fork service cost?

[dylandun]

does anyone know how long it takes to replace the oil and the seals?
i walked out to move my bike and found oil on the floor and found its coming from my forks.
i havent got the tools to do it myself at the minute so looks like ill have to fork out for a garage to do it.
thanks guys

[Red Herring]

It's fairly straightforward. Are you going to ride in ride out or can you take the forks off and take them in on their own. Having said that getting the forks out of an SV is simple enough so would probably only add another half hour to the labour bill.

Given the parts are fairly cheap and any half decent mechanic could turn the job around in under two hours I'd be disappointed if the bill was over £100.

[TheRamJam]

it's a fairly easy job if you've got the tools. Hardest job is probably trying to free off the damping bolt in the bottom of the forks. It may require a special tool to remove unless you have an impact gun handy.

I'd be expecting to pay between £90 and £130. If you can get the forks off the bike then you'd save a bit more money.

[dylandun]

170 I was quoted by my garage for the seals and oil changed on both
I can't get them off myself

[TheRamJam]

WTF £170 is daylight robbery. You could buy the tools and parts required to do it yourself and still be cheaper than that quote.

[SV650Racer]

WTF £170 is daylight robbery. You could buy the tools and parts required to do it yourself and still be cheaper than that quote.

Not really when it takes a technician 2 to 2.5 hours to do properly on the bike including cleaning the marks from the stantion which is often the cause of the seal leaking (amazing how many places dont do this!) and also depending on condition of the bike, seized fender bolts etc and how much cleaning is required, sludge build up inside the fork etc. Parts are around £20 for decent NOK seals, £13 for oil and if they are charging £50-£60 labour.

We are a K-Tech and Ohlins centre and charge this out at £185 on the bike or £125 loose.

If a garage is doing a rush quick out, tip out oil, bang in new seals etc then will be cheaper.

BTW i had 2 sets of forks in last week...both guys had been told it was easy to do themselves..there is obviously no accounting for ones mechanical abilities. One set had both damping rods totally rounded off and one set came in because they didnt feel right after he had done them...both legs filled to brim with oil!. We did spend some time and show him how to do it properly so next time he doesnt get caught out again.

[TheRamJam]

Not really when it takes a technician 2 to 2.5 hours to do properly on the bike including cleaning the marks from the stantion which is often the cause of the seal leaking (amazing how many places dont do this!) and also depending on condition of the bike, seized fender bolts etc and how much cleaning is required, sludge build up inside the fork etc. Parts are around £20 for decent NOK seals, £13 for oil and if they are charging £50-£60 labour.

We are a K-Tech and Ohlins centre and charge this out at £185 on the bike or £125 loose.

If a garage is doing a rush quick out, tip out oil, bang in new seals etc then will be cheaper.

BTW i had 2 sets of forks in last week...both guys had been told it was easy to do themselves..there is obviously no accounting for ones mechanical abilities. One set had both damping rods totally rounded off and one set came in because they didnt feel right after he had done them...both legs filled to brim with oil!. We did spend some time and show him how to do it properly so next time he doesnt get caught out again.

I totally understand, but I wonder how many garage's actually perform this service to the level you have described.

[21QUEST]

Not really when it takes a technician 2 to 2.5 hours to do properly on the bike including cleaning the marks from the stantion which is often the cause of the seal leaking (amazing how many places dont do this!) and also depending on condition of the bike, seized fender bolts etc and how much cleaning is required, sludge build up inside the fork etc. Parts are around £20 for decent NOK seals, £13 for oil and if they are charging £50-£60 labour.

We are a K-Tech and Ohlins centre and charge this out at £185 on the bike or £125 loose.

If a garage is doing a rush quick out, tip out oil, bang in new seals etc then will be cheaper.

BTW i had 2 sets of forks in last week...both guys had been told it was easy to do themselves..there is obviously no accounting for ones mechanical abilities. One set had both damping rods totally rounded off and one set came in because they didnt feel right after he had done them...both legs filled to brim with oil!. We did spend some time and show him how to do it properly so next time he doesnt get caught out again.

Meh, it's easy , even weasel could do it in 15 minutes :rolleyes: :p ;)

[Red Herring]

..... if they are charging £50-£60 labour.


Seriously? I know I'm a bit out of touch with dealer rates as I quite simply don't use them (every time I have I have always been disappointed...) but please tell me that is for two hours, not per hour....

[Bibio]

i would say thats an hour rate.

[SV650Racer]

i would say thats an hour rate.

Yup an hours rate..average for suspension specialists, dyno specialists like us who invest ££££ into equipment is around £50 to £90 p/h. Our building rent is £30k per year, fully qualified tech who can tune engines, and suspension earns £21k a year - actually very low wages for someone with that amount of experience and responsibility working 8.45am to 6pm.

Most dealers around here are between £50 to £90. Round here in Surrey rent is extortionate..blame the greedy landlords!. Up north where rent, insurance and wages are cheaper £30 to £60.

Man in his shed £15-£40, obviously alot less overheads involved, more profit margin - what Steve will probaly end up doing in 10 years or so..no staff or rent to pay..lovely!

You makes your choices..many i know do a very good job..some dont.

[Bibio]

you for got the cost of tools etc.etc. i would say the place i use for MOT's who does bikes and cars has £30k+ worth of snapon. then add a big compressor, ramps and stock of parts.

you pay your money for the use of their expertise and tools.

i'm fortunate to have gathered a fair old whack of tools that lets me do anything to my bike, but its not just the tools its being able to use them.

[SV650Racer]

you for got the cost of tools etc.etc. i would say the place i use for MOT's who does bikes and cars has £30k+ worth of snapon. then add a big compressor, ramps and stock of parts.

you pay your money for the use of their expertise and tools.

i'm fortunate to have gathered a fair old whack of tools that lets me do anything to my bike, but its not just the tools its being able to use them.

Spot on...plus for the majority 20% of profit goes to the government:smt068

[yorkie_chris]

you for got the cost of tools etc.etc. i would say the place i use for MOT's who does bikes and cars has £30k+ worth of snapon. then add a big compressor, ramps and stock of parts.

you pay your money for the use of their expertise and tools.

i'm fortunate to have gathered a fair old whack of tools that lets me do anything to my bike, but its not just the tools its being able to use them.

There is no fookin way you need £30k worth of snap on tools, I think a lot of people confuse "needing" a bit of kit with shiny kit syndrome.

[Red Herring]

Yup an hours rate..average for suspension specialists, dyno specialists like us who invest ££££ into equipment is around £50 to £90 p/h. Our building rent is £30k per year, fully qualified tech who can tune engines, and suspension earns £21k a year - actually very low wages for someone with that amount of experience and responsibility working 8.45am to 6pm.



I do appreciate specialists cost a bit more, but let's have a reality check here. We are talking about rebuilding a set of forks on an SV650, not a set of Ohlins off a BSB bike! This is a really basic job that should (and probably would) end up being done by the firms apprentice. It's the sort of job that just about anybody on here with a half decent Halfords tool kit could knock off in an afternoon armed with nothing more than a workshop manual and a little bit of common sense. I do understand that there are people out there with neither, (as you have already explained) so I guess I should say more fool them and leave it be. At the very least prices like those may provide them with an incentive to learn a few things about how their bike operates.

[SV650Racer]

I do appreciate specialists cost a bit more, but let's have a reality check here. We are talking about rebuilding a set of forks on an SV650, not a set of Ohlins off a BSB bike! This is a really basic job that should (and probably would) end up being done by the firms apprentice. It's the sort of job that just about anybody on here with a half decent Halfords tool kit could knock off in an afternoon armed with nothing more than a workshop manual and a little bit of common sense. I do understand that there are people out there with neither, (as you have already explained) so I guess I should say more fool them and leave it be. At the very least prices like those may provide them with an incentive to learn a few things about how their bike operates.

We dont and wont employ apprentices...thats possibly why some people experience a poor service by the places that do.

IMHO Doesnt matter whether its an SV or a BSB bike...they deserve the same standard of service and thats what I offer and charge for, no one is forced to take it.

[andrewsmith]

There is no fookin way you need £30k worth of snap on tools, I think a lot of people confuse "needing" a bit of kit with shiny kit syndrome.

I'm sure my mechanics too kit is 15k but its a lot of tools that are factory lock tools.

With sv650racers point on rates; that is spot on what the independent and main dealers charge in Newcastle, and they pass on the nightmare jobs to the independent (who is an ex employee of the main dealer)

written with a biro

[yorkie_chris]

What do you mean factory lock tools?

[andrewsmith]

What do you mean factory lock tools?

Castleated sockets, couple of odd looking things amongst others

written with a biro

[SV650Racer]

Castleated sockets, couple of odd looking things amongst others

written with a biro

Ah yes special tools.. single sided paddock stand pins to suit various Dukes, MV and Triumphs are the bain of my life at the moment they keep bloody changing the sizes of them!.

Diagnostics equipment, a must for some bikes now...again you need a million and one leads for the Texa as Yamaha in particular decide to use a totally different lead on some models and at £50 a pop..:(

[Red Herring]

We dont and wont employ apprentices...thats possibly why some people experience a poor service by the places that do.

IMHO Doesnt matter whether its an SV or a BSB bike...they deserve the same standard of service and thats what I offer and charge for, no one is forced to take it.

This is not about quality of service, it's about employing a level of expertise appropriate to the task required. Perhaps if you did employ an apprentice that attracted a lower rate or pay (and therefore invoicing) you could make the simple jobs cheaper for the average motorcyclist, especially maybe the younger ones that have less disposable income and more basic machines? Properly supervised there is no reason why an apprentice cannot deliver an acceptable level of workmanship.

I do understand the need for specialists and if the job requires it then by all means charge appropriately. Having said that I had a reminder a few years ago that even then you don't necessarily get what you are expecting. I had an issue with my SV jumping out of second gear and given it was only two weeks before a major event I had a bit of a panic and decided to take it to a specialist that had been well recommended rather than start investigating myself. A week later I went to collect it (160 mile round trip) and they told me there was nothing wrong with the gearbox, the fault lay with the cheap (Dynojet) quickshifter I had fitted. They then tried to sell me some £600 worth of "better" gear. I said no thanks and departed (£200 poorer for my troubles) and took the bike home.

I then rang a mate up who had a Windows laptop (we're a Macbook family) and we were able to run the Dynojet programme hooked up to the bike. We immediately sussed that the unit appeared to have reset itself from when we had originally installed it and the kill time was wrong for the shifter. It took us literally five minutes to put it right, and I've never had an issue with a gear change since.

Like I said, a disappointing experience. If they had told me all they had needed to do was reset the PC3 and adjust the kill time on the shifter I would have been delighted and kicked myself for not thinking of that myself. Using me as a marketing opportunity instead left me rather bitter.

[TheRamJam]

I made my own 43mm Seal driver from a PVC pipe cut in half and my own air gap tool with some clear tubing, a ruler, and a syringe. Does the same job IMHO. I am tight and don't fancy paying £50 for a tool I will only use a once every two years if am lucky.

[SV650Racer]

This is not about quality of service, it's about employing a level of expertise appropriate to the task required. Perhaps if you did employ an apprentice that attracted a lower rate or pay (and therefore invoicing) you could make the simple jobs cheaper for the average motorcyclist, especially maybe the younger ones that have less disposable income and more basic machines? Properly supervised there is no reason why an apprentice cannot deliver an acceptable level of workmanship.



Its not cost effective nor efficient in our work environment to have a tech supervising an apprentice. Its not something I will do.

I have a four week lead time with four techs at present, cheap unskilled labour is not what I offer or need to offer.

[yorkie_chris]

Castleated sockets, couple of odd looking things amongst others

written with a biro

Just run that by me again... 15... fookin... grand.

How many castellated nut sizes are there again lol

[andrewsmith]

Just run that by me again... 15... fookin... grand.

How many castellated nut sizes are there again lol

The carb/ tb balance rig was a grand.
I was also referring to what sv650racer mentioned which is obd kit.

written with a biro

[Red Herring]

Yup an hours rate..average for suspension specialists, dyno specialists like us who invest ££££ into equipment is around £50 to £90 p/h. Our building rent is £30k per year, fully qualified tech who can tune engines, and suspension earns £21k a year - actually very low wages for someone with that amount of experience and responsibility working 8.45am to 6pm.

Most dealers around here are between £50 to £90. Round here in Surrey rent is extortionate..blame the greedy landlords!. Up north where rent, insurance and wages are cheaper £30 to £60.


I'm sorry to keep harping on about this but lets use your own figures to do the sums. Lets say your mechanic, sorry technician, manages to invoice a conservative 6 hours of his 9 hour day (time for lunch, admin, training etc etc...) that £360 a day (at £60 per hour) or £1,800 a week, or £90,000 a year allowing for him to have a couple of weeks holiday.....

You pay him £21k, that leaves £69k to put towards the cost of employing them, equipping them (and they don't need new tools every year), and providing the premises..... Times that by two or three depending on how many technicians you have, and if I recall correctly you are also a Suzuki dealer so I'm guessing you have a salesman making a couple of quid selling bikes, less the cost of someone to do all the Admin.....

Like I said, £60 and hour is fair enough if you are providing a specialist service, but I'm willing to bet that a significant proportion of your workshop business is just routine servicing. It's a bit like paying your GP to cut your toenails........

[muzikill]

Theres your answer red herring 'suzuki dealer'

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[21QUEST]

Theres your answer red herring 'suzuki dealer'

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Wrong ;)

[Bibio]

if you work for free you'll have plenty work.

an average basic service from a main dealer is around £120 for this you get your oil and filter changed a little grease here and there and if your lucky they will rag your bike round the block. plenty people pay it without butting an eyelid.

[Red Herring]

But should they have to? It just makes my blood boil when the price is set at what they think they can get away with rather than what is actually reasonable for the task completed. I do understand market forces and a little bit of economics, but it just seems these days that everybody is out to make as much as they can for themselves with no regard for anybody else. Capitalism at it's best.

[rowdy]

Just had forks serviced today, £90 ride in including parts. Guy even drilled out a snapped bolt for the mudguard and retapped it as well.

Price for oil and dust seals from wemoto just over £20, fork oil approx £10 and about £10 in squirt for me to go to wemoto and pick seals up, so really it cost me £50 to get them fitted.

[Red Herring]

Thanks, you've just restored my faith a bit.

[rowdy]

No problem :)
I did put a write up in the Guildford section earlier, as I was impressed with the service.
A bit far from Liverpool though I am afraid.

[dylandun]

god i wish it was 90.. hes usually pretty good to me this mechanic so im sure he will only charge me a fair amount maybe the 170 was just a approximate ?

he usually charges 40 an hour he reckoned around 3 hours and then obviously the price of parts

[stuR]

Just use a seal mate tool. I cured my leaking fork no bother. cost £5

[SV650Racer]

Im not a suzuki dealer...havent been for 3 years, gave up the retail side of it as imho its a mugs game with no sustainable profit, hence why alot of them are no longer trading.:)

Red Herring, running a business the price is set to keep the business running and earn a wage. I could charge more for what we do but i choose to set it at a level which pays all the overheads of the business and wages and leaves some in the bank to pay for all the parts and stock and leaves a reasonable rate for the customer to pay.

Im guessing you work for a living, why do you get paid;)

[TheRamJam]

I have 2 videos by Dave Moss on how to replace fork seals and oil on BPF forks and on USD forks from a CBR1000 RR7.

They are in my drop box so PM your email address and i'll share the link. There's also a few other motorcycling bits in bobs in there too like Sport Riding Techniques PDF book as well as Twist of the wrist 1 & 2

Cheers

[yorkie_chris]

SV is loads easier than those

[Red Herring]

Im not a suzuki dealer...havent been for 3 years, gave up the retail side of it as imho its a mugs game with no sustainable profit, hence why alot of them are no longer trading.:)

Red Herring, running a business the price is set to keep the business running and earn a wage. I could charge more for what we do but i choose to set it at a level which pays all the overheads of the business and wages and leaves some in the bank to pay for all the parts and stock and leaves a reasonable rate for the customer to pay.

Im guessing you work for a living, why do you get paid;)

I don't profess to be an expert of how to run a motorcycle business, you're in the trade and I'm sure you know what you are talking about. Clearly you need to make a living and if you went out of business it would be our loss for that odd occasion when we need your specialist knowledge.

If you're no longer a motorcycle dealer then I suspect many of my observations are no longer applicable to you. Riders will only come to you if they want your particular skills, if they are looking for routine maintenance then they will go elsewhere.

You only have to look at some of the recent threads on here to see that there are a considerable number of riders out there looking for reliable routine servicing at an affordable cost. If a dealer were to cater for their need they would get these riders through the door and build up a customer base that would in turn attract further business. I know of one dealer local to me who has done just that and they have ticked along very nicely for the 30 odd years I have know them.

[Bibio]

you forget about the shiny shop handshake consortium. if a shiny shop starts dropping their prices then the other shiny shops get upset. the others start to moan at their suppliers so the outcast gets late deliveries etc.etc. it's worse than the Masons.

house prices are silly, new vehicle prices are silly and the cost of living in this country is stupid silly. so what does one do to survive? you put your prices up. yes i know its wrong but thats why everything is silly prices due to the snowball effect.

people dont moan at spending £40 a week on booze with no gain to be had but when it comes to paying someone else's wages for work they need to get done they moan like it was an injustice.

running a business is a risk, you invest money in that risk hoping that you get a return and a nice life for your efforts.

[jon619]

I have 2 videos by Dave Moss on how to replace fork seals and oil on BPF forks and on USD forks from a CBR1000 RR7.


Here's Dave Moss setting up my bike after I picked up a zx10r shock a couple years ago. Set up cost $20.

https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/485740_226974237410156_766957989_n.jpg

I replaced my fork seals a few months ago when I installed the Traxxion Dynamics Drop in kit. I used youtube videos and the guide on svrider. It would be good to have a deep allen socket for the bottom bolt and an electric impact just in case it just spins. Otherwise not too bad.