Since I ride everyday, the miles really pile up (minimum of 40 miles/day). This means that the maintenance intervals come often. Keeping a bike maintained is pricey if you drop it off at the shop for every little thing. The good thing is, with the right tools and some Google help, most things can be done yourself. The first thing I needed was a centerstand. I found one for $25 at Harbour Freight. It does the trick. I added swing arm sliders (with some adaption from Lowe's parts) for the SV650 and have to reverse the paddles to get the Nighthawk off the ground. Still, with a little trial and error, I've found that I can do tire changes, chain and sprockets, brakes, oil changes, radiator flush, battery changes, spark plugs, and valve covers myself. Valve clearance checks were beyond what I can figure out, so that I will have to hire out. So far I've saved well over $1,500 this year.
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