Can I service my SV myself?

[Bibio]

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.

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.

[Bibio]

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.

[Red ones]

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

[Bibio]

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.

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.

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

[rapidgaz]

Originally Posted by Ianonortheast

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

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

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