Shopped my bike around for a 6000k service and the best I can get is $180 for essentially 1L of oil, 1 $6 filter, a spark plug but I doubt it, give it a once over, ride it around the block and stamp the logbook.
I just had a service done on a 6 cylinder car at a ford dealership and it cost $136.
Why are bike riders being bent over so badly?
All I want is the stamp.
Amazes me when people think that the parts is what makes a service. The oil is better and more expensive.You pay for the expertise to make sure that the bike is adjusted properly and safe to ride. You have nothing around you for protection, and the last thing you want is for the chain to fly off, or the wheels seize or the forks lock. You can die so much easier on a bike. I work on cars and bikes. It takes just as long to do a bike as a car. Modern bikes have computer interfaces as well, and there is not really a generic machine to read codes. Brakes and chains and sprockets wear quickly. Tyres are crucial. Even things like brake fluid need to be spot on. My advice is to not skimp on bike servicing and repairs. saving a few dollars is no bargain if you put your life at risk.
they charge $180 because they can. a two wheel vehicle is no more difficult to repair and service than a four wheel vehicle. they have in fact less moving parts.
have a look in the manual. then go to sca and buy all the recommended parts needed for a service. then go to a motorcycle workshop and tell them to use those parts. chances are that they will still charge ~$180 because of blah-blah-blah.
paying $180 or $500 for that matter isn't going to put your life in less risks than a $100 service. a 1.5t car hitting you on the side at 50km and you'll be pretty much fd.
It has CVT so no chain, sprockets to worry about.
The oil is nothing special, just 4T 15W-40, $30 for 4l and I use 1
They dont do anything with the tyres or suspension but look at them
I check the bike every second day to make sure it is safe to ride so really, its an oil change and a stamp for $180.
I should add that some mobs wanted up to $100 more for the same.
Like I said, a 6 cyl car is cheaper to service than a single pot 250 bike and uses 5x the material to service so where is the justification?
Probably just because there's less demand for it.
If it's so easy, why don't you do it?
Do it yourself.
I guess you both(2jzzzz , blitz) missed the bit about needing a stamp for warranty, it was mentioned several times.
No service = no stamp = no factory warranty.
Rest assured when it is out of warranty I will be doing it myself.
maybe the answer is right here, for the record not into bikes myself, but in return for being recommended as an 'approved' service station, maybe the mechanic collects a little more cash from customer in return for stamp and passes on a tidy kickback to dealer as a thank you?! kickbacks are more common in a service related industry than you might think, and this is yet one more way dealerships can earn extra even when you don't use their own inhouse mechanic, so whenever a dealer "recommends" another service center, there might still be cash involved but it's under the table!
I usually would but I need the stamp for warranty.
Fingers meet toes.
A common misconception is that a bike is cheaper to maintain than a car. Unfortunately it is not the case (mostly).
Depending on the bike your 6K and 12K services are the bigger ones. If you have a look at the link below you will see what the service should entail at different intervals of the engines life on a Suzuki.
http://www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in/periodic_maintenance.aspx
As the mechanic/service centre for a list of things the service will include, most can be done yourself but at the 6K I would get it done properly.
That's true, however most people do not have a motorbike as their only means of transportation, so the interval frequencies are further apart than you would a car.
What ford dealership did you get your car serviced? mine is capped price and still get charged 350 for annual service.
Bryan Byrt Ford had an "any car" special on for a month.
Of course today when i went past the sign was taken down
ahh Damn, thought was in for a deal.
BTW I have a NInja 650 bought brand new from Peter (profanity) Stevens. Never again am I buying for them or getting my bike serviced from them after I go one last time for its 18000k service as warranty finishes in march. I know your pain about the ridiculously over priced costs and lack of service they provide.
The problem is they are too big to make an impact or change their ways
You can easily do it yourself within warranty…after you:
- pay for a certification which is recognized by the trades union/government that you are a professional motorcycle mechanic.
- register for a free abn
- pay for/ register yourself with the motorbike's manufacturer as an authorized service centre.
- pay yourself industry standard wages
- buy insurance for your business.
- buy all the proper tools required for the job. Don't try putting a wrong size imperial on a metric nut because, 'don't worry, it will just work fine mate'.
- buy/set up health safety/work cover etc to cover you in case you have an accident while performing the job.
- setup a business account and accounting bits to give yourself a proper tax invoice for the job and the money earned/saved off it goes to a business bank account.
- add up all the cost into the cost of servicing your bike while maintaining warranty.
Want to save money on servicing? Buy second hand vehicles and work on them yourself. Want the hassle free warranty covered idea, buy a new bike and get it serviced as mentioned in the log book.
All lame excuses.
If other mechanics can service cars with more items on them and 4x more fluids for $100 +- what gives a bike dealership the excuse to gouge considerably more?
"Want to save money on servicing? Buy second hand vehicles and work on them yourself."
I did buy second hand and got just over 30% off of new price but it is still under factory warranty for another 16 mths.
Items supposedly done for $195 charge.
Clean air-filter - I did it myself less than 1000klm ago
check idle speed - it's computer managed and fuel injected and was perfect anyway
Check fuel line for damage - its a near new bike and enclosed engine so little chance for damage
*Replace oil 1.3L
*Replace oil filter
Check coolant level - easily accessible and very obvious bottle
Lubricate brake levers - I do that monthly myself anyway so it didn't need doing
Check operation - yes they work fine.
Adjust tyre pressure - are you kidding, I do this every second day when cold with my own digital gauge
Check wheel bearings for looseness - (put bike on center-stand and wobble wheel - yes I do this regularly
Lube sidestand
Check battery
Check lights, mirror and horn.
Check error code that I gave them and they then misdiagnosed (have to take it in again)
Take 3 hours instead of the 1 hour quoted over phone and on drop off forcing me to cancel lunch engagement which they new about.
Like I said, its 1.3l of oil and $6 filter for $195
Thats on a single pot 250 as well I might add.