Valve adjustment labor cost

[madcap]

Ok Boys - Time to man up and face the realities of the situation:

1 – You own a motorcycle that’s a PIA to service; not particularly difficult, just tedious and requiring a bit of precision and a fair amount of time.
2 – NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE cares as much about the proper maintenance and operation of your bike as you do.
3 – Due to #1 and #2 the probability that a valve check and adjust-to-center, and all that is involved to perform this work, will be done competently, with good attention to detail, is very low….at any price/labor rate.

Your choices are:
-   Do the work right yourself
-   Put up with high shop prices and poor workmanship
-   Get an easier/cheaper bike to maintain.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled whining…..

Courtney in St. Louis

+1 Courtney, from a fellow St. Louis-ian. Couldn't agree more.

[CrashKLRtoConnie]

Just to stir the pot ....

I would guess there are 4 basic types of motorcycle owners;

1. Buy new and sell before bike hits 30,000 miles
(so likely would never have to do any services outside the basics: engine oil, air filter, tires, maybe battery and rear drive spline lube)

2. Buy new and keep the bike for 45,000 or more
(so likely would need all the basic and major services

3. Buy used with low miles and good condition and keep for as long as you are having fun and service is not a PITA
(so likely would due the basic services shortly after you get the bike and do the major services as the mile/age/use dictate)

4. Buy used with high miles and average condition (Beater biker or frugal owner)
(this is the river boat gambler guy would got a good deal and either feels lucky and or plans to do both the basic and major services as needed)

My guess is that #1 and #3 may never have to worry or due a value / throttle body / front fork service unless they have $$ or extra time and skill

Also my guess is that #2 and #4 will need at sometime to undertake or pay for such major services

If the above grouping makes sense it would be interesting to see where most people in this forum fall into
(Given some of the poll result suggest about 50% of owners will do many of the Major Type Services themselves)

I am #3

Would be more fun to be Number 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner

[lddave]

I guess I am a five.
Buy new and make sure the maintenance is done and ride it till the only person who would buy it would be Fred Sanford.

[Reddogger]

Hey SHEROB would you mind posting the name of that shop?  I'm in Ft. Collins and always looking for options.
Thanks 

[CrashKLRtoConnie]

I have a friend that works for the medical site of Michell (Of the old CAR Flat rate book fame)

Seems we recall that often the flat rate time is related to only the task called for and not all the prep to do the task.

Sort of like...

Water pump take 2 hours flat rate

but as you need to add the removal of the radiator + to get to the water pump

and Radiator removal and install 1 hour flat rate

So a water pump flat rate is 3 hours Does that make any sense?

For those that have seem the Kawasaki Flat Rate Book ... how is it set up?

Thanks in advance

[sherob]

Hey SHEROB would you mind posting the name of that shop?  I'm in Ft. Collins and always looking for options.
Thanks

Give MotoAdventure a call in Loveland.

[shreveportSS]

I have a friend that works for the medical site of Michell (Of the old CAR Flat rate book fame)

Seems we recall that often the flat rate time is related to only the task called for and not all the prep to do the task.

Sort of like...

Water pump take 2 hours flat rate

but as you need to add the removal of the radiator + to get to the water pump

and Radiator removal and install 1 hour flat rate

So a water pump flat rate is 3 hours Does that make any sense?

For those that have seem the Kawasaki Flat Rate Book ... how is it set up?

Thanks in advance

If I went into a dealer and the flat rate for R&R on the water pump was 2 hours, That is all I am going to pay. Removal of the radiator is included in the flat rate.

[Rhino]

Sherob, can you tell me where you had it done? Was this in the Denver area? Never mind, just saw the post about having it done in Loveland.

Yes.  Dropped it off on Friday... was ready the following week on Thursday.  They did the valves, plugs... also had new rubber put on, oil and rear drive serviced too.

The bike has to sit, be cold, before they rip it apart for the vavles.  I also had to make an appointment, make sure they had the time to do it.

[sherob]

Think about having your plugs done while they are in there... air filter too maybe... save some $$$ and time. 

[JS_racer]

mine is in surgery now, two day turn. work done is a tb sync, plugs, air filter, valve adjust, stem bearings lubed, fork oil replaced, all suspension removed and lubed, both brakes and clutch fluid replaced, coolant i think, new rear 023 tire and lube splines with honda moly.
cost is in the 650-700 including the tire. not too bad i think. my guy is super attentive to detail, and i have chased him over 5000 miles already this year around the country side. bike is an 09 with like 19000 miles since June of 10. the thought was pay now, or pay later. i would rather pay now and ride later.

http://riverszzr.webs.com/  is my guy

Joel

[accbiker]

Just had mine 2010 done at 16,000 miles.  The dealer charged me $292.50 for 4.5 hours of labor and didn't charge me for any parts or other misc. shop supplies (the intake No. 4 valve was the only one out of spec so they shimmed it).  I think that was a fair price - so much I asked them to do an oil change to save me some time this weekend. (and I hate paying the dealer to do something as simple as an oil change).

-David
Athens, GA