[JoeInLex]

Can anyone point me to or tell me what the normal maintenance schedule for a V-Strom 650 is please? I'm come down to either getting it or a BMW F800S.

I really like the ride of both and appreciate the fact that the V-Strom is more reasonably priced but the BMW, after a test ride, has a realy nice feel / balance. Just wish the darn Suzuki dealers allowed test drives. Find it ridiculous that they typically don't.

 

[GrayWolf]

I don't buy anything I have not ridden. Every suzi dealer here allows test rides. Suzuki allows an awful lot of latitude to their dealers, which is nice since it allows very small shops to be dealers, but can have its downsides.

I'm going off memory and what I do here but I should be close.

600 miles then do an oil change. Every 5k miles thereafter. Check valve clearance about every 15k. Thats about all I've done for my girl. Oh, and I nearly forgot, chain maintenance. I lube mine every gas stop at home. About every other stop on a trip.

-GW

 

[rotorhead]

Straight from the OEM shop manual:
First oil change at 600 miles, then at 4k, 7.5k, 11k, etc. (3,500 mile intervals). Oil filter at every third oil change.
Valve clearance inspection every 14,500 miles.
Air filter change every 11,000 miles.
Spark plug change at 7.5k, 14.5k, etc.
Everything else (torque check of nuts and bolts, chain lube and tension, etc., etc.) is standard stuff.

 

[V-Tom]

I don't know much about how difficult the BMW service is on the BMW F800S, but another point about the V-Strom is that it really is easy to do the normal servicing (which mainly amounts to oil changes and lubing the chain.)

..Tom

 

[GrayWolf]

Straight from the OEM shop manual:
First oil change at 600 miles, then at 4k, 7.5k, 11k, etc. (3,500 mile intervals). Oil filter at every third oil change.
Valve clearance inspection every 14,500 miles.
Air filter change every 11,000 miles.
Spark plug change at 7.5k, 14.5k, etc.
Everything else (torque check of nuts and bolts, chain lube and tension, etc., etc.) is standard stuff.

I change my oil every 5k using a synthetic. Change my oil filter at every oil change. Have not done a valve clearance yet and should (over 40k). Still on stock plugs.

I think I'm a bad strom owner.

-GW

 

[rotorhead]

I change my oil every 5k using a synthetic. Change my oil filter at every oil change. Have not done a valve clearance yet and should (over 40k). Still on stock plugs.

I think I'm a bad strom owner.

-GW

Nah, I wouldn't say that. The original post just asked for the maintenance schedule so I gave it to him. What we in the real world do based on our experiences and how well this bike is built varies widely. I think some of these intervals are overkill myself and act accordingly.

 

[mgkelly]

something else to consider is dealer network. I have BMW's (airhead and F650) great bikes but good luck finding a dealer. I'm in southwestern Va and it is 130 miles to a BMW dealer, Suzuki on the other hand is 10 miles and there are 9 dealers within 60 mi. I had an ABS problem on an oilhead in alabama, just lucky to be in birmingham, alabama's ONLY dealer. good luck

 

[Bright Side]

BMW Dealers

I must agree. The BMW Dealer network is shrinking fast. I have a 05 1200GS. The closest dealer to me just closed. Now I have to take it to either Chicago approximately 40 miles, Barrington approx. 40 miles, Ft Wayne approx 120 miles, Cincinnati approx 270 miles, etc. My Suzuki dealer is less than 2 miles or the other one is 4 miles.

The cost of maintaining a BMW is huge. My Wee Strom is next to nothing. The ride and handling, I prefer the Wee. Gas is another issue. BMW uses the most expensive, premium, the Strom the cheapest, regular. Gas mileage is in favor of the Strom.

All in all I prefer the Strom. How I happened along the Strom was that my brother bought one, I rode it, and now I have an 05 BMW 1200GS for sale.

Good luck

Bright Side

 

[jacob]

I must agree. The BMW Dealer network is shrinking fast. I have a 05 1200GS. The closest dealer to me just closed. Now I have to take it to either Chicago approximately 40 miles, Barrington approx. 40 miles, Ft Wayne approx 120 miles, Cincinnati approx 270 miles, etc. My Suzuki dealer is less than 2 miles or the other one is 4 miles.

The cost of maintaining a BMW is huge. My Wee Strom is next to nothing. The ride and handling, I prefer the Wee. Gas is another issue. BMW uses the most expensive, premium, the Strom the cheapest, regular. Gas mileage is in favor of the Strom.

All in all I prefer the Strom. How I happened along the Strom was that my brother bought one, I rode it, and now I have an 05 BMW 1200GS for sale.

Good luck

Bright Side

I always thought i would ride my strom to 100k and then look for a good 05gs,but i think now i will look for another strom or maybe even a wee(If that damn anorexia would kick in).

 

[DBuck12]

It might be a good idea to flush the cooling system and replace the coolant. At least once in a while. That, brake fluid and clutch fluid.

 

[UNDERWNG]

I feel better

I change my oil every 5k using a synthetic. Change my oil filter at every oil change. Have not done a valve clearance yet and should (over 40k). Still on stock plugs.

I think I'm a bad strom owner.

-GW

I hit 14000 just b4 I put her down for the winter. I felt like I was neglecting the wee and I am freakn about plugs. after reading this maybe I can wait LOL. hmmm probably not going on a two week trip in june
:mrgreen: Is it june yet?? Shat I'll settle for 45 degrees for a couple days

 

[stevet]

It might be a good idea to flush the cooling system and replace the coolant. At least once in a while. That, brake fluid and clutch fluid.

Cable clutch on the 650, no fluid in that system. The 1000 has the hydraulic clutch, right?

Steve.

 

[limobob]

not bad

I change my oil every 5k using a synthetic. Change my oil filter at every oil change. Have not done a valve clearance yet and should (over 40k). Still on stock plugs.

I think I'm a bad strom owner.

-GW

I have over 62K on my V with no valve adj., 1 set of plugs, 1 TB sync.,
Did, however wear out the threads on the case for the oil drain. I AM the worst strom owner:mrgreen:

 

[chris swann]

maintain

my reason for the v strom 650 is that it is very easy on parts , being that it is a bike made for a 1000 cc engine . its gentile power delivery is easy on tires chains and sprockets .its the first bike i have owned that wont knickle and dime me all summer

 

[stan-in-japan]

Straight from the OEM shop manual:
First oil change at 600 miles, then at 4k, 7.5k, 11k, etc. (3,500 mile intervals). Oil filter at every third oil change.
Valve clearance inspection every 14,500 miles.
Air filter change every 11,000 miles.
Spark plug change at 7.5k, 14.5k, etc.
Everything else (torque check of nuts and bolts, chain lube and tension, etc., etc.) is standard stuff.

No way?
I change my oil in all my bikes at 3,000 kilos (1,875 miles).
3,500 miles, or 5,600 kilos seems unbelievable to me.
Motul synth every 3,000 kilos

 

[lordneeko]

Straight from the OEM shop manual:
First oil change at 600 miles, then at 4k, 7.5k, 11k, etc. (3,500 mile intervals). Oil filter at every third oil change.
Valve clearance inspection every 14,500 miles.
Air filter change every 11,000 miles.
Spark plug change at 7.5k, 14.5k, etc.
Everything else (torque check of nuts and bolts, chain lube and tension, etc., etc.) is standard stuff.

So the manual stops at 14k, is it just rinse and repeat from there on out?

 

[sprale]

I have over 62K on my V with no valve adj., 1 set of plugs, 1 TB sync.,
Did, however wear out the threads on the case for the oil drain. I AM the worst strom owner:mrgreen:

I'm about to hit 50k, thinking about the valves. This is the most reliable bike I've ever owned, too much perhaps? I don't have a good excuse to look at other bikes!

 

[lordneeko]

I never got an answer here. Is there a schedule out there somewhere that shows the recommended maintenance after 14k? You experts here always mention multiple services you do that aren't in the manual. I know I'm missing looking for stuff...without a good schedule to look at I'll have to go to the local Suzuki shop and say 'check it out' and tell me what I haven't done.

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

 

[greywolf]

Look at the maintenance chart and don't look at the 600 mile column any more. After 14,500 miles, intervals are every 3,500 miles. So at 18,000 miles, you go back to the 4000 mile column, at 21,500 miles you do the 7,500 mile column and so on. Every 3,500 additional miles go to the next column from the last one you did and cycle back to the 4000 mile column when you run out of chart.

Any procedures are mentioned here that are not on the chart are done as needed.

 

[PTRider]

Some of the manual's intervals are just silly. 7,500 miles for spark plugs? Nonsense. Whatever interval they show for radiator hoses?...I don't remember any cases reported of hose failures except maybe some seepage at the ends.

I run 3500 miles on conventional oil, 5000 on syn, 10,000 for the oil filter. Copper plugs at 20,000, or iridium for as long as I'll own it. Ordinary coolant 2 years or long-life at 5 years. 2 years for brake fluid. Chain lube every other tank of gas. Once the valve lash has been set to about the middle of the range, it's good for a long time.