Bike, 3 years old, 19k miles - What needs to be serviced?

seamus

As the title says. I'm a bit wary of ringing a bike shop and just saying "service the bike" cause:

1. They could replace a whole pile of things that don't need replacing, shafting me for parts and money
2. I said it to the New Gem years back with my first bike, and the guy snapped at me saying "You don't book bikes in for 'service', you have to tell me what you need done".

Basically, I'm just looking for a list of stuff that I want the guy to check out - stuff that I can't do myself. I've looked after the usual in the 18 months I've had the bike - Air/Oil filters, Oil, spark plugs, brake pads, lights, sprockets, chain - but I'm sure there are plenty of things which need to be inspected/replaced which I can't do.

What I have at the moment is:
Inspection of front/rear shocks
Check/adjust valve clearance
Clean/inspect carb (I tried to have a look at this, but it's difficult to get in at)

Anything else?

Cheers

sutty

seamus wrote:

As the title says. I'm a bit wary of ringing a bike shop and just saying "service the bike" cause:

1. They could replace a whole pile of things that don't need replacing, shafting me for parts and money
2. I said it to the New Gem years back with my first bike, and the guy snapped at me saying "You don't book bikes in for 'service', you have to tell me what you need done".

Basically, I'm just looking for a list of stuff that I want the guy to check out - stuff that I can't do myself. I've looked after the usual in the 18 months I've had the bike - Air/Oil filters, Oil, spark plugs, brake pads, lights, sprockets, chain - but I'm sure there are plenty of things which need to be inspected/replaced which I can't do.

What I have at the moment is:
Inspection of front/rear shocks
Check/adjust valve clearance
Clean/inspect carb (I tried to have a look at this, but it's difficult to get in at)

Anything else?

Cheers

Tires! after 2 and a half years mine needed to be replaced big time. (the last year of that, hardly any mileage was done)
I'd also go with cabling (clutch and brakes)

Slaanesh

In my bike manual it tells me everything that I need to check/replace and at what interval. Do you have the manual ?

echomadman

http://www.spiderskills.com/skyman/varadero/maintanence.htm

Kinetic^

Slaanesh wrote:

In my bike manual it tells me everything that I need to check/replace and at what interval. Do you have the manual ?

Mine too.

If you send it to delaney's they'll give you a service and they'll check the rest of the bike.

I found them very reasonable too.

They'll always give you the broken parts afterwards if required.

seamus

That's the very one echo, cheers. Seems I haven't missed out on any of the replacement schedule anyway

Whereabouts is delaney's Keyser?

Think I'll just print out that page and highlight anything I need them to do!

Kinetic^

seamus wrote:

That's the very one echo, cheers. Seems I haven't missed out on any of the replacement schedule anyway

Whereabouts is delaney's Keyser?

Think I'll just print out that page and highlight anything I need them to do!

Its on the harold's cross bridge. Ph: 4971509

Its a family run outfit that has been around for at least 40 years, my old man got his Honda 50 there back in the 60's.

madrab

if you have a haynes manual it has a full list of things that should be done at different services

subway

slighlty o/t,
does everyone leave their bikes in for regular servicing?

i just leave mine in when something needs doing-
chain / tyres / brakes / new key/igniton / new bits n bobs, etc etc

i always mention it the lads there to take a look over and see of anything is gonna need doing soon,
theyll usually tell me if anythings gonna fall off or stop working soon.
ive never left a bike in for a "full service" but problably have it in the shop once every few months to get something done.

seamus

subway wrote:

slighlty o/t,
does everyone leave their bikes in for regular servicing?

No, which is pretty much why I asked. I do most of the basics myself. Last time it was in a shop was last February.
I don't get stung for labour, but then I end up not having a clue what else needs to be done.

if you have a haynes manual it has a full list of things that should be done at different services

Aye, there's no haynes manual for my bike

Horatio

19k ? If your bike happens to be a VFR V-Tec 800 then
you are facing a serious overhaul. At 20,000 these bikes need to be stripped down and overhauled which takes about 3 days and costs about 2000, so I found out recently

Kinetic^

Horatio wrote:

19k ? If your bike happens to be a VFR V-Tec 800 then
you are facing a serious overhaul. At 20,000 these bikes need to be stripped down and overhauled which takes about 3 days and costs about 2000, so I found out recently

What the hell did you get done for €2k??

seamus

I'm very glad my bike isn't a VFR V-Tec 800 then

Elfish

seamus wrote:

As the title says. I'm a bit wary of ringing a bike shop and just saying "service the bike" cause:

1. They could replace a whole pile of things that don't need replacing, shafting me for parts and money
2. I said it to the New Gem years back with my first bike, and the guy snapped at me saying "You don't book bikes in for 'service', you have to tell me what you need done".

Basically, I'm just looking for a list of stuff that I want the guy to check out - stuff that I can't do myself. I've looked after the usual in the 18 months I've had the bike - Air/Oil filters, Oil, spark plugs, brake pads, lights, sprockets, chain - but I'm sure there are plenty of things which need to be inspected/replaced which I can't do.

What I have at the moment is:
Inspection of front/rear shocks
Check/adjust valve clearance
Clean/inspect carb (I tried to have a look at this, but it's difficult to get in at)

Anything else?

Cheers

Bearings .... what bike is it?

madrab

seamus wrote:

Aye, there's no haynes manual for my bike

what bike is it?

seamus

Varadero 125 (Honda XL125V) 2003.

I probably will ask them to do the bearings anyway.

Elfish

seamus wrote:

Varadero 125 (Honda XL125V) 2003.

I probably will ask them to do the bearings anyway.

You have it nearly all covered there .... only other thing I could think of
(coz my own is letting me down this weather! ) is your battery.

PS Had dealings with New Gem before, granted not for service or mechanics but think you got the rough end of the stick by the sound of things. Owner is very customer orientated, but he has had one or two people working for him that were dicks. Deal with the owner, he won't sell a bike out of his showroom that is not perfect, so he is probably the same with the work coming out of his workshop.

Or maybe you could give the fella you were dealing with the benefit of the doubt, I'm sure it's a pain in the arse to be dealing with the public all day everday......

Ride safe!

seamus

Battery is fully sealed, and...eh....I can't get the fairing off that covers the battery cos the previous owner rounded the bolt (and a few others). Another thing to put on my list, "New Bolt please".

In fairness to the guy in the shop in the New Gem, he was always nice enough whenever I went in, though he talked a whole lot of bull I can remember him giving out to me for not looking after the bike one time, and the next week (I had booked it in for new tyres), he said "Ah yeah, that's a well looked after bike".

Elfish

Just noticed you're in Lewcan. Why don't you keep your business local and go to Lucan Motorcycles? Save yourself the bother of having to drop bike into town, and I believe that he is reasonable there too. Give him a few days notice though - he doesn't have much room for storing bikes for days.

Lucan MC, between Woodies and East End of Lucan village.

Follow any bus going towards town from Lucan village, you will see the shop on the right hand side about 300 yards before Woodies.

Tell him you want your bike serviced - you won't have to say anything more than that.

Closed Mondays!

Elfish

seamus wrote:

I can remember him giving out to me for not looking after the bike one time, D

Ha ha
You are the customer. You the king.
You could have just told him to fcuk off......it's your bike and it deserves all the abuse it gets!!!

Horatio

Keyser Soze 69 wrote:

What the hell did you get done for €2k??

I did'nt, but I am in the market for a VFR at the mo and a dealer I know warned me about this little inconsistency with this particuler bike, just something to consider. From scratch a VFR will only cost you oil and filters, when you get to 20000 the engine, becauce of it's complexity has to be stripped sown and basically recalibrated which is why alot of these bikes end up on the market just prior to their 20,000 overhaul

Kinetic^

Horatio wrote:

I did'nt, but I am in the market for a VFR at the mo and a dealer I know warned me about this little inconsistency with this particuler bike, just something to consider. From scratch a VFR will only cost you oil and filters, when you get to 20000 the engine, becauce of it's complexity has to be stripped sown and basically recalibrated which is why alot of these bikes end up on the market just prior to their 20,000 overhaul

:eek: I think I'm going to stick to my 125 Burgman.

Just put 15k miles on it during the week and its only 19 months old, its served me well and hopefully it will continue to