[cheapeto]

It's always good to help a friend....until you are enabling him to continue to make bad choices.

[This problem was technically not his fault. He never knew to change the reduction box/transmission oil and its not listed in the service manual as needing to be done! ]

I do not agree with this myself, if you are (him) going to ride in or use a piece of machinery for all your daily task's, why would not have/get/procure yourself a service manual for that equipment? And few basic tools?

The answer to that he can enable those around him to worry over that, and just keep playing the *gee, I'm broke, or gee, I cant do that* to get you to do it.

I'll fix a thing once for a person, the next time I'll let you use my tools and garage, but they will do the work, and in a timely manner...it's the only way we learn.

To much help is hurtful to that type of person, and that person will never even understand the beauty of paying it forward.

Handouts are or can be just great...or they can help keep a person in the prison of not doing for themselves.

I'm not saying this to be mean, but as a much much younger man, I would let others do work for me, and I could say, oh I don't know how, and I was learning NOTHING that way.

I never worked on a scooter until I got my chinadoll.
Then when I went to a used brand name, I found the full service manual for it's year, and paid the $60.00 and for 7 years now, other then inspections, tire swaps, it's never been in the shop. I probably just jinxed myself!

Can I do everything to it, no I can not.
But the money I saved by paying for the manual, will cover my costs when I do take it in to the Honda shop.

Just my $.02, and it not to judge them or berate them, or you the OP, but help and enabling bad behavior can be on the knife's edge, IMHO.