scheduled apt at motorcycle shop

[Iahawk]

my little Ninja has about 14,500 miles (~23K km) and it's time for new tires, chain and sprockets. I probably should have called the shop in Jan or Feb but I waited until today to set an apt. They can get me in on April 5...about 1 month from now. I guess that's really not too bad, considering this is likely approaching their busiest time of the year.

I have all the parts and I suppose I can live without riding my bike for another month. I do have a section of chain a few links long that is a little rusty and very stiff. Very stiff. Last time I adjusted my chain I set the slack on a normal spot and not from this tight spot. When I spun my rear wheel around it actually stopped and reversed itself when it hit this tight spot. I readjusted the chain slack and it's ok now...but I will be very happy to get a new chain and sprockets to last me another 7 or so years.

Is anyone else scheduling any Springtime service with their shops?

[Neil955i]

Not a big job like that Hawk, but I’m fast approaching the first service for my  DTX360 so you’ve prompted me to call in and get a dated scheduled for it.

[Iahawk]

yeah, Neil, I think the two of us plus about every other biker in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere are trying to get some service scheduled!

[randyo]

I am lucky enuf to have a unique relationship with my local dealer, drop it off anytime, no appointment they will fit me in, 30day terms on billing.

that said, I make appointments, just so the have parts in stock they may need, and not to loose my welcome, I'm retired now, so it's no longer a 2 way street

[Stig / Major Tom]

Not blowing my own horn - but it was meant to be a father-son kind of experience. Plus my son is as tight as a idontknowwhat with his $....and didn't want to pay the dealer.

So....we changed the oil & filter, and front sprocket, and the rear, added a fender hugger and new chain and one of those Japanese aftermarket mufflers (Yoshimura?) to my son's pristine new-to-him Honda CB500X.
We had a big fat Honda manual to work with, and proper tools for the chain, & spring puller, etc.

I was fairly certain we were in over our heads --- but we fairly amazed ourselves that it all came out OK!



Stig

[klaviator]

I do almost all of my own servicing.  About the only thing I won't do is the valve adjustment on my motorcycles which is shim under bucket and requires removing the cams to adjust the valves.  Since this only has to be done every few years I schedule it in the middle of the winter when the shop isn't that busy and will be less likely to rush the job. 

I also don't mount my own tires except for my dual sport bike.  I take the wheel off and bring it in to get the tire mounted.  There isn't much of a wait for this.  Bring it in one day andn get it back the next. 

[Neil955i]

No less than I’d expect from you Klav.

[Iahawk]

this will be the first time I've ever brough a bike into a shop..but I thought since I'm doing both tires and chain/sprockets, those jobs are kind of intertwined..so I'll let them do it. Kind of curious to see how they will set the chain alignment and tension. I assume it will be spot on..but I'll still verify.

[NorWeWa]

Klaviator,
You might find that doing shim adjustment valves is not really a big deal.  Pulling out the cams, often only one needs pulling, and the cam chain adjuster is simple.  First time I bought a shim kit and it was about $90 but you end up with lots of unused shims. Now just go to the dealer and buy the size needed.  In my experience once checked the next time around they are going to be good.

Art 

[Stig / Major Tom]

Klaviator,
You might find that doing shim adjustment valves is not really a big deal.  Pulling out the cams, often only one needs pulling, and the cam chain adjuster is simple.  First time I bought a shim kit and it was about $90 but you end up with lots of unused shims. Now just go to the dealer and buy the size needed.  In my experience once checked the next time around they are going to be good.

Art

I found a shim kit on ebay for my Honda Forza. Guy used one or two - sold the rest - cheap! That way I could muck about with different sizes until I got it right.
Stig

[klaviator]

Klaviator,
You might find that doing shim adjustment valves is not really a big deal.  Pulling out the cams, often only one needs pulling, and the cam chain adjuster is simple.  First time I bought a shim kit and it was about $90 but you end up with lots of unused shims. Now just go to the dealer and buy the size needed.  In my experience once checked the next time around they are going to be good.

Art

I've done shim over bucket valves before so I understand the concept.  My KLR650 and XT350 had shim over bucket.  The shims could be replaced by loosening the cam caps and just lifting the cams a bit to get the shims in and out.  I'm sure I could do shim under bucket but Its just more than I want to try to tackle.

[aschrauth]

Where I am from there are no dealers for scooters or streetbikes, Only motorcycles like HD. If you want anything done as far as maitnence goes you are pretty much on your own.