Some would rather have the dealer do their wrenching and that's very much their prerogative. Makes complete sense as long as you can get your work done when YOU want it done, without delay.
My 2012 XRLE bought new in Feb 2012 has never been back to the shop(knock wood). Over nearly 80,000 smiles I have done all necessary maintenance. Oil/filter, air filter, fuel filter, fork oil, tires, wheel bearings, brake fluid exchange, pads etc. Just recently, I noticed some clutch slippage and called the dealer just curious as to when I might bring it in for a look.. They said that as of now they are out 30 days on repair work. After the winter we had here in the NE, and the weather just now getting "rideable", there is no way I'm waiting another month to ride.
I wonder , with that added to the equation, if those that opt to let the dealer do their repairs would be ok with going without their ride for at least a month. I mention this just to add a little incentive to riders to try to learn to do more on their own.
I will be adding "clutch repair" to my list of DIY maintenance.
RIDE SAFE
30 days & I couldn't ride it would certainly motivate me to give it a try myself but I'd rather not. I was just out riding with an old riding buddy of mine & we were reminising on the "good old days" when we spent our Saturday morning's wrenching on our bikes & the time we replaced my bike's entire electrical system (piece-by-piece over a couple of weeks) until it worked again. We now both use the dealer more often than not!
I do 100% of the maintenance on my Vegas myself, main reason is I'm a mechanic by trade, so tools and a shop are easy, secondly because I love to wrench! I love to tinker, tweak and test. It's not for everyone, so guys I rode with have the dealer do EVERYTHING! I don't, guess it's all in the personality. I have a service manual and refer to it consistently when doing maintenance or adjustments. Speaking from experience a service manual is a MUST if you aren't factory trained on anything (car, pickup, motorcycle, boat) mechanical. I still occasionally refer to the service manuals on Cummins ISX engines for repairs and I've litterally worked on thousands. Closest ligimate Victory Dealer is 5.5 hours away too, so even if I didn't do my own work, it would be quite a trip to get an oil change done.
I also do all of the maintenance, repairs and fabrications on all of my vehicles. I was a truck technician for 33 years and currently I am a fleet supervisor. I still enjoy doing the work.
The only work I have done at a dealer is mounting tires on wheels.
Twice on road trips I have changed the oil in a dealers parking lot because they were "to busy".
This weekend I replaced the clutch cable, front and rear brake pads, air filter, changed the oil and finished my storage box mounting bracket. Getting ready for a trip!
Just make the appointment and continue riding. The clutch will need to be changed out anyway so when it finally gets into the shop, it will really need to be replaced.
Is that the only shop you have near you? Where I live,I have a choice of 4 Vic shops within 30 miles.
I downloaded the service Manual and took it to office Depot and had them them print it and spiral bind it for me it is in two books because with the 560 plus pages was just much more manageable and it only cost $40.00
Not in the Cruiser Manual, wheel alignment yes, final belt adjustment no. The Service Guy from the local shop e-mailed me the section of the Service Manual that addressed the final belt alignment...
Learn how to do small things "one at a time". Note your successes, and that will help you build confidence for more advanced wrenching later on. One day you will replace the air filter. Helpful hint is to have the tank mostly empty so it's easier to handle, and less likely to get damaged. After removal I use an old cushion to place it on so it doesn't get scratched. If you buy a tool for every new project you need one for... it won't be long before you'll need a nice new box to keep them in.
Some may laugh at this post, but I cannot be the only non-mechanical Victory owner out there. My motorcycle mechanic skills are bull shizzatical at best.
I learned how to change the oil on my motorcycles by watching YouTube lol. Sad but true. Dad left town when I was young blah blah blah..... I was trying to save a few bucks........so.........for you experts, what else do you check or perform during routine oil maintenance?
I change the oil filter, oil, and check the tire pressures. That is about the extent of my, "Do it at Home" maintenance program. Am I missing anything? Please do not say, "Read Your Owners Manuals." I hate Owners Manuals..... in my house they end up stuffed in a closet, under a bed, tossed in the attic, or thrown in the trash.
No garage! Can't even try. I do know they tension the belt though. Tire & air shock pressure. I do know that if my tire pressure is not perfect the bike feels a little strange to me and I don't trust it. I tend to push the envelope and do not want to run the risk of my back or front tire sliding out due to low air pressure. Safety first!
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