Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Sorry if this is not the right forum, it just seemed as if i'd have to qualify my noobness in the general repairs forum.

I have a 99 yamaha v-star recently purchased with 14k on it. I called around to find the nearest certified Yamaha tech, but it is really far away from where i live and i am not yet confident enough to venture too far from home. I was wondering if it was ok to just take it to any old mechanic, or might "speedy muffler" or some place like that service bikes?

Also, what are some of the maintenance "packages" I should consider?

Is there a "general" tuneup that inspects everything, or should I request certain things to be looked at. I know this sounds noobish as heck, but i've never owned a car and dont really know the basics.

Now i've looked in my manual and i've seen all the things that need checking, I'm just wondering how much info i need to give the average mechanic in order to get the best possible inspection possible.

Also, assuming no major malfunctions, how much money does a tune-up typically cost?

The best long run solution is to first join a motorcycling club where you can meet a lot of riders. Find out through conversations with various individuals that are tech. saavy. Tap em for knowledge. It's free and you'll meet some cool people doing it.

Next, get some basic tools. Gather some basic knowledge on how engines work. Then start reading how-to books pertaining to maintenance. Ninety percent of maintenance is eeeeeasssy. You just have to know where the parts are and have the right tools to get at them.

Going this route is going to benefit you tremendously in the long run. If you're planning on motorcycling for a while, you'll likely own many makes/models of bikes. The things that you learn along the way is applicable to all kinds of bikes. You'll save thousands of dollars in maintenance and not to mention prolong the life of all your bikes. And if you decide to sell it, a properly maintained bike is more valuable - not to mention easier to sell because it runs!

Take it on as a learning experience. You'll enjoy motorcycling more if you do.

I totally plan to, in the longer run. Right now though I'm in information overkill with just trying to ride the thing. I'd like to get a fresh start from a maintenance perspective and take it from there. I'm definitely not the sort of person that likes to pay for things i can do myself, but I only have so much time for studying at the moment

BTW, are there any really basic books about basic bike maintenance. Someone on here mentioned something a while back that I dont remember now what it was.

If you want to learn how to service your bike, buy yourself the Yamaha service manual for your bike. This is the same manual the dealership uses to work on your bike. It lists step by step to pretty much take your bike apart and put it back together. It lists what kind of oil your bike uses, plugs, air filter and also stuff like torque values for every single bolt on the bike. It is pretty comprehensive but they are usually very easy to follow. Now start with the easy stuff for your bike like changing the oil and filter, air filter, plugs etc. This is usually the stuff that you have to do every maintenance window. Also you'll be able to see how difficult something is before you try to tackle it so you can decide if it is just going to be easier to take it into a shop.

Also I wouldn't let Jiffy Lube or those kind of places touch my car, why the heck would I let them see my bike...