Inspired by a number of related questions and posts on the forum:
Shops have less and less time for and experience with trouble-shooting.
That’s a fact. And it is true for all of them. Simply a matter of
economics, more complicated electronics, integrated parts, labor force
and training, etc. etc. etc. Times are a changing.
So when your bike shows some odd, may be difficult to repeat, or
difficult to explain or to demonstrate behavior (in particular
intermittent faults), do your own trouble-shooting to as much as
possible.
The amateur in 10 or 20 hours of his time, a manual, and a bit of
interest in the m/c can achieve more than the best but hard pressed
mechanic given 30min. while his boss “expects revenue”.
If you don’t know where to start, start here on the forum, and ask.
So how does one know when to turn to the pro ?
- standard maintenance (if you don’t like to do it),
- specialists work which requires expensive tools AFTER you learned enough to understand why they are needed,
- all other cases ONLY after you have exhausted all other options.
Any other approach will show in the bottom line of your invoices.
I hope others will chime in, add to this thread, and in doing so help newcomers uncertain where to turn.