Can I service my SV myself?
 

Hi Fellow Org's,

How easy is it to service my own sv650?

I have all the tools nessacary i think please tell me if i need any special ones haha but.....

im just wondering how hard is it to drop the oil?
change the plugs?
change the air filter?

and is there anything else i need to do on a service other than check all nuts,bolts,lights etc etc

How often do you need to change the oil on these motors aswell?
As i only done it in june before my track day at brands to make sure she didnt blow up lol.

Cheers

Mason

Re: Can i service my bike myself?
 

http://www.sv650.org/sv_manuals.htm

easy as hell with some basic knowledge and able to follow instructions.

Re: Can i service my bike myself?
 

Yes you can do it yourself, not difficult at all.

Do a search for how-to guides & if you're really stuck see if there's a forum member who lives near you who'll keep an eye on what you're doing

Re: Can i service my bike myself?
 

there was a post on here for a homebase 150 piece DIY tool kit and red metal storage box with drawers for :£14.99
you can find it on the homebase website too... so if you need a tool kit that's a good cheap starter.

Re: Can i service my bike myself?
 

There is nothing in the routine servicing of an SV650 that can't be done by a competent amateur.

I would say the most important thing is to know your limits and be methodical. When I first started I did my own oil, plugs, filters etc, but would take a bike to the garage to do the valve clearances as I was afraid of messing them up. Nowadays, I'm OK with just about anything but I got there a bit at a time.

When I first started I'd also often break a service up over a few days. Engine, filters, fluids on day 1, then I'd look at brakes on day 2 or so, that took the pressure off me taking on too many new tasks at once, and given it's around 3,500 miles between services an extra 100 between some of the components isn't a big deal.

Write down what you do, all my bikes now have a log of what was changed when, it's easy to forget when you last changed the fork oil, or did the valve clearances.

Jambo

Re: Can i service my bike myself?
 

Ok well i will be doing this in the next month or so hopefully. I should be fine with the filters,plugs,oil etc its just the valve clearance i dont think i will be able to do. Does anyone know how much this would be in a shop generally?

Re: Can i service my bike myself?
 

You can check them yourself in about an hour or two. If you need them adjusted I'd expect to pay 2-3 hours labour at a garage, maybe £150ish? However, that's a proper guess it's been a while since I've used a garage.

James

Can i service my bike myself?
 

NO you must take it to a dealer... thats how we stay in business ! that'll be $ 91.00 please :)

Re: Can i service my bike myself?
 

$91 ?!?! Didn't realize we work in american currency over here now! I should i surpose working for RBS lol

Can I service my SV myself?
 

touchet

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

what you are wanting to do is a FULL service as far as garages are concerned. it's easy and i would recommend that you get a good oil filter 'cup' socket and a Philips number 2 screwdriver as well as the usual tools. the recommended interval is 3,500miles for oil and filter and i would recommend both plugs and air filter being 4 times that at 14,000miles. depending on the mileage i would also recommend that you balance the throttle bodies and set the TPS once the service is complete. depending again on the age and mileage of the bike i would also do the brake fluid and coolant.

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

How do you balance the throttle bodies and set the TPS ? As this is something ive read numerous times on here and am very interested in doing one weekend.

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

you first need to buy a balance gauge and i would recommend THIS after that its just a case of fitting the tails to the vacuum spigots on the TB's then turning a screw till they the meters are level, you also have to set the tickover again while your at it, then once done take the tails off and fit the blanks again. TPS is a sensor just above the balance screw so might as well do that while your in there.

there is a huge thread on the forum explaining exactly how to set the TPS.

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

Biggest challenge is changing the front plug without removing your knuckles!

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

put a towel on the mudguard to protect it, undo all the bolts on the rad and then drop the rad down. stuff pizzing about lifting it and using a block to keep it up. once the rad has been dropped you have much more access to the plug and it only takes 1 more bolt to undo so no biggie and no more scraped knuckles.

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

Your owners manual has a chart that shows when service on various items should be performed. If you are thinking about learning enough, and buying enough tools, to do most, or all of the required service, the very first thing you should get is a maintenance manual. You should look through it and see what is involved in the procedures you hope to accomplish.
Certainly anybody with good motor skills and reasonable intelligence can successfully maintain motorcycles, but only you, or a trade school, or your motorhead/gearhead friends can tell you if you actually have good motor skills and reasonable intelligence. If you don't, you can do a lot of very expensive damage to your bike.

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

Would folk recommend getting the first service done at 600 miles at a dealer, in order to keep the warranty intact?

Can I service my SV myself?
 

I think that 1 might be a yes. But others might say different.

Re: Can I service my SV myself?
 

Yes, thats probably the only service of oil/filters id ever get done at a dealer.