[Boss Hawg]

Just got my 1600 Classic and love it! I was curious what people are paying for the 600 service. Just trying to get idea, I am still kissing up to the wife for getting the bike while she was out of town.

Thanks.

 

[z00tech]

Expect to pay about $200-250 for nothing more than a glorified oil change. After reading the list of about two dozen things my dealer was going to perform on my Mean Streak, I noticed that about 1/3 did not pertain to my bike at all (i.e. valve adjustments; chain/belt adjustments), 1/3 pertained more to a motorcycle that had been sitting in storage for an extended period of time (i.e. check battery charge, add charge as needed; check spark plugs, replace as needed), and the final third sounded like a typical ripoff from some place like Jiffy Lube (i.e. Check coolant level and top off if necessary; check brake pads and replace if necessary).

I don't need to pay some "professional" $70/hour to check fluids I know darn well are full. And a motorcycle oil change couldn't be any easier to do yourself. Save the money you'd be wasting on that service and buy some nice chrome bits! :wink:

 

[ryanmross]

My 1st service cost me about $185 at B&B Kawasaki in Elgin, IL.

Some people made comments about how having the paperwork to show the 1st service was done may be of some value one day.. I don't know.. but I got to know the service people better, and they were the nicest I have ever encountered (vs car dealer service center people)! I was impressed, they were not rude, short, or arrogant toward me (hard to believe).

Still $185 was more than I initially expected to pay.
-Ryan

 

[ipscshooter]

Expect to pay about $200-250 for nothing more than a glorified oil change.
I don't need to pay some "professional" $70/hour to check fluids I know darn well are full.

You are right. The dealer here wanted $265 for 1st service or sell me a plan for $1500 for 3 years of service.

I notice you have "professional" in quotes. I understand.

My 600 mile service cost about $30 and 2 hours of my time. The 2 hours was well spent, as it let me get more familiar with my bike. The money bought an oil filter, 4 quarts of oil, and a quart of final drive lube.

After some of my own personal experiences and reading of dealer mechanic incompetance here, my bike will not see a dealer mechanic unless it is warranty or something I can't do.

I should clarify that not all dealers or all dealer mechanics are out to rip you off. Some mechanics are terrific. However, you never know if you are going to get a good one or a bad one.

I have had enough bad luck with dealer mechanics that I am not willing to take the risk of getting a bad one and suffering his incompetance which, potentially, puts my life at risk.

The dealers and manufacturers need to wake up to this or they are setting themselves up for a giant lawsuit. Motorcycles are not toys that mechanics can take lightly when servicing.

 

[z00tech]

Expect to pay about $200-250 for nothing more than a glorified oil change.
I don't need to pay some "professional" $70/hour to check fluids I know darn well are full.

You are right. The dealer here wanted $265 for 1st service or sell me a plan for $1500 for 3 years of service.

I notice you have "professional" in quotes. I understand.

My 600 mile service cost about $30 and 2 hours of my time. The 2 hours was well spent, as it let me get more familiar with my bike. The money bought an oil filter, 4 quarts of oil, and a quart of final drive lube.

After some of my own personal experiences and reading of dealer mechanic incompetance here, my bike will not see a dealer mechanic unless it is warranty or something I can't do.

I should clarify that not all dealers or all dealer mechanics are out to rip you off. Some mechanics are terrific. However, you never know if you are going to get a good one or a bad one.

I have had enough bad luck with dealer mechanics that I am not willing to take the risk of getting a bad one and suffering his incompetance which, potentially, puts my life at risk.

The dealers and manufacturers need to wake up to this or they are setting themselves up for a giant lawsuit. Motorcycles are not toys that mechanics can take lightly when servicing.

Wow! I could not have said it better myself. I spent $50.00 on four quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic, an oil filter, and some differential lube. I then went out and purchased a torque wrench ($46.00) and will be purchasing a shop manual for my bike soon (~$50.00).

I realize some are not so mechanically inclined....and that's okay....the dealers will make their money that way....but I try to keep my vehicles out of other people's hands as much as I can.

 

[Brooks]

600 Mile Service

I paid $130.00 for the first service on my 1600 Classic about a month ago.

 

[Peewee]

if you do not do your first check up at the dealer can that void any part of the warranty :?: :?:

 

[ipscshooter]

if you do not do your first check up at the dealer can that void any part of the warranty :?: :?:

I don't see how it can. Keep accurate records of mileage and date when performed and what service you did.

I made a spread sheet, basically copying the manual, that I use as a check list. I made copies and use one for each service at the recommended mileage/time. For the 600 mile I also made a check list of the bolts to be checked and use that at the appropriate service interval. I change oil more often than recommended and keep a record of that also. I bought a service manual and save all my receipts.

 

[ipscshooter]

Wow! I could not have said it better myself. I spent $50.00 on four quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic, an oil filter, and some differential lube.

I am not an oil expert, but if you put in Synthetic at the 600 mile service the engine may not break in properly.

I have 1500 on my bike and plan to wait until 3-4 thousand before switching.

I have read all sorts of opinions on break in and sythetic oils, as seperate issues or combined, but the majority seem to think waiting until MPG stabilizes seems to indicate the engine is broken in. That is the time to switch. That typically occurs after a few thousand miles.

I have read that BMW cycles use synthetic early on if not out of the factory.

I have a hard time understanding why a 600 mile service is required. Autos typically don't get a 1st service until 7500 or so. The same manufacturing techniques as autos are used to machine motorcycle engines/parts.

Why manufacturers recommend a 1st service at 600 may or may not have to do with the oil. It may have more to do with seeing if any parts are shaking loose that weren't tightened at the factory or dealer. Since most metric motorcycles are not fully assembled when they are shipped, guess who puts them together? The guys who are further down the technical totem than the mechanics. I found a loose throttle cable on mine after I rode it home the 1st time. That should have been caught by the set up mechanic. At my 600 I did find a few loose bolts. Were they loose from the 600 or loose during assembly?

You may want to check the oil thing out.

 

[ryanmross]

My throttle cable was loose too.

I noticed it the * night * before I was scheduled to bring it in for the service..
I was talking to a friend, and was saying how the service people will look for loose bolts & stuff -- as I wiggled my throttle cable, and found it was loose.

Ya think I could have tightened it myself?? Yup.

 

[ipscshooter]

My throttle cable was loose too.

how the service people will look for loose bolts & stuff -- as I wiggled my throttle cable, and found it was loose.

Unfortunately, LOOK is the key word. If the bolt isn't visibly half out or completely gone, some of these guys skip right by it. Are they lazy, incompetent, or on a rate pay scale? :roll:

Check those bolts. I lost a fender bolt on my old bike due to this and it WAS under a Dealer maintenance plan.

 

[bikeaholic]

re

yup-loose stuff seems to be more of a issue than oil at 600 miles :wink:

 

[Spok]

Loose bolts and cables were the reasons I let the dealer perform my 600 mile checkup. I am going to do all the rest myself. When I bought my 1500, it had just been taken out of the crate and put on the showroom floor without even being looked over by the staff first. One would expect a fresh uncrated rig to be tight and fault free. There were no major issues after my check but still wanted the "pro's" to handle it.

I have my next service due in about 150 miles and have already purchased the oil's and filters.

 

[rlovrin1]

I paid $75 for my 600 mile service on my 2002 Ninja 500R

 

[ussnewco]

I paid $110.00 for my 600 mile service, I wanted the peace of mind and a second set of eyes on my bike since I had to have the dealer put oil in my bike when I picked it up. It was serviced at a different dealer closer to home.
Does anyone know where I can get the service schedule for a 1600 vulcan classic? owners manual is no help

 

[ipscshooter]

Does anyone know where I can get the service schedule for a 1600 vulcan classic? owners manual is no help

Are you sure it's not in the manual? There was a very clear scheduled service matrix in my 2001 VN800A manual and there is a very similar one in my 2004 VZ1600 manual. Seems odd Kawasaki wouldn't put one in the manual for your ride. It's chart with a bunch of black dots for service points on it.

If it's not there try to get a service manual for $50 or maybe your dealer will give you a copy of the matrix.

 

[bushmeal]

I paid $129.80 today for my break-in. I dropped it off, picked it up, signed the check. Pretty simple if you ask me.

It's $129.80 shorter in the account, but that could've went toward my wife's makeup. 'Nough said.

 

[nomadrider1]

I've got a good dealer here in Pensacola. I've bought 4 bikes from them in the last 4 years and they have always thrown in the 600 oil/check with the deal. They are always going to make money but the bike prices have always been right within reason and it just makes ya feel like you're being done right when they do it without additional charge.

John

 

[omega5]

My stealer only charged me $84.28. Checked off and initialed each of the items listed for the 600 mile check in my owners manual as they were done (at my request of course)
Dano

 

[92Notch]

This is a little off topic.... sorry about that. This thread made me think about something (thanks for posting the great information, it was a great read!) ..... Anyways, when I go to buy a new bike would I be out of line asking the dealer to provide me with the instructions they use for assembling the bike.... So that I can double back over them and check all the bolts and "stuff" to make sure everything is on par (or am I being to anal or paranoid)?