14500 service cost Glee

[Little_Chris]

Hi,

I'm at 13200 miles now and with a 3000 mile trip booked around the Black Forest in July, thought I'd get the bike booked in for the 'big-one' at the end of June.

It's booked in with my local dealer and they said it will include new plugs, valve clearances, new rocker cover gaskets etc. They said the book time is 5.5 hours but with experience they tend to allocate it to one mechanic for the whole day. Also includes a courtesy bike.

Little bit more pricey than I expected at £497.00 including VAT.

What are peoples thoughts?

[MartinW]

Chris - just had my older model Wee done this January, for £208, including Plugs (Single Spark model), filters and the valve clearance check. You're being ripped of at £500.

The valve clearance was one hours labour as they needed no adjustments. That was £60 of the £208 total.

[frez]

Definite rip off.

Crescent Suzuki charged me £354 for the 14.5k service in Nov 2011, no valves needed adjustment.

I had the 28.5k service done at an independent garage in July 2012. The cost was £367 but that included the supply and fit of a Road Attack 2 front tyre, and the adjustment of two of the valves.

I had the 42.5k  service done at an independent garage in January. The cost was £282 but this included the fitting of a light bracket and some bullet lights, and none of the valves needed adjusting this time.

The job does take longer if valves need adjusting, particularly, I think, if it is the valves on the rear cylinder as they are more tricky to sort.

[Little_Chris]

Thanks Martin & Frez.

Just spoken to another dealer (and the actual principle) who's a little but further away and he said I must be mad paying to have the clearances checked at 15k. He said if "I'd cained the tits off it" for the past two years then maybe but that these engines were bullet proof and that he wouldn't bother until the next big one at 30k.

He said that if I spoke to Suzuki UK they would say it needed to be done but he personally didn't;t think so.

He seemed like a really genuine bloke who new what he was talking about. He suggested plugs, air filter, oil and filter and then a good checking over and said it would be about £200 with a courtesy bike.

Again, any thoughts. Thanks.

[frez]

The independent mechanic I use worked for Crescent Suzuki before he setup on his own. He told me they very rarely need adjusting the first time, every other time they may need adjusting.

However, if you don't get them checked then a problem with them would not be covered under warranty.

[greywolf]

The poll at http://www.stromtrooper.com/information ... -done.html indicates a minority of 650s needed an adjustment at the first check but the percentage is not insignificant.

[Little_Chris]

Greywolf, if it was your bike and you were unable to do it yourself, would you get them done by the dealer or leave it and risk it? Difficult question I know.

[Little_Chris]

I also asked them to change the Oxford Hotgrips from direct battery connection to the switch behind the radiator. They said they'd throw this in but that they'd had problems with the headlight pulsing due to the draw off the connector (which they said is a feed off the headlight) ?

[greywolf]

I also asked them to change the Oxford Hotgrips from direct battery connection to the switch behind the radiator. They said they'd throw this in but that they'd had problems with the headlight pulsing due to the draw off the connector (which they said is a feed off the headlight) ?

That's just stupid. The OEM connector behind the radiator is fed off the signals fuse which feeds the blinkers and brake light, not the headlights. Besides, any load heavy enough to dim the headlights will do it no matter where it is attached. All loads draw from the battery and charging circuit, no matter how they are branched off.

[MartinW]

Got to agree with Greywolf's comments on the battery loading. It's all coming from the same place, so if it dims the lights, then it dims the lights wherever connected.

[Locky]

I had no proof that my old K5 Wee had the valve clearances checked until I checked them at 30000 and they were all within spec . With my new Wee I don't think I'll bother until 30000 .
Who quoted you the £500 ? Streetbike ?

[greywolf]

Remember one person's experience with one bike has very little to do with any other bike. The poll that included many bikes may give an indication of the odds that a bike would need an adjustment, but the only way to really establish whether a particular bike would need a valve adjustment is to go in and check.

[medic5]

Try this link from within this discussion

[Little_Chris]

I had no proof that my old K5 Wee had the valve clearances checked until I checked them at 30000 and they were all within spec . With my new Wee I don't think I'll bother until 30000 .
Who quoted you the £500 ? Streetbike ?

Yes mate, Streetbike in Halesowen.

[Little_Chris]

Feel as if someone's trying to have my pants down!

As an alternative, can anyone recommend a good independent in the West Midlands, Kidderminster, Worcestershire area? Finally has anybody used Suzuki dealer Wylie & Holland Motorcycles in Telford, Shropshire?

Thanks again.

[Locky]

Not used them for a long time but Wylie & Holland was good when I lived over your way . Had a few bikes from them and had servicing done just to keep the Warranty in order ...There was never any problems with their work and they have a good reputation ..
Also have a look at Highways Motorcycles in Wolverhampton , they was good many years ago but not sure if they are a Suzuki dealer now !

What about QB bikes ? never used them for repairs but local to yourself ..
Streetbike are just a money sponge , always have been but they will do a fair deal on bike sales ..

[Firestorm]

I've always been happy with CG Chell in Stafford. Julian, the main mechanic, is a top bloke.

[Fatbelly]

14.5 Km service on my Glee done today. Valves adjusted. £340.

Courtesy bike for 24 hours was a Suzuki M1800Z which I took for a laugh because there was no Burgman!

[Jacko]

What are the sundries?

[frez]

Sundries are the squirt of lubricant they use on the clutch cable and the oily rag they use to wipe down the fingermarks they put on the fairing.