Need some help with a servicing decision.
 

Hi all,

My STR 08 model is well over due for a major service, everything except valves & throttle bodies have been done, my wife budgeted £150 for this now obviously this is not enough, as money is a little tight I need to make a decision.

A.) Do I go with Triumph at £215 with a possibly of up to an extra £75 for shims, (includes for free throttle body balance, loan bike and map change).
B.) My local back street garage at £200 (but wont include loan bike or map change).
C.) Try it myself.

The Triumph mechanic said the gasket has be changed or it will never seal properly again and a back street garage may not know this

Re: Need some help with a decision.
 

The first clue to valve clearances going out is an uneven idle. Does the bike idle fine with no rattles, and is the throttle still sharp? If so leave it alone. I know people do like to follow service books, and it may be that the stamps are important to you, but I lot of "service intervals" are aimed at people with no mechanical idea or perception. My CB600 Hornet hasn't had the valves even looked at, let alone adjusted, for over 30k and it's still as sweet as the day I bought it.

Re: Need some help with a decision.
 

The idle will fluckuate between say 1.5-1.8k the throttle is not smooth when cold but is when warm, but the throttle bodies do need adjusting as one is out slightly.

Re: Need some help with a decision.
 

That's a pretty high idle speed. Does it stall if you bring it down a bit?

ps: That idle speed it hot right? It will obviously idle quicker when cold.

Re: Need some help with a decision.
 

I believe I quoted a warm idle speed but i'll check later.

Re: Need some help with a servicing decision.
 

get it done by triumph, the 15 quid saving will be worth it for the stamp and throttle bodies and the fact they know the gasket needs replacing. gasket on my speed 4 is 37 quid!!!

Re: Need some help with a servicing decision.
 

At that price Triumph mate

I payed that for the major on the SV (and he was £150 cheaper than the main dealers)

Re: Need some help with a decision.
 

Firstly - bikes with shimmed valve clearances don't get rattly when the shims need changing, they get quieter if anything. The clearances tighten up not get wider. This is because the valves recede into the head thereby closing the clearances.

Secondly - an uneven idle isn't just caused by valve clearances being out of spec, there are a multitude of things that could be the cause.

Thirdly - a 2008 Street Triple R with an incomplete dealer service history will be hit hard on its resale value, probably by more than the amount you saved by getting it non-franchised serviced and missing the valve clearance check. Triumph residual values are very dependent on having a complete FDSH.

Finally - service intervals are there for the longevity of the bike, not because some marketing twonk decided the dealer could do with a nice yearly intake of cash from every owner. Your Hornet may sound and run fine to you, but if you rode a regularly serviced one that's had the valve clearances done you may be surprised at how different it feels. If Triumph say check the clearances at X,000 miles, then check the clearances at X,000 miles - there's usually a good reason why they advise you do this.

Re: Need some help with a servicing decision.
 

Yeah booked in with Triumph as it's 5k over due, I do feel like I'm missing an opportunity to have a go myself but best start on a cheaper bike.

Re: Need some help with a decision.
 

If the shims wore too far, wouldn't you get a tick/slap as the bottom of the valve starts to touch the head, and the cam starts to loose contact with the bucket follower once per rotation?

Never had this problem with a bike engine myself as I've always just got them done at the appropriate interval, but I replaced worn hydraulic tappets on two Ford CVH engines. Different mechanism to a follower and shim I know, but these definitely cause a tick as the cam looses and regains contact.