[ninja250]

If I had to bring my bike to the dealer I'd take everything off I didn't want them touching. That would mean I'd just bring them the head. lol

I can barely trust myself to get the valve jobs perfectly right each time. No way would I trust a dealer. The difference is, I can do them in one day for $100 versus two weeks and $350-$600.

Also when I do it, people get to sit here and watch while I properly torque each bolt on their bike.
This comforts most people quite a bit. Who knows what the mechanics are doing to your ride in the back room for a week or two, ya know? If you have mechanical ability, there's no reason for you not to do your own valves.

Even when I try my hardest to properly do each nut and bolt on the bike, stuff can still happen like that valve cover bolt I broke the other day on Phr3eks bike. Luckily, a magnet removed the broken stud from the cam cover and I pulled a valve cover bolt off my Ninjette that fit the bill exactly. My first inline four valve job and I had him out the door in about 24 hours.. with complications.
All from learning on the Ninjette.

There's absolutely no reason the dealers should be holding your bikes for weeks like that. A competant dealer with parts on hand and a free bay in the garage should have you back your bike inside 24 hours. 3 days max..

The reason is most people don't even know they need valve jobs. The rest crash the bike and total it before it does need the valve job. The dealers probably don't find this as a common process they have to run in to. They mostly just get normal maintenance stuff I'd guess. Chain lubes and tires and oil changes etc. Bring a bike in and ask for a valve job they've never done on that model or whatever and you're looking at a week or two turn around time.

Better to just take the time, read each part 20 times until you understand and do it at home on your own. You'd rather have the bike sit in pieces at your own house anyways most likely unless you have an apartment.

I made you guys this video to use in conjunction with the other valve job DIY's.
Along with the manual (Don't attempt without it), you should be able to use all the resources to complete the valve jobs on your own if you take the time and know how to properly use tools without stripping things and getting frustrated.

Some people can't do it. Others can like it's nothing. It's not your fault, just who you are.
People ask how I know how to do this stuff and I say I learned it all online and played with legos as a kid. If you can follow the lego manuals (sometimes they are hard and don't include directions only pictures! lol) Then you can do your valve job.

I haven't ruined anyone's bike yet, so whatever I'm doing in the video must be OK.
I've done 6-7 valve jobs this year alone.
The info I am learning from it is awesome and amazing stuff to know! At the same time nobody is really here teaching me how to do it besides the manual and some online DIY's a few people wrote..

Every time somebody pays me to do their valves it's like they are paying me to gain motorcycle mechanic experience you get from motorcycle mechanic school. To me, it's fun! I can't turn it down.