Suzuki V-Strom (VStrom) Owners Club DL250, DL650, DL1000 & DL1050
V-Strom specific discussion => V-Strom specific discussion => Topic started by: soothsayer on April 18, 2025, 13:28:56
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Could anyone comment on a service cost from a garage, uk, for a DL1000. Mate has one and has been getting some quotes together and they are high, just wonder if anyone that gets servicing done at a garage could add some comment?
Bike is low miles but has sat for a couple of years and has some corrosion and an oil leak from the sprocket shaft.
He is after a full inspection and check of all important bits, throttle, hoses, cables, switches. Adjustment of anything needed. Oil and filter change. Coolant flush and change. Chain, sprockets and swing-arm cleaned of a heavy layer of crud and old grease. Calipers stripped and cleaned. Whole bike given a deep clean and polish.
He is getting quoted about £1200 for all that. Does that sound OK? Quotes are from small service centres rather than a dealership.
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I’ve just had an annual service on my bike at a Suzuki dealership….. £240.
From that list, I’d do all the cleaning bits myself. That will definitely save several hours of labour costs.👍
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All the stuff on that list is doable at home. The brakes , if you haven't done them , are straightforward, plenty of advice on here using the search function.
The big one is the sprocket area leak, this may give you some info .
https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,7571.0.html
The price quoted for doing all mentioned is not far out. The tech will charge the same if he is cleaning as if he is doing a full engine strip :shrug:
If he decides to pay a dealer to do it all , get a WRITTEN quote and make it clear that any work they find NOT on the quote they need to contact your mate to OK it with a price BEFORE starting it.
Refurbing older bikes that have stood can easily turn up unsuspecting costs , especially if a dealer is doing all the work, if not careful.
Good luck.
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How sure are you there’s a leak? Until it’s cleaned off you won’t know for sure.
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The old Vees have a real tenancy to leak oil from the clutch pushrod seal which is partially behind the front sprocket and looks for all the world like the output shaft seal is leaking until you get it properly apart. Very easy job to do yourself but it is front sprocket off to access the seal.
Of course it could still be the output shaft and that's much bigger....
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If anyone wants to pay £100 per hour to clean their bikes I'm your man.
Form an orderly queue please.
Upt.
How much!
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I’ll do it for £50 an hour….😁
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Hello I'm a service it myself bloke so think he is mad, but that's what he was quoted from a garage. He can't/won't do anything mechanical. Think John Sutherland, the travel companion of Phaedrus in 'Zen and the art of'.
All to there own, I've offered to do the work. Are service centres really charging £100 hour? Small garages around me are about £55 hour, still a lot but they tend to be good and pretty fast.
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Fowlers of Bristol, probably one of the biggest dealerships in the country, don’t publicise their labour costs…… even if you Google it.
However, it looks to be £140 an hour…… and it ain’t great service….. speaking from experience.🤷♂️
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Oohwee! Got to tell the wife that I'm saving 150 an hour
playing servicing my bike. If I didn't have a bike then I couldn't save that much! So really it's a win-win. :auto-dirtbike:
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Soothsayer,
Nice reference...haven't read that book for a while now , might have to dig it out again :thumb:
My supplying main dealer ( CJ Balls ) charges £85 an hour , about the going rate round here, and are pretty good . I trust them ...which is rare .
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A few pointers, which you may already be aware of but someone else reading this may not, when doing the servicing and repair work yourself.
- Remember to snap pix before disassemble for a specific task, for reference on reassemble, if things don't go as planned.
- Seeing that the bike has been in storage, replace all fluids so that you know that these at least are fresh. but before you change the fuel in the tank, do a fuel flow test.
- A fuel flow test as part of the service. You are not only confirming the volume of fuel pumped but if you let the fuel stand for a while, you will be able to determine if there is any sign of rust or any other fuel contamination. https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,11603.0.html
- Do check for signs of fuel tank rust. Remove the fuel cap and with the aid of a torch / torch, have a look at the rim plus down the fuel tank neck for any signs of rust. Ethanol in the fuel of a bike in storage could often have fuel tank rust. If it is a problem, have a look at https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,4085.0.html
- The hose between the thottle bodies (aka fuel rail) could also dry out causing fuel to leak. https://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=12096.0
- Take care wrt the clutch slave removal and reinstall. An example or three: http://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,1886.0.html, https://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=40146.0 and https://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=41374.0
- Take care not to over torque / tighten the bolts / nuts, especially the oil drain plug, the clutch slave cylinder and the rear axle. https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,19669.0.html and https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,10963.0.html come to mind.
- the service schedule in the manual is a good guide of items to be checked
Good luck and keep me up to speed on any progress made.