The $200. Oil Change !!

[glazier]

Soon I will be ready for the first service at 600 miles.
I have to wonder why the dealer charges so much for some oil, a filter and checking bolts.
Question: How important is the first service to be done by Dealer?
Why can't I perform the first service?
Will there be a problem with warranty (if an issue arises) ?

 

[rem]

Soon I will be ready for the first service at 600 miles.

I suspect there is a lot of liability here. They want to check it over thoroughly to make sure there isn't something obviously wrong on the bike. I would bite the biscuit (my wife's are pretty hard) and let the dealer do it. You might miss something, and you will almost certainly void your warranty if you don't. Not worth it. After that, you might be able to do some of your own if you arrange it with your dealer, but I wouldn't mess with this first one. That way you're covered if something ... anything ... goes wrong with the bike. Better getter done, I'd say. R

 

[elizilla]

The USA has a law against making warranties contingent on buying dealer service.

If you feel like a good enough wrench, I say do it yourself. Or if you trust your dealer, take it back to them. Either is fine.

 

[rem]

I'm pretty sure that's different up here. I'll ask on Monday and see, but my understanding is, for us northern folk, that the dealer has to do the service in order for the warranty to remain valid. This may vary somewhat dealer to dealer. However, I could be wrong about that. I'll check, just for the sake of curiosity. Given my aptitude for all things mechanical, I'll get them to do it all except for basic oil/filter changes. R

 

[RMac]

Actually, this is the first bike I've owned where I have let the dealer do the servicing. I had to let them do the services to keep my 5 year Yam warranty. At first I was put out a bit by the cost, but now I am quite happy with it. The previous service was the 10000km service which on paper is really just an oil and filter change. When I picked the bike up the mech told me that amongst other things he had hooked up to the computer and checked the log for error codes. Afterwards I could see that he had been around the bike and lubed all the various lube points. Sure labor costs are high, but in this case, especially with first edition 2010 model, I am quite happy to let the dealer go over the bike.

 

[TierHawg]

Yep, the first service is expensive. It actually cost more for the 600 mile service on the Super Tenere than it did for the 600 mile service on my old BMW F800GS. ???

But, it will help if there is ever any warranty claims down the road. I don't plan to bring the bike in again until 6000 miles, and depending on things, maybe not even then.

 

[Rynn Storm]

Soon I will be ready for the first service at 600 miles.
I have to wonder why the dealer charges so much for some oil, a filter and checking bolts.
Question: How important is the first service to be done by Dealer?
Why can't I perform the first service?
Will there be a problem with warranty (if an issue arises) ?

Look at the "Periodic Maintenance and Adjectment" section of your owner's manual (and I assume you have a legal copy of the US service manual and correct tools). Perform the operations specified in the user manual for 600 miles, using the service manual for some of the procedures. Fully document what you did and when, keep receipts. Due to the US laws and that Yamaha appears to be nice about it, you shouldn't have any warranty issues.

I have a good dealer and close by, so I plan to have them do the first few services before I take over and do them. On my Gold Wing, I do them all myself.

 

[Tremor38]

Guess it's a bit different here in Japan. For the first service, the dealer will be charging me for parts only (oil filter and crush gasket). Picked-up my S10 and put the first 300KM on her today. What an awesome bike! In one word, I'd have to say 'unflappable!' ::013:: Got back home after dark...those headlights really throw some light! Best lights I've had on a stock bike.

 

[rem]

[quoteThese kind of things, and over and over has pretty much tainted my mind badly on letting anyone touch my motorcycles unless absolutely necessary.


Big 10-4 to that. I agree completely. "Service" is getting to be pretty scary out there these days. I am most fortunate to have a competent dealer, whose head mechanic owns a Tenere. They spotted us the first service. No charge for nothing. Nice touch. But on the road, you takes your chances, and it's pretty scary anymore. A lot of these guys just don't seem to know what they're doing ... or care ... or both. Keep your digits crossed that nothing goes wrong out there. R

 

[Twisties]

I did my own. Nothing to it. I saved receipts for the parts and supplies. Made a few cell phone photos during the process (maybe 3-4), and made a record of each service action with miles and date recorded. I did all of the things specified in the owner's manual. It took very little time, and was spot on easy.

In the US the Moss Magnuson Warranty Act protects your right to use aftermarket parts and do your own service. To deny you warranty coverage the company must prove that a deficiency in service actually caused the problem for which you claim warranty coverage. Mind you, they can do a lot of denying that isn't worth going to court over, but that's the law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty_Act

 

[Twitch]

Ditto here on the DIY for routine maintenance. It's not a matter of trust at all. I trust them, but I just want to do it. I also keep a record, receipts and take photos (starting with the odo); I also keep the old filters and other maintenance parts wrapped up and stored away in case they are ever needed. My dealer, who I’ve now bought half a dozen bikes from, know I do this and have never mentioned any concern over warranty claims. I’m not really worried about this.

 

[martinh]

I let my dealer do the first service and it was a total joke. They will never see the bike again unless there is a warrenty issue. I watched the mechanic work on the bike, when I walked away and cane back the kid was using a screwdriver to remove the oil filter. I was like you crazy it is a new bike don't you have to tools to work on it. He said they were locked up in the head michanics box. $200 later and I told them it will be the last service they will see this bike. I also had to go home to tighten the oil filter coz they did not have a tool to do this.

 

[SisuTen]

The man who promises to honor a warranty is also the man who will wrestle you to the ground for a nickle. Oh yeah, he's also the judge and jury.

If I can't service my own bike, I shouldn't own it.

Paul

 

[Venture]

I also had to go home to tighten the oil filter coz they did not have a tool to do this.

A tool to tighten the filter? I've never gone beyond hand-tight on ANY filter I've ever changed, motorcycle, automobile, or tractor. Never had an issue.

 

[Venture]

I have to say I'm in the "do it yourself" crowd. However, I paid to have the first service done on my Tiger, because like has been mentioned I had convinced myself it was best for warranty, future problems, etc. At the first service I was treated to a chain lube that I didn't want, since I had gone to chain wax instead of the crap they put on it from new. Oh, and they didn't bother to clean the chain before lubing it ???. I was also treated to an extra quart of oil in the bike that should not have been there. I know it was a full quart because that is what I siphoned out of the crankcase at home before I could get it back down to spec levels. I also noticed after checking things over that my coolant level was below the minimum fill position. All those extras for a paltry sum of $175. I called up and complained and got a $175 credit that I bought a pair of riding pants with.

Do your own maintenance!

One tip though if you do - make sure you have the proper tool for removal of the oil filter for the first time. For whatever asinine reason, it seems like the factory employs a few gorillas whose only job is to screw on the oil filter...

 

[jajpko]

One tip though if you do - make sure you have the proper tool for removal of the oil filter for the first time. For whatever asinine reason, it seems like the factory employs a few gorillas whose only job is to screw on the oil filter...

I think the factory uses an impact on the filters. ::005::

 

[rem]

ON every bike I have owned, the factory installed oil filter was way, way too tight. On one I had to drive a screwdriver through it and torque it off. Only way it would budge. I couldn't get a good shot at it with any kind of a wrench. Man, it was tight. I dunno. Somebody must be bored around there. R

 

[rem]

I had one of those for my VTX but I couldn't get it up into the ST1300, so I gave it away. Duh. Is that the correct size for the Tenere? I like it. Thanks. R

 

[Kevhunts]

I let my dealer do the first service and it was a total joke. They will never see the bike again unless there is a warrenty issue. I watched the mechanic work on the bike, when I walked away and cane back the kid was using a screwdriver to remove the oil filter. I was like you crazy it is a new bike don't you have to tools to work on it. He said they were locked up in the head michanics box. $200 later and I told them it will be the last service they will see this bike. I also had to go home to tighten the oil filter coz they did not have a tool to do this.

From what I've seen, most dealers have one, maybe two, qualified mechanics and a bunch of wanna-be's who work under them changing oil & lubing chains. Only the mechanics have decent tools and they keep them locked up when not around. I was not pleased to learn it was one of the shop goobers who put my bike together. Now if these guys don't have access to a simple oil filter strap wrench, do you think they use a torque wrench when assembling bikes?

 

[colorider]

I had one of those for my VTX but I couldn't get it up into the ST1300, so I gave it away. Duh. Is that the correct size for the Tenere? I like it. Thanks. R

Looks like it. Joe posted about the same info here