I've done pretty much every job short of an engine rebuild on my bricks. While at first glance they may look intimidating, in reality they are some of the easiest bikes to work on if you take your time and stay organized as you take things apart.
Besides the factory tool kit, a $100 shopping trip to Harbor Freight will get all the hand tools you will need to do almost any job that needs to be done.
The location and orientation of the engine puts the throttle bodies and the valves right there in front of you when you need to work on them. The worst job to me is reinstalling the alternator, lining up the dogs on the clutch with the slots in the monkey nutz. No matter how many times I have done that job, I still haven't figured out the trick.
I keep my bikes scrupulously clean. Over the years I have found that working on a clean machine is actually pleasant no matter what the job at hand may be. A proper frame of mind is important, a long time ago an old mechanic told me that maintenance should be approached as foreplay. Take your time and enjoy it, it makes the ride so much better when you do it right. Sort of like Tantra and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Last edited by Point-Seven-five on Mon Jun 17, 2024 1:20 pm; edited 2 times in total