DIYing

Due to its simplicity and easiness, I decided to change the engine oil of my motorcycle myself. I have tried to do it a few months back but the mechanic who did the previous change tightened the bolt a bit too much. The spanner I used was bent trying to turn the bolt but it wouldn't budge a bit! In the end I had to go the workshop to get it done.

This time I tried to do it myself again and luckily it was not too tight. Not much effort was given. The bolt just spun out, just the way it should.

Using the spanner I bought at Tesco. It was cheap, but I didn't think it would bend before my arm could break. Or maybe I am too strong. ha ha

Quite rusty, not unusual for an 8-year old motorcycle.

I'm a fan of recycling. Keep Earth green. Seriously.

Then I checked the used oil for any debris. In jet engines, there's a component called MCD (Metal chip detector) fitted in the lubrication line to catch any metal residue that can be from deteriorating parts, which may portend a failure. That principle was at work here, only that I had to rely on visual inspection.
The used oil was then poured into the new oil bottle. It can't be disposed like any other trash, there's an environmental regulation for that. That's OK since it can be used for several purposes too, like lubricating the motorcycle chain.

That's it. Next time I want to try to change the filters myself. A good way to practice engineering at home besides the workplace.

The next DIY I did was installing a cyclometer for my bicycle. As you may have noticed now, I'm quite a guy who fancies himself as a true rider. Commuting? Motorcycle. Exercising? Bicycle. I am looking for a unicycle for home use so that I can ride straight away after waking up in the morning. If not for the company rules restricting me from riding at the workplace I may use the unicycle at work too. ha ha taking the joke a bit too far.

Has anyone done that, tho? Riding from bedroom to toilet to living and dining rooms? That may not be too hard as long as the house is a single storey house unless one decides to ride all the time, including when he's defecating. Now that's something I would love to see someone mad enough does.

Anyways, I chose CatEye Velo 7 because, well that's the only choice I've got. I've read everywhere and CatEye is like the monopolist of cyclometers. It just got down to which model to buy but that's also a no-brainer, since my budget is strictly kept low due to my novelty to the sport (my bike is a cheap Lerun after all, which is the reason why I haven't got off-road yet despite the bike being categorised as an MTB).

 

The package. I forgot to take a pic pre-installation. RM79 was the actual price but the shop discounted it to RM55. It's a bike shop in Trengganu not far from my home. 

All the insides taken out and spread on the floor. The manual was easy but I still had to watch a couple YouTube vids and read a few advices on Yahoo Answers. Setting the tyre size was a bit tricky.

A tool-free installation. Quick-ties only.

Set. I just used nail clippers to cut the unused lengths of the quick-ties.

It's quite satisfying to DIY. I always like to do things myself but I usually don't have the tools and not ready to invest due to other commitments, namely good foods.