Wow, have I been living under a rock? Cost of servicing...

[PorkInsider]

Nothingtoseehere said:

PorkInsider said:

T6 vanman said:

PorkInsider said:

My 2025 Ducati Streetfighter V2S is due its second service in a few weeks. I'm fully expecting it to work out to at least £1 per mile ridden.

First service was an oil change at 580 miles and I'm pretty sure it was ~£400.

Next one will be at least the same I guess(?) and I've done 400 miles since the previous one.

mine was just under £300 .. very happy to give a big shout out to OYB

I could be wrong! I'm off to look for the receipt. Hold on...

First service on my 2025 Panigale V2S was £232. Edit: year one service, not running service.

Found the receipt now: £438.56

But...

£120 of that was collection/delivery which I'd forgotten about. So £318.56 for the service.

It's specifically detailed as '600 mile service' on the invoice. Let's see what the next one looks like...

[Bob_Defly]

richhead said:

Fork oil change seems unnecessary unless its been leaking, its oil in a sealed space, no contaminants added unlike engine oil.

It degrades over time, and does get contaminated. Best to change every 5+ years even if it's not leaking.

[Bob_Defly]

Steve Bass said:

The work itself is pretty simple, the real cost is having the tools and equipment for a home mechanic to do it.
Fork oil change? easy as pie but without something to hold the bike up with the front wheel out, it's a non starter. Then you need a fork oil syringe tool to set the oil height, a vice clamp to hold the fork stanchion, specialist tools to remove the fork cap... it goes on and on..
So it's a case of gear up and get the necessary tools, equipment and sundries or look big and cough up with the dealer or indy...
The real challenge comes when you need factory specific specialist tools for certain jobs, often related to head/cam/valve work....and certain work processes to ensure you don't cause more harm than good. .....
It can be very rewarding to spanner a bike yourself but it's a commitment to time, space and outlay for questionable returns.

This. As long as you have a weekend free, the space, and tools, it can be worth trying yourself based on youtube videos. I'll do the valve check on the CRF450RL when it's due as I can leave it in place if I need to buy parts. I didn't attempt it on the Tiger 900 as it was much more of a PITA to do.

Forks seem like a mystery to me. I'd like to learn but I'm worried I'll have no idea what I'm doing. One day...

[Jap90s]

For most jobs you don't need fancy tools just a bit of ingenuity

For forks, I haven't got a fancy stand but I do have a ratchet strap to loop around the bars and a beam in my garage

Never needed a syringe, just measure the air gap using a ruler and a cable tie

I used my adjustable angle grinder pin spanner to undo the fork caps etc

Loads of videos on YouTube 👍

[catso]

I do my own servicing, repairs, rebuilds, tyre changes etc. on my bikes, granted I have bought a lot of kit/tools for the purpose but now, other than parts (fluids, filters, cambelts etc.) it's basically free.

The old Guzzi is the easiest and cheapest as no special tools are required plus it's MOT exempt and free tax.

I've not tackled forks/shocks yet but, I'm happy to give K-tech a couple of hundred pounds every 10 years or so - which is about when the Ohlins on the 916 start leaking.

It's not just about saving money, though that's important (especially WRT desmo valve adjustments), I'd just rather do it myself because no-one else would give it the same attention to detail plus, I actually enjoy it.

[RSstuff]

Flavio Mosley said:

Harris_I said:

Just asked BMW to quote my 18,000 mile service on an S1000XR. Over a grand!! Granted, I live in the southeast where dealer rates are high, and this is the big one which includes valve clearance check, fork oil change and plugs, but still...

I then tried a local indy... over £1500!!

Honestly, I must have gone to sleep for 20 years. Just can't get my head around the cost of servicing (and I wouldn't dare attempt valve clearance or fork oil on my own).

Sounds about right. We re a main dealer and we re about £850 and quote approx £150-£250 for any shims that need replacing as the cam carrier has to be removed.

,
So at the start of the riding season, when a service has to be booked well in advance. And a tech rings in sick, or has left, there's no chance the 18k valve check get's ticked and skipped?

[Stevemr]

Yep exactly that. I just don’t trust anyone else to touch it really. I don’t think anyone else is going to be as careful or as accurate with it. Plus I enjoy working on them.
It helps both my bikes are 23 years old though!

[_Rodders_]

Turn7 said:

_Rodders_ said:

Seems like a design fail to seven need them checking and adjusting in 2026. The last car I had to that on would be over 40 years old now.

Design failure or income generator ?

Well quite.

[Jap90s]

RSstuff said:

,
So at the start of the riding season, when a service has to be booked well in advance. And a tech rings in sick, or has left, there's no chance the 18k valve check get's ticked and skipped?

I don't trust anyone so when I do anything, I take photos to show when I sell it

I'm sure decent garages wouldn't mind if you ask for a photo of it in bits, although it still doesn't mean it's been shimmed correctly

[bogie]

Jap90s said:

I don't trust anyone so when I do anything, I take photos to show when I sell it

I'm sure decent garages wouldn't mind if you ask for a photo of it in bits, although it still doesn't mean it's been shimmed correctly

Had the valves done on 2 bikes in the last few years and both times received a USB stick with photos of the service and entire process, along with details of valve adjustments. One was an indy and another MV Agusta main dealer. When I sold the MV the USB stick was included with the rest of the service history, nice for the new owner to have rather than just a stamp in a service book.

[Flavio Mosley]

RSstuff said:

Flavio Mosley said:

Harris_I said:

Just asked BMW to quote my 18,000 mile service on an S1000XR. Over a grand!! Granted, I live in the southeast where dealer rates are high, and this is the big one which includes valve clearance check, fork oil change and plugs, but still...

I then tried a local indy... over £1500!!

Honestly, I must have gone to sleep for 20 years. Just can't get my head around the cost of servicing (and I wouldn't dare attempt valve clearance or fork oil on my own).

Sounds about right. We re a main dealer and we re about £850 and quote approx £150-£250 for any shims that need replacing as the cam carrier has to be removed.

,
So at the start of the riding season, when a service has to be booked well in advance. And a tech rings in sick, or has left, there's no chance the 18k valve check get's ticked and skipped?

We’re lucky enough to have multiple techs, multiple ramps and multiple courtesy bikes. So if there was a reason for us not being able to do it, the customer would be on a courtesy bike, apologised to and a plan of action put in place to get it done and back to them asap .

[Biker9090]

richhead said:

Fork oil change seems unnecessary unless its been leaking, its oil in a sealed space, no contaminants added unlike engine oil.

Tell me you've never opened a set of forks without telling me you've never opened a set of forks.

Old fork oil both looks and smells bloody awful!

Ironically, most oem service spec sheets I've read don't include it in their services.....

My strom is the only bike I've ever paid for a valve service on. I've either not had the others long enough, had it done as part of the deal or learnt to do it myself.

Quite frankly I can't be bothered to do it myself at the moment so it goes to the dealer. That also maintains the warranty and it stops my semi medicated ADHD riddled brain going down a rabbit hole of taking something else apart whilst I'm in there.....

I paid £600 last year (no shims needed) which i thought was quite good from an official suzuki dealer.

[RSstuff]

Flavio Mosley said:

We re lucky enough to have multiple techs, multiple ramps and multiple courtesy bikes. So if there was a reason for us not being able to do it, the customer would be on a courtesy bike, apologised to and a plan of action put in place to get it done and back to them asap .

Which manufacturers bikes do you service?

[shirt]

I self service. Basics are easy but I make a point of rebuilding calipers and master cylinder’s on any new-to-me bike and I’ve done forks before which is fiddly but fairly straight forward.

I’m due a desmo service which I’m thinking I might have a go at myself. I can do the clearance check no problem so hoping it’s in spec.

I’ve given up on my rear wheel though and it’s going to the local Indy having seized up on me twice, the second time after a full rebuild from the hub out. Really haven’t a clue what I’ve done wrong and I just don’t fancy putting in the hours involved to do it a third time.

[PorkInsider]

PorkInsider said:

Nothingtoseehere said:

PorkInsider said:

T6 vanman said:

PorkInsider said:

My 2025 Ducati Streetfighter V2S is due its second service in a few weeks. I'm fully expecting it to work out to at least £1 per mile ridden.

First service was an oil change at 580 miles and I'm pretty sure it was ~£400.

Next one will be at least the same I guess(?) and I've done 400 miles since the previous one.

mine was just under £300 .. very happy to give a big shout out to OYB

I could be wrong! I'm off to look for the receipt. Hold on...

First service on my 2025 Panigale V2S was £232. Edit: year one service, not running service.

Found the receipt now: £438.56

But...

£120 of that was collection/delivery which I'd forgotten about. So £318.56 for the service.

It's specifically detailed as '600 mile service' on the invoice. Let's see what the next one looks like...

Service now booked for next month.

This is the first annual service, following the running-in service. Price is £330 inc. vat.

[Flavio Mosley]

RSstuff said:

Flavio Mosley said:

We re lucky enough to have multiple techs, multiple ramps and multiple courtesy bikes. So if there was a reason for us not being able to do it, the customer would be on a courtesy bike, apologised to and a plan of action put in place to get it done and back to them asap .

Which manufacturers bikes do you service?

BMW

[OutInTheShed]

Biker9090 said:

richhead said:

Fork oil change seems unnecessary unless its been leaking, its oil in a sealed space, no contaminants added unlike engine oil.

Tell me you've never opened a set of forks without telling me you've never opened a set of forks.

Old fork oil both looks and smells bloody awful!

Ironically, most oem service spec sheets I've read don't include it in their services.....

My strom is the only bike I've ever paid for a valve service on. I've either not had the others long enough, had it done as part of the deal or learnt to do it myself.

Quite frankly I can't be bothered to do it myself at the moment so it goes to the dealer. That also maintains the warranty and it stops my semi medicated ADHD riddled brain going down a rabbit hole of taking something else apart whilst I'm in there.....

I paid £600 last year (no shims needed) which i thought was quite good from an official suzuki dealer.

I changed the seals and oil on my trail bike last year, it seemed like some kind of biohazard.

IMHO, there are plenty of adequately powerful bikes which can be DIY serviced.
One of the things I love about bikes is the simplicity, understanding pretty much every part. I'm fairly happy to wield spanners or other tools, and over the years I've enjoyed the challenge of various things from EFI to Lucas magnetos. I've always born in mind that I've saved enough on basic servicing to pay for one of the gods to do serious engine work if I ever need it.

[Glade]

vindaloo79 said:

Appleyards keighly mentioned about £240 for first service. I had negotiated it included with the GX. I m having to wait six weeks from booking

Yeah at Padgetts they were fully booked for service too. I figured i could get it straight in then had a similar wait. Did loads of miles in the first 3 weeks and have been eeking it out!

I was guessing £180 lol - wishful thinking.

[Steve_H80]

I'm always amazed at these 'how much' conversations. Go ask your boss how much he charges for you per hour and start from there.

[P675]

First service that I took my S1000R to was a BMW dealer and was quite shocked that an oil change and air filter was £320. Later on needed a new chain and sprockets, they quoted something like £600 so I found an indy that seems to know what they're doing. The dealer is out of business now.

The 18k service (done at 24k) I got the indy to do, opted out of the fork servicing but it was still £600. Of course no valve adjustments were necessary. I'm at 31k now and will get the fork and shock serviced at K-Tech at some point, with DDC I want experts to look at it, and maybe re-spring for my weight too.