- This topic has 5 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 7 months ago by Matt.
What’s done in the first (600mi) maintenance??
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September 26, 2008 at 12:36 am #2148nau_lax21Participant
So I’m coming up on the first 600mi, and it’s about that time for the first maintenance. I’d rather not spend several hundred dollars if I don’t have to.
I’ve looked in the owner’s manual and seen what needs to be done at the 600mi maintenance. If possible, I’d rather learn how to do this myself and save a couple bills.
I always did the basic stuff on my car in high school (that was only 2 years ago) and I’m usually a quick learner with mechanical things.
I know there’s several experts on this forum. Would you recommend this? And if so, are there any books or sites I should look at first?
September 26, 2008 at 2:19 am #12771smokeizfireParticipant…Already did….yeah what Rab said.
HE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS
September 26, 2008 at 3:57 am #12772RabParticipantThe first service is usually a simple one and mainly involves:
1. Changing the oil and filter (essential).
2. Cleaning and lubricating the chain (if a chain drive bike). Also checking the chain tension and adjusting if necessary.
3. Checking that all nuts and bolts are tight (*not* by snicking them up tighter).
4. Giving it a general “once-over” e.g. checking other fluid levels (if any), cables, tires, brakes, steering, etc. and maybe test riding it.This will vary by bike (check your owner’s manual), but there’s usually not much more than that involved in a *first* service. Later services may be more involved and require more invasive procedures like valve adjustment, plug replacement, etc.
Although it’s fairly easy, you might want to have the dealer do the first service and you do (at least some of the) subsequent ones. The reason I say this is that they might pick up on mistakes that were made when the bike was assembled from the crate (not unheard of).
Check your warranty to see if it *requires* that you have the dealer perform all services.
If you’re going to service and repair your own bike, you can buy a specific “shop manual” for your bike (expensive). A more generic and very readable book is “The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance” by Mark Zimmerman. I have that one, and for what it is, it’s not bad (lots of explanations of how the various systems on your motorcycle work as well as how to do stuff). Another, apparently more basic book, which gets mixed reviews (see Amazon.com) is “Motorcycle Owner’s Manual” by Hugo Wilson. Also, the “Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycles” belongs in every new motorcyclists library as it’s a great primer on all things motorcycle and includes some basic service and maintenance how-to as well.
Whichever way you go, keep all the receipts either from the dealer, or for your oil, filter, etc. This should help when you sell your bike (and with warranty claims) as you then have proof that you serviced it.
September 26, 2008 at 3:30 pm #12797Clenzer72ParticipantI was thinking about doing my own 600 mile service because I am comfortable with doing everything myself…..with the exceptoin of the valves, checking their clearance and adjusting if neccessary. so for this I will be taking it in. Many people have said that their bike feels completely different and reborn…so maybe they have some little tricks that will liven it up a little, IDK…but i certanly hope so.
I am fluent in car car and maintanance, but not bikes….it’s a whole new animal to me so I’m going to take is slow and learn as I go, and since accurate mantanance is so critical on 2 wheels i don’t want to risk missing something that could potentially bring me down.
For instance, tire pressure. I can drop a few lbs in the car and not feel a thing…..but as soon as that happens on the bike I can feel a drastic difference in handling, performance, and stability.September 26, 2008 at 3:40 pm #12798megaspazParticipantIf you bought your bike new, I’d highly not recommend doing your own servicing unless you really know what you’re doing because what you do could void your warranty and cost you more than the service cost to fix whatever it is you borked. I’ve also never heard of any valve checks or adjustments needed on a 600 mile service. as for the bike being completely different or being reborn, um… wha? the only thing i know is that after 600 miles you should be able to open up the rpms more since you’re 1/2 through break in and yeh, that does feel a whole lot better than puttering around at some wuss rpm range. *shrugs*
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If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…September 29, 2008 at 1:56 pm #12941MattParticipantNinjas 250 in particular, but 500 also need their valves adjusted at the service. It has to do with they style of valve adjustment and the factory production method. Basically they can tighten up a lot in the first five hundred miles. After that they are good for thousands of miles at a time, but the first check is important.
MOST of the bikes won’t need any adjustment, but for the few that do, things cna go seriously wrong (valves welding themselves to the block!) if they aren’t adjusted.
So, just to be on the safe side, follow that first service interval and don’t skip anything—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.” -
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