Service questions

[crofty]

My bike is a 650 V strom coming up for 4 years old in September.  It has been serviced by the main dealer for 3 years to keep the warranty up. I had asked them for a price for the 15k service { bike run over the 15k when I was on my last tour and is now 17k}
The price for the 15k valve service is £600, I was thinking about it, but have decided to go independent in the hope of reducing the cost. Anyway today Suzuki wrote to me and dropped a big spanner in the works. Get it serviced with the main dealer for this year and the next 3 and they will extend the warranty for 7 years or 70k whichever comes first. I am sure you have all heard of this offer. Financially to fund this offer would probably cost me in the region of £1700 in services over the next 4 services. So the choice, go with the main dealer or get an independent to do the valves etc this time and do the oil/filter and checks etc myself going forward. Always like to hear the opinions of members and perhaps a few are in this position.

[nigel s]

crofty,
The first thing to do is nail down from your dealer that being 2,000 miles over the 15,000 service has not already voided the warranty.When I looked at the 7 year terms they only allowed 250 miles over when "renewing" the 7 year warranty.
Whatever you do the valves do need checking.The front exhaust valves on mine were at the limit,good to know.
I paid the £600 for the 15,000 check ,it gave me another 7,500 miles/12 months to decide if I will keep the warranty up.

[crofty]

Good point Nigel, I will call in and see what they say

[Pug27]

I would probably start with looking for another dealer. Both my wife and I have had our bikes in within the last 2 months for the 15k service and valve check. £380 (obviously more if they have to adjust the valve spec)at main dealers in York. Both 21 plate, hers is the 650 and mine is the 1050. All in spec. Other than mine needing a new set of front pads they were all good.

[purplebikeunicorn]

Have they quoted you for actually adjusting the valves in that price?

[crofty]

I have heard from a few people on here that the York dealership is very reasonable.
If the option is open to me in spite of my increased mileage I will look at other dealers. 
The £600 price was for a valve check, but included an air filter and plugs but not a oil and filter change as I can do that easily myself.

[Upt North]

Crofty, I think the increased warranty is a worthwhile thing to have but you'll only know if and when you ever need to claim.
Upt.

[stevewestern]

Like @Pug27, my 650's recent service at 13,000 miles included valve check, plugs, oil and filter and cost me £380.
There seems to be some confusion about service intervals though - mine had a service at 7,500 when I bought it and I was told the next was due at 12,500, but my local Suzuki dealer said it wasn't really needed until 16,000 (this was when I dropped it in for it's service)
I was given an SV650 as a loaner bike - man it's so different to the strom, tiny, fast, uncomfortable but really good fun despite the pouring rain!

[nigel s]

Valve check has always been at 15,000.Older models had intermediate oil changes.There is no service that can be due at 16,000 .However it can be time induced,ie because of the 12 month interval not miles .A check of the service schedule in the manual with your dealer is in order.

[crofty]

Mine is a 2019 3rd gen 650, I think when the 3rd gen came out in 2017 it was a service every 3500 miles, when my 2019 model came out I think they changed it to 7500 miles. My dealer at the 7500 service wanted to change the spark plugs which I think was later put back to 15000 miles, all a bit confusing. Anyway everyone says the v strom is bombproof so I will just run it for the rest of the summer and get the valves done before I put it off the road for the winter. Thanks for all the comments and advice

[porter]

If it was my bike I'd change the oil every 3-4k miles and leave the rest till 20k miles when there might be something to adjust and forget the warranty, but that's just me.

[nigel s]

porter,
I agree about the oil,have changed mine midway through the 7,500 service intervals.At 16,500 miles now it has had 5 oil changes in the year I have owned it!
I wanted to keep up the warranty till that first valve check confirmed all was good,now I have a few miles to think about it.Still undecided as yet

[Youngman]

I'm in York & checked mine at 32k. All within spec. Not too difficult to check really.
Different issue if you need to change shims..

[Tigerjohn]

Seven year warranties are simply a way of tying you into expensive, annual main dealer servicing. OK, you might get peace of mind for your money, but you can sleep pretty easily with a V Strom's track record of reliability. The choice is yours.

[TLPower]

TigerJohn has the correct answer.

If this forum was littered with expensive failures outside of the warranty period I could see the point, as it certainly isn't strewn with blown engines, gearboxes and electrical systems I can't.

Any big bills incoming will be consumables not covered by a warranty, chain and sprockets, tyres, brakes and clutch.

[nigel s]

Choices choices choices.

Nice to have them though .Good on you Suzuki.

How is that KTM warranty holding up?

Ho Hum

[crofty]

Thanks for the rest of comments, I agree with most people it more of an exercise to generate business for the dealers. My bike has had an oil/filter change on average every 3k so I am confident it will be fine, money saved on dealer services will be better spent on consumables.