V strom 1000 valve check.

[wreckdiver]

Hi.what's the mileage for the valve clearance check on the 1000 V Strom please.

[Rixington43]

First gen is technically 14,500 but I think almost everyone makes that 15k.
Not sure on the later ones but very much doubt it's changed.

[wreckdiver]

Thanks,I should have said it’s a 2015 to late pre 1050 I  am thinking about.
I thought the 1050 was a backward step in many ways.
What do others think?

[Willie Fawcett]

Officially its at 15 000 miles but my local Suzuki dealership say don't bother as none need doing at this mileage.  Had my check done at 
30 000 and had 3 shims changed . On a 1000 xt 2019 vintage .

[wreckdiver]

Thanks 👍

[porter]

Nothing needed on mine at 15k miles though one exhaust valve was on minimum. At 30k, two exhaust valves where tight and all others on minimum, all eight changed.
 Not a difficult bike to check or adjust just takes a bit of time to get at anything.

[Valzdl650]

Bought a 2005 wee a few few around 2 month now has 70k kilometres is it wise for me to check the valves?🤔

[vstroman]

If you have no record that the valves were ever checked then it would be good to have them checked,
problem I have is that I don't trust dealers to to the job, I have to see a thing done to know it's done. from my experience no one will do the work better than yourself on your own stuff, that's if you or a friend have the ability of course.
I'm not sure if there's any tell tale signs that your valves need adjusting? someone with more knowledge than me might advise you better.

[The Doctor 46]

Porter, reference you post above. You are obviously a very clever mechanic If I ever pass your place, will you do mine? Pretty please.

[kwackboy]

Tell tale signs under 15k ... no .

To give you peace of mind when getting your shims done, ask whoever is doing the job to take photos of your bike apart and to clearly make a note of the gap and shim sizes before and after.

This will help you and whoever is working on your bike the next time they need doing , it'll save time.

Any decent mechanic who owns a smart phone (most do) shouldn't object to this , I certainly don't mind as long as it puts customers at ease.

[vstroman]

Kwackboy what might the tell signs be on a bike with around 60k done that never had a valve clearance/adjust check done?
I'm sure a good independent mechanic would have no problem taking pics of the work as you suggest, not sure the main dealers would though, then again you don't know till you ask I suppose.

[nigel s]

For the owner hardly anything is a give away,a slow degradation in performance is hard to catch.
Until someone with a healthy one rides yours and goes...feck that's slow.
You only find out when you strip the top end and find an exhaust valve only held together by the hardened edge.

With me it was a 66,000 mile severely abused GS 550 dispatch bike,not till a friend rode it did I know,caught it just in time.

[kwackboy]

@ vstroman

Neglecting to adjust shims can cause running / starting issues when hot and reduced power due to lower compression. Mostly, its the exhaust valves that go first, it'll run rich which will eventually blacken the spark plug which also causes starting issues.

If left long enough the valves burn out ruining the cylinder head.

[Valzdl650]

Yes OK then I think I will get my head in to the manual and YouTube videos since I got the bike I have changed the levers , bled both brakes , changed the front indicators to led, changed the clutch plate springs etc, I have been familiarising myself with the bike so I thinking will go for it, I'm not going to put it in to a garage I would rather have the piece of mind that it is done by the book! Wish me luck

[nigel s]

GPZ900r A6,last of the good ones.
At 47,000 miles started to suffer from much reported shrinking valves.
Hated hot starts ,needed clearances doing every 1000 miles or it would stall on cold starts too(kawasaki full on roar or off choke)
,but was screw and lock nut.
A good mate in the owners club changed all the exhaust valves for me at cost.
Good  then till I sold it .
Great road bike,still good today.

[porter]

No great mechanic here Doc 46 but I'll try something first before I leave it in somewhere. I find the vstrom 1000 easy enought to work at, more so than the few Triumph tiger's and the dreaded Yam r6 or fz1 I've also done, they where a nightmare.
 I could do it for you Doc but you might need to be here a few weeks as I'm a bit lazy, easily distracted.