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2013 Wee 18K service $$$$ 'exy'

6K views 36 replies 19 participants last post by  Mustang 
#1 ·
Cha ching. $421 later for an 18,000 km service for a 650. 4 plugs, oil & filter. Absolutely crazy how much a bike service is. I know the argument; do it yourself.....but tools, time & knowledge are the flip side to the debate. Still, really, $421. :confused:

They warned me the next one involves the valves, new brake fluid; so be ready. I am going to use a mechanic for that one rather than the dealer. Why didn't the design have the valves and plugs due at the one 'major' service. Hang on I think I know the answer......:nerd:

Anyhows, it's done and I'm ready to roll for the Uralla run late November for the Xmas gathering. It will all be forgotton as I ride through Nymboida on my way to Armidale. :laugh2:

Trevor
 
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#2 ·
The later model 650 comes fitted with iridium plugs which cost around $25-30 each and are changed in cars at 50-60k kms so should easily go to 24k kms on a bike. Add an oil filter $30, oil $40 and other miscellaneous consumables and you are at about half for parts and half for labour which is about normal.
 
#3 ·
So if the bike was already fitted with Iridium plugs... did they swap them out 30,000 km sooner than needed and hit you up for an extra $100 you needn't have paid?

Does sound a bit high for a "normal" service to me.

At that rate they will want to charge you $1,500 for a "full" service if it involves valves and so forth. :surprise: :surprise:

If a dealership is ripping you off find yourself a good generic bike mechanic that runs his own business. :wink2:

I shuffle between the Suzuki dealership near where I work, my local Honda dealership ten minutes from home, and a generic mechanic near my work.. depending what I'm having done (Wee-Strom, DR650 and Kawasaki KLE500 all visit the different workshops).

I trust the generic bloke the most, then the Honda dealer (surprisingly he seems better at working on, and to know more about the Zooks than the Suzuki dealer workshop does :confused: ).
 
#5 ·
So if the bike was already fitted with Iridium plugs... did they swap them out 30,000 km sooner than needed and hit you up for an extra $100 you needn't have paid?
Actually after checking the owners manual the maintenance chart recommends the plugs be changed every 12k kms which for iridium plugs from what I have read would be a bit of a waste to change them so often. I checked my bike, it still has the original plugs which are Denso IU24D. A google search finds them to be Iridium plugs.
 
#4 ·
Our experience with stealers (shoddy work and over priced) has led us to do it all ourselves.
We have bought the workshop manual for both bikes, some decent tools and a lift.
A basic service really doesn't take that long to do.



We know the services are done properly & when the time comes & we cannot do it ourselves we will find a small mechanic who works for himself.

Cheers V2man & GotaV2
 
#12 ·
Do you have an online booking service? :smile2:
 
#6 ·
You would think the Iridium would go much more than 12K in the bike.... especially given my 4WD mechanic fitted a set to my V6 Delica and said they wouldn't come out for 50,000 km and would probably be good for 60,000 or more.
 
#7 ·
I made same question regarding plugs. Reason they change them out earlier is that whereas the car engine revs around 2000 plus a bit and the Wee revs at around 5000, therefore twice as much. :nerd:
ATM am keeping with scheduled services until 24000 k then see how I feel about very frequent services. Will probably do most myself and get any major work done by the shop.
 
#8 ·
I'm coming up on 12K now, I was going to pull the plugs, do an inspection and check the gap, bike is running like a clock, can't see it needing new plugs.
Probably blow the air cleaner out, button it up and do the major at 24K with plugs and valves, in the mean time, just keep giving oil and filter changes.
 
#9 ·
Interesting plug discussion. 12,0000 does seem ridiculously low. The revving may explain a lower than car value however.

In the end Vman and Ang idea sounds ideal, especially with 2 bikes to do. I like that lift.

Hey, I love your range of transport Ocker, the V6 Delica would be great to have alongside a Strom.
 
#10 ·
The 650 manual is for the old model, Suzuki didn't bother to change it. The dealer says 24k for iridium sparks, Stumps took mine out at 24k any they looked brand new so we put new ones in and he kept the old ones, could easy get 48 k. I paid $20 each. I won't be touching the 1000 till 48k's.

Cheers Razor
 
#11 ·
I checked the shim clearance at ~ 24000 and plugs while all the stuff was pulled off. Electrode tip and gaps were all good so just refitted. About to do next check in coming month or two as I approach 50000 and will probably change the plugs...(with newies Razor). Not sure why Suzuki mandate a short life....aside from the extra RPM firing whats different here?? there was really no wear I could see at 24K...is it for US based emissions compliance? I notice no fuel economy, power or other performance issue. :thumbsup:
 
#14 · (Edited)
Not sure why Suzuki mandate a short life....aside from the extra RPM firing whats different here?? there was really no wear I could see at 24K...:thumbsup:
Good point Stumps, the way I ride, hardly ever revvs hard (never been to redline district) I should have asked for the originals plugs to stay in until at least 24,000. Actually knowing dealers they probably still are in there, I just got to pay for new ones.

I'm taking on board V2 and Ang idea and using Graham the mobile guy for the bigger service at 24,000. Unless Ozmultis shares that online booking site once he gets it :wink2:

Cheers everyone and thanks. Trevor.
 
#13 ·
Crikey......I've done over 30K on my 07 with the plugs that were in it when I bought it and they haven't missed a beat (probably spoke too soon) but yeah......all I've had done is minor servicing and Kato-strom and I have done everything else at his place. I don't know what plugs I've even got in the damned thing......no missing, snorts or anything that would indicate to me that the plugs are failing.
I probably will need to have the valves checked at 60K and I'm trying to save the bike a bit now by riding my pushy to work when it's fine weather...I don't have far to go.....only 4k's each way still that's a lot of starting and stopping.
Haven't done any trips on it since the Gloucestor soggy:grin2:

Cheers

wobbly
 
#16 ·
47000k and apart from the stator issue the bike hasn't missed a beat.

From all the posts I've read here I think I'll wait until 60k or so before I get the "big service" done (injectors,valves,plugs). The rest I can do at home.

My front left fork recently developed a weep which is a bit of a pain but a mate has a rattle gun which should make it easier to undo the bottom bolt.
 
#17 ·
Run an old piece of 35mm film stock around between the seal and the fork tube to dislodge any grit before you do the seal, the seal may not actually need replacing...(or those little plastic dental floss harps, or you can get fork seal cleaners from some bike accessory shops... but the dental harps are the cheapest and easiest to get)
 
#22 ·
My iridium plugs are coming up to 80K km now, and I hope they keep going. 140K + km on the bike now and no tappet adj needed. On my 3rd set of fork seals, I recommend not to buy aftermarket ones. Frank, if you want we can do your seals here one afternoon for nix, just bring some red
 
#24 ·
Hi everyone,

My '06 Wee has just had it's 100,000kms service! I had the guys at Rocker Classic Motorcycles (now at Kippa-Ring, near Redcliffe) do the service, I hadn't had the valves check for a long time. I was ok with the bill, $470.00 for everything and labour (oil, oil filter, brake fluid, radiator coolant, valve clearance check, clean and re-oil my K & N air filter, adjust throttle bodies, etc).

I always do the 5K services myself, and shop around for the consumables, oil, etc. I will probably take it back when it reaches the 125K again for the valve clearance check.

My next investment will be a bike lifter! I may have to look at buying a front wheel stand as the font brake discs are getting close to being replaced. Anyone used one? What's a good brand without costing heaps?

As for spark plugs, I only use the standard ones, and usually change them every 25K, the same time I change the coolant as it's easier to change them when the radiator is off the bike.

Ride safe,
Mike
 
#25 ·
Spark Plug Life

Go with cheaper non iridium plugs.No one can see a difference.After all you have 2 PER cyl. The reason why the dealer changes them so frequently has nothing to do with plug life.ITS SO THEY DONT SEIZE IN THE CYL. HEAD.I hope that makes sense to everyone.Cars have a much better envioronment to live in for the plugs.Under the hood ....
 
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