Must admit, i thought £95 was a bargain too but went with it as thats the price RockChick quoted at start of this thread. We normally charge £2-300 depending on bike plus consumables. Having said that something like a small single would be around the £100 mark.

I would NEVER buy a 2nd hand torque wrench, I've seen how they get abused, and you also get what you pay for when it comes to new. Cheapest "decent" quality wrenches I've seen out there are Halfords or Teng, both come with calibration certificates and guaranteed for life. Use them properly and they shoud never go out of calibration. Whats the point of having one if it isn't correct?
As for 2nd hand tools in general or cheaper market/autojumble quality stuff. Its when you have that awkward to get at, can only get the open end on, it either comes off or it mashes..... Her quality shines through every time :)

On a different note, lets look at what a basic toolkit should consist of....
Spanners: A basic 10 through 19mm kit, or better still, 8 through 24mm kit. Anything over this buy individually to suit your bike. These would be for say wheel spindles and the like.
Sockets: Again, 8 through 24mm 3/8th drive would be good and a small 1/4 drive set to 13mm would be usefull. A torque wrench 3/8th drive.
Screwdrivers: 3 (s,m,l) of flat blade and pozi drive and philips. Cheap ones will mash 2nd or 3rd if not first tight screw!!
Allen keys: A standard 1.5-10mm ball ended set, make sure they have chrome vanadium stamped on them otherwise they will be made of cheese.
Sundries: I would include small ball pein hammer around 1LB, a set of feeler gauges, small pry bar set and drift set. A tool box to keep them all in. Oh and dont forget some mole grips and pliers. Another essential would be an impact driver set. Wire brush.

That is what i would consider a very very basic toolkit to do your own basic servicing. Dont know if you folks out there would add/subtract to that list?
This is of course my opinion, and if i sat here long enough i could add tons more to that list to make life easier, and bearing in mind, thats what i consider bare essential stuff, not "now its gone wrong what do i do?" stuff because then you're getting into the realms of drills/taps,stud extractors/left hand drill bits/heat/pullers etc etc etc.
Steve

agree on the torque wrench. You are a mechanic and i am a mechanical engineer,we expect a lot more from our tools. For basic home servicing i don't think you need to go overboard, but yes an expensive set will outlive you. Your list is good, but as with us, your tool collection expands over the years as you tackle different jobs.

£95 for a full service,how long's the queue?                                                                                                                                                                             

I completely agree.. after reading posts in here and all the fantastically helpful inboxes.. £95 IS cheap.. 'cept I don't have £95 right of this now and wanted to make sure she had survived a winter of being outside.. albeit under a pretty hefty cover... 

I might have had the £95 had I not been screwed over by the DVLA to the tune of £140 for the next four months for a crime I didn't even know I'd commited but that's another story altogether... 

If I'd had the £95.. I wouldn't have broken seven out of ten nails.. I wouldn't have had so many delightful conversations.. this thread where more than I have been helped wouldn't exist and I would not have the massive satisfaction and sense of achievement that I had Saturday just gone.. 

And really.. honestly.. "Engine" was never on the Agenda 

I'm absolutely chuffed to bits with the level of response and depth of replies both in here and privately.. I knew when I started it I could probably write a book with what would come.. Bless you's!

My favourite idea so far is Steve H's.. a "Bike Fettling Party" ~ she might only be a 125 Intruder.. but she's amazing to work on and you can see your smiles and sweaty brow in her tank and chrome a 100 times over.. 

Mind.. I have taken on board all that has been said.. every last word and any "Bike Fettling Party" should be at Suzook12's place.. just to be on the safe side...  

                                                                                                                                                                             

  Just for those who weren't put off by the horror stories of home servicing   Here are a few toys I've found online   I'm not trying to steer you one way or tuther but I think you should have a choice   I would still recommend going to an autojumble or car boot to look for good quality second hand tools   Sadly, it is now becoming all too common to find a nice collection of tools which has belonged to someone of "my" generation at these venues   But rather than have them go to waste, or worse be snapped up by tool "dealers" I would urge would be home mechanics to get out there and beat them to it   Top brands such as Britool, Gordon, Williams and King Dick are regularly turning up now   Also socket sets by Hilka, Kamasa & Gedore are more than good enough   Anyway, I found the following mainly by Silverline ( which I have some of and find OK )     http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spanner-Set-Combination-8mm-1...1c3007db01   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SILVERLINE-Metric-COMBINATION...43b888dadb   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SILVERLINE-Metric-COMBINATION...1c2feced72 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SILVERLINE-Metric-COMBINATION...43b888c824   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Offset-Ring-Spanners-Set-6pce...4cf51438b2   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170726197501?ssPageName=STRK:...1438.l2649   And a couple of torque wrenches which would be up to most jobs IMHO   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200722255284?ssPageName=STRK:...1438.l2649   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221160258268?ssPageName=STRK:...1438.l2649   I hope it helps some of you   I've seen (and bought) good quality ball ended allen keys @ £4.99 in Lidl and also seen good screwdrivers and pliers sets too, both there and Aldi                                                                                                                                                                                  

Ok, so you've bought your tool kit.... What next? Well theres a few more things you'll need to hand before you are ready to start.....

Very top of the list, a manual for your bike... Sounds obvious, but easily overlooked. Haynes or clymer readily available for most bikes.

Small tub of copper grease, or tube

Small tub of LM general purpose grease

Degreaser

Can of wd40 or similar

Chain oil/wax of your preference

Oil can is always handy

Catch tray

Small bottle of dot4 brake fluid (larger if you're changing fluid)

Tippex or paint pen

Emery strip or cloth (Medium)

Hand wipes

Rag, can never have enough rag

Patience!!! Lol

Most of the stuff can be bought from your local motor factor/ wilkinsons/ halfrauds etc

Before you pick your spanners up, have a good read of the manual. Decide what parts you need and get them first (oil/filter/ spark plugs etc). If you get stuck, dont be afraid to ask for help, no one wants to see you screw your bike up. If you're not sure of anything, ask your local bike shop (the proper ones, not the ones just interested in your credit card), most will take the time to explain things for you as long as you understand they are a business and may be busy at that particular time. Ask as many questions as you can before you start, once your bike is in bits, its going nowhere.

Untill you get used to doing this kind of stuff, mark every bolt thats tightened with the tippex or paint pen, that way, you can tell its been done at a quick glance

Try not to stop midway through a particular job unless you've come to a natural break, that way things are less likely to get missed.

"That'll do" is not good enough, it has to be right or it WILL come back and bite you on the arse!!

Enjoy the satisfaction that you've done it yourself :)

Hope you find this helpfull
Steve

OK Rockie, when's the party?
I'll bring the 12lb lump hammer and £2.50 adjustable spanner to get rid of those nasty sharp edges on the nuts and bolts.
Has anyone got a copy of the ladybird book of motorcycle repairing?                                                                                                                                                                             

That's some "lump"hammer Steve !!!

Bit of a handful for one handed operation

Glad it's not me swinging it LOL                                                                                                                                                                              

Big two handed jobbie. Perfect for those delicate adjustment...

                                                                                                                                                                             

can i bring my angle grinder and pnuematic drill for those awkward seized exhaust bolts?                                                                                                                                                                              

  Where I come from Steve, we call that a "sledge" hammer    But whatever "you" call it, it's a "scientific instrument"   Used judiciously, it can be deployed to make very "delicate adjustments"   My late brother and I once employed a 14 lb "sledge"   To "straighten" a bent AJS inlet camshaft   It had got "bent" as the result of a major bottom end "blow-up"   When we put it in the "V" blocks afterwards, it was "straighter" than the exhaust cam     Sent with it by the owner, it as a reference                                                                                                                                                                               

xj the angle grinder is a precision instrument to remove unwanted safety stickers and dealer logos from the fuel tank or other painted surfaces.                                                                                                                                                                             

Steve I thought tank stickers were removed with a cutting torch. Have I need using the wrong tool for getting the stickers off                                                                                                                                                                              

This is the problem with forums, too much advice from know nothing idiots!!! Everybody with half a clue knows you use a thermic lance for removing tank stickers!!! Grinders are for cleaning carbs!!
Duh!!

                                                                                                                                                                             

What's up with Thermite?                                                                                                                                                                             

Sprocket sizes

Came back from a cold rainy day ride the other day with a young lady pillion who hadn't been on a bike before.  I thought the bike felt a bit "revvy/viby" on the motorway whilst at higher speed and hoped the she wouldn't be too uncomfortable because of it. I wouldn't want her to be put off biking by this minor but annoying problem.

After we went into the house to get out of the wet clothing, I was thinking about changing the gearing to drop the revs for a given speed when I noticed how beautiful was this magnificent female specimen who at that very moment was was leaning forward letting her heaving bra-less, pert nippled breasts nestle heavily in her damp white tee shirt, innocently and unaware that she was showing me ample cleavage whilst peeling her skin tight wet leathers down her long slender thighs. A rain drop trickled down her forehead onto her nose and slipped downwards in slow motion to kiss the floor.

Anyway, about these sprockets bigger front or smaller rear?                                                                                                                                                                             

  Highly amusing NHM   But as usual this thread has drifted way off topic   Does anyone have any "technical" questions regarding servicing   I'm sure between us the various "old hands" can offer suggestions and or advice   Just post your problems/queries here or PM one of the previous posters for sensible answers                                                                                                                                                                               

 i service my bike myself.oil,filters,chain and sprockets,just stripped and cleaned brake calipers and replaced pads.but if you have to go to a shop then shop around first.700 quid for a service and having shims checked is extortionate.austins in malton just done my bike new head gasket,checked shims and sonically cleaned my carbs £130 all in.and theyre very good if your close enough to use them.but then i would travel up to 45miles ish for a good bike shop !!!!                                                                                                                                                                              

Loads of great advice on this topic                                                                                                                                                                             

Jst read NHM's post.
Brilliant.