paper and an electronic copy and I use both. The electronic is great because you can do searches. The only problem with the electronic one is that I have to have my laptop in the garage when working on the bike. I was lucky in that a fellow BadWebber lives very close so on my first real project ... new tires, I had help. It was great to have someone so familiar with all of Buell's little interesting bits and pieces. Since then I have done lots of stuff all on my own and I have slowly been picking up more tools along the way. I also do a great deal of searching on whatever maintenance or upgrade that I am doing before hand. I prefer pictures and even uTube videos when available. If you want a 1st project change out your fluids. You can find pictures and videos for that ... just don't follow the torque spec in the manual for putting the drain plug back in. It is well documented out here how you can strip it out as the manual spec is too high. As far as I know that is the only misprint in the manual though. Even though I've changed my fluids a few times now I still review my notes just in case. My last job was actually the biggest truly mechanical exercise I have ever undertaken. I prayed to have someone hold my hand on that one, but in the end it wasn't necessary. I did it all myself although I did post questions a few times along the way out here. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/713910.html?1370110163 http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/712902.html?1372173314 For that particular job I also ended up writing my own set of step by step instructions (with pics) based on quite a few posts out here and also from BuellXB as well. I would recommend doing the same for your project. I am confident that even with no prior Buell wrenching experience you could pull together the tools required, find basic instructions, and then crank this job out. Once again if you have issues along the way keep in mind that you can post questions out here. Those of us not local to you will still try to help out as best we can. Good luck and have fun with it. At this point, my only issue with my Buell projects is that it means I can't ride when I'm working ... so I seem to put things off sometimes. I actually just thought of something else ... if you have not already done this, modify your account settings so that you start getting posts from a few of the different groups and then do your best to read them. Some topics have more regular postings than other (some have a lot) but regardless you will read about what other people are doing and that helps to build knowledge and confidence as well. | ||
| Buewulf |
Dride, I didn't think there was anything presumptuous or off about your comments and request for some help, and I don't really understand some of the responses. I've met a lot of good people both freely offering and accepting offers for help and am a big believer in the pay-it-forward philosophy. Had the same message appeared in my area, I would have responded immediately. That said, a lot of the Uly maintenance is very straight forward. You can find some good tips on this site to supplement the procedures as well. I wouldn't be the least bit worried about tackling some of the simpler jobs like removing the rear wheel or installing the comfort kit. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Dride, It is all about having the correct tools to do the job, the service manual, courage/drive to begin the work, time and perseverance. Anyone who has made it through school to become an accountant has more than the required G2 to work on his bike and do it right. Since it is usually something that you'll do only once or every blue moon you'll have to realize that it will take you way more time to accomplish than it would take you if you did it once per week. Of course you'll be quite proud of yourself when the job is finished and the bike runs once again. Dive in knowing that there will be a lot of cussing from mis-steps and busted knuckles. You'll also be pissed at Buell for making whatever it is that needs fixing either very hard to get at or not made better in the first place. Every once it awhile you'll replace parts that cost a nut and find out that the part replaced was perfectly good. BUT, when you do the job yourself you'll know that the person that worked on it really cares about the bike. That can't be said if you let somebody else do the job. | ||
| Uly_man |
Dride. I congratulate you on your willingness to spanner your own bike but a Buell is not the best bike to learn on. Spannering anything takes a bit of mechanical know how and can only be gained with time working on this sort of thing. The Buell has some "odd ball" things about it that can "catch out" even the best and a small mistake like the sump plug or rear spark plug is going to cost a lot of money to repair. I would say get yourself into a school that will teach you how to do this sort of thing. Cars and/or bikes it does not matter. I think you will find it well worth the effort. | ||
| Tootal |
You might try a search on youtube. I've seen many things done on there that would give you an idea of how to proceed. You want to change the oil in the forks? No problem, there's a video on youtube! No guarantees but it's worth a look. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
OK, Darin here's the deal. I'll tutor you but I will NOT do the work. I'll step in when I think you need it for a quick hand but you will do the wrench spinning. We can do in it in the "Men's Crisis Center" I have everything we need. My garage is VERY Buell friendly. I would also welcome your son so he too can learn the ways of the "garage". I have all the tools, lifts, compressors, etc. As long as you like the "Blues" (that's usually whats playing in the "center"), all will be well with the world. I'm cheaper than a school and a whole lot more fun. Probably better than most too...  I have a bit of street cred here so feel free to ask around. I'm in Maple Grove, let me know if you are interested... Brad | ||
| Reepicheep |
Brad would serve you well. Wish I was local... Who brings the cigars? I need to get a "men's crises center" sign for the garage... | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Bill, if you find one let me know! I'll buy the cigar for you! |
