Poll:How Many of Us Women Work on Our Bikes?

Rogue

Member
Dec 25, 2000
99
0
Although I am not up to deep engine work, I do most of my own work. Of course I often find that I must learn by book before I can do the job. Sometimes on a new job I wonder if I am goining to get the bike back together!:confused: How about you?
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
I do too. I have replaced my daughter's clutch on her LEM, rejetted my carb (bending the needle in the process so I got to replace the needle too), replaced front & rear sprockets to gear my bike down, bark busters, skid plates, all the protective stuff. Recently learned how to adjust my son's suspension, oh yeah, replaced front fork seals and handlebars (lots of times on the bars) on my bike. Just learned how to fiberglass my jetski back together recently too - now THAT one I could have lived without learning!!!

I have also had to use the book and info from the people here. Karl has always been nice enough to supervise most of my work but I do it so I know how when I'm done.

Like you Rougue, I am never sure if it will ever run again when tear into it!

Hopefully, tonight I'll get home early enough to finish clamping my carb back in place. I finally got my new needle, got the carb stuffed back into place and ran out of light to get the clamps back on. Can't wait to run the wiring back to the shop so I have electricity there again!!
 

BikeDstroyer

Member
Jun 30, 2001
164
0
My husband used to do my bike work, but the last few years I have had to do my own. I actually don't mind because if something happens on the trail I have a better chance of knowing what to do. I like the feeling of really knowing my own bike.

Other guys will ask my husband questions about my bike and he tells them "I don't know you need to ask her!" That's pretty cool.

Brenda
 

CJ Rider

~SPONSOR~
Apr 3, 2000
699
0
Well, I have to admit that I either just help or am closely supervised because I usually get into trouble. 'Just recently broke a bolt off trying to tighten my clutch lever after sawing off the little end-ball and putting on bark busters. 'Tried to drill it out, but that didn't work so 'just used a generic clamp and some duct tape to hold it all together. Yeesh.
 

LoriKTM

Super Power AssClown
Oct 4, 1999
2,220
6
New Mexico
Yep, do most of my own general maintenance. Dave's there for guidance or lending some muscle to a job if necessary (i.e., tires!)
With two people racing nearly every weekend, it saves a lot of time if we're prepping our own bikes Saturday afternoon for a Sunday race.
 

AnneBrooks

Member
Jan 17, 2001
313
0
Sorry to say, NO, nada, no way.

I have what you call a "factory ride"---Bob does all the prep and maintenance, repairs and cleaning! I am spoiled rotten and I know it!:p
 

Yamaholley

Member
Jul 12, 2001
175
0
I do the easy maintenence stuff, but anything else Mark does. I try to be out in the shop and observe when he's working on the bikes, and he will explain what he's doing so I can follow along.
One time, I was replacing my stock handlebars for the first time, he just told me to take them off, so that he could put the new ones on....I ended up almost taking the whole bike apart...Mark gets home and he's just staring at the bike and all the parts...uh oh! He said that maybe he better not leave next time!
So it's a learning process, and I'm alway afraid that I'll really mess things up, but that's the only way to learn I guess.
 

blackhawk468

President of Bling
N. Texas SP
Nov 3, 2000
698
0
I work on my own bike. What is worse is I don't really know how, and I have nobody to supervise me or show me how to do it. I use mauals, eric gorrs book, and here for information. I usually take stuff apart, try to fix it, and hope for the best. At least I learn from my mistakes. :silly:
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I’m learning. When I started riding, I worked at a Honda dealership and I kept my bike there during the week. The service guys were my friends and almost took offense if I worked on my own bike—“No, here, let us do that!” Which was nice, but I didn’t learn anything. So I have learned how to adjust my chain (I do kinda miss those snailshells the XR had) and jet the carb and clean air filters and all that. I put on my own silencer (Wow! 2 bolts and a slip on fitting! Tough) but had to be shown how to bleed my brakes. I am learning everything though. I want to be able to do it all myself.
 

nikki

Moto Junkie
Apr 21, 2000
5,802
1
Anne - WOW - you're one lucky gal!!!

Really - Red does most of my work - but I try to do as much as I can because he has his bike to worry about (and usually most of his friends too).

I have done supervised by Red: replace top ends/rings, replace clutch plates/springs, replace brake pads, bleed brakes

I have done on my own: change reeds, change jetting (main, pilot, and air screw only), change bars/levers/throttle tubes/throttle housing/grips/clutch perches/etc., change oil, change chain/sprockets, tighten chain, tune suspension, clean/change filter, bolt on pipes/silencers/frame guards/radiator guards/skid plates/hanguards/reed spacers/plastics, tighten spokes, put backgrounds/graphics/stickers on :confused:

I leave to Red: change tires, take apart/reassemle/clean powervalves, change jetting (clip/clip position), grease bearings, replace clutch baskets, change seat covers, tighten steering stem, remove bolts/screws I think I might strip :)
 

CNM

Sponsoring Member
Dec 28, 1999
359
0
I do some myself and leave the really complicated stuff to John. I installed my exhaust system and clean the air filter myself before every ride. I will oil it myself but usually just leave it to him because he has to do his anyway.;)
I also change the engine oil myself.

I leave carb (jets and float level) and any engine work to him. I do love to help when he's doing any work on either bike. I know he get's tired of me asking "what does that do" and "why are you doing that" but I find all that really interesting. I offered to do the top end on the KDX but he said he'd do it but I could help.

In general, I'd do more but sometimes it's easier to let him do it. That way, he doesn't have to fix whatever I screw up. Also, it's hard for me to keep up with tools and parts when my 5 year old decides he want to help too!
 

nkd

Member
Mar 3, 2000
66
0
do most of it

Yes, I just did all this work to my XR plus I do all my work on my CR too.
The only thing I won't do is change tires! A friend of mine is helping me
this weekend put new tires on. It is a rip in NJ, they charge full price
for tires and then $30 to put each one on! So now I got 2 tires for $80
and will have then done for free! Can't beat that!
 

Yamaholley

Member
Jul 12, 2001
175
0
I just watched Mark tear his bike down and change the head gasket yesterday on his CR500. I asked lots of questions, it was really educational!
Don't think I'll be trying it on my own anytime soon though :)
It's becoming more and more important to me to be able to maintenence my own bike since I want to be able to go riding with the girls, and to do that I need to know some basic trail repairs. Also, routine maintenence is easy, and with two of us it would take 1/2 the time.
 

Fe_princess

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 7, 2001
519
0
women working on their bikes

I used to think that working on motors was "man stuff", but when struck out on my journey into motor land is when I realized how much fun it was. It felt good to be self-contained and not feeling helpless. Motors ceased to be this abstract contraption into cohesive parts working together. I pulled motors apart, replaced my brakes, adjusted my valves, replaced my head, replaced seals. The deeper I go into to it the more sense it started to make. Women are just as mechanically inclined as men, yet we are socialized at an early age to stay on our side of the clubhouse. I love talking to women about bikes and riding. I realize that I have as much prejudice about talking to men as men do about talking to women. We're all in this together. I just bought a KTM 200 and have yet to dig in and will post my foibles as I go along. Two-strokes scare me. It's like finding my way through a tunnel with wet matches. Super glad to have found this site!
 
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LoriKTM

Super Power AssClown
Oct 4, 1999
2,220
6
New Mexico
Welcome, Fe_princess! Glad you made your way over here.

Nice choice in bikes, BTW! :cool:
 

Fe_princess

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 7, 2001
519
0
Thanks LoriKTM, I just started riding dirt bikes again this year. My first bike, way back in teenageland, was an XL125. I moved to the big city and bought street bikes and eventually did some road racing. When I first got on the KTM, I thought I can do this. But, the bike thought, I think not baby puppy, and thoroughly kicked my a**. It's really fun being back into it and all I want to do this season is ride. There are tons of good trails up here in N. Calif. It's so great to hear about how many women dirt bike because there were so few when I was racing. Look forward to many more posts, princess
 

CNM

Sponsoring Member
Dec 28, 1999
359
0
Welcome Fe_princess! Glad to have yet another woman rider here. Careful guys, our numbers are growing! We'll be taking over soon!;)

Another KTM rider, I think I notice a trend here.

Again welcome, be sure to let us know about your rides. We love to hear them!
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Hey there! You found us. Welcome. There's a really good KTM forum for technical questions too.
 

Yamaholley

Member
Jul 12, 2001
175
0
wow, that's great, more and more have converted to Orange!
I bought one after I joined DRN....just heard too many great things about them
I love it, so far...I've only taken it out in the woods once
 

Fe_princess

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 7, 2001
519
0
Hey firecracker, yamaholley, CNM, LoriKTM:
Thank you all, it's great to be here.
I am just absolutely in-love with my KTM.
I can't imagine a more perfect bike for me.
It has power whenever I need it, super response!
It's really easy to manuvere it around the single track too.
I find it to be very consistent and it's nice not to have to make
sure I'm keep the revs up and can concentrate on my riding
It would be a fantasy to have a woman's forum ride somewhere, eh?
CNM will keep you informed on my rides, but it's still so dry and dusty here in No. Cal, it'll be a few until I can get into the killer spots...
 
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Fe_princess

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 7, 2001
519
0
riding

Hey bbbom, count me in for Lady's Valentine Spodefest.
It sounds like super fun.
What kind of riding did you all do?
princess
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
We did everything! We rode tracks, trails both tight singletrack and wide fast and whooped out, we tried hillclimbing (and yelled at Karl—I’ll let Bbbom explain about Karl) and we had a lot of fun. I liked riding down the little gullies or whatever—4-10’ deep with rocks and sand and you could ride up on the walls like banking in a corner. I can’t wait to go back now with my new bike.
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
Reno actually Moonrocks (I love the name) was the riding area we went to. Our wonderful host Strick had several trail guides volunteer to show us around.

It is desert riding with some great sand washes to twist through, whoops and more whoops, some nice technical areas,some open desert sagebrush dodging areas, goattrails, roads, a small MX track and a bit of snow to slide dowhill in. It really was a fun get together. Strick and his wife Mimi opened their house up to store our bikes and we stayed at various hotels in Reno.

That time of year, you can get a nice room for about $35 a night. Guess we need to start posting for 2002 in the Organized Rides Forum again. I think we started organizing last year about November.
 

Fe_princess

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 7, 2001
519
0
femme-bots

Sounds awesome. What were the temps?
I know Reno can have odd temps even in Feb.
I love single track and hill climbing. Shoot, it all sounds good.
Please bbbom, explain about Karl!!

Hey firecracker, I tried sending you @yahoo, but it's come back twice
as undeliverable.
 
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