is this something a novice can pull off, or should I take it to a shop?

 

depends on how novice you are, setting the timing up is a crucial thing to get right.

 

I am only novice when it comes to bikes, can I not just make sure that the gears stay where they are and change the chain and tensioner?

what all do u have to disassemble to get to the chain and tensioner?

 

anyone have a clue on this??

 

looks like I'm your only hope here.... I work on a lot of things, and I hate taking anything to a garage to have it looked at. My dad is a mechanic, or was for a long time. I'd still take it to him to have him help with the timing. It would be easy to mess the timing up. And if you do... performance loss and engine damage are possible.