[AFNurse]

So, I had a moment of lazy....or thought I would. Figured that I could take my bike to the Sealership to get JUST THE FLUIDS changed (and filter)....did a full 20K service with them 3 weeks ago or so....5k+ since then...figured that as MOST of the 25K service is fluids change, then going over everything lube this, check that...... I don't need that, was all done 3 weeks ago...just want the fluids done.....200$$ did I just hear $200????!! and what is the cost of the 25K service? $335........ oh, and for MY stupidity, I hit the only thunder rain cell in the area between there and home....I am SOAKED...least I am still $200+ up!!

I opted to run a few more miles on my old oil/filter.....will change it next week or 2 at home! lets see.....4qts syn oil.....35$...give or take 1-2$$......6pk beer, 4$, and a wife off my back....priceless!

[FLHTbiker]

Do it yourself for a lot less.
I made the mistake of buying a 3 year service contract that has the dealer do all the services. The price was cheap enough $1500.00 but the come backs really do suck after awhile.

[Hot01]

I do all mine and don't even have a garage. I roll around in the dirt driveway. I can count on getting rained on every time (this is New England after all), but at least I'm not getting screwed. Fork oil is a walk in the park when it's time for that (every 10K, I think).

Also, because I have a Softail, I use the Scavenge system that gets all the old oil out of my motor. You can bet they're leaving a good half quart of the old crap in there at the stealership.

[SK]

What a trip. I can take my truck to Jiffy Lube and get an oil and filter change for under $25. Can't do that at any name brand mc shop. Do it yourself and you know what's been done to the bike. That's why I change my own tires, or at least pull them off and have a tire shop mount them. Then I know the splines are cleaned and regreased properly..etc..saves $$$ too. Besides..it's just fun to do!

[Red Rider]

It really is easy to change your own bike's fluids. If I can do it, ANYONE can (I'm one lazy retired SOB). And it isn't just the $$ saved, it is the care that you'll give your bike that the shops just can't do consistently (it ain't the best tech that gets the oil change jobs). Don't forget the O-rings, though, that go on the drain plug. Can pick them up at any auto store (usually come in packs of assorted sizes, use the "best fit" ones).

One of the (many) reasons I went to a gear drive cam was to reduce the need to use shops at all. No need to check chain shoe wear with a gear driven unit.

The reason shops can charge so much is because too many of us riders just don't wrench enough ourselves, and are willing to pay others to do simple stuff. Until we get it done ourselves in big enough numbers to matter, ya can't blame them for raking us for all we'll pay. But, no, we don't have to be happy about it!

Time for more Sailor Jerry Rum........gotta give a plug to the good stuff, though the Captain is good, too....just not as good!

[AFNurse]

I have done it before, just space, time, and trying to figure out what to do with the waste oil are my 3 biggest reasons for THINKING lazy...... I'll be doing it myself in the next couple weeks!

[chucktx]

most auto parts and walmart have reclamation stations for used oil and filters....free service. also waste stations (dumps) have them also.

[Tomflhrci98]

I do my car and my bike. I have a tendency to collect a lot of oil after a while. I used to store it in the plastic gallon milk cartons. Then take them to juffy lube or AutoZone. Never spilled a drop.

BUT, NOOOO. Not in California anymore. There is some stupid law that says you can't take used oil back to those places unless you have an approved container.

So I had to buy a stupid special wast oil container just so I can take the oil back to the store. And this approved container leaks all over my garage and trunk.

[voodoochild]

So Tom, how much you wanna bet that some Ca senator owns the company that makes those approved oil container?

I hear ya, I store mine in liquid laundry detergent containers. (they hold 2.5 gallons )

[fxdxsteve]

I put mine out next to my trash bin and waste management leaves their own milk containers to dump into then After I switch totheir containers they dump them into their tank and keep the containers I think they do this to discourage recycling go figure I never understood why it comes out of the ground why can't it go back into the ground

[FLHTbiker]

Even though I have a service contract with my 07 SE Ultra I now change my own oil in it to. I run Amsoil now in all the bikes and the Harley's just plain run better than the Dino oil and the Syn 3 stuff, much quieter. The HD dealer won't put any other oil in your bike when they do the service except for HD oil. I change my own oil in my other bike and the wifes trike as well. Put the used oil back into the container the fresh oil came in and set it out at the end of the driveway on trash day, it gets picked up by the recycle truck that comes by.
I can remember the days of digging a hole in the back yard and dumping it into the ground , you better not do that anymore.

[AFNurse]

Originally Posted by FLHTbiker

I can remember the days of digging a hole in the back yard and dumping it into the ground , you better not do that anymore.

or at least get caught doing it!!!

[Tomflhrci98]

Yup! I used to dig holes too.

I remember when dad used to roll the lawn mower over to the drain in the middle of the street and pull the plug in the spring. I remember the neighbors lining up at that drain sometimes with their mowers.

Ahh the good ole days.

Today, I don't even know my neighbors. The illegals do their lawn and they stay in the house. 5 years I've lived in the culdesac (circle)

[fxdxsteve]

we used to pour it at the base of our fences in the backyard to keep the dogs next door from digging under the fence I live in a cul de sac to right in the back love it except my driveway is so short if I park my pickup in it I get a 35 dollar parking ticket the illegals are always getting the police called on them and every time they come out we all get wrote up I've been thinking of calling up America's most wanted and reporting them as arab terrorists's they look enough like arabs

[skull2007]

we use to put it down on the dirt road to hold the dust down

[RATAYLOR]

Yea Skull. Long ago,(late 60's)in our county they actually had a truck with little nozzles go up and down the road spraying to keep the dust down. It was fun to follow that on our bikes. I still recall the smell. Every time I change the oil in the vehicles a quick sniff brings back the memories. Even the 98 octane leaded gas smelled better than today's 93 unleaded.
Before moving to the country all us neighborhood kids looked forward to seeing the "mosquito man" go up and down the streets in his truck creating a DDT fog to kill the cities mosquitos. You couldn't see 10 feet in front of you and you had to really hump it to keep up with him. You can bet that as hard as were all breathing we got our full lung capacity. Didn't seem to bother anyone but then again might 'splain a lot of things.

[ironhorse]

used to pour it on the weeds next to the shop and barn, save it up and soak the barns wood floors with it, now I built a wood burning stove for the shop and plumbed in a oil drip system, gets rid of the oil and gets the stove roaring, makes a differance between a 60 deg and 75 deg shop.

[skull2007]

i once saw were a guy at a shop had a stove that was designed to burn just waste oil

[ironhorse]

I used to have a waste oil heater and it worked great when it worked just had to run it through 3 filters -water, and 2 debris filters and to do this you had to keep it warm to much hasel the one I built will heat up my 40*60 in about an hour to 75-80