1 socket set and torque wrench later, i now need some way of raising the bike with out using a paddock stand as I read that it is easier to remove the swing arm instead of breaking the chain (this is aledgedly how BMW do the job).

Phone up Bracken do you have a bike lift, sure sir £40 to you. Great oh, will it lift my bike its on the wrong side of 200kg not exactly a featherweight motorcrosser? I dont see why not was the reply.

Up to bracken i go, pick up the bike lift, the guy shows me how to use it (on a race spec supermoto half the weight of my bike), no problem i think.

OK problem one, the sump on my BMW is about 2 inches lower than a KTM supermoto so before i could even get the lift under the bike i had to jack it up onto a paddock stand.

Problem two it is twice the weight and i havent eaten enough pies, with a bit of bouncing up and down on the lever I manage to lift the bike. Its at this point I realise that the stand is not under the pivot point and decides to try and fall off. The garage is in a place where nobody can hear you scream which is just as well as my language was colourful.

Right bit of a push and a shove get the bike on the stand, drop stand, reposition, lift, no thats not the pivot, down again, up again, down again, up and finaly ballanced.

Next try to get that bloody front sprocket off, yes i did try to use a standard socket wrench. You would be correct in thinking that it didn't move and I nearly knocked myself out when the socket wrench broke and I flew backwards to the garage floor.

I will not be beaten by some stupid nut, off to the shops again for another standard socket wrench and the best tool i have ever owned. Its like a socket wrench except it doesnt have the ratchet, and the handle is extendable to about 75 cms. I couple of tugs on my new tools and off it came (fnah fnah).

It was plain sailing from here on in, wheel out, swingarm off. Clean two years of chain oil and dirt from the shock and engine.

Front sprocket on, and torqued correctly, swingarm on, connect the shock pivot to the swingarm. About to put in rear wheel when i realise i havent put the new chain on DOH !!!.

Take it appart again, chain on, swingarm on, connect the shock pivot to the swingarm, wheel in.

A dab of grease here and a squirt of oil there and time for a test ride.

By this point i was knackered, mentally and physically. I had lost about a pint of blood but the bike was riding great.

I had saved £100 in labour even though i had bought a £150 quids worth of tools. The satisfaction was well worth it.

I was so chuffed i even decided to change the spark plug that should have been changed 21,000 miles ago. Funnily enough changing this made the bike ride better too.

The moral is im a changed man, never again will i neglect the old girl im going to keep on top of my maintenance from now. Mind you thats what i said then my front brake ceased on because the fluid had run dry and there was so much crap in the caliper : )

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Nic