Servicing costs

[dern]

I've always serviced my own bikes having never bought a new one and always happy to take the hit. However, having sat on a versys 1000 at lunchtime I'm considering it very seriously subject to a test ride. However, just looking at the servicing costs (inc vat)...

600 miles - £213.33
3750 miles - £78.00
7500 miles - £386.58
11250 miles - £139.50
15000 miles - £461.77

Firstly the service interval seems really short. Secondly is this considered the normal cost of running a new bike, 7-900 a year in servicing?

Am I out of touch?

[trickywoo]

It’s a way of the manufacturers getting you to pay for the warranty imo.

Triumph are even more expensive and the first service on the new gsxr 1000, after the run in one, is £400.

Even at £100 an hour for labour it seems very expensive to me.

I’ve also never used a garage, at any price, that has had the attention to detail that I would like.

Triumph for example sold me a nearly new ‘approved’ used bike with the rubber in the brake fluid reservoir completely expanded as if someone had bled the brakes without removing the cap.

[catso]

dern said:

Secondly is this considered the normal cost of running a new bike, 7-900 a year in servicing?

Sounds like Ducati servicing!

But even Ducati use longer service intervals than that, they just make up for it with the price of the service...

[Prof Prolapse]

I think that's quite high but I'm not an expert by any means.

Costs for my CRF1000L at a notably expensive Honda main dealer are:

600 miles - £170 (this was higher than many but my dealer did a lot more checks than the minimum)
1st year/4000 miles - £190
2nd year/8000 miles - £250
3rd year/12,000 miles - £250*

• Substationally more if mileage is at 12K due to valve clearance checks being mileage dependent. I've heard North of £500, but doesn't trouble me as I won't be dealing with them after the warranty/PCP obligations expire.

[bogie]

Depends on brand of bike ..some have tried to stretch their service intervals out to 6k or more, which makes all the difference if you are a commuter or tour regularly. I know BMW are at least 6000 miles

For weekend toy bikes, a short service interval is often just once a year for many owners though, particularly if you have multiple bikes, i guess this is why there is no pressure for manufacturers to try to make them cheaper to run.

Those prices do seem a bit high for a generic brand, its not like a premium London Harley or Ducati dealer where the labour rate can bump it up a lot. I remember the first service on my MV was just parts, oil and filter. No labour. Dunno if thats a local dealer thing or manufacturer funded.

[cbmotorsport]

Got charged around £215 for an oil and filter change and new air filter by BMW recently. Usually do my own servicing but the BMW has a service light I can't turn off.

[dibblecorse]

catso said:

dern said:

Secondly is this considered the normal cost of running a new bike, 7-900 a year in servicing?

Sounds like Ducati servicing!

But even Ducati use longer service intervals than that, they just make up for it with the price of the service...

Too true, I have 3 of the f***ers and spend most my time with my pants round my ankles, 999R is just back from a front fork rebuild and oil service, my eyes are still watering !!!

[bogie]

I can understand some of the belt or chain services being labour intensive, but usually this "big" service is every 5 years or 20-30k miles.

My MV has an oil change "minor" service every year or 3750 miles and "major" service every 7500 miles at £450 ish ....inc valves check/adjust, cush drive rubbers, spark plugs, oil and filter

Imagine if your everyday car engine needed a valve check every 7500 miles......

[Vimes]

Yes it’s the normal rate and it is ridiculous. It’s both the silly labour rates AND the silly parts prices.

I’ve always bought 2nd hand bikes and serviced them myself - never had anything other than reliability from my bikes. I treated myself to a new bike, had it serviced at the main dealer on time every time, including the £700 valve check at 18k miles. Spent a fortune.

After 25k miles the engine has blown up. Outside of warranty now and the manufacturer and dealer aren’t interested. A replacement engine is £9k!!!! What was the point of the expensive servicing?

Lesson learned - In future I’ll service them myself and find a way to turn off the service light... it’ll save me a fortune and I know the job will be done properly!

[trickywoo]

Vimes said:

After 25k miles the engine has blown up. Outside of warranty now and the manufacturer and dealer aren’t interested. A replacement engine is £9k!!!! What was the point of the expensive servicing?

BMW?

[Andy XRV]

dern said:

I've always serviced my own bikes having never bought a new one and always happy to take the hit. However, having sat on a versys 1000 at lunchtime I'm considering it very seriously subject to a test ride. However, just looking at the servicing costs (inc vat)...

600 miles - £213.33
3750 miles - £78.00
7500 miles - £386.58
11250 miles - £139.50
15000 miles - £461.77

Firstly the service interval seems really short. Secondly is this considered the normal cost of running a new bike, 7-900 a year in servicing?

Am I out of touch?

In my KTM manual there is a complete task schedule for each service so it's quite easy to see why some cost more than others. It also makes it easy for me to do my own servicing and the service warning message is user re-settable.

Here's one for the V so you can see what you're paying for.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/824389/Kawasaki-...

[Wildfire]

catso said:

But even Ducati use longer service intervals than that, they just make up for it with the price of the service...

My 821 was something like:

600 - included in the price of the bike
9000 - not reached it yet, but it's a belts service and I'm expecting £500 ish
18000 - Valves and belts.

[MK3 Dan]

bogie said:

I can understand some of the belt or chain services being labour intensive, but usually this "big" service is every 5 years or 20-30k miles.

My MV has an oil change "minor" service every year or 3750 miles and "major" service every 7500 miles at £450 ish ....inc valves check/adjust, cush drive rubbers, spark plugs, oil and filter

Imagine if your everyday car engine needed a valve check every 7500 miles......

Imagine if your road car had 150hp+ per L, revved to 12,000rpm + and had a sequential gearbox.

Whilst I agree main dealer service prices are high I don't think service intervals can really be argued, nowadays we seem to forget the amount of performance these engines offer us with relatively high reliability levels.

[bogie]

MK3 Dan said:

bogie said:

I can understand some of the belt or chain services being labour intensive, but usually this "big" service is every 5 years or 20-30k miles.

My MV has an oil change "minor" service every year or 3750 miles and "major" service every 7500 miles at £450 ish ....inc valves check/adjust, cush drive rubbers, spark plugs, oil and filter

Imagine if your everyday car engine needed a valve check every 7500 miles......

Imagine if your road car had 150hp+ per L, revved to 12,000rpm + and had a sequential gearbox.

Whilst I agree main dealer service prices are high I don't think service intervals can really be argued, nowadays we seem to forget the amount of performance these engines offer us with relatively high reliability levels.

Exactly ...for the performance you get, the servicing is not that bad...if you are talking about a superbike with all the gizmos. Owners are not running these high performance machines for 20k miles a year commuting

I thought the labour rate at my local bike dealer wasnt *that* bad at £55 an hour, compared to local mainstream car dealers at £100 ph or more...someone mentioned to me the other day the local Mini dealer was £150ph !!

[scorcher]

Andy XRV said:

dern said:

I've always serviced my own bikes having never bought a new one and always happy to take the hit. However, having sat on a versys 1000 at lunchtime I'm considering it very seriously subject to a test ride. However, just looking at the servicing costs (inc vat)...

600 miles - £213.33
3750 miles - £78.00
7500 miles - £386.58
11250 miles - £139.50
15000 miles - £461.77

Firstly the service interval seems really short. Secondly is this considered the normal cost of running a new bike, 7-900 a year in servicing?

Am I out of touch?

In my KTM manual there is a complete task schedule for each service so it's quite easy to see why some cost more than others. It also makes it easy for me to do my own servicing and the service warning message is user re-settable.

Here's one for the V so you can see what you're paying for.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/824389/Kawasaki-...

So what are they charging 78 quid for at 3750 miles? Do they look at it parked out in the yard for an hour whilst you sit in the cafe having a sausage sandwich?

[dern]

dibblecorse said:

Too true, I have 3 of the f***ers and spend most my time with my pants round my ankles, 999R is just back from a front fork rebuild and oil service, my eyes are still watering !!!

fk it, I'll buy second hand and keep doing my own servicing and repairs. I've just done the forks including springs on my blackbird and it was not difficult.

I started to get suckered in by the pcp payments but then you have to pay for servicing on top and all you're just pissing your money away for the perceived benefit of the latest model.

I only need a commuter to sit next to my 2007 blade. I'll just buy a 3 year old tracer and let someone else take the hit.

[Birky_41]

bogie said:

I can understand some of the belt or chain services being labour intensive, but usually this "big" service is every 5 years or 20-30k miles.

My MV has an oil change "minor" service every year or 3750 miles and "major" service every 7500 miles at £450 ish ....inc valves check/adjust, cush drive rubbers, spark plugs, oil and filter

Imagine if your everyday car engine needed a valve check every 7500 miles......

That was one of the reasons I sold my mv

I do 6k a year and was doing nearly 2 a year on the Mv driving all the way to Barnsley from Essex for a bloody service

My Aprilia is 6000 intervals.

Think the minor was about 220 but the major was valves at 12k and I got fingered... Hard. Rrp was about 750 think I paid 600 as part of a service plan, 2 valves needed shimming so basically 700 quid. Did ride much better after though

[Vimes]

trickywoo said:

Vimes said:

After 25k miles the engine has blown up. Outside of warranty now and the manufacturer and dealer aren’t interested. A replacement engine is £9k!!!! What was the point of the expensive servicing?

BMW?

Yes

[jjones]

Vimes said:

Yes

GS-911 service tool to reset the light.

[Biker's Nemesis]

My fist service £45. Second £45 and the third will be the same.

2017 MT10 sp