Suzuki is VERY PROUD of their owners manuals

3270 Views 21 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Solarguy, 6 mo ago

Improperly Torqued

Discussion Starter · 6 mo ago

I just tried to order a replacement for my stolen owners manual, for a 2021 Wee (from a dealer, the only legitimate place to buy one). I was quoted nearly $100! That's the price of a new service manual!

That's insane. Has anyone else bought a not-current manual and encountered pricing like that?

I'm very fortunate that I scanned mine, so I have a copy, but it would have been nice to have the original back for the next owner if I sell the bike. At that price, I'm gonna have to pass.

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Improperly Torqued

Discussion Starter · #2 · 6 mo ago

Uhhh, and then there's this: Suzuki 99011-28K54-03A - MANUAL,OWNERS | Partzilla.com

That appears to be the correct manual. $17.

I'm going to have to guess the parts guy screwed up and was quoting me the price for the service manual, not the owners manual - even though he specifically asked me which of those I wanted.

Too late. Inability to pay attention to basic information is the reason I no longer take the bike there for service, so I reckon it figures.

Reactions: 5

PlugnPlay

· #3 · 6 mo ago

In '20 I bought the service manual for my '14 DL1000 (thru Suzuki online) for 90+t USD FYI
[EDIT] Earlier this year I bought a bootleg PDF version for about $20, mostly so I could search terms & keywords to learn the p#. It was a disastrous waste of money. Please don't do this - buy the OEM print manual, worth the $ IMO

Reactions: 3

dravnx

· #4 · 6 mo ago

Give the guy a break, he made a mistake.

Reactions: 2

Chucksklrst

· #5 · 6 mo ago

Improperly Torqued said:
Uhhh, and then there's this: Suzuki 99011-28K54-03A - MANUAL,OWNERS | Partzilla.com

That appears to be the correct manual. $17.

I'm going to have to guess the parts guy screwed up and was quoting me the price for the service manual, not the owners manual - even though he specifically asked me which of those I wanted.

Too late. Inability to pay attention to basic information is the reason I no longer take the bike there for service, so I reckon it figures.

either that or the parts guy was doing a bate and switch. He charges your credit card for a shop manual price. You pay 100 bucks, he orders you the owner manual for 20 bucks and he or the store keeps the rest,. And the no one is the wiser. Yes, it is time to learn and do your own maintenance.

Improperly Torqued

Discussion Starter · #6 · 6 mo ago

dravnx said:
Give the guy a break, he made a mistake.

This particular shop has made far too many, at my expense. This shoulda been an easy one ... guess not.

Reactions: 1

StretchNM

· #7 · 6 mo ago

When I bought my bike a couple months ago, the dealership had misplaced the Owner's Manual (AND the locks and keys for the panniers). So the salesman says they are going to order a Manual for me and send it to my home address. Then he sends me a text PDF copy of the Manual to my phone to hold me over until the hardcopy arrives. Well, I didn;t look at it until I got home - he sent me the PDF of the Service Manual by mistake. Problem is, it's somewhat out of date but completely useful to me.

Reactions: 1

Hogges

· #8 · 6 mo ago

The above mixups aside, I do find that Suzuki can and should be proud of their documentation. The service manuals I have seen especially go above and beyond and are a joy to read for DIY
owner maintenance and repair.

Compare this to other manufacturers who in some cases have stopped selling service manuals to the consumer altogether, and it’s well worth supporting Suzuki by buying OEM documents.

Brockie

· #9 · 6 mo ago

If manufacturers are becoming reluctant to sell their service manuals it is because entrepreneurs are purchasing a copy for $100 and then selling poor quality PDF's of it to dozens, perhaps hundreds of people at $20 each.

Reactions: 1

STCorndog

· #10 · 6 mo ago

I currently have 4 OEM shop manuals in my shop. Honda Rincon, Honda XR400r, Suzuki DL1000 and the one for my Super Tenere.

Yamaha’s manuals suck compared to the other three. They are definitely written for an experienced mechanic and are poorly indexed. Suzuki has the best with Honda very close and both are written with an owner in mind.

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twenty

· #11 · 6 mo ago

I usually have the factory service manual before I get the bike, it's ordered at the same time as the bike.

$100 isn't even 1 hour of service at the mechanics, it's a no brainer

Reactions: 5

STCorndog

· #12 · 6 mo ago

twenty said:
I usually have the factory service manual before I get the bike, it's ordered at the same time as the bike.

$100 isn't even 1 hour of service at the mechanics, it's a no brainer

I am old school. I like books. I write down notes in my manual on things I figured out to make it easier. I use the blank pages to write down all the service I have performed. If I have a parts source I found, it gets written in the manual.

Reactions: 5

Chucksklrst

· #13 · 6 mo ago

4

STCorndog said:
I am old school. I like books. I write down notes in my manual on things I figured out to make it easier. I use the blank pages to write down all the service I have performed. If I have a parts source I found, it gets written in the manual.

I agree with you, I also am old school. For all of the bikes in the family that I maintain, I have the factory service manual with manit. schedules and notes. I Like to have a hard copy of the manual at my work site. I also take notes and and document what I have done on the published maint. schedule. Here are just a couple of pics to illustrate that. I lso keep a quick ref white board of when maint has been done and when it is due again.

Tire Wheel Fuel tank Motor vehicle Automotive tire

Bookcase Shelf Publication Shelving Book

Font Material property Netbook Carton Gadget

Handwriting Whiteboard Font Material property Post-it note

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STCorndog

· #14 · 6 mo ago

@Chucksklrst

I would have guessed Army (or military) retired. My father did 22 years and his sense of organization rubbed off on me. It has served me well as an engineer also.

I am as OCD as they come. The therapy has not helped a bit either.

Reactions: 3

STCorndog

· #15 · 6 mo ago

2

Wheel Tire Fuel tank Automotive fuel system Vehicle

Manuals stacked on desk. My basement shop is 2200sf and climate controlled. Beer fridge and tools out of frame to the left. Orange box under manuals has common spare parts like spark plugs, o-rings, crush washers etc.

Tire Wheel Vehicle Motor vehicle Fuel tank

Upstairs belongs to the wife. The basement is my man-cave.

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Reactions: 5

D.T.

· #16 · 6 mo ago

Quite a change from the guy with a condo that can't work on his bikes.

I'm in the middle some where. I do live in a condo with a small garage.

If I had the $$$ and huge garage I'd have a 2 post lift.

Reactions: 3

Chucksklrst

· #17 · 6 mo ago (Edited)

3

STCorndog said:
View attachment 310182
Manuals stacked on desk. My basement shop is 2200sf and climate controlled. Beer fridge and tools out of frame to the left. Orange box under manuals has common spare parts like spark plugs, o-rings, crush washers etc. View attachment 310183
Upstairs belongs to the wife. The basement is my man-cave.

Yes 19 year Army dependent, 20+ years active Army retired , and 20 +years Army DAC Civilian retired. Wish my garage was that large. My Town Home basement has been finished so no bikes down there plus no access to it for the bikes.

Tire Wheel Motor vehicle Vehicle Automotive lighting

Tire Wheel Vehicle Automotive lighting Automotive tire

Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Automotive tire Vehicle

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Reactions: 5

STCorndog

· #18 · 6 mo ago

When we moved out of the city I told my wife to pick out what she wanted with the following criteria.

at least 5 acres
ranch with a walkout basement (unfinished preferably)
brick and no exterior wood
no traffic noise from nearby highways

It took her a year to find what we wanted. It’s our last home unless we are forced to downsize.

Reactions: 3

dtysdalx21

· #19 · 6 mo ago

I do notes on printouts. Studying the ECU.

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Reactions: 4

Chucksklrst

· #20 · 6 mo ago

STCorndog said:
When we moved out of the city I told my wife to pick out what she wanted with the following criteria.

at least 5 acres

ranch with a walkout basement (unfinished preferably)

brick and no exterior wood

no traffic noise from nearby highways

It took her a year to find what we wanted. It’s our last home unless we are forced to downsize.

Yea, when we retired and move back to Colorado from Texas (To be close to the kids and grand daughters) we down sized. Now we have more $%&T than we had in the big house in Texas. Every void will get filled.

Reactions: 4

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