So am at 909 miles and thinking about doing my own 1000 miles service as opposed to 400.00 for the dealer to do. I'm sure this subject has been beaten to death already but is there a good reason to just suck it up for the 1st service and let the dealer do it. I always think about if they actually do what they promise and will they handle my bike like I do?
Lastly, since I don't have the service manual, is there a list of things for me to buy if I go it alone?
The first thing you should do is to buy the service manual. Without the manual, it's a bit like baking a cake without a recipe or instructions. You might figure changing the oil and filter is so simple even the high school dropouts at Jiffy Lube can do it. Well, many of them have been known to screw up peoples cars when they really didn't know what they were doing. You need the manuals for the instructions on what to check, how to check it, torque specs for everything from drain plugs to those "critical fasteners" that are supposed to be checked during prep and then at every subsequent service interval, etc. It's not just a simple fluid change if you want it done right. Unfortunately at many dealerships that's all you actually get for your $400 to $550 first service. Fluids changed and the belt tension adjusted, then possibly a quick wash job at some places.
To give you an idea of how important I think it is to have the manuals in hand, I'm a degreed automotive engineer who spent years as a field service engineer and service rep helping dealerships before moving on to the manufacturing side of the business. I've worked on all my own vehicles since the age of sixteen.
And I don't work on anything, vehicles, appliances, you name it, without first getting the manual.
You will need all the standard hand tools, and some tasks are made easier with a few specialized wrenches. For instance adjusting the rear belt tension means loosening the rear axle, and unless you want to remove the muffler you might want a special wrench designed for the purpose that works with the muffler installed. Those are the things you learn as you go. You also need a belt tension gauge to accurately measure and set belt tension. How about an oil filter wrench to remove the filter? How about torque wrenches, ft-lb and in-lb?
If you know anyone at that dealership you can trust, see if they can recommend a good tech who will do the job by the book. See if he will let you watch. Then decide if you want to buy the tools so you can do future services yourself.
JMHO - Jerry
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Topic: 1000 Mile Service (Read 2190 times)