Full service

Benno · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 May 2012 Karma :

So as I have reached my first 1000 miles on the GPZ I am beginning to think it is probably time for the first service. Doing this myself is probably beyond my technical abilities at this stage.

Went down to the local bike shop today and got a quote for a full service including valve clearances (not sure what this is, would someone be able to explain it to me?) which they said would be about £216, I think (maybe he said £260 Shocked

), plus VAT and labour. At this point a chap popped his head around the corner and yelled that GPZ valve clearances were a really messy job. At least that's what I remember, I have the memory of a 70 year old. Not sure if he included labour but he probably did.

This is sounding like quite a bit more than I thought, is this a reasonable price? They said it would be more expensive in the summer which I can understand.
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yaigi · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Karma :

Benno · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 May 2012 Karma :

yaigi · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Karma :

goto10 · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Oct 2011 Karma :

Ingah · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Karma :

Valve clearances on that bike are done by a locknut. It's not particularly hard or time-consuming and accept no bullshit telling you otherwise. Anyone who tries, means you need to be turning and running for the door and breathing a sigh of relief that they didn't manage to mug you today.

The CB500 on the other hand (i'm being charitable, maybe the guy got confused..), are shims, and this is much harder to adjust (* to check, it's still pretty easy and quick, as with the GPZ).

Get a Haynes manual, even if you're not doing the work yoursef it will allow you to read up and work out who's giving it all the bullshit and who's actually giving you what you ask for.

And not to sound too grumpy i hope, but what the hell is a 'full service' at that garage (this is where the Haynes comes in, it'll list all the servicing work), is it actually a full service, does it include every item in the Haynes? If not, it's not quite a 'full' service in the way you think, is it? Not that i'd be too worried about missing certain jobs, just that a 'full service' at garage A won't necessarily equate to a 'full service' at garage B.

I find best results are to be had when you go in with a list, and say you want to do X, Y, Z - how much?

How old's the bike and how many miles?
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evoboy · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Aug 2009 Karma :

We do a full service for around £130. It varies slightly as some are a pig to do.

GPZ's are easy.
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McJamweasel · BCF Junkie Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Karma :

barrkel · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Karma :

Benno · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 May 2012 Karma :

Thanks for the answers so far. Bike has done 23,000 miles now, the last 1000 of which I did.

One problem is that the bike shop I went to is the only bike shop in my area. Never seen another one and internet searches aren't yielding much.

I still don't really know what valve clearances are. What are these valves for? I'm embarrassingly mechanically illiterate but I figured out what a spanner was the other day and felt well chuffed Mr. Green

Working my way there Thumbs Up

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evoboy · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Aug 2009 Karma :

_mjs_ · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Karma :

This is why I do servicing myself; I don't trust mechanics not to rip me off.

Get a Haynes manual and for the £260 quoted you can buy a nice toolkit: torque wrench, spanners, oil, set of filters, gaskets, carb balancers, fluids, greases, spare parts if needed etc.

Set a day aside to do it, follow the step by step instructions and you'll be glad you did. I'm still pretty much a novice myself but I've never come across a problem yet I haven't been able to solve and even if I do, it's only a matter of asking for help on this fine forum.

TLDR; MTFU, RTFM, DIY, tits and Gary. It's the only way you'll learn Thumbs Up

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Islander · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Aug 2012 Karma :

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

Heh, nice one. "Full" service means nothing outside of a massage parlour. Given that the grease monkeys didn't even know that GPZ500 valve clearances are locknut adjusted, I'd hesitate to trust their judgement on what needs done.

Get an itemised list of what they intend to do, there's no point in just telling us a price. Most of the cost is labour, which is why you need to know that you're getting your money's worth in terms of knowledge.

Well worth doing it yourself, IMO, you're not going to make that money back in resale. Oil and filter is #1 priority, and inspect and clean the air filters. Plugs out for a look, clean and gap. Chain and sprockets should be on your regular inspection and maintenance schedule anyway. Valve clearances a little more involved, but only a little. There are plenty of how-to guides on YouTube to supplement a Book of Lies.
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Kwakki Si · Trackday Trickster Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Karma :

A full service on my bike is a oil and filter change lol! That's as much as I can be arsed.
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goto10 · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Oct 2011 Karma :

woo · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Karma :

Benno please never ever go back in that shop as they sound like a bunch of cowboys are will rip you off!

If they we genuine competent mechanics they would have given you a price quote and be able to tell exactly what they will be doing for that money.
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TheBikerStig · Crazy Courier Joined: 15 Dec 2011 Karma :

Nobody has told OP what valve clearances are yet.
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Gavsta88 · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 05 Dec 2012 Karma :

Mate seriously consider the service yourself!!

Its only an oil change (undo a bolt under the sump), change over the oil filter (unscrew old and screw on new) and then if you wanted to then swap the sparkies (remove the spark plug covers and wrench out the old and screw in the new) possibly swap over the air filter which is just taking off the petrol tank. (saying that im only working on a Bandit so its meant to be pretty easy)

Il be doing mine this week, saving myself over £100 and iv never done it before (got Haynes Manual so cant go wrong!) although iv got some mechanical knowledge, all be it from working on the car.

Gav

Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

The valve clearances are the gap between the rocker arm or cam shaft and the inlet and exhaust valve stems. The gap is critical for 1. allowing the full opening of the valve, 2. Allowing the full closing of the valve and 3. Ensuring there is no damage or excessive wear to the valve, piston or cam shaft.

The adjustments are made by either bucket and shims or tappet and locknut. A very few bikes (Honda 1500 Goldwings off the top of my head) have hydraulic tappets which don't need adjusting. More common in cars though.
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