Since we’ve all been stuck at home for the most part of 2020 and 2021 isn’t looking much better, this is a great time to hole up in a garage and work on your bike… If you know what you’re doing. For me, learning the basics of motorcycle maintenance has been a bumpy journey, and I have been known to fry my own battery by misplacing the Earth strap or assume the gearbox was done only to find the chain had fallen off; still, I persevere, and there’s no time like now to learn, especially as I’m more or less stranded in Spain waiting for the Moroccan borders to open. There’s always something to fix, replace, or adjust on the bike, but much likeEnduro lifeorAdventure riding,motorcycle maintenance can be explained in GIFs. Especially if…

…you frequently find yourself going down the YouTube rabbit hole hoping to learn to change your oil or fix the turn signals, but mysteriously end up with Aussie-narrated wheelie videos…

…three hours later, all you’ve achieved is this…

…and you know it’s probably best to call a mechanic or ask for help…

…but you figure…

…so you decide to work on your own bike to save maintenance costs…

…but when you actually start…

…it’s OK, you figure, there’s always ways to find spares and used parts…

….except when you take your bike apart and put everything back together, you find you’ve left several small parts out but have no recollection of what they are or where they belong whatsoever…

…so you have to call your mechanics-savvy friend and grovel

Have you recently attempted a motorcycle maintenance feat that ended in a spectacular disaster? Share your mechanical adventures in the comments below – preferably, of course, in GIFs.