Servicing, how often when and what?

[Colinzor]

Hi

Just picked up my new bike (new to me) shes a 2004 Kawasaki z750 with 32k on the clock and i absolutely love it bought it off a friend who seems to have looked after her fairly well, my last bike the 750 katana gave me alot of trouble and i did nothing but throw money at it so this time i have a nice bike id like to look after it.

Im looking for some advice on keeping this engine in the best shape i can, i dont have any mechanical knowledge, how often should i service and what would be included? from what i have gathered a basic service you can do yourself with some basic tools which i can gather up

oil change
oil filter
fuel filter
air filter
adjust chain
clean chain
lube chain
spark plugs???
otherwise for general health a quick rinse with water after outing and soap and water once a week to keep clean.

how often should i go about a major service? a local mechanic has quoted me 3 levels of servicing but top end service £350 which includes all of the above plus valve clearances.

very confused please help,

thank you!
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CBR 125R 05 (Sold) | GSX 750F 1996 (Sold) | Kawasaki z750 2004

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Have you checked the service or owners manual?
This will be covered in there.

As a rough guide, this is what I generally go by (jap inline 4b with carbs), but I'm mechanically sympathetic and engine oil is cheap, engines are not hence oil doesn't stay in for 8000 miles in any of my vehicles.

oil change: 4000 miles or 12 months
oil filter: every oil change (oem or better)
fuel filter: every 24,000 miles unless problem
air filter: clean and re-oil every 8000 miles, but it's cotton gauze type
adjust chain: checked every time is cleaned
clean chain: every 200-400 miles depending on how shit weather is, paraffin is cheap
lube chain: after every clean
spark plugs???: depends, iridium or platinum last longer, roughly 12,000 miles but I'd inspect before replacing. Any sign of misfire and they'd be gone. Cooking type plugs every 8,000 miles

Valves in the book for mine are every 16,000 but probably never been done until after 32k and needed very little change (and are bucket & shim).

Don't forget coolant and brake fluid every 24,000 miles or whatever is recommended, head and suspension bearings may need greasing every now and again.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[Beehive Bedlam]

Buy a Haynes.

[arry]

Are you trying to maintain service history or are you quite happy not collecting stamps?

TBH, on my older bikes - oil change once a year, spark plugs as / when I got round to them, air filter about the same. The rest of it was as / when maintenance - used to disassemble brakes / axles and clean / regrease once every 3 years or so and that worked out fine.

[Colinzor]

Sorry for the late reply. Basically i love the bike im trying to keep the engine in as best condition i can and keep the bike well maintained, for service history i can record what i can personally just so if i ever sell they know what has been done and when.

so i want to keep her tip top.
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CBR 125R 05 (Sold) | GSX 750F 1996 (Sold) | Kawasaki z750 2004

[RhynoCZ]

Find the service manual in PDF /FOR FREE, don't bother with Haynes. Haynes manuals are for people who take stuff apart and then put back together. The Kawasaki manual should be alright, for the purpose of the basic maintenance.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Colinzor]

Have a manual here downloaded, just havnt had much time to look at it and if im honest im pretty afraid to try anything by myself incase i break something also there is quite alot of information its a little overwhelming and technical.
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CBR 125R 05 (Sold) | GSX 750F 1996 (Sold) | Kawasaki z750 2004

[M.C]

[ZX-7R]