First service at 600 miles

[Kelvininin]

They've been in business 25-30 years and do good work but at the end of the day I wouldn't take MY bike there cause its never gonna get the same attention and extra care that I will give it cause it's MY bike and I care about it a lot more then some mech who views it as just being a few labor hours job before his lunch break..

Could not have said it better myself.

With three screens, a filter and two drain plugs, I once got cheap changing the oil on my KTM A990, and it sprung a leak, I knew where before I tore it down to find the leak... All to save 4 bucks on a gasket, that should come in the screen and filter kit. Lost 4 hours and a bunch of Rotella T6 on that goof.

 

[offcamber]

I wish I could just go ride it.....it was up to -1F this morning.... ::010::
I was thinking the same thing use the $50 for supplies...be a good excuse for a a ride since the dealer in over an hour away.

 

[gmtech]

haha im at 560 on mine too i think ima do it my self

the guy with to much oil he must have owned an 08 klr like me
you can go from full to a burnt up camshaft in 500 miles on one of those =)
mine would burn a 1/4 qt in 250 miles of highway riding
its just a secret 2 stroke klr

 

[HoebSTer]

For you new guys, just make sure to do as manual says and warm bike up for 10 minutes (140 degrees) on dash, then drain. Change filter, then add only 3.59 qts no more and be done with it. Don't try to look for the proper level in the site glass, as it will be all over the place. And don't over torque the drain plugs, one member used a Torque wrench and popped them both.

Just an FYI!!!!

Kelvininin, how much are you paying for filters and what kind you using?

 

[Kelvininin]

Kelvininin, how much are you paying for filters and what kind you using?

Probably too much, needed a minimum order for free shipping, so I bought OEM Filters for 10 bucks a pop. Otherwise I would have likely sourced a Wix. But the discount on Yamalube, Crush washers, and gear oil made it all work out. I have the next three services covered for $99.29. The beer will be extra, but I do enjoy time spent in the garage.

 

[jc450]

For you new guys, just make sure to do as manual says and warm bike up for 10 minutes (140 degrees) on dash, then drain. Change filter, then add only 3.59 qts no more and be done with it. Don't try to look for the proper level in the site glass, as it will be all over the place. And don't over torque the drain plugs, one member used a Torque wrench and popped them both.

Just an FYI!!!!

Good advice! Just dont start tipping and dripping every drop out or you'll be fidldling with the level for a couple rides before you get it right and the sig other wont be happy with the oily residue on the turkey baster. 3.6qt is the right amount for a by the book drain.

Regards, JC

 

[Rasher]

I bought an Ex Demo bike with 150 miles, went for a ten minute spin to warm the oil up and changed it (And the filter) immediately for some nice low spec semi to help the bedding in process. IMO most of the crud from manufacture will be floating around within the first few miles, if I buy another new bike I will ride it home from the dealer and change the oil right away.

Also changed FD oil as well, the whole job was under 30 minutes from start to all the tools put away, including properly torqueing everything to spec.

 

[528Hz]

DIY and don't wait to 600 miles to drain first oil motor and final drive. I drain first oil after 30-40 miles and there are plenty of metallic dust there already.

 

[eemsreno]

DIY and don't wait to 600 miles to drain first oil motor and final drive. I drain first oil after 30-40 miles and there are plenty of metallic dust there already.

This is so true, I just picked up a new WR250R and road it home had 27 miles on it when I dropped the oil, looked like sewer oil. Most of that break in contaminants should be drained out at low milage.

 

[trasbeck]

While I won't get into a specific discussion on what dealers charge for parts and labor, I think it's time for someone to speak up for the retail side. Unless you are comfortable with wrenching on your new $14,000 toy, I don't see a problem with paying a professional to do what they are trained to do. If your dealer has a bad reputation, either find one you trust or talk to the owner and tell him your concerns. They won't stay in buisness in this economy if the service dept. is constantly screwing up. We all like to save money, but if we keep buying every oil filter, nut, or whatever online to save a nickle, how long will your dealer stay open?
Why am I saying this? I have spent the last two seasons working behind the service counter. For every story online about "stealers" and incompetent mechs, I could tell one about customers who lie to get warranty or free service, or those that shouldn't be allowed within 100 ft. of their bikes with a tool. But I won't....we just try to help people enjoy motorcycles, whether selling stuff to do their own repairs("you ought to buy a repair manual") or doing the mundane ("can somebody come out and adjust my chain?"). If this is off topic, mea culpa. Just wanted to chime in from another point of view.

 

[Kelvininin]

Welllll... There are people out there who have no mechanical inclination what so ever, and there are people who are so bad they should not even own basic tools. On the flip side there are very capable people out there with the experience, know how, and or gifted, to work on their own bikes, cars, trucks, tractors ect.

For me, its not about about saving money, although thats a very nice side effect, or screwing the dealer, ext. Its about the relationship I have with my family's vehicles. I take pride in them, even my wife's very unmanly CRV. I also don't care for many of the dealers out my way, or trust their service department. I recently did some comparison shopping for tires for my other motorcycle and found out that the dealers out in the greater Seattle area charge 140% or more for new tires over what other dealers nation wide charge. That chaps my ass.

The other thing is, when I do the job, I know its done right the first time. And if its not, well then its my fault. Plus I love tinkering. I have the tools, and the garage to do it, hell I even built a car. I just like working on my stuff.

If my local dealer priced their stuff like the dealers I buy from online, I would absolutely shop their parts counter.

I will give my dealer credit though, they gave me an excellent discount on the Yamaha Heated Grips, so much so I will go there for some things when I need them.

 

[snakebitten]

While I won't get into a specific discussion on what dealers charge for parts and labor, I think it's time for someone to speak up for the retail side. Unless you are comfortable with wrenching on your new $14,000 toy, I don't see a problem with paying a professional to do what they are trained to do. If your dealer has a bad reputation, either find one you trust or talk to the owner and tell him your concerns. They won't stay in buisness in this economy if the service dept. is constantly screwing up. We all like to save money, but if we keep buying every oil filter, nut, or whatever online to save a nickle, how long will your dealer stay open?
Why am I saying this? I have spent the last two seasons working behind the service counter. For every story online about "stealers" and incompetent mechs, I could tell one about customers who lie to get warranty or free service, or those that shouldn't be allowed within 100 ft. of their bikes with a tool. But I won't....we just try to help people enjoy motorcycles, whether selling stuff to do their own repairs("you ought to buy a repair manual") or doing the mundane ("can somebody come out and adjust my chain?"). If this is off topic, mea culpa. Just wanted to chime in from another point of view.

Nice Post.

I'm one who has done my own service all my life. But within the last couple of years things are changing in my life.

Both new 4 wheel vehicles (Fords) came with aggressive marketing by the service department of the dealership. Oil changes have been $9.99! They give you coupons for 2 of these discounts at purchase. But simply asking for additional coupons has resulted in receiving one for the "next oil change" each time.

No way am I changing my own oil at that price!

As for the S10........
This is the first bike I ever walked in and paid cash with no haggling whatsoever. I gladly paid MSRP, then added Y.E.S. for 4 additional years. I also was so impressed with the staff and thrilled to unexpectedly have an S10 (missed the PDP) that I sprung for a 3 year service contract.

So just like the car and truck, I'm being pampered by the dealership on my S10. No appointment needed (service contract priority) and they are very professional. The service manager is very knowledgable and has Yamaha awards and certifications all over the walls. And although he doesn't do much of the normal service work, he DOES handle mine personally. My next service is the 24k valve check. He said it's his.

So basically, I'm enjoying being treated like a customer for a change. And considering the mileage I put on this bike, I have already reached the "break even point" on cost of the contract.

The economy has been soft for a very long time. This dealership serves the NASA workforce for years. With all the cuts in NASA, their new sales have all but dried up. I hope they make it. Good folks.

 

[Rasher]

No way am I changing my own oil at that price!

The dealer probably says the same thing and just drives your truck around back for 30 minutes :-\

I assume they hope to get other work from you, or get you in the habbit, a bit like a crack dealer giving out the first few hits for free before upping the price, hoping you wanna keep up the stamps.

As for bad dealers and shoddy work I think this can be quite a regional thing, I don't think there are many incompetent techs in the UK, but there is pressure to make profit and this tends to mean doing work quickly so right away nothing gets torqued properly and tappets are an easy target for being skipped as you have no idea if they have been done, you can mark rocker cover bolts (and I have friends who caught dealers this way) I have had bikes with dealer stamps and found they had not been done when the previous owner had been charged for the work, and on my last bike every owner on the forum who checked their own found over half needed changing and those that went to their dealers were charged for a check and told they were all OK, I reckoned they could not hear them rattling and whacked an extra 90 minutes labour on for the check.

I have had friends (real ones, people I hang around with, not forum stories) who have had brake calipers fall off and sump plugs drop out after dealer services, my own ZZR had a well nut pushed into the intake side of the airbox by my offical Kwak dealer, he had replaced it so knew what he had done and their was only one place these end up when pushed too hard when trying to get the screw to bite. The dealer did not care when I took it in after finding it and showing them their tech had left my bike in a potentially life threatening state.

Many TV shows have exposed (Mainly Car) dealers for not doing work they charged for, or for telling owners they need a new cylinder head when they just needed a new plug coil or something, I think this level of ripping people off is very uncommon with bike dealers, but my issue is I want the service done as per the manual and not just an oil / filter change.

I bought an Approved Used BMW GS from a main dealer, it had 6k on the clock and they claimed they had given it the 6k service, but the clapiers looked quite gunged up, when I questioned them they told me that the service sheet just has "inspect", so they inspect something, see it is filthy and leave it, what else that is down for an "inspect" is left, perhaps they inspect the suspension linkages and see there is no grease, but leave them as well ::010::

It was also supposed to have had FD oil done on the 1st service (500 miles) and again it was on the service history as being done at 2 years old (3.5k) I did it myself when the bike had about 8k on it and sludge came out, after that I changed it every tyre change (about 4k - 4.5k) and it always came out clean. There is no way the delaer had done that second change, and if they skipped the second change they had probably skipped the first one as well.

Maybe these dealers are in the minority but they really put people off and I think it is a real shame for good honest dealers, for the miles I do I wil not save much (one service per year) especially if you consider what I have spent on Tools over the years, if I KNEW the dealer would follow the schedule, clean dirty calipers, grease suspension linkages and take good care of my bike, re-assembling everything to the correct torque I would just get them to service it, but I have found too many bad dealers and not enough good ones and just don't trust them anymore.

The last BMW service I had I travelled 60 miles instead of 10 just because this dealers workshop was behind a huge glass screen so you could see their techs work, although when I got the bill it was £60 more than quoted and they would not even discuss the matter which lost them my business, at a point when I may have considered another BMW and gone back for future services.

When my tappets are due I will probably go to the people who stripped Nick Sanders machine after his 51k America's trip, it is a fairly small family business and they appear to be proud of the technical capabilities, Iprobably have 4-5 dealers closer and it means a day sat around while they do the work, but at least I will know it has been done. The other option is a local indie or mobile tech (Again, very easy to watch them work)

 

[offcamber]

Auto dealers make most of their money on service....so its in their best interest to get you use to bringing your vehicle to them. For cars I do use the dealer service for oil changes while the vehicle is under factory warranty....it just saves a lot of aggravation and the price isn't that much more than doing it myself...

My dealer gave me free State inspections.....which I know will turn into a laundry list of things that need to be done in hopes of them getting the service work....