View Full Version : 1st Proper Service
KnightRider
18-12-07, 09:51 AM
Okay so it it time to do my first proper service on the bike (4800 miles) and I am scratching my head to work out what to do. Should I bite the bullet and take it in to Suzuki and get ripped off or sit out in the freezing cold whilst I attempt to service the bike myself?
Having not ever serviced a bike before (I have done the car a couple of times before) I am not entirely confident that I will do it right - is anyone out there keen to help me out and show me how to do it?
Take it to a non suzuki dealer, make sure they use suzuki parts and you will keep your warranty.
will be alot cheaper.
Welsh_Wizard
18-12-07, 10:06 AM
I'd get it done officially too even if its just for the stamp in the book. Will look a whole let better when you come to sell it on..
SV650Racer
18-12-07, 10:07 AM
Okay so it it time to do my first proper service on the bike (4800 miles) and I am scratching my head to work out what to do. Should I bite the bullet and take it in to Suzuki and get ripped off or sit out in the freezing cold whilst I attempt to service the bike myself?
Having not ever serviced a bike before (I have done the car a couple of times before) I am not entirely confident that I will do it right - is anyone out there keen to help me out and show me how to do it?
Take it to a proper dealer and if your unsure about being ripped off (most wont you know:cool:) ask them to list down exactly what will be done on the service. I do this for customers that are unsure.
Its worthwhile as ideally you should get the TPS checked and throttle bodies balanced if its over "time" on the service (servicing is done on miles or time ie first is done at 600 or 2mths whichever is sooner for example).
If your not sure it could be an expensive excersise. Just recently I had a young student in who's friends told him it was easy. He stripped the sump plug. I felt very sorry for him..he now has to buy a new engine or get it repaired. All to save £200.
KnightRider
18-12-07, 10:08 AM
I heard somewhere that if you buy genuine Suzuki parts then the dealer will stamp the book for you. Is that not right?
KnightRider
18-12-07, 10:11 AM
Its worthwhile as ideally you should get the TPS checked and throttle bodies balanced if its over "time" on the service (servicing is done on miles or time ie first is done at 600 or 2mths whichever is sooner for example).
I'm on 4,400 miles now and the 1st service was in June. I guess that if I get it to the dealer asap then I will be okay.
SV650Racer
18-12-07, 10:27 AM
I heard somewhere that if you buy genuine Suzuki parts then the dealer will stamp the book for you. Is that not right?
No!. Well some may but its not the done thing.
You should be fine with regards to the time element on the service period. The 2nd service is either 4k or 12mths whichever comes sooner. Unless you go well over a year or over say 5-6k then it shouldnt be an issue with regards to warranty.
Most dealers wont rip you off. Ok there are some bad ones out there, but there are equally as many bad non franchised dealers. You should be able to get a feel for what they are like when you go into the shop and speak with them. Service reception should be willing to list down what will be done or needs doing. Most places will also allow you to make an appointment to wait whilst its being done. Specify this though when booking.
When you collect the bike afterwards, prior to riding off give it a good check over.
You do hear alot of horror stories, but people are often too quick to shame and too slow to praise.
StreetHawk
18-12-07, 10:33 AM
I'd get it done officially too even if its just for the stamp in the book. Will look a whole let better when you come to sell it on..
Ditto..
Jon, if your gonna sell it on soon then a dealer stamp in the book will help you get what you want for it. When it's out of warranty is when I would think about servicing myself.
KnightRider
18-12-07, 10:44 AM
Okay - thread over, I have booked it in for Friday.
Do the sensible thing, pop it over to George Whites in Slough and get it done properly.
ASM-Forever
18-12-07, 02:10 PM
Ditto..
Jon, if your gonna sell it on soon then a dealer stamp in the book will help you get what you want for it. When it's out of warranty is when I would think about servicing myself.
Exactly what i would have said.
Warthog
18-12-07, 04:01 PM
Good lad, seeing as it's a newish bike, and you are looking to sell it soon (I presume :-P), then the dealer stamp is what you want.
I'd have been one of those that said do it yourself. However, knowing that you are going to sell it soon, it is still in warranty and your dumb. Getting a proper garage to get it serviced sounds like a good bet to me.
I would still look at cheaper garage who will put the stamp in the book. For warranty purposes it has to be a competent person that completes the servicing. The discrepancy over this statement is who is classed as a competent person. A fully qualified motorcycle mechanic is quite a safe bet.
There is a cheap place on the A4 into Newbury.
Ancient's Services
David Kimber
01189 713055
07721 656 653
I am not recommending him as I have never actually used him. Just giving you options. Then there is Pro-Bike in Newbury who are a Suzuki dealer. But they are far from cheap.
SVeeedy Gonzales
19-12-07, 12:18 PM
Buy a Haynes manual and some oil, then take your time over it during the Xmas hols. No Suzuki dealer will spend the time and effort on it that you will. OK you may have a bit of a learning curve but it's not hard if you have the manual. That service is just a few checks and an oil change. Nothing needing doing when I checked save for the oil. That's expensive oil.
And yes, even your Suzi dealer will damage the bike, leave things undone, etc. so doing it yourself is the only way to be sure.
I find I adjust things as I go along so clutch, throttle, brakes etc. are always good and don't just get left until the service. Got the 11000 mile one over Xmas - couple of visual checks, oil and filter, few hours here and there, for about £10 of oil and filter.
KnightRider
19-12-07, 02:28 PM
Now I really dont know what to do. £100 sounds like a lot of cash for a basic service. Changing the oil and filter is simple enough (if I can work out how to remove the lower fairing) and how hard can it be to get to the air filter?
I really want to get more hands on with the bike but I lack the experience. One of the tasks that I really need to be shown (Ape - your advice at the next meet would be welcome) is how to work out if the chain is too loose. I do check my chain regularly, but am not quite sure what I am looking for...what is too much play? I cant believe that you guys get your rulars out each time you look at the chain so there must be a knack to this.
Oh well, I think that I may just send it to the dealer this time as I am about to sell it and then work on the new bike as I am planning on keeping it for a good long time.
StreetHawk
19-12-07, 02:47 PM
Wish I had looked after my chain.. It ran dry in London on sunday, had to use engine oil on it as it's all I could lay my hands on! Now it's all over the back wheel , swingarm etc..
I may have to come along to the next meet if Ape is gonna give chaintenance lessons :-)
Now I really dont know what to do. £100 sounds like a lot of cash for a basic service. Changing the oil and filter is simple enough (if I can work out how to remove the lower fairing) and how hard can it be to get to the air filter?
In theory, it's a doddle once you have the tank off.
However...
I really want to get more hands on with the bike but I lack the experience. One of the tasks that I really need to be shown (Ape - your advice at the next meet would be welcome) is how to work out if the chain is too loose. I do check my chain regularly, but am not quite sure what I am looking for...what is too much play? I cant believe that you guys get your rulars out each time you look at the chain so there must be a knack to this.
...if you can't even check your chain, £100 sounds like a bargain to have somebody else Not Totally Screw your bike.
(Honesty box: When I was 16, I hadn't got a clue either - it got to the point with my moped where the chain jumped off the sprocket before I bothered to learn how to adjust it.)
Pop the bike up on a paddock stand (if possible - I'd really recommend a Micron stand), give the chain a prod until you find the tightest point, and push the slack bit (the lower run) upwards. If it moves more than about an inch, it could probably do with being tightened up a bit. Check the owner's manual or get a Haynes Book of Lies for the manufacturer's tolerance.
You need some slack in the chain because (unless your swingarm pivot and front sprocket are concentrically aligned) the chain run will lengthen slightly when the suspension's under compression, but too much can be a Bad Thing.
ASM-Forever
19-12-07, 03:19 PM
I may have to come along to the next meet if Ape is gonna give chaintenance lessons :-)
We all know that won't happen. ;)
That service is just a few checks and an oil change. Nothing needing doing when I checked save for the oil. That's expensive oil.
It's just a check unless those checks find something wrong. :wink:
Wish I had looked after my chain.. It ran dry in London on sunday, had to use engine oil on it as it's all I could lay my hands on! Now it's all over the back wheel , swingarm etc..
I may have to come along to the next meet if Ape is gonna give chaintenance lessons :-)
It's called a scottoiler. I'm a lazy B'st*rd me.
ASM-Forever
19-12-07, 03:47 PM
It's called a scottoiler. I'm a lazy B'st*rd me.
On a touring bike/hack....fair play...but a 'sports bike'?
No chance....just have some lube at home and make it part of your weekly checks/fettling.
I spit on people wth fast bikes and scottoiler'. :p
On a touring bike/hack....fair play...but a 'sports bike'?
No chance....just have some lube at home and make it part of your weekly checks/fettling.
I spit on people wth fast bikes and scottoiler'. :p
Sorry I don't understand. For those summer sports bike riders that never go out in the wet or cold, a scottoiler makes even more sense. The trickle rate on the oiler could be set to almost stop. The fling of the chain would be next to nothing and the best bit of all. The oil wipes off the rear wheel with a rag. Unlike the horrible sticky crap that comes out of a tin.
And another thing. My winter hack commuting tool is shaft drive as all proper winter hacks should be. ZERO maintenance.
It's called a scottoiler. I'm a lazy B'st*rd me.
I had a Scottoiler for about three years and it never made any difference to the longevity of the chains on the bikes I owned in that time.
Mostly because it never made it out of the box and I ended up punting it out on eBay. I r a considerably more lazy b'st*rd than yow.
I had a Scottoiler for about three years and it never made any difference to the longevity of the chains on the bikes I owned in that time.
Mostly because it never made it out of the box and I ended up punting it out on eBay. I r a considerably more lazy b'st*rd than yow.
I concede. You are. Obviously spending that sort of money and me being as tight (but not as tight as ASM) I wanted to make sure I didn't waste my money. :lol:
ASM-Forever
19-12-07, 06:06 PM
I concede. You are. Obviously spending that sort of money and me being as tight (but not as tight as ASM) I wanted to make sure I didn't waste my money. :lol:
I reitierate my stance that scottoilers are pooh. :cool:
KnightRider
19-12-07, 08:35 PM
My loobman works well. I give it a squeeze everyday and my chain stays clean and lubricated.
On a touring bike/hack....fair play...but a 'sports bike'?
No chance....just have some lube at home and make it part of your weekly checks/fettling.
I spit on people wth fast bikes and scottoiler'. :p
Bah, I'm fitting a Scottoiler to the next bike I get, if it's not already got one :smt019
ASM-Forever
20-12-07, 01:11 AM
Bah, I'm fitting a Scottoiler to the next bike I get, if it's not already got one :smt019
Then you will receive a fair share of my saliva. ;)
rictus01
20-12-07, 02:22 AM
generally easily manage twice the chain & sprocket life with a scottoiler, and as mine is now fitted to it's fifth bike each of which done over 100k miles, as a rough guide that would have been have been a new set each 20k, 5 sets per bike, however with the scottoiler its 2.5 sets.
if you were to say £100 a set then you are looking at saving of £1,250 just on hard wear alone, but as I use old engine oil through mine you could also deduct the cost of 500k miles worth of chain loob as well.
the numbers don't lie, not having one show either an abundance of spare cash or a minimum of miles, as I dont have the first and won't limit myself on the second, I'll keep mine thanks.
Oh and before you ask, speed triples aren't normally considered touring hacks.
Cheers Mark.
Take it to a non dealer mechanic - they don't rip you off as much. Just make sure its one thats approved to do logbook servicing. When the warranty is up, learn to service it yourself.
ASM-Forever
20-12-07, 05:11 PM
Oh and before you ask, speed triples aren't normally considered touring hacks.
Cheers Mark.
Arn't they? ;)
OK....i don't use a scottoiler as its a way to flaunt my wealth. :p
Seriously though how is the knee Mark?
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