Well, it could be a consideration but there are several reasons why I was / am not concerned about it (my bike is still under warranty): 1) the warranty issue would have to be something related to the valvetrain for that to even come up or be a valid thought. If the front rotors warp, it is of no relevance if the valve train maintenance was done / done on time / done correctly, etc. So the odds of having any warranty issue having anything to do with the valve train are remote. 2) Even if it were something that could be somehow related, the burden is on the issuer of the warranty, not the owner, to show cause why the warranty should be invalidated. For example, if an engine throws a rod, and the crankcase oil turns out to be this thick, black sludge, then the mfg. has a reasonable stance on claiming reasonable and recommended maintenance was not done. 3) I have a good dealer and they are quite reasonable. I do not believe we (myself, the dealer and perhaps Kawasaki) could not reach some kind of reasonable and fair accord on any major warranty issue. A lot of warranty claims are a gray area in my opinion so a reasonable attitude and expectation go a LONG way to having a good result.
But then again, nothing at all wrong with having your valve lash checked at the specified interval, and you are right in that with the clothes off the bike, a great deal of the work is already done.
It is my opinion that 25K or so miles is a much more reasonable interval for valve lash checks, just as the service manual states (actually 26K miles) for all non US / Canada bikes. I believe the shorter interval is driven by an agreement between Kawasaki and the EPA and has absolutely nothing to do with the mechanical needs of the bike. Or even actual emissions for that matter. But I am not on a horse screaming that everyone / anyone should NOT do a lash check at 15K miles either; I really do not have any stake in the matter other than on my own bike and then only so far as wasting time and effort on my part goes.
But I am surprised you only have 15K on your bike- that is not even 1,000 miles per color, is it? :-)
Brian
I thought you had to do all the required services for warranty? Just like on cars etc...