Valve clearance check

[UK_Vstrom650]

With the bike coming up for 30,000 miles, I'm due a valve clearance check. I was going to do it myself this week but got distracted with jobs around the house 

Anyway,  whilst booking the bike in for the Stator replacement (19th Jan),  I asked the dealership how much for the valve clearance check, which they said would be £100. Having looked at what's involved to do the checks, I don't think that's too bad a price, although I was told if they need adjusting that'd be another couple of hours work (they did say they've never had to change any before and they have some high mileage Stroms). So I'm probably going to let the garage do them - although I'd prefer to do it myself I can't see me getting time to do it ().

I'll ask them to write down the clearances and post them on here when done.

(If I get a full service done at the same time it'll be c. £350 all in, though I do have the free oil/oil filter discount card & the plugs might not need changing so that'd be around £70 off?)

[bigpie]

I wouldn't trust that they'd actually do the check. Unless I could watch.

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[Ccmp]

Hi is your bike not due a recall for the valve clearance check as discussed on this forum. Maybe yours was not part of that recall?

[Hondaman]

Presumably the valves have already been done in the past?
One option would be to stretch the check until you have time/inclination to do it yourself.
£100 from a dealer sounds OK for a valve check (if tgey actually do it...) but an extra £250 for a 'service' sounds silly, as the tank is off for air filter change, the oil gets done on the stator recall which leaves the plugs & a general kick of the tyres etc.
To me is sounds like they are charging £250 for an air filter, 4 plugs (which are probably OK) & an oil filter!

[greywolf]

It takes significantly more time and expertise to change the shims on a 650 than it does to just check them. The cams have to be removed from under the cam chains. It sounds like you have a good dealer there. So many just do a higher quote, many of those raise the estimate if they find an adjustment is needed, and a few just take your money and never even check figuring reported engine problems can't be proven to be the result of a missed check.

[listermint]

I seen a bird called Nora check them in a workshop in India on her around the world trip.  If she can do it....  I'd save the 100 quid for pints

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[kwackboy]

As GW said .. it takes alot more knowledge to change the shims than check them . Shim changing is an involved job and alot of mechanics/dealers don't like doing it so they tend to over charge to compensate. Despite comments there are some genuine mechanics out there that actually do a proper job , granted they are few and far between but when you are in a job where there time is money shimming tends to the last job that mechanics want to do .

[Angustoyou]

Looking at it, half the job of checking clearances is getting to them. I sincerely doubt mine were checked. I bought the bike on 13000 miles, and as part of paying the full (reasonable) asking price the dealer agreed to do the 15000 mile service early for me.  Guess I'll find out when I see the state of the air filter when I do my own service now she's hit 15000.  If I had stripped it that far, the little extra to get to the valves would seem a no brainer. 

Actually changing shims is more time again though. At least these days I have other transport options. My first shim change was 20 years ago on my speed triple. Strip and check, shims needed, so rebuild, go and fetch, strip and fit.  Can't say I miss those days!

[mr_diver]

My K6 Wee got checked @ 14.5k... I know I did them.
The first check should be done to make sure they are within spec after the initial break in.
To this end many manufacturers extend the interval from new to first check after a year or so in production as real world testing can never be conducted on a lab bench.
The 'onda CB500x/s/r range are a perfect example as they needed to be done @ 600 miles and now @ 8k.

I skipped the 30k check but did a check @ 50k and they hadn't changed... and I assure you all, when the gearbox went pop @ 60k the clearances were still well within spec.
My Varadero has the same cam chain, DOHC, shim and bucket arrangement as the Wee/Glee and they got checked @ 16k and were within spec... I never intend to see the bloody things again. 

[kwackboy]

The 'onda CB500x/s/r range are a perfect example as they needed to be done @ 600 miles and now @ 8k

Only the 2013 model needed to be checked on Honda's say so as some first model cb500f's had some issues but on recall the the majority were found to be OK, because of this the later models the shim check is alot later.
The engine is pretty much unchanged over the years but I think Honda was a little over cautious with this issue .
I own a 2015 cb500f (great bike) currently at 6500miles , no shim check as yet but I plan to do it at 10k.
I've done a couple of first shim checks on customers cb500x's with mileage over 15k, all.within spec.   

[UK_Vstrom650]

Had the valve clearances done at the same time as the Stator recall. At approximately 29,300 miles they were as per attached.

(Would have liked to do them myself but realistically I can't see me having time this year   [kids!] )