My 2012 that I just got, currently has 13,700 miles on it.  Likely will hit 15k+ around the end of the summer and will either be in FL or TX.  Just got the extended 36 month coverage on the bike, and trying to determine if I will check at 15k or 20k.  No way I can do it myself, and every dealer I talk to says they don't need it and have never seen a bike with one valve out of spec... makes me very cautious of even letting a dealer touch the valve check.  Wondering if any members on here that have lots of experience with the procedure do them for $$$ for other folks on here?  Like I said, just curious.
Thanks,
Billy

My 2012 that I just got, currently has 13,700 miles on it.  Likely will hit 15k+ around the end of the summer and will either be in FL or TX.  Just got the extended 36 month coverage on the bike, and trying to determine if I will check at 15k or 20k.  No way I can do it myself, and every dealer I talk to says they don't need it and have never seen a bike with one valve out of spec... makes me very cautious of even letting a dealer touch the valve check.

I am not sure of your logic, there.  The reason they are saying that to you is because most believe the Kawasaki recommended valve check is overly pessimistic (way too soon/short).   And it is very possible that every bike they have done at that short interval was 100% in-spec.  I am sure the dealer would be happy to take your money and do the work, but they are just warning that, in their experience, it is a waste of money/time/effort to check them that soon.  It is not because they are afraid to do it or incompetent.

Many threads on this forum about valve check intervals...

Well, they were moaning at the amount of work... When mentioned, it was an audible groan., and the fact that folks that do their own checks often find something out of spec and they say they have never seen a valve out of spec... just makes you wonder if they are doing the work properly and just pulling and looking and throwing it all back together asap.
B

Well, they were moaning at the amount of work...

I have not done it (nor will I) but based on what I have read on the forum and in the factory manual, it is a LOT of work.

When mentioned, it was an audible groan., and the fact that folks that do their own checks often find something out of spec and they say they have never seen a valve out of spec... just makes you wonder if they are doing the work properly and just pulling and looking and throwing it all back together asap.

Good points.   Of course, I often wonder if any work is really done properly by shops.  I tend to be like you, not very trusting.

I will point out that (based on what I have read/seen/heard)  most have not found anything out of spec when checked at the recommended USA interval.  Even when it is far past the interval, most find none out of spec.  I don't have any hard data, though (one thread started a poll, but it wasn't well worded and sample size wasn't great) .   That isn't to say people don't EVER find anything out of spec, or at the edge of just being in spec at the USA interval.  It is a kind of gamble in which the odds appear to support waiting longer.  If it were easy to do, it wouldn't be a big deal.

One thing to consider- magically, the manuals for non-USA/CDN bikes call for a valve check at 26K miles, not 15K.  And those bikes have identical heads, valves, springs, pistons, cams, seats, blocks, etc, etc.  So why is it that USA/CDN bikes should be checked at 15K and the same bike sold outside that area are 26K?  At a minimum, that would tend to imply 26K is safe, even based on Kawasaki's own recommendations.

There are no easy answers on this topic.  (Just the same questions hashed over and over in similar threads )

Last time I was in a KAW shop, I asked the service manager for an estimated cost to check my valves. He responded, "If I give you $1,000, will you please just go away?"

I said he did not want the work under any conditions?

 He said: "Correct!"

I have not done it (nor will I) but based on what I have read on the forum and in the factory manual, it is a LOT of work.

Good points.   Of course, I often wonder if any work is really done properly by shops.  I tend to be like you, not very trusting.

I will point out that (based on what I have read/seen/heard)  few have found anything out of spec when checked at the recommended USA interval.  Even when it is far past the interval, most find none out of spec.  I don't have any hard data, though (one thread started a poll, but it wasn't well worded and sample size wasn't great) .   That isn't to say people don't EVER find anything out of spec, or at the edge of just being in spec at the USA interval.  It is a kind of gamble in which the odds appear to overwhelmingly support waiting longer.  If it were easy to do, it wouldn't be a big deal.

One thing to consider- magically, the manuals for non-USA/CDN bikes call for a valve check at 25K miles, not 15K.  And those bikes have identical heads, valves, springs, pistons, cams, seats, blocks, etc, etc.  So why is it that USA/CDN bikes should be checked at 15K and the same bike sold outside that area are 25K?  At a minimum, that would tend to imply 25K is safe, even based on Kawasaki's own recommendations.

There are no easy answers on this topic.  (Just the same questions hashed over and over in similar threads )

Actually if you ask the 3 main people on each of the forums that do many of the valve checks for forum members you will find the opposite, Most bikes have a few out of spec valves !

Never pay for a Valve 'Check'.  They will just 'look' and say it is within spec even though they may all be at the minimum spec.  You do not want that.
 You want to pay for a Valve Shim adjustment and have a Shim Map made to match.
Always have the valve gaps set to the max clearance specs. This is how you can ride for another 25k miles and not worry if the clearances are now out of spec.
Why pay to have it looked at and nothing done?  That is just silly.

Actually if you ask the 3 main people on each of the forums that do many of the valve checks for forum members you will find the opposite, Most bikes have a few out of spec valves !

But at what INTERVAL?  That is the big question.

But at what INTERVAL?  That is the big question.

15-25,000

i did a valve check at 47000km (~29000miles). the manual that i've got says 42000km for valve check.
out of 8 exhaust valves:
- tight (less than minimum clearance): 2
- loose (more than max clearance): 1
- within limits: 4 were right at the min limit, 1 was close to tight.
out of 8 inlet valves:
- tight: 3
- loose: 0
- within limits: 5, all of them close to tight.

i changed/swapped most of the shims to get clearance right in the middle of the range.

it was a 4-5 day job for me, took things slowly so i don't miss out any steps.
i think this is a job that's worth doing on your own if possible. it's a good learning experience, and you won't take shortcuts on your own bike.

read some posts that one of the long time members here does valve checks for others, can't remember who.

15-25,000

Exactly.  And for every post of someone saying theirs needed adjustment, I can find one that said theirs was fine.  Not scientific, just interesting.  Here is a pick from 2014  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=16175.msg197998#msg197998  "I had my 2008 ABS in for it's first valve adjustment at 112,000 miles, and was told that the valves were still in spec."  Yet in the same thread there was someone else posting that at 25K they had all 16 "out of or at the edge of tolerance".

On this thread:  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2375.0  The poll had 30 of 53 (57%) reporting that at 15K they were in spec.  On another thread, a poll reported 12 of 23 (53%) that everything was in spec, but the interval wasn't addressed (so it was at ANY mileage, that could be 15k, 26k, 30k, 50k, whatever).

If you can find a bike that was out of spec at 15K, does that mean the recommended interval was too short or too long?  So how does that impact Kawasaki's recommendation to the rest of the world for it being 26K?   I like the say B.D.F. says it:

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with following the maintenance schedule set forth by Kawasaki for US bikes. I am simply saying that there are other considerations that may make disregarding the suggested intervals and using other intervals perfectly sound and reasonable."

Interesting thread. I'm coming up on 22,000 with no valve check yet. I plan to go the Euro route and push it to 25K. At that point, like the original poster, I need to find somebody other than a dealer to do it. Fred's over in SW Ft. Worth. I may try to hook up with him if I can figure out a way to get the bike over there for a few days. I have yet to read about a C14 that's running bad because of tight valves. I think that says something about the whole issue. Ride Long...Ride Safe.

I think the answer to the OP's question is YES.

I believe there are at least 3 members in different areas who will work on members bikes.

Billy, reach out and ask.  I don't know what they would charge but would guess that it would be less than a dealer.
And you would also know that the person working on your bike is someone who cares about them, most likely owning one them self.

Exactly.  And for every post of someone saying theirs needed adjustment, I can find one that said theirs was fine.  Not scientific, just interesting.  Here is a pick from 2014  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=16175.msg197998#msg197998  "I had my 2008 ABS in for it's first valve adjustment at 112,000 miles, and was told that the valves were still in spec."  Yet in the same thread there was someone else posting that at 25K they had all 16 "out of or at the edge of tolerance".

On this thread:  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2375.0  The poll had 30 of 53 (57%) reporting that at 15K they were in spec.  On another thread, a poll reported 12 of 23 (53%) that everything was in spec, but the interval wasn't addressed (so it was at ANY mileage, that could be 15k, 26k, 30k, 50k, whatever).

If you can find a bike that was out of spec at 15K, does that mean the recommended interval was too short or too long?  So how does that impact Kawasaki's recommendation to the rest of the world for it being 26K?   I like the say B.D.F. says it:

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with following the maintenance schedule set forth by Kawasaki for US bikes. I am simply saying that there are other considerations that may make disregarding the suggested intervals and using other intervals perfectly sound and reasonable."

After a couple hours of reading threw all the new & old Valve adjust threads on both forums I have come to the conclusion that the majority of Owners stating that their valves required no adjustment were done at dealerships, The majority stating that adjustment WAS needed were done by the owners themselves or people/mechanics they know. This is at all mileage. Come to your own decisions but if done at a dealership I would want documented proof & pictures that they actually did check them. I have a feeling many valve covers never even get removed but customers are told all is IN spec !.   

24k is when I did mine on my 2008- a ridden very hard 2008 - not that that would make any difference.  All were 'In Spec' but all the exhaust valves where right on the edge of being NOT in spec so ALL  but one of my valves had  to be  redone to the maximum spec. If I had left it alone (like a dealer might do) even though they were 'in spec' I would not be able to ride to the next interval. I would have surely caused some damage.

I would say 24 to 25k miles they should be adjusted- not checked- and get a shim map done.

I sincerely doubt that a dealer would fail to even remove the valve cover. I worked as a factory trained mechanic for YEARS and ALWAYS adjusted the valves that were OUT OF SPEC.

But to be honest, I only set the valves on my own vehicles to PREFERRED clearances. There is a big difference between what is "acceptable" and what is "preferred". If a mechanic has a spec such as .005 - .008 clearance, he'll grab a .005 feeler gauge and a .009 feeler gauge. If the .005 goes and the .009 doesn't, it is a winner. Most small independent shops are more conscience for obvious reasons.

One thing to consider- magically, the manuals for non-USA/CDN bikes call for a valve check at 26K miles, not 15K.  And those bikes have identical heads, valves, springs, pistons, cams, seats, blocks, etc, etc.  So why is it that USA/CDN bikes should be checked at 15K and the same bike sold outside that area are 26K?  At a minimum, that would tend to imply 26K is safe, even based on Kawasaki's own recommendations.

It may be just a coincident that 25,000km =15,500 miles.  Could be kawi did not get the units right between USA (miles) and the rest of the world(km).

I think the answer to the OP's question is YES.

I believe there are at least 3 members in different areas who will work on members bikes.

Billy, reach out and ask.  I don't know what they would charge but would guess that it would be less than a dealer.
And you would also know that the person working on your bike is someone who cares about them, most likely owning one them self.

Agreed 100%!

It may be just a coincident that 25,000km =15,500 miles.  Could be kawi did not get the units right between USA (miles) and the rest of the world(km).

Bingo!!! I have wondered that myself... seems very plausible.
Billy

Thanks guys!  Being that I am in FL a lot and Tuscaloosa a lot.. I have options depending on where I am at the time... Makes me feel much better..  Thinking of just getting it done around 20k on the first go round.
Billy