DIY Servicing
 

I'm thinking about what to do for my servicing. Basically do I do it myself or pay for it to be done. Lots of questions arise and I thought I'd ask for comments...

How badly does it affect the future value of the bike?
Does the stamp in the book matter?
Are there any liability issues when you sell it on?
How do you service yours?

I was wondering about whether I could economically set up a company which would then do my servicing and stamp the book. Not sure what is involved or what the legal wrangles might be. I've tried to find info on public liability insurance but nearest I found was for a full time car garage and this would be an extremely small part time venture.

Thoughts peeps?

Re: DIY Servicing
 

i always do my own and just write in the book whats been done and changed at what miles.

Re: DIY Servicing
 

Well for a start keeping all reciepts for service items is the first thing, it only says a competent person (I believe it was discussed at some lemgth already, do a search) but I think you can send your book to Suzuki and copies of the reciepts and they will stamp the book.

Done my own for ever really, even the new bikes only ever bothered with the 500 miler.

If you're keeping the bike for over 12,000 miles it really doesn't make much difference and even before that general condition would be a bigger factor, the SV is seen more as an everyday bike so is expected to be used.

When you sell it you can either sell it "sold as seen" which means the buyer has to find any defects there and then, or like I do a 30 day personnel warrenty agains major defects (but make sure you know the type of person you're selling to, so may use that to thrash the engine to death) also make sure you list what major defects are.

I suppose it helps if you're a qualified mechanic mind, but then if your looking to setup your own company I'd guess you are, it's all about the buyers piece of mind really.

Cheers Mark.

Re: DIY Servicing
 

Thanks for the comments. I will do the searching you suggest. I think you've covered pretty much my situation. I intend to keep it for at least 3 years and I'd guess on about 12k miles in that time. If over that it makes little difference to value then I'm inclined to do it myself and log everything as suggested. I've never had any intention of selling my previous bikes, but realistically I can't keep everyone I ever buy so this one is likely to go at some point and I don't want to shoot myself in the foot with a bad decision now.

I think that legally I'm sort of a qualified bike mechanic (C&G 3890), but it's not what I do for a job and I make no claims about my knowlege or ability. The company would just be so that stamp actually meant something (ie not something like fraud which just buying a stamp and stamping it might be construed as?) rather than an actual business.

Cheers

Re: DIY Servicing
 

A garage stamp normally means you handed it to a mechanic who as soon as you're gone handed over the the young scrote anyway,I'd be more inclined to trust a competent owner than some spotty YTS type myself, but alas the masses seem to think otherwise:smt120

Re: DIY Servicing
 

As above, the book doesn't say you have to be a mechanic, just competant. It doesn't even say you need to get a stamp.

You could just write in it, or like I do, staple the receipts to the book (that way you can't loose them ;) ).

Personally, I plan on keeping the SV for maybe 5 years. In that time, I'll be supprised if I'm still on the same engine (150k miles ish - owned from new, bought 8months back & fast approaching 16k).

I hope Rictus was right that folks expect the SV to be used :smt022

Re: DIY Servicing
 

OMGoodness - how do you clock up such miles?
I knew an ex dispatch rider who had 120k on a Divvy 600. Just reckoned he had to refurb the brake calipers every 20k. I had to smile when someone looking at it boasted how much better their 25k example looked.

Re: DIY Servicing
 

100 mile/day commute. Easily clock the miles up.

Servicing on schedule comes around roughly every 8 weeks or so IIRC. Expensive transport if you do dealership servicing every 2 months! Tyres are changed roughly every 4 months.

This is why I love it when I see IL4s that have less miles in a year than I do per quarter.

I also almost gave one old timer a heart attack. I do more miles per week than he has done in the last 3 years!